 | | Join our Flat Head Campaign! | |
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| Flat Head Syndrome is thought to affect up to 50% of babies, yet it is an easily preventable condition. Local Parent has launched an awareness campaign to help educate parents in how to prevent this condition happening to their little ones. Have you, or someone you know, suffered from this condition? Do you want to help prevent this happening to others? Work with us and help Spread the Word... Join our Campaign... | |
| | 7 Steps to help prevent Flat Heads | |
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|  | 1. When they are sleeping, lift and turn your baby’s head to the side on alternate sides each day. It may be helpful to place a thin wedge under one shoulder, or a rolled-up towel under the mattress (NB, if your baby is beginning to roll over, do not use any props or wedges that could cause entanglement or suffocation). | | 2. Avoid putting mobiles and toys directly above your baby’s head, instead place them to each side to encourage head rotation. | | 3. When supervised, lay your baby on each side alternately for short periods, and on their tummy for a few minutes at a time. | | 4. When feeding, alternate the side you hold your baby to encourage head rotation in both directions. | | 5. Stand to the side when changing nappies as your baby will turn to look at you. Alternate sides at each nappy change. | | 6. Keep the amount of time your baby spends in a car seat to a minimum. Where possible use a baby carrier or sling to keep the pressure off the head. | | 7. Use a pillow or cushion under your baby’s head and shoulders for supervised play on their backs. Specialist pillows and mattresses have been developed for sleeping that can also be used in buggies and prams. |
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 | |  |  | | | Author | Messages | |
streeter
Standard
Posts: 28
 | | 27-03-2008 12:47 AM | | Hi,
Great article :)
Do you know if there are any long term physiological problems associated with this condition?
Louise x | | | |
| Madeleine
Novice
Posts: 4
| | 27-03-2008 8:33 PM | | Hi Louise
In my view as a Craniosacral Therapist, my answer to your question is YES!
One of the most obvious effects (with plagiocephaly - depending on the severity), is a misaligned jaw. This can cause something called TMJ Syndrome, the effects of which vary from person to person. It can effect the eyes, the ears, the mouth and teeth, the throat, neck, shoulders and back. There are so many symptoms associated with it, I'll name a few: Pain in any of the aforementioned places, headaches and migraine. Sucking, feeding, chewing and swallowing difficulties. Teeth misalignment. Speech abnormalities. Tinnitus (ringing in the ear. Ear pain without infection, throat pain without infection. Difficulty swallowing. Blurred vision, light sensitivity. Sometimes even such things as Bells Palsy and Trigeminal Neuralgia are caused by TMJ syndrome. So you can see there can be some very clear physiological effects in both the short and long term.
As for the internal effects of significant cranial distortion, it's impossible to say for certain as no scientific research has been carried out. However, within the skull there are many spaces (foramina) which give passage to veins, arteries, and nerves, if these become distorted due to the external pressure (which seems likely), then that may affect blood and nerve supply to the related areas. For example if the function of the vagus nerve were to be affected (compression would lead to inflammation) it may lead to digestive or breathing difficulties.
The good news of course is that it's all preventable - so spread the word - when baby is supervised keep them off their backs as much as possible, invest in a safe baby pillow (Goi Goi), if baby has a neck strain - turns it's head to one side only (this is why positional plagiocephaly develops), seek professional help immediately.
Madeleine
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Madeleine Lewis
I have been a Health Facilitator for over 25 years, working independently and for the Adult Education Authorities. I have a special interest in treating babies and children with craniosacral therapy, and have 16 years experience in this particular field of work. Educating parents regarding the prevention of Flat Head syndrome is a big 'soap box' issue for me, and I am delighted that the Local Parent publication has taken up the campaign. | |
| streeter
Standard
Posts: 28
| | 28-03-2008 12:59 PM | | My son is 3 now, and fortunately he didn't suffer with this condition, but why didn't the midwives raise the importance of this? :crazy:
A few of my friends have newborns (3 months and 5 months) and I will certainly raise their awareness to this.
Thanks again Madeleine.
Louise x | | | |
| Madeleine
Novice
Posts: 4
| | 29-03-2008 7:38 AM | | Midwives and Health Visitors can only give advice within Department of Health Guidelines, the same for G.P.'s, to step outside these parameters leaves them open to litigation. The DOH in turn takes it's advice from medical advisory committees. Up until recent times flat head syndrome has been considered a purely cosmetic problem, as evidence to the contrary is gathered the recommendations will change - much as advice about the appropriate age for weaning has changed yet again in the past year!
As I understand it there is now a move by some paediatricians and craniofacial specialists to get the recommendations changed, i.e. to heighten the awareness of what can happen if babies are not given plenty of alternative positioning when supervised, and also to introduce the use of pillows. Unfortunately the wheels of bureaucracy grind painfully slowly, so it may be years before it all comes down the line to new mothers. We can all help by making a big noise about it from our end, it may speed things up a bit.
It's interesting to note that other countries already make different recommendations to the UK, i.e. in Sweden they have been using special baby pillows for about seven years, this has significantly reduced the incidence of flat head syndrome; in Holland parents are advised not to put babies on their backs for the first six weeks, but to lay them on alternate sides instead - their babies do not get misshapen heads, and in both countries there has been no increase in the incidence of SIDS. | |
Madeleine Lewis
I have been a Health Facilitator for over 25 years, working independently and for the Adult Education Authorities. I have a special interest in treating babies and children with craniosacral therapy, and have 16 years experience in this particular field of work. Educating parents regarding the prevention of Flat Head syndrome is a big 'soap box' issue for me, and I am delighted that the Local Parent publication has taken up the campaign. | |
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