Flat Spots: When and How to Treat Them
Did you know that up to 1 in 2 babies will develop a flat spot in infancy?
Flat spots (also known as plagiocephaly) can range in severity from mild to severe and can be caused by many different scenarios. For information about what flat spots are and Flat Head Syndrome, check out this blog!
Some parents will notice a flat spot as early as a few weeks of age. Oftentimes, flat spots are accompanied by a “head turning preference,” where baby’s head frequently falls to one side when baby is lying on their back, or baby frequently looks one direction during play or while sleeping. That head turning preference is often accompanied by a flat spot. Both of my babies had a head turning preference, due to their positioning in the womb and underlying body tension.
It’s important to be aware of your baby’s head shape and check to see if they have a head turning preference in the newborn phase (e.g., within the first 1-2 months). The easiest time to look at your little one’s head is during bath time or when getting ready for bed. Make it a habit to take a look at both sides and what baby’s head looks like from the top down.
Hint: Your camera roll will tell you a lot! If baby is looking one way in lots of pictures, that’s a sign they may have a head turning preference!
When it comes to intervention, the earlier the better, always.
If you notice that your baby’s head seems to have some flattening or that your baby frequently likes to look to one side, it’s best to reach out to a Physical Therapist (PT) or Occupational Therapist (OT) for an evaluation as soon as you notice it. You can talk to your pediatrician at the next scheduled well-visit, but you don’t have to wait! You can call your local Early Intervention program for free and schedule an evaluation without a referral from a doctor- all you have to do is call!
Wait and See
The “Wait and See” Approach is something that’s often talked about with infants. Sometimes parents will bring up a concern or question to their pediatrician, or even ask a family member or friend for their thoughts, and they will be met with “let’s wait and see for a couple weeks/months, etc.” While, yes, sometimes babies need a little bit of time to reach milestones or develop from a skill-perspective, when it comes to flat spots- waiting and seeing is not the best option.
Acting early is very important.
Contacting your local Early Intervention or a private Physical Therapist or Occupational Therapist should be your first step when you have a concern about head flattening. You can call them at any age- there is no minimum age requirement.
You can also contact your local Cranial Technologies and receive a free head shape screening evaluation. At that appointment, measurements of your baby’s head will be taken and you will receive objective data regarding your little one’s head shape and flatness. After measurements are taken, the possibility of wearing a DocBand to help round out your baby’s head will be discussed. Cranial Technologies provides these free screening evaluations for babies as young as 3 months of age.
Why Shouldn’t We Wait?
As babies grow, their head growth slows down.
The most rapid rate of head growth occurs before 6 months of age, making the ideal treatment window for flat spots prior to 6 months of age. If a cranial helmet is needed for reshaping, that ideal treatment window is between 4-6 months.
As baby gets older, treatment for flat spots is still effective, but is likely to take longer to round out the flat spot. For example, for babies wearing a DocBand at 4 months of age, the average treatment time with the helmet is about 6-9 weeks. If baby isn’t fitted for a helmet until 6 months, that average time increases to 2.5-3.5 months.
Will Flat Spots Round Out on their Own?
Since every baby is different and every flat spot is different, there isn’t a way to answer this question for certain. Given that many flat spots are secondary to underlying body tension or head turning preferences, if those difficulties aren’t addressed, a flat spot will likely not round out on its own.
Sometimes, even with early intervention treatment from a PT or OT, head flattening will remain once those underlying issues are resolved, and a helmet will be recommended to help round out the remaining flatness.
Yes, flat spots may round out without the use of a helmet, but some form of early intervention (PT, OT) will likely be needed to help achieve normal head shape. Without any intervention, it is likely that the head will continue to have flatness and not round out on its own.
Flat spots are treatable for up to 18 months of age with a DocBand, but the earlier treatment starts, the better! So, there is no reason to wait and see.
Remember to contact your local early intervention when you notice head flattening or a head turning preference, and contact a Cranial Technologies near you to schedule a free head shape screening consultation.
This blog was sponsored in part by Cranial Technologies. 