My baby is 16 weeks old and has a flat head (spot)?

Question

The flat head is noticeable as far as I am concerned and when I mention it to the health visitor I am told it is fine and his hair will cover it. Well what if he wants a skin head???? I am not happy with this reply and wondered what I could do about it or what I could use to rectify the problem. Obviously my baby prefers to lay his head one side and I have tried turning his head for about 9 weeks now to the other side, I put him to bed on his side and I also position him that if he wants to watch TV or look at me that he has to turn on to the non-flat side. He is getting to that age now though that when I put him to bed on his side (with towels up against his back to try and stop him from moving) that he bangs his head against the towels and eventually manages to move to a position he is more happy with!!!

Answer 1

My wifes cousin had to have her child wear a helmet to help shape his head. Ask your pediatrician about that. And they will set you up with whomever you need to go see

Answer 2

My son is 7 months old and has a MAJOR case of flat head. My other son before him did also. They both went to paediatritions about it but they said it would correct itself over time. This was the case with my other son, his head is now fine, and I'm assuming now my other son is sitting up his will improve also. Their bones in their head are so soft and are easily moved. Don't be too concerned, it is very common now due to back sleeping but most likely will correct itself. There is a special pillow you can buy which alternates babies head from side to side each nap. Its by a company that also makes "Safe T Sleeps". Maybe that could be an option for you if you are very concerned. Good Luck!!!

Answer 3

Baby's heads can be strange looking at first it is no lie!
You are doing the right things, but here are a few more tips.
He needs tummy time!!!!
Any time he is on the floor on a blanket lay him on his tummy and place objects around for him to look at and reach for. Tummy time is sooooo important.
You can if you feel comfortable enough try putting him down for naps on his tummy too!
He is getting a little older now. Just keep pillows, thick blankets and stuffed animals out of the crib. If he is lifting his head up with his arms it is OK. Do not let what other people say scare you, you are his mom and know him best.
He'll prob end up turning to his fave side anyway.
You can also buy a wedge made of memory foam (in baby aisle) to use when you lay him on his side. These work better than a rolled blanket. They stay in place.
Do not leave him in a bouncer, swing, or car seat for long periods of time.
My best suggestion tummy time. But it sounds like you are on the right path, and are doing everything right!

Answer 4

hi, i have a 7 year old whos head is extremely flat because of not turning enough when she was an infant. at the time we had the option of having her wear a helmet for 23 hours a day for her first year of life. seven years ago they were not sure if it would effect her brain development or what not. we decided to go against it. she still has a flat spot. huge flat spot. and she is aware that it is there, but she is a girl with hair down to her but so it is only noticable when her hair is wet. i dont think that it will cause any medical problems in the brain because as of today my daughter is very smart normal girl with no problems. actually i asked the doctor about it again at this years physical and she said it is just a cosmetic problem. so if you are concerned because he is aboy and it will m ost likely be noticeable when he gets older you might want to ask about this helmet. it helps my friend son has been wearing his for 9 months now and believe it or not he loves it because as he crawlsand is physical he can bump into anything and not get hurt. its cute. other than that i think that at his age it is too late to kkep trying alternating his positions while on his head. also keep in mind that tons of babies get this flat spot and it might not even bother him when he is older. my 11 week old second daughter also has a flat spot forming, not as bad as her sister but its still there. good luck.I wont do anything for hers either. but if i had a boy that had a flat spot as bad as my older daughters i would probably get the helmet for him as like you said not all kids want their hair. boys like to shave it off.

Answer 5

Having a flat head is not a medical condition it is a cosmetic one. I took my son to a specialist (neurosurgeon) because we had the same problem. If his facial features are starting to become distorted or if his ear (on the flat side) is lower then the other one, then he may need to wear a helmet to help correct it. My son had a minor problem and we chose not to put him in a helmet. They have to wear these helmets for most of the day and only take them off for bath time. We decided we could not put our son through this. Apparently, as the child gets older, it's harder to correct the problem. Sometimes, if it's minor, it will correct itself. Other times it may not. It's up to you. Take him to a specialist and see what they have to say. I'm sure they will say he needs a helmet because let's face it, that's how they make their money. But hopefully you'll get some facts. Also, depending on your carrier, insurance may not cover it. Good luck!

Answer 6

Lay him on his belly for a while during the day when you are able to watch him. Try to reposition him after he goes to sleep. My sister in law's baby had that same problem, as he has gotten older (hes nine months now) it looks like his head is getting more of the natural shape. I think because he is moving around and is never in the same position anymore.

Answer 7

Hi,

Babies heads are very soft and tend to flatten easily although it looks a bit odd, his head will become stronger and eventually plump back out and look normal, i think alternating sides helps, and try to have him sitting in a soft seat more oftem than sitting or lying on a harder surface.

My daughters head was oddly shapped at the back and now its fine shes 4 and totally beautiful

Rx

Answer 8

you definitely need to continue doing what you are doing but don't get too worried, as baby's begin to spend more time sitting up and standing, the bones in their head will naturally start falling back into the normal place. but you should still do everything you can to prevent it, the worse it gets, the more likely he is to still have a little bit of a flat spot

Answer 9

Unless your doctor thinks there is a problem you should not be concerned. Just remember you child is still very young and changing all the time.

Answer 10

The same thing happened to my daughter. Its nothing to worry about. Babies skulls are soft (unlike an adults-they harden up over time). As he grows it will disapear. Don't worry.