The ‘Back to Sleep’ campaign has helped to drastically reduce fatalities of babies, simply by promoting babies to always sleep on their back. Now that babies spend more time on their back, flat spots have become more common. Now, before I go on, regardless of what the research says about flat spots on a baby’s head, I must stress the importance and advise all parents that your baby should sleep on their back at all times!
How common are flat spots?
Research articles estimate somewhere between 20-50% of babies would have developed a flat spot before the age of 2. Babies spending more time lying on their back coupled with a baby’s soft head still developing, are the 2 main reasons why flat spots are so common. Once again, before I continue, please ensure your baby sleeps on their back!
Can a helmet fix my baby's flat spot?
A lot of parents have asked me if a helmet would help improve the shape of their child’s head and eliminate flat spots. The short answer is this; in mild to moderate cases, the answer is probably not. The research shows that changing your baby’s head position and following the guidance of a physio (mainly exercises) are more effective than using a helmet. Research has shown that mild flat spots are easily corrected with physiotherapy-led exercises and supervised tummy time during waking hours. These options are much less expensive than seeing a specialist for a helmet, who may charge up to £3,000 for an initial appointment and helmet fitting, the helmet and at least one follow-up appointment.
These options are much less expensive than seeing a specialist for a helmet, who may charge up to £3,000 for an initial appointment and helmet fitting, the helmet and at least one follow-up appointment.
However, a helmet might be an option for a more severe case of flat spot. There are signs and symptoms to look for and take into consideration for whether or not your baby needs a helmet*. However, most cases are mild, and in mild cases, treatment strategies other than a helmet have been proven to be effective. Not only are helmets expensive, but they must be worn for 23 hours a day for months and months. Parents who went to see a specialist for have reported that they spent lots of money and because their baby did not tolerate it, it was ultimately a waste. Parents also reported feeling anxious about going out in public with their baby wearing a helmet, concerned about people staring and wondering ‘why the helmet?’. But as mentioned earlier, some severe cases may warrant a helmet.
Ultimately, my answer to the helmet question is this; mild cases definitely do not need a helmet! There are rare cases who would benefit from a helmet, but the vast majority will benefit from less invasive things like supervised tummy time during waking hours and physiotherapy-led exercises.
*Signs and symptoms of a severe case of flat spot includes significant
delay in development (e.g. not sitting
by 12 months, not walking by 24 months), torticollis that’s lasted longer than
6 months and/or changes to facial symmetry (e.g. eyes not level with one another,
or ears not level with one another).
**this is not healthcare advice. If you have concerns about
your child’s development, please see a healthcare professional.
***your baby should always sleep on their back, as per the sudden infant death
syndrome.(SIDS) guidelines.
****babies should always be supervised by an adult when lying on their front.
Reference:
Blanco-Diaz, M., Marcos-Alvarez, M., Escobio-Prieto, I., De la Fuente-Costa, M., Perez-Dominguez, B., Pinero-Pinto, E., & Rodriguez-Rodriguez, A. M. (2023). Effectiveness of Conservative Treatments in Positional Plagiocephaly in Infants: A Systematic Review. Children, 10(7), 1184.
Images: sourced from canva.com
