one side of my babys head is flat...?

Question

will this go back to normal when he gets big? its because hes always laying on the same side i heard it stays like that is it true?

Answer 1

its called torticallis
from lying on one side-like in the womb
no it doesn't always stay like that
my daughter had it when she was born
her dr. recommended a specialist to see her
they did a hip x-ray and a hip ultrasound- this problem is known to cause hip problems when they get older, so they check now to make sure because they can catch it early
she had nothing wrong with her hips
after that they recommended physical therapy for a couple of months to strengthen her neck muscles
she has to go back in a couple months for a check up from the specialist

she is 7 months old now, and can sit up unsupported and is almost crawling, and moves her baby walker forward, eats fine

check with your doctor about seeing a specialist for your baby to evalute her

if it is severe then they can recommend a helmet for the baby to wear so the one side of the head can grow normally

where do you live?
if you live near st. louis MO i can tell you my babys specialist so you can get her checked,

e-mail me if you need any more info on this

Answer 2

If your baby spends (or has speant) a lot of time in a bouncy seat, swing our carseat it is possible that he has developed what is called "positional plagiocephaly". This can happen in daycare, or with parents who don't understand the importance of tummy time- and is not uncommon especially in first time parents. Another condition that can cause a flat spot is torticollis- which is a condition that will need to be evaluated by his pediatrician. If you can, go online and research this. He is a little old to be presenting with it, but probably has had it for a while. It will eventually fill out, once he stops laying on it. His bones are still very soft and will remold. Infants skulls are especially soft to allow them to mold for childbirth. LOTS OF TUMMY TIME, lots of attention to neck and head position while sleeping and NO SEATS of any kind, except a carseat. When he's in his carseat place a rolled blanket on the flat side of his head so he will lay straight.

Answer 3

I would have to see a picture of your child, I have a group called beyond cranio at beyondcranio.com. Craniosynostosis is a condition in which the suture bones prematurely grow together in infants. There is also something called plagiocephely which is caused by laying on one side of the head for to long, and this can be corrected with a helmet. Make sure you are turning your baby different ways, but if there is a deeper cause no amount of turning that will help the child. So if you would like to run over to my group and become a member just so you might lets us all have a look at the baby, we might can help you determine if your babies problem is something to worry about.

Answer 4

change his positing each time you lay him down and gently rub his head with the palm of your hand. If you've ever noticed some Indian tribes who used cradle boards tended to have a flat spot on the back of their head from being in the same position much of the time. Example was used because I remember seeing pictures .

Answer 5

Yes, it's very normal. It is from laying on the same side of his head too often. Try placing him in a different position when he is awake, or lying him down to sleep in a slightly different angle to minimize this effect.

Once he's big enough to roll over, this will pretty much go away completely, so don't fret!

Answer 6

Take him to the doctor and get it checked out. In the meantime change his sleeping position and give him plenty of tummy time to get his head of the bed/floor and strengthen his neck muscles.
Its not uncommon but needs to be addressed.

Answer 7

yes, try placing the baby the other way in the crib because babies tend to look toward the center of the room. If it doesn't clear up your doctor will notice at he well baby check and take further steps.

Answer 8

My nephew had the same problem, and he had to wear this type of helmet for a few months, in order to get his head back to normal.
Talk to your pediatrician, and discuss what your options are.
Good luck!

Answer 9

it's normal. my son has a flat spot too. now that he is getting bigger and rolling over/sitting up on his own, that spot is not as flat. try to switch his position when he sleeps and give him lots of tummy time. they usually go back to normal as they get older and learn to sleep on their tummies.

Answer 10

as ur holding ur baby or feeding ur baby, softly massage his head with the palm of ur hand around his head . his scalp is very fragile and still soft enough to shape. my son was like that, they told me to rub his head gently as i am holding him to reshape his head, its normal as the head is in a cone shape from birthing canal. i did that everyday, every minute as I was holding him and it didn't hurt him it brought our bonding time even more closer.. Check with ur doc, but I bet she/he will tell u the same......good luck and congrats on the birth of ur son.