Can my child’s condition be corrected without surgery?
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Before
6.25 Months
After
9.25 Months
At Westcoast Brace and Limb we do not encourage treating head shape deformities that are mild because these deformities will rarely lead to any ongoing issues for the infant. We find that the best outcomes are achieved by working with your infant’s doctor to put in place a treatment plan that puts your child’s needs first.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our specialists.
These days you hear more and more about the importance of Tummy Time to the development of strong muscles in your child’s head, neck and shoulders. Doctors and therapists stress that Tummy time will help develop motor skills and combat your infant’s head from becoming flat. All of this talk about tummy time may leave you wondering why is there a focus on infant head shapes?
Infants identified to have a certain severity of head shape deformity are urged to have these deformities corrected, not only to improve the look of their head, but to potentially offset symptoms which can worsen as the untreated child ages. It is worth noting not all infants diagnosed with a head shape deformity will have symptoms as they age; this is where the severity of the deformity is so important.
There are multiple types of head shape abnormalities with one of the most common being plagiocephaly. Studies show that 20-25% of infants that sleep on their back develop some form of plagiocephaly and there is a correlation between the Back to Sleep campaign and plagiocephaly becoming more common.Most mild cases of plagiocephaly can be treated with repositioning. Repositioning can include: tummy time, turning your baby’s head to the opposite direction, moving toys and light sources to the opposite side of crib, and baby wearing.
Before
3.5 Months
After
7 Months
Before
5 Months
After
7.25 Months
If you are concerned your infant may show signs of a head shape abnormality, we would encourage you to visit your pediatrician and come by our office for a free head scan and evaluation. Our head scanning technology captures precise measurements which can then be translated to a comprehensive report you can review with your pediatrician or specialist.
When a skull or facial problem is identified, parents want immediate assurance their child will receive the best possible treatment and care.
They may have questions such as:
Can my child’s condition be corrected without surgery?
How will this affect our child’s growth and development?
What will the future hold for my child?
Plagiocephaly is commonly caused by preferred sleeping positions. Researches have noted an increase in plagiocephaly cases since the onset of the Back to Sleep campaign in 1994. In instances such as this, rarely is surgical intervention required. Typically, physical therapy, a strong focus on tummy time, and cranial remolding helmets are enough to correct the flatness.
Once corrected, a diagnosis of plagiocephaly has not been linked to any long-term growth and/or development issues. Our pediatric specialists will work with you and your doctor to develop the best treatment plan for you and your family. Our goal is to guide you through the cranial remolding process so you can get back to more important things, like who gets to be the blue car at playtime or which crayon color is the best!
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