CENTERPEDES

                     About Plagiocephaly

When you first hear the word plagiocephaly, it

can be scary. It’s a big word that’s usually

accompanied by other scary words like

deformity, disorder and cranial remolding.

We’re here to help set you at ease.

​           Plagiocephaly

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       also known as flat head syndrome, is a condition

characterized by an asymmetrical distortion

(flattening of one side) of the skull. It is characterized by a flat

spot on the back or one side of the head caused by remaining

in a supine position for too long.

Plagiocephaly is the word that is used to describe a diagonal asymmetry across the head shape. This word particularly describes a flattening which is to one side at the back of the head and there is often

 

                                                                                         some facial asymmetry. Brachycephaly describes a very wide     

                                                                                         head shape with a flattening across the whole back of the head.

                                                                                        Cause Slight Plagiocephaly is routinely diagnosed at birth and       

                                                                                       may be the result of a restrictive intrauterine environment giving

                                                                                     a "diamond" shaped head when seen from above. If there is  

                                                                                  premature union of skull bones, this is more properly called 

                                                                craniosynostosis.  The incidence of plagiocephaly has increased dramatically   

                                                               since the advent of anti-Sudden Infant Death Syndrome recommendations for

                                                           parents to keep their babies on their backs.[5] Treatments range from a simple repositioning of babies below the age of 5 months to more involved treatment with a helmet for children under the age of 18 months. Treatment The condition will sometimes improve as the baby grows, but in many cases, treatment can significantly improve the shape of a baby’s head. Initially, treatment usually takes the form of reducing the pressure on the affected area through repositioning of the baby onto his or her abdomen for extended periods of time throughout the day.

Other treatments include repositioning the child's head

throughout the day so that the rounded side of the head is

placed dependent against the mattress, repositioning cribs

and other areas that infants spend time in so that they will

have to look in a different direction to see their parents, or

others in the room, repositioning mobiles and other toys for

similar reasons, and avoiding extended time sleeping in

car-seats (when not in a vehicle), bouncy seats, or other supine

seating which is thought to exacerbate the problem. If the child appears to have

discomfort or cries when they are repositioned, they may have a problem with the neck.

If this is unsuccessful, treatment using a cranial remolding orthosis (baby helmet) can

help to correct abnormal head shapes.



Centerpedes helmets are used to treat deformational plagiocephaly, brachycephaly, scaphocephaly and other head shape deformities in infants 3–18 months of age. For years, infants have been successfully treated with cranial remolding orthoses.
A cranial remolding orthosis (helmet) provides painless total contact over the prominent areas of the skull and leaves voids over the flattened areas to provide a pathway for more symmetrical skull growth. Treatment generally takes 3–4 months, but varies depending on the infant's age and severity of the cranial asymmetry.

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