My Baby has a flat spot on their head what do I do?

15 Feb My Baby has a flat spot on their head what do I do?

Flat spots on infants’ heads are relatively common in newborns. The official medical term for a flat spot is either plagiocephaly or brachiocephally depending on where the flat spot it. It is plagiocephaly if the flat spot is too one side and brachiocephally if the back of the head is flat. There are a variety of different causes what can cause these conditions. Treatment is dependent on the specific cause.  

Causes 

There are a variety of causes of flat spots on infant’s head as seen below. 

• Torticollis 
• Birth Trauma 
• Premature birth 
• Multiple births 
• Too much time lying on back and/or too much time looking in a specific direction 

Treatment 

Treatment varies depending on the cause of the flat spot. However, there are simple actions that can be taken to reduce the chance of a flat spot occurring and/or progressing. It is important to note that for treatment specific to your baby you should see a physiotherapist for management.  

It is also important to note that infants should always sleep on their back to avoid risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) despite any risks of flat heads. However, you can try turning your baby’s head to face the other side whilst sleeping if required. Other treatment methods are listed below. 

• Tummy time – helps to prevent time lying on flat spot of head. It helps to strengthen infants neck muscles and helps them to explore the world. Always supervise your baby in tummy time.  
• Limit time in containers – This can cause flatness at the back of your baby’s head. 
• Stretching – See physiotherapist for stretching specifically to your child. 
• Positioning – Think about the way you are holding your baby to encourage them to look the opposite way to the way they normally look. When playing with toys play with your baby have the toys and yourself situated on the side they struggle to look to.  
• Side Lying play – Side lying on the opposite side to the flat spot is a great way to take pressure of the flat spot. This also helps with working the core muscles important for rolling. Always supervise your baby in sidelying play.  
• Helmut therapy – This is an option for children with severe flat spots.  

Physiotherapists are expertly placed to assess your child’s head shape, monitor progress/regression and provide specific treatment.