Baby Head Shape Flat On One Side

This is known as positional plagiocephaly.

Baby head shape flat on one side.

It s linked to a baby sleeping exclusively on his back as well as spending a lot of time lying in a rocker car seat or swing. These head shapes can also occur in combination for example plagiocephaly with brachycephaly flatness across the entire back of the head with one side of the back flatter than the other or plagiocephaly with scaphocephaly long and narrow head shape with one side of the back flatter than the other. During this time some babies develop positional plagiocephaly. This means that there is a flat area on the back or side of the head.

Because a baby s skull is malleable a tendency to rest the head in the same position can result in an uneven head shape. Premature babies are especially prone to torticollis. Some babies develop flat spots on one side or the other because they stare out in the same direction all the time. Babies sometimes develop a flattened head when they re a few months old usually as a result of them spending a lot of time lying on their back.

Many factors can cause flat spots. Researchers found that 47 percent of 440 2 month olds having routine check ups had what doctors call positional plagiocephaly where the back or one side of the head has a flat spot. Torticollis occurs when a tight or shortened muscle on one side of the neck causes the chin to tilt to the other side. The ears may be misaligned and the head looks like a parallelogram when seen from above and sometimes the forehead and face may bulge a little on the flat side.

When babies are born their skulls are soft which helps them pass through the birth canal. As distressing as this can be to a new parent a flat head is treatable and doesn t mean your baby is in pain or will have any developmental delays. Understanding plagiocephaly brachycephaly and scaphocephaly sometimes known as flat head syndrome plagiocephaly pronounced play jee oh sef uh lee is a relatively common condition where an infant develops a flat spot on the back or backside of the head. Positional cranial deformities can occur before during or after birth under various conditions.

It can take 9 18 months before a baby s skull is fully formed. Changing the view by repositioning within the crib also increases visual stimulation. The back of the head might look flatter on one side than on the other. Plagiocephaly the head is flattened on 1 side causing it to look asymmetrical.

The condition can cause the baby s head to look. This can help if your baby tends to tilt his head to one side or the other while sleeping to look toward a window for instance. Positional molding is generally considered a cosmetic issue. Babies with torticollis can also develop a flat spot on their skull because they often sleep with their head turned to one side.