![]() They will also assess if your baby’s neck is tight, and see if there is stiffness in the trunk as well (it is quite common with babies with a side preference to have compensatory changes in the trunk). Your physio will assess your baby’s head shape and may use a variety of ways to measure the severity of the plagiocephaly. Your physio will be your friendly coach along the way. You will essentially be treating your baby yourself at home. But it requires persistence and consistency from the family for it to be effective. Treating plagiocephaly in the early stages is simple. Physiotherapy for babies with plagiocephaly If baby sucks their fingers on one side, try covering that hand with a baby mitten/sock to encourage the other side, or perhaps try and introduce a dummy. This is much harder as baby gets older, so start early! Ensure you change it (and the way baby’s head is turning) each time you put them to sleep. ![]() Place a peg on the side of the basinet that your new baby is facing when they go to sleep. Learn more about “container syndrome” here.Īlternate which shoulder or arm you are carrying your baby on, and alternate which side you are bottle feeding on. Aim for 30 mins total a day (not including car rides). Try ‘side-lie’ as an alternative to tummy time or ‘back time’ when on the floor.Īvoid excessive use of “containers” such as bouncers, swings and car capsules. Need more help with tummy time? I gotchu. Regular bursts of tummy time throughout the day (starting with skin to skin, on your chest). Talk to and move with your baby regularly, placing them in a variety of positions throughout the day So what are the things you can do from day 1 of bringing your new little bundle home to help prevent any head flattening from occurring? It’s an easy fix if picked up early, and if you have the assessment and nothing needs to be done, then at least you can have peace of mind. Don’t just ‘wait and see’ like so many doctors will tell you. ![]() The earlier you seek treatment, the easier it will be to fix. ![]() If you notice any of these signs, please book in to see your local paediatric physio. This is a big sign that your baby might have a torticollis (tight neck muscles). Look back at old photos of them from ‘front on’ and see if they are looking or tilting their neck in the same way in every photo. Now check the forehead - is one side bulging out more than the other? Take a “birds eye” view photo of the top of their head to check for asymmetry (getting someone else to do this whilst they are feeding might help)Ĭheck their ears in the photo - is one further in front than the other?Ĭheck the back of head in the photo- is one side flatter? Use a rattle, light, or contrasting black and white image to get their attention. Routinely check your babies head and neck.Įnsure they can turn their head equally both ways (after 1 month of age your baby should be able to turn their head by themselves when lying on their back). ![]() But what is plagiocephaly exactly? And what causes it? Hence the huge amount of babies out there with funny shape heads these days (to varying degrees of course). Sometimes up to 20 hours over a 24 hour period when they’re teeny. And also, babies spend a hella-va-lotta time sleeping when they’re little ( I know it might feel like your baby doesn’t spend much time sleeping, but in comparison to us, yeah they do). But what has followed on from the campaign is that many families are now afraid to put their babies on their tummies at all. So it’s hugely important to follow the guidelines, even if your baby has plagiocephaly. Source: We know that the SIDS back to sleep campaign has been hugely successful in reducing the infant mortality rate - by 50% in the US. Babies should be placed on their backs until 12 months of age.” “In response to evidence that stomach sleeping might contribute to SIDS, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) created its "Back to Sleep" campaign, which recommended that all healthy infants younger than 1 year of age be placed on their backs to sleep. Almost 50% of infants have some degree of plagiocephaly today, influenced largely due to the ⚡️very important⚡️ “back to sleep” - now known as the “safe to sleep” campaign. ![]()
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