Flat Head Syndrome - Plagiocephaly
Carson had a flat head as a baby, but I really wasn't too concerned as he was my first baby and people would all put me at ease saying it would round out. It didn't. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't look too bad and it's not something I think of or even notice on a weekly, never mind daily, basis. It's just, I wish I hadn't have been so eased by people's comments that it would round out on it's own.
But Finley has it real bad this time round. his left hand side is so flat it kind of makes the other side look pointy. It's difficult to photograph as he won't keep still, but rest assured it's there, and I hate it. It looks worse as he's starting to lose his hair in that area too, drawing attention to it.
Here you can (hopefully) see that his left side (Left pic) goes straight up as is flat, whereas his right side (right pic) is nice and round...
They say that more than half of children these days have FHS/Plagiocephaly and it's largely due to the advice in recent years that children should always be placed on their back to sleep to reduce SIDS. Obviously, FHS is a small price to pay in comparison.
OK, so what can I do to prevent FHS?
I'll just note now that my research so far has quite firmly pointed against sleep positioners or rolled up towels/blankets in the carry cot/crib etc. However, these are the most positive hints and tips I've found so far...
> Swap sides to feed - we do this already as hubby is a lefty and I'm largely ambidextrous (Aren't all mums? It's all that multi-tasking!)
> Carry/hold baby as much as possible - we hold him all the time, it's the only time he stops crying! Seriously though, it's not practical when you have a 5yr old and a house to maintain on top. I suppose a baby sling would come in handy for this though.
> Encourage tummy time - this is so easier said than done. Finley doesn't mind laying on his tummy on my chest, but pop him on the floor or couch and we have a screamer.
> Place baby down facing something new/different - this makes no difference whatsoever for Finley, he's a nosey monkey and looks in every which way anyway. When he wants to sleep, he wants to sleep (and I ain't stopping him!), but this means his head moves to his preferred side, like so...
So it's all very well dishing out ways in which you can limit Flat Head Syndrome, but it hasn't worked for me - with either baby.
So, I'm going to embark upon a mission now to find handy products that can a) prevent FHS b) stop FHS getting worse and c) aiding in the correction of FHS. With regards to prevention I really wish I'd thought ahead and gotten something suitable from birth and it's certainly something I would mention to any expectant mums in the future.
I'll be reporting back over the coming weeks/months with my findings and recommendations for purchases/tips etc.
In the meantime... have you experienced FHS with your kids? Do you have any recommendations?
Carson had a flat head as a baby, but I really wasn't too concerned as he was my first baby and people would all put me at ease saying it would round out. It didn't. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't look too bad and it's not something I think of or even notice on a weekly, never mind daily, basis. It's just, I wish I hadn't have been so eased by people's comments that it would round out on it's own.
But Finley has it real bad this time round. his left hand side is so flat it kind of makes the other side look pointy. It's difficult to photograph as he won't keep still, but rest assured it's there, and I hate it. It looks worse as he's starting to lose his hair in that area too, drawing attention to it.
Here you can (hopefully) see that his left side (Left pic) goes straight up as is flat, whereas his right side (right pic) is nice and round...
They say that more than half of children these days have FHS/Plagiocephaly and it's largely due to the advice in recent years that children should always be placed on their back to sleep to reduce SIDS. Obviously, FHS is a small price to pay in comparison.
OK, so what can I do to prevent FHS?
I'll just note now that my research so far has quite firmly pointed against sleep positioners or rolled up towels/blankets in the carry cot/crib etc. However, these are the most positive hints and tips I've found so far...
> Swap sides to feed - we do this already as hubby is a lefty and I'm largely ambidextrous (Aren't all mums? It's all that multi-tasking!)
> Carry/hold baby as much as possible - we hold him all the time, it's the only time he stops crying! Seriously though, it's not practical when you have a 5yr old and a house to maintain on top. I suppose a baby sling would come in handy for this though.
> Encourage tummy time - this is so easier said than done. Finley doesn't mind laying on his tummy on my chest, but pop him on the floor or couch and we have a screamer.
> Place baby down facing something new/different - this makes no difference whatsoever for Finley, he's a nosey monkey and looks in every which way anyway. When he wants to sleep, he wants to sleep (and I ain't stopping him!), but this means his head moves to his preferred side, like so...
So it's all very well dishing out ways in which you can limit Flat Head Syndrome, but it hasn't worked for me - with either baby.
So, I'm going to embark upon a mission now to find handy products that can a) prevent FHS b) stop FHS getting worse and c) aiding in the correction of FHS. With regards to prevention I really wish I'd thought ahead and gotten something suitable from birth and it's certainly something I would mention to any expectant mums in the future.
I'll be reporting back over the coming weeks/months with my findings and recommendations for purchases/tips etc.
In the meantime... have you experienced FHS with your kids? Do you have any recommendations?
