Deformations (Positional Plagiocephaly):

What causes a deformation?

It is our opinion that deformations arise from conditions that first begin in the womb (the uterus). If a child does not have his, or her, neck held completely straight while inside the uterus, the neck muscles will develop slightly shorter on the side that is flexed. If this shortening is noted to be quite prominent at birth, the child may be diagnosed as having torticollis. However, most of the time the difference between the two sides is not all that significant, and parents may only notice that their child prefers to look to one side more than the other, or sleep on one side more than the other. With the recommendation that children be put to sleep on their backs, a child who is born with one side of the neck muscles ever so slightly shorter than the other side will usually prefer to sleep on one side. Over time, that side of the back of the head will become slightly flatter. Once the back of the head has a slight flat spot, the head will always roll to that flat spot when the baby is on it's back, and the condition slowly gets worse. Often this flatness is noted by the family or pediatrician at the two-month check up and is found to be worse at the four-month check up. If your pediatrician is worried enough, he or she will refer you and your baby to a craniofacial surgeon for further evaluation. In most cases, by the time the child learns to roll over at night from the back to the stomach (usually about six months old) the condition doesn't get any worse. There is some evidence that a flattened skull will improve on its own after 5-6 months of age. As for the neck muscles, children quickly stretch the short side on their own, and only the more severe neck problems (torticollis) require stretching exercises.

How do I know if my child has a deformation?

Do deformations cause any internal problems?

Why do deformations need to be treated? | Treatment

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