What It’s Like for Baby to Wear a Cranial Helmet

Last Updated on May 12, 2026 by Jordyn Koveleski Gorman

So your baby has a flat spot, also known as plagiocephaly, and a cranial helmet has been recommended to help correct it.

You might not know what to expect, but don’t worry: you’re in the right place!

I was in the same boat with my son. He was 5 months old when he first got his helmet, and I wasn’t sure what it was going to be like. Working in pediatric healthcare (as a speech-language pathologist and feeding specialist) only got me so far in preparing for this journey.

It was hearing from other parents whose babies went through helmet therapy that helped me feel most prepared. Sharing our experience can hopefully help ease any worries you might have about what’s ahead!

What is a baby helmet for flat head syndrome?

When babies experience skull flattening, caused by a number of reasons, it’s worsened by repeated gentle pressure to that flat spot. Think of when babies have a head turning preference and they sleep with their head turned in one direction. That pressure worsens the flattening, but it’s not forceful or hard!

Reducing the amount of pressure applied to a flat spot is how to prevent them from worsening and, ultimately, how to help these spots round out. 

Note that if your little one has a head turning preference, it is often caused by torticollis or body tension. Sorting out this underlying issue is an important piece of treatment. Physical or occupational therapy, or even craniosacral therapy or chiropractics can be incredibly helpful at improving body tension.

For babies with moderate to severe plagiocephaly, a cranial orthotic is often recommended in addition to body work.

Cranial helmets do not hurt or “squeeze” the head. 

First of all, there is no squeezing back into shape. The current shape of your infant’s head is already what it is: there’s no changing the right-now version. Instead, the helmet helps change the future shape. How is that possible?

Remember back to science class when we learned that liquids fill the shape of their container? Your baby’s head isn’t liquid, but go with me here for this demonstration.

Think of how water flows along the land on the sides of a river. If there’s a spot water can’t reach because something is in the way, it’ll just go around. And if an object that was in the way is later moved, water will fill the gap.

Similarly, the helmet leaves room for your baby’s head to grow. It guides new growth towards the flat spot to help even out the head. Where there used to be something blocking growth (pressure on the skull), it leaves a little extra room that wasn’t there before.

It doesn’t re-mold your baby’s head like clay in a potter’s hands, putting intense pressure on high points to push them toward flat spots. Instead, it leaves free space where a flat spot is, encouraging your baby’s skull to grow in that direction. In places where growth has compensated for the flat spot (like a “horn” shape on the forehead), the helmet essentially closes the gap to prevent new growth in that direction.

This probably sounds different from how you think of a helmet functioning. It surprised me, too! Instead of adding a bunch of pressure, the helmet actually reduces pressure that worsens flat spots. Isn’t that cool?

Helmets are specifically designed for your baby’s head shape. That’s why there isn’t a link to buy one. It’s a custom cranial orthotic meant specifically for your child.

A cranial helmet is not heavy.

It’s natural to think about the weight of a typical helmet we see in day-to-day life. Some people will ask you, “Isn’t that heavy? How will he move his head? Will it cause gross motor delays?” 

The answer is that it’s actually very light. Specifically, cranial helmets weigh about 4 ounces. For reference, an adult-sized cotton baseball hat averages 3 ounces in weight. Think of it as wearing an oversized hat! The first time you hold your little one’s helmet in your hands, you will be surprised at how lightweight it really is.

Cranial helmets are worn 23 hours a day.

Hearing that your baby will be in a helmet for 23 hours a day can feel shocking. But there’s a good reason for this length of time.

Back to our riverbed analogy: if there’s a place where you want the water to flow, but you only give the water access a few hours a day…will you make much progress? Probably not.

The head is rapidly growing in the first year of life. It changes every single day! The length of time a baby needs a cranial helmet is unique to each baby, but anywhere between 3–6 months is common.

Spending this much time in a cranial orthotic is the most beneficial way to support reshaping. My son wore the helmet from around 7 p.m. to 6 p.m. every 24-hour period.

During the one hour break daily, you should clean the helmet (following instructions from the orthotics clinic) and your baby. Whether you do bath time daily or just give your little one’s noggin a wipe down, be prepared: their head will be sweaty and stinky, especially at first!

The helmet became part of our life for several months. I looked forward to bath time because we got to take it off, clean it, air it out, and got to see Paul’s little head for an hour before bed. I cherished those one hour increments every day. It was nice to see the progress being made, but it was also so nice to rub his little head, smell him, and snuggle without the helmet between us. 

Your baby might not even notice their cranial helmet.

Paul adapted really well to the helmet. His sleep wasn’t greatly impacted, though some parents report struggles with sleep while adapting. He slept the same when he had it on as he did before. He sometimes woke up for a bottle and snuggles and sometimes slept through the night!

We lowered the temperature in the house just a little to accommodate the helmet, since anything on a baby’s head can make them feel warmer. And we dressed him lightly in the house (cotton onesies mostly) to keep him feeling cool, too.

The time of year can impact how warm your baby might be when wearing the helmet. Babies doing helmet therapy in colder months may sweat less, but they may not, too! If you get baby into the helmet and are struggling with sleep, consider removing a layer of their usual sleepwear for the first few nights. Some parents report that even sleepers were too warm for their baby at first, opting for just a onesie during sleep for the first week or two.

The first week will come with a lot of little adjustments and learning curves, but eventually it will become a normal part of the routine. And then, just like that, it’ll be done! Keeping yourself calm and regulated will help baby stay calm and regulated, too. When we put the helmet on, we did our best to be relaxed! It helped Paul stay relaxed too.

The cranial helmet corrected the flat spot.

After almost 6 months in a cranial helmet, we finally graduated. Seeing his nice round head every day after that was the best feeling. I remember buying hats for him and being so excited he could wear them. Getting a helmet was the right move for us, and now as he nears kindergarten, I feel so good that he can safely wear a bike helmet and other protective head gear as he grows.

If you’re concerned about a flat spot, you can receive a free head shape consultation at a Cranial Technologies or Hanger Clinic near you! We went through Cranial Technologies, and Paul wore their DocBand.

Sometimes, helmets can be cost prohibitive for families. Insurance may or may not provide coverage for cranial helmets. Talking with your insurance or the cranial orthotic clinic regarding payment plans or assistance can be worthwhile.

Remember, it’s always best to “check and see” instead of “wait and see.”

More infant resources

You can learn more about flat spots and how to help your little one on our blog. You can also check out our post about developmental milestones here.

For more in-depth support, our Handbooks include hundreds of pages of support you can carry in your pocket. Our team is also available for 1:1 virtual consultations!