My 4 1/2 month old has just been diagnosed with a flat spot on his head.

Bethany - posted on 02/02/2009

Oh my goodness...I forgot to close this thread! We went back to the therapist 3 weeks later and things were much better and we got him sitting up by himself and that solved all our problems! Thanks again for everyone's replies!

Amanda - posted on 02/02/2009

My son also has a flat spot and torticollis. We used a Bumbo to have him sit in once he was strong enough, which he loved. The best thing to help them enjoy tummy time is distraction!! Put her on a colorful playmat, shake a rattle, whatever you can to distract her. :) Also, my son just got a helmet to help with his head shape. He doesn't mind it so far, and it is 80% covered by our insurance. We'll see how it goes...

Sara - posted on 11/29/2008

I have to correct myself - Plagiocephaly is the side of the head being flat...Brachiocephaly is the back of the head

Sara - posted on 11/29/2008

Hi! My son (who will turn One tomorrow!) was diagnosed with Torticollis at about 3 months and we went to PT for it. Because of the Torticollis though he had severe Plagiocephaly (flat back of head) and had to wear a helmet (DOC band) for almost 4 months. He had to wear it 23 hours/day. His Plagio was so severe that the left side of this face was falling. The helmet worked wonders...this ears are now at the same level, though one is still slightly forward, and his I am really the only one who can still see where his head is a little flat. The best thing to do is try to keep your baby from putting pressure on his/her head...not too much time in crib, carseat, bouncy seat, etc.

Gisele - posted on 11/27/2008

If he really despise being on his tummy, why not sit him straight up?? I used to take my clothes baskets and put a body pillow around him and a small pillow in front of him, gave him toys and he loved it. I also put my sons in there walkers early on, I propped a pillow under their feet so they could actually touch something with their feet. And our jolly jumper was a godsend. If your son still leans forward or doesn't hold himself well in the walker/exersaucer, put some folded towels around him, but at least he'll have lots to look at and he won't be on his belly. Hope that helps.

Carmen - posted on 11/27/2008

My husbands head in the back is flat. don't worry it look great on my husband.

Kate - posted on 11/25/2008

Don't worry too much. Nobody has a perfectly round head - but you can keep him from laying on it. On the side is good, roll up a receiving blanket and use it to prop him on his side when he naps. Tummy time advice is good too. You can still manipulate his sleeping preferences because he's so small.

It takes a full year for the skull to fuse together. It ain't over yet!

Becky - posted on 11/25/2008

I also recommend LOTS of tummy time..if your child doesn't like it, try lying him on your chest and talk to him to try to get him to hold his head up. It will help strengthen his neck which will help the flat spot.

Becky - posted on 11/25/2008

Both of my sons were diagnosed with Plagiocephaly and Tortocollis. Which was caused by the way they were made to lay in-utero. It wasn't there fault..and we did physical therapy with both. My oldest son was referred to Cranial Technologies where they try physical therapy as well as offer a DOC band (aka helmet). The therapy didn't help much, so he wore a helmet for about 4 months. My second son I noticed his flat spot sooner b/c of prior experience..we started physical therapy around 3 months of age. The therapy didn't help him one bit...so we opted for the DOC band again knowing it would help. And he only wore his for 3 months. I am so thankful for Cranial Technologies. Some people think it's cosmetic..but for my children, it wasn't. If i wouldn't have corrected it, my children could have gotten so much worse that their eyes and ears could have become misplaced possibly causing some loss of sight and hearing. I'm not saying this is everyone's case and I'm not trying to scare you, but if therapy doesn't work for your child, then maybe going in for a consultation wouldn't hurt, just to see. Hope all goes well for you and your child. =)

Jamie-Lea - posted on 11/25/2008

I sat my son up in my lap, supporting his back and would talk to him and make faces. This gets him off his back ( and head) and gives us the one to one contact. I would also lay him on my lap ( legs straight while you are sitting or on the floor with my legs bent) with his feet at my tummy and pull him up by his arms, I read this on a baby site and i believe it helped strengthen his neck muscles so he enjoyed being on his tummy during tummy time.
Doing this has helped keep my son's head nice and round!

Jennifer - posted on 11/25/2008

Someone may have already suggested - but a CranioSacral Therapist - this person is usually an OT as well. works wonders.. changed the shape of my sons head in 3 sessions.. anyone who may suggest the need for a helmet is old fashion and out dated.

Erin - posted on 11/25/2008

My daughter is four months old as well and hates tummy time. Everytime we put her on her tummy she drools for about 30 seconds and then prefers to be face down and screaming in her drool. But, if we turn the TV on, she can hold herself up for quite a while. We just move her around so she has to look in different directions. Also,if you have time...someone suggested that we use an exercise ball. If you get the larger one and hold him on top of it and then gently roll the ball back and forth (not to far) he'll hold his head up to maintain eye contact with you. My daughter loved it....We also used the boppy a lot.

Shannon - posted on 11/25/2008

Just like Erin my 1st son was also diagnosed with Torticollis & was reffered to a PT. I'll be honest with you it helped alot but, it was very hard to take him because he would fight the PT. You do a number of stretches to make his neck get stronger and used to the side hes not used to. It broke my heart the 1st time we went but it got easier to go because you know your doing the best thing for him. We were also told no swings or, seats unless you are giving the baby more tummy time than seat time. I also used a boppy to prop him up on the tummy time with his houlders over the boppy this helped alot. Make sure you get a good sleep positioner to and try to put your baby on their side. My son loved the tv so if it was on I put the side he didnt like going to towards the tv so he would focus on it. Hope this helps some. Look up torticollis and do some research if it doesnt get fixed you might be looking into a helmet for your child which can be pricey since it usually isnt covered by insurance due to it being considered cosmetic.

Shealyn - posted on 11/25/2008

I have a Son that was diagnosed with Torticollis also. We went to Physical Therapy and they had us use a sock and put rice in it and sew it up at the end and then put it on the side they most favored so the muscles would be strenghtened. We eventually ended up at a Childrens hosptial and had to have him have Botox injections in his neck to allow him to move his head both ways from side to side without limitations. We also had to purchase a helmet for him. If you have to go that way fyi most insurance do not cover this but if you fight for it (dispute it) then most likely they will. We had to do that. If you have any more questions I would be willing to answer them for you.

Jennifer - posted on 11/25/2008

My son had a huge flat spot and the Doc gave me 2 months to correct it or he would be put in a helmet. Well, he absolutely hated tummy time and when I had him on his back, I couldn't get him to lay on the other side of his head! I had to do alot of stretching exercises with his neck muscles and it was hard because he cried. When he fell asleep, I would moive his head to the other side and kind of prop it up to keep it there. I t was a battle for a while, but next doctor visit- the improvement was enough to not require a helmet. He is now almost 3 and has a very nice round head- thank goodness!

Bethany - posted on 11/25/2008

We saw the physiotherapist yesterday but I left there feeling like there is nothing that I can do for him except leave him on his stomach until he starts to scream then hold him until he stops and then put him back down. I obviously can't do that all day long! I used to rotate him throughout the day between his chair, jumper, the floor (on his back) or holding him on my lap so when I was told not to use the chair or jumper or his back I just wasn't sure what to do with him for the 9 hours or so that he is not sleeping or on his tummy! We also spend a lot of time walking around our neighbourhood or the mall and I was told not to use the car seat with my stroller so that also ruined that activity. I was just feeling a little overwhelmed that there is nothing I can let him do that he will actually enjoy! I will try propping him up on my snoogle- hopefully soon he will learn to deal with tummy time and stop screaming! Thanks for your advice!

Erin - posted on 11/25/2008

Where you referred to a pediatric therapist? My daughter was diagnosed with Torticollis & was reffered to a PT & we love her. She had so much info to give us. We were told not to use any seats, or bouncers, since her problem is more in her neck & that those are terribly straining, or put them in static holds, where they are unable to move. One thing my daughter loved was a boppy. I laid it on the floor & put her in it tummy down, with her shoulders over it. I then had a mirror that I would move around her to get her to stretch herself a little bit. It really depends on what your childs diagnosis is. (I should also mention that I am a freak of a mom about baby head shapes) I learned that the shape is just showing you that there is a bigger problem, which can lead to developemental delays down the road.

Ginger - posted on 11/25/2008

my daughter had a mild case of that.. I used the u shaped pillow and proped her up slightly when on her back so she wasnt on the hard floor making it worse.. she now 20 months and has a nice round head..dont worry too much.. just have him off the back of his head as much as possible It may take a while to notice much of a change.. my daughter was close to 1 year when I could say her head was pretty round

Tina - posted on 11/25/2008

both my boys have flat spots on their heads, cause they like to look at each other when they are sleeping. The ped. told me to switch position when they are sleeping(sides they are on) and when they are older and in jumpers and exersaucers i will start to reshape. They are two now and the one is still bad but the other is hardly noticable.

Bethany - posted on 11/25/2008

Thanks for your reply, Erin. You found it was ok to have her on her back on the floor? Eric really hates Tummy time so although I've been "forcing" him to do it, he loves laying on his back on the floor with a few toys. And I need somewhere to put him if I need to do something.

Carol Anne - posted on 11/25/2008

the best thing to do is get your baby upright for as long as possible throughout the day. you might want to pick up a sling or a baby carrier of some kind. no worries, it will fix itself in time!

Erin - posted on 11/25/2008

My daughter started to get that also, we started Therapy right away! We go to Dean clinic East & see Mary. she is wonderful!! There are tons of stretching excercizes to be done, but Libby had to be diagnosed first, and had specific strengthening excercizes to do. I highly recommend her. She now has full range of motion, and you barely notice the spot. I found out that with her, she should be on the floor on her tummy, on her back, whatever, but definately not in a bouncy seat, car seat (for extended periods of time) or anything that kept her confined. Good Luck!