Plagiocephaly is a condition characterized by an asymmetrical distortion (flattening of one side) of the skull.
All my little babies had a small flat spot on the back of their heads. With each one I would roll up a sock or something so that they wouldn't be able to turn their neck the way of the flat spot. Bode and Laine's flat spot corrected themselves. Little miss Piper did not like the sock and would squirm her little body to get away from it. At her 4 month appointment I told the Doctor I thought she should be get her a helmet to fix it. One look at that flat head and she agree with me. So off to a specialist we went.
The helmet is more common these days for a few reasons. One being that babies sleep on their backs now as apposed to their bellies like they did years ago. And two it used to be thought of as a cosmetic procedure. Now studies have shown that the flat spot causes the whole head to me off causing migraines and sinus problems. Having a baby lay on their back isn't the only factor causing a flat spot. Their position in the uterus, the way they travel through the birth canal and a just the way they grow cause the flat spot.
Piper has an obvious flat spot on the back right of her head, it also bulges on the back left and her right ear isn't in line with the other one.
They measure and scan her head and the helmet was fitted just for her. She has gradually been wearing it and by the end of this week she will be wearing is for 23 hours a day. She will wear it for probably 2 months or up to a year. It just depends on how fast she grow and how she responds the helmet.
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This was the first day. She was a bit annoyed at it. But she has been wearing it more and it doesn't seem to bother her so much anymore. It was rather plain though, so we decided to spruce it up a bit.
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She is such a cutie with or without a helmet.
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That is informative. Gives new definition to the term "submissive like a child". I am glad you took this seriously and that Piper won't look like she was carried in a cradle board. I have seen cute babies in cradle boards but I prefer cute round heads. Did I tell you I don't like deciphering these words.......!!
ReplyDeleteSeriously love the helmet. There really are a ton of different reasons why kids wear helmets. Jordan had to wear one because the doctor tore her neck muscles when she tried to pull her out with the vacuum and she flat lined then they had to do the c-section. I was furious. She didn't have strength to move her head to different postions, so the whole back of her head was VERY flat, and her head was perfectly round from coming out c-section, so sad. It could have been prevented but I'm so glad we have an option now to fix the little heads. ;)
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