I was under the impression that plagiocephaly flat head syndrome was environmentally induced.  I researched the causes and learned about the two main ones. The first is due to babies sleeping on their backs to save them from SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) and the second cause is increased placing of babies in car seats indoors for peaceful and longer sleep patterns.  

However, this belief was shattered last week when I was introduced to a new grandson of a friend of mine at the community center.  He had the exact head shape of his father twenty-five years early. I recall the father as a baby wearing a cranial helmet for many months. My friend’s grandchild was only a couple of weeks old so his plagiocephaly could not be caused by the two above symptoms. I began to do some additional research to find out if infant plagiocephaly is inherited. One United States based clinic had observed a high incidence of plagiocephaly especially among multiple birth babies. According to this clinic, flat head syndrome seems to run in families.

To support this hereditary disposition to flat head syndrome the observers headed by Timothy Littlefield found that a second baby from the same parents still had this problem.  These parents had already gone through the routine and checkups including tummy time, re-positioning and cranial helmets.  They were already educated about not keeping their infant on their backs for extended periods of time.  So then why if plagiocephaly is strictly environmental would a flat head appear if the parents followed the protocol against it? Littlefield discovered that 15 percent of the babies with flat head syndrome were delivered via breech births. This is compared to 3.5 percent in the general population.

An additional study conducted in 2009, compared identical and fraternal twin babies. Identical twins share all their genes while fraternal twins share only about half of their genes. If plagiocephaly is genetic you would expect a relationship between flat head syndrome and the identical twins.  However, what was anticipated did not necessarily occur. What this study cited that the position preferences of the baby in the womb may be inherited. To be more specific, the researchers acknowledged that babies from the same mother had similar positions in the womb.

The study concluded that more research is still needed to be absolutely certain that flat head syndrome could be at least partly hereditary.  The study team advises parents who notice an unusually flat head on their baby to contact a reputable cranial clinic for consultation on the possible need for a cranial helmet for their infant as soon as possible. Tummy time and re-positioning is often not enough. So, although the verdict is not in for genetic disposition to plagiocephaly there are more severe infant malformations of the skull that are genetic

Craniosynostosis is the general term used for this much more severe genetically disposed condition of the skull. When a baby is born, their skull is divided into seven sections.  There are several joints which are made up of fibrous tissue.  This tissue keeps the pieces of the skull together for the first few years.  These pieces protect the brain and at the same time give the skull a chance to stretch and shape itself.  However, there is condition where these parts of the skull fuse too early causing problems of the shape of the skull. This early fusion is sometimes present at birth and sometimes not.  If it is already present at birth a strange shape will be noticed immediately. You may fail to feel the soft spot or fontanel or there could be a hard ridge that forms along the joint lines of the skull. This will be picked up promptly by your doctor.

Parents with an infant with craniosynostosis of the skull will have several serious issues to deal with. These include but are exclusive the following: eye disorders including blindness, cognitive impairment, seizures and possible death. Surgery is usually the prevailing option if possible. The most common forms of craniosynostosis are: Pfeiffer syndrome, Crouzon syndrome and Apert syndrome.

Advantage of vigilant parents who seek early intervention cranial therapy

Once a parent notices a slight deformity of the baby’s skull they should make an appointment with their local pediatrician. The doctor might tell you to get an evaluation at a local cranial clinic. There your child will undergo advanced scanning of the baby’s head. This is a completely painless procedure which takes basic measurements of the head in seconds. Then the orthotist will discuss if there is a need for manual or helmet therapy. Often parents can avoid helmet therapy by coming in when the baby skull is still developing through early intervention therapy. Only once the skull has taken shape with the deformity will the orthotist suggest the proper helmet therapy.

When a parent is told by a doctor that their child will need cranial helmet therapy, it comes along with a slight hesitation. Taking her cute baby to the park or a jungle gym in a helmet might be a little humiliating. Then come all the questions from the family members like this: is something wrong with your baby? Or this: how come he is always wearing the football helmet? Get educated on plagiocephaly flat head syndrome so your confident that the choice you made is the right one. Mothers and fathers with infants who have plagiocephaly should know that one in every sixty births come with a slight head deformity. This condition is rather common among newborns and treatment should not be avoided due to a parents speculation of what will people think.

What can happen if my baby does not undergo treatment?

Keep in mind that most major insurances and Medicaid plans will cover the complete cost of cranial therapy. The primary reason why your baby should undergo treatment is due to cosmetic appearance. Plagiocephaly does not pose an immediate danger to your child but try and imagine 10 to 15 years down the road. We will pose an example of a sixteen year old girl, Laura who has blond hair and blue eyes.

Exhibition # 1 – Laura is born to her new parents and they are ecstatic about their cute little girl. The doctor tells them to go for an evaluation at a local cranial clinic because of a slight misshapen skull. At the clinic the orthotist suggest a six month program where Laura would be wearing a helmet to fix the deformity in her head. Her mom asks her mother and she tells her that plagiocephaly is not dangerous and there is no need to put a helmet on an adorable girl. Skip ahead sixteen years, Laura is a beautiful teenage girl but she seems to be having some social issues because her hair lays flat in the back. Tonight is going to be prom night but she still does not have a date…

Exhibition # 2 – Laura is born to her parents and they happen to notice that on the side of her head it is slightly flat. Unsure of what to do they go down to their local pediatrician who advises them to get evaluated by the local cranial clinic. The orthotist suggests for the baby girl to wear a helmet for extended period of time. Laura’s mom calls her mother and tells her the course of events. They discuss of some cute styles to customize Laura’s cranial helmet. The baby’s wears the helmet which looks like a lady bug and completes the therapy in just three months. Skip ahead sixteen years, Laura is a beautiful teenage girl with curly blonde hair and blue eyes. She is excited because her boyfriend Greg had sent a bouquet of roses with a box of yummy treats. Attached to the box was a card which asked her to be Greg’s date on prom night. Everyone is excited for Laura, especially mom and dad.

The story about Laura was made up, but in all honesty having a slight deformation in the skull can cause social isolation. It’s a horrible feeling to be on the outside looking in which could lead to depression and other bad thoughts. However, it could all be avoided by parents putting their child first. Looking good and attractive is important for both boys and girls which helps them succeed in life. How much more important is it today where bullying has come common place in our public schools. Kids could pick on physical appearance and disassociate from one another for this reason. Put your child first and give them an advantage by being the prettiest girl or most handsome boy.

All it takes is resolve by the parents to get the child properly evaluated and treated. Make sure that your comfortable with the therapists and that they treat your child with gentle care. Some cranial therapy centers offer a support group for parents helping them with challenges that they may encounter along the way. Plagio Baby offers a online community which may be beneficial for mom and dad. The ultimate comfort is for parents to know that they are giving their child the best opportunity for social success.