Rarely, two or more of the bony plates in a baby’s head fuse prematurely. In this case, physical therapy is important to help stretch the affected muscles and allow the baby to more freely change head positions. Sometimes an underlying muscular issue - such as torticollis - causes a baby to hold his or her head tilted to one side. Recent research, however, suggests that repositioning with or without physical therapy might be as effective as helmet therapy in many cases. Treatment with a molded helmet isn’t likely to be effective after age 1, when the skull bones are fused together and head growth becomes less rapid.

The helmet is adjusted regularly - sometimes weekly - as the baby’s head grows and changes shape.

To be effective, the helmet must be worn 23 hours a day during the treatment period - often a number of months. Molded helmets are most effective when treatment begins by ages 4 to 6 months, when the skull is still malleable and the brain is growing rapidly. The helmet provides guided growth, maintaining contact with the baby’s head in all areas except for the flat spot. If unevenness doesn’t improve by age 4 months, your baby’s doctor might prescribe a molded helmet to help shape your baby’s head. Never rest your baby’s head on a pillow or other type of soft bedding. Move the crib occasionally to give your baby a new vantage point. Position your baby so that he or she will have to turn away from the flattened side of the head to look at you or to track movement or sound in the room. With close supervision, place your baby on his or her tummy to play. Holding your baby when he or she is awake will help relieve pressure on your baby’s head from swings, carriers and infant seats. If your baby returns to the original position while sleeping, adjust his or her position next time. You might also hold your baby with alternate arms at each feeding. Or place your baby’s head near the foot of the crib one day, the head of the crib the next. Continue to place your baby on his or her back to sleep, but alternate the direction your baby’s head faces when you place him or her in the crib. But changes in the way you position your baby can minimize unevenness and hasten its resolution. Your baby’s head shape will most likely even out on its own. In a few short months, better head and neck control will help your baby keep pressure more evenly distributed on the skull. Keep in mind that if you spend too much time worrying about your baby’s head shape, you might miss some of the fun of being a new parent. Flat spots related to pressure on the back of the head don’t cause brain damage or interfere with a baby’s growth and development. Positional molding is generally considered a cosmetic issue. The cheekbone on the flat side might protrude, and the ear on the flat side might look pushed forward.

From that view, the back of your baby’s head might look flatter on one side than on the other. Positional molding might be most noticeable when you’re looking at your baby’s head from above. Your baby’s doctor will check the soft spots on your baby’s head and the shape of your baby’s head at birth and at each well-baby exam - usually every two to four months for the first year. This is known as positional plagiocephaly. They also accommodate your baby’s rapidly growing brain during infancy.īecause your baby’s skull is malleable, however, a tendency to rest the head in the same position can result in an uneven head shape well past the time when birth-related lopsidedness evens out. These spots, called fontanels, allow a baby’s relatively large head to move through the narrow birth canal. You’ll notice two soft areas at the top of your baby’s head where the skull bones haven’t yet grown together. In other cases, head shape changes after birth as a result of pressure on the back of the head when the baby lies on his or her back. Sometimes a baby’s head is molded unevenly while passing through the birth canal. What causes a baby’s head shape to appear uneven? But is it cause for worry? Understand what causes unevenness in babies’ heads and when treatment is needed. Many newborns have slightly uneven heads.

Babies head shapes when to worry