Baby Flat Head 1 Side

In this case physical therapy is important to help stretch the affected muscles and allow the baby to more freely change head positions.

Baby flat head 1 side. Sometimes an underlying muscular issue such as torticollis causes a baby to hold his or her head tilted to one side. Flat head syndrome or plagiocephaly as the condition is medically known occurs when a flat spot develops on the back or side of a baby s head. The baby s head is flattened on one side so it looks asymmetrical. Brachycephaly the back of the head becomes flattened causing the head to widen and occasionally the forehead.

Another telltale sign is a small bump on the side of her neck. While in most cases this is plagiocephaly some head shape deformities are caused by craniosynostosis which is a serious condition that requires surgery. Babies with torticollis can also develop a flat spot on their skull because they often sleep with their head turned to one side. When looking down at the baby s head the ear on the flattened side may look pushed forward.

In severe cases the forehead might bulge on the side opposite from the flattening and may look uneven. The back of the baby s head is flatter on one side. Researchers found that 47 percent of 440 2 month olds having routine check ups had what doctors call positional plagiocephaly where the back or one side of the head has a flat spot. Premature babies are especially prone to torticollis.

Check with your pediatrician if your newborn develops flat head or if his ears eyes or forehead look uneven. Torticollis occurs when a tight or shortened muscle on one side of the neck causes the chin to tilt to the other side. The condition can cause the baby s head to look. The ears may be misaligned when you look from above and sometimes the forehead and face may bulge on the flat side.

In severe cases it can affect the alignment of the ears eyes and jaw. Rarely two or more of the bony plates in a baby s head fuse prematurely. The ears may be misaligned and the. You ll probably notice that your baby holds her head to one side and has limited neck movement.

Congenital muscular torticollis is usually diagnosed within the first two months of a baby s life. This is known as flat head syndrome and there are 2 main types. It s typically noticed by the parent up. Even if parents don t spot it a pediatrician will.