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Positional Plagiocephaly
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post #1 of 53
6/17/12 at 4:19pm
Thread Starter 

Im just going to admit to a self diagnosis here :P  But I do believe B has positional plagiocephaly.  Her flat spot and forehead shape are very consistent with it.  I also know that it has probably been caused by her having to be in the car seat so much during the day (luckily those days are over with summer being here).  She keeps her head to the same side in the car, facing me, always. 

 

Does anybody have any personal experience with just using position changes to treat it, and not seeking OT or head-banding/helmet options.  Hers is so very slight that I hate to spend thousands on something to reshape.  Im just wondering if any of you had success in fixing it just by changing head positioning and discouraging laying the head on the flat side?

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post #2 of 53
6/17/12 at 5:41pm

I think R has a bit of this, also from the carseat. He always has his head turned to the right when he's in the carseat. He doesn't spend a ton of time in there, like maybe an hour a day... but maybe that's a lot? 

 

At any rate, he had his 9 month check last week and I mentioned it to his dr. She said his head looked and felt fine. I just know that when he's in the bath (and his hair is wet, making it easier to see his skull) that it is really a tad bit flatter on that side. His dr didn't seem concerned, so I'm trying to not be, either.

post #3 of 53
6/17/12 at 10:33pm
Yep. My Enoch has it due to having torticollis. After four months of repositioning and stretching, his head shape only worsened so we got him banded at six months. He has been in it three weeks and already his asymmetry is half what it was! So I am sooooo glad we got the band! I hope his head continues to go through quick growth spurts so we can be out of it sooner than later....
post #4 of 53
6/18/12 at 8:10am
Thread Starter 

Do you know how effective banding is after 6 months?  I had read that it is most effective before 6 months.

post #5 of 53
6/18/12 at 7:52pm
It is very effective after 6 months, in face that is a great time to start because you'll likely catch a big growth spurt like we did. It is very effective up to 18 months and some have seen progress until age 2. I know many babies start closer to a year with wonderful results but yes the sooner the better.
post #6 of 53
6/18/12 at 9:29pm
Thread Starter 

That is good to know, thank you!  I do not think its bad enough now to warrant anything other than position changes, but I do know that if it gets worse we agree that it is a cosmetic issue we think warrants being fixed.

post #7 of 53
6/19/12 at 2:57pm
It's also not all cosmetic. It can lead to jaw problems too. Having tmj myself, I want to help keep my son from experience any jaw issues.
post #8 of 53
6/19/12 at 9:56pm
Thread Starter 

bettie head.jpg

 

 

So this is the back of her head...it actually comes to a point off to the left side.  The right side of her forehead is also slightly forward, and her ear is a bit more forward than the other side.

 

I know I just need to take her to the doc, because Im becoming seriously fixated on it :/


Edited by dashley111 - 6/19/12 at 10:10pm
post #9 of 53
6/20/12 at 1:25pm
That looks pretty mild from the little I can see. But worth getting looked at!
post #10 of 53
6/20/12 at 2:12pm

That's what R's head looks like, Ash. Almost exactly. Same side and everything. I hadn't really looked at his forehead, but I did after reading your post and it does bump out just a teensy bit on his right side as well. And as I said, I was concerned and had his ped look at it last week and she said it was fine. I'm going to keep an eye on it, though.

post #11 of 53
6/20/12 at 4:08pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by LunaLady View Post

That's what R's head looks like, Ash. Almost exactly. Same side and everything. I hadn't really looked at his forehead, but I did after reading your post and it does bump out just a teensy bit on his right side as well. And as I said, I was concerned and had his ped look at it last week and she said it was fine. I'm going to keep an eye on it, though.

 

Thats good to know, thank you!  I think Im just going to stick to position vchanges for now,.

post #12 of 53
6/20/12 at 5:50pm

What are you going to do for positional changes? I'm thinking R's is just from the car, so do I put a rolled up towel to one side so he can't turn his head that way or what?

post #13 of 53
6/20/12 at 6:28pm
Thread Starter 

I think B's is form the same thing.  We have spent a lot of time in the car since she has been born, transporting to school and back 3 times a day.  That is luckily over now and the kids have transferred to the local school, so that will minimize our car time tremendously. 

 

I put her carseat in the middle.  Her head was always turned to look in the direction of me, so with it being in the middle she is looking both ways more.  I also moved my ODD to the side I wanted her facing more often.  I hang toys on the side I want her to face, and got a little lights and music pull cord toy to stick on that side also.  When I notice she is asleep, I use a receiving blanket to prop her head because she naturally lays it where its flat.

 

...thats all I have come up with so far.  Can you think of other things? 

post #14 of 53
6/20/12 at 6:41pm
Switch her to your other side at night?

We are doing all this with Soren right now because his skull bones are still overlapped strangely in the back and he only turns his head one way generally. His first appointment is tomorrow.
post #15 of 53
6/22/12 at 8:10am
I will be honest here, most peditricians don't know much about plagiocephaly. My pedi brushed it off saying it'd get better. It didn't. I pretty much had to demand he refer me to a specialists. They measured 12mm as symmetry which is considered moderate and severe enough for Medicaid to cover helmet treatment. W
post #16 of 53
6/22/12 at 8:16am
Thread Starter 

What kind of specialist?

post #17 of 53
6/22/12 at 4:45pm

An Orthotic clinic, such as Hanger, Cranial Technologies, or Star Center. Here are some websites: http://www.hanger.com/orthotics/services/plagiocephaly/Pages/default.aspx, http://www.cranialtech.com/, http://www.starcranialcenter.com/v2/html/aboutstarband.html

post #18 of 53
6/25/12 at 8:04pm
Thread Starter 
These links have been very helpful, thank you! There is a Hangar clinic not far from where I live, and I am calling them tomorrow.
post #19 of 53
6/26/12 at 2:47am
There are plagiocephaly groups on babyceneter and Facebook that have been wonderful for help too!
post #20 of 53
6/27/12 at 4:59pm
Thread Starter 

We had our appt today and the doc said B is too old for positional plagiocephaly, and if it has not corrected in a month he wants to do a freaking CT scan.  Im thinking about getting a second opinion.

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