Some babies develop flat spots on one side or the other because they stare out in the same direction all the time.
Baby head flat on side from sleeping.
Babies with torticollis can also develop a flat spot on their skull because they often sleep with their head turned to one side.
Don t put your baby to sleep on his stomach to avoid plagiocephaly because tummy sleeping puts him at risk for sids.
Wrapping your baby like a burrito may help them sleep more.
Sids is when an otherwise healthy baby under the age of 1 dies suddenly and unexpectedly and for no apparent reason while sleeping.
A baby s skull is very soft and the bones can be affected by pressure.
Premature babies are especially prone to torticollis.
Flat head syndrome is also called positional plagiocephaly pu zi shu nul play jee oh sef uh lee.
What causes flat head syndrome.
Flat head syndrome usually happens when a baby sleeps with the head turned to the same side during first months of life.
The condition can cause the baby s head to look.
This causes a flat spot either on one side or the back of the head.
Torticollis occurs when a tight or shortened muscle on one side of the neck causes the chin to tilt to the other side.
Positional plagiocephaly happens most often to infants who are good sleepers who sleep through the night babies with an unusually large head and babies who are born prematurely and have weak muscle tone.
Monitors may help give you the heads up that your baby is on the move to side sleeping.
Plagiocephaly or flat head syndrome is when a baby s head is flat on one side.
As distressing as this can be to a new parent a flat head is treatable and doesn t mean your baby is in pain or will have any developmental delays.
Babies also have weak neck muscles and usually turn their heads to one side when placed on their back.
Changing the view by repositioning within the crib also increases visual stimulation.
Swaddle your baby until they can roll over.
It s linked to a baby sleeping exclusively on his back as well as spending a lot of time lying in a rocker car seat or swing.