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The birth of a baby is cause for much jubilation and celebration for parents. Your days and nights are spent with them, looking at their cherubic faces, little podgy limbs and smiling at their little gurgling sounds. Their bodies are so tiny and vulnerable that you take extra caution every time you carry them, holding them with care.
But even when you’re so careful, there is one thing that you might miss out on, and that is the Flat Head Syndrome in babies.
The Flat Head Syndrome is a condition where babies acquire a flattish spot on one or more sides of their heads, due to their preferred position of sleep or due to pressure on their neck muscles – and that is why the condition is also known as “Positional Plagiocephaly”.
You need not panic if you find your baby having a flat -head spot, however, since it is a common condition. Timely intervention can easily cure a baby of any flat spot. Here are some simple measures that you can take:
1. Frequently Changing The Position Of The Head
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Babies spend most of their time sleeping. It is, therefore, a good idea to ensure that the baby mostly sleeps on his/her back. Further, you need to keep observing which side does the baby’s head turn while he/she is asleep. Make sure that you change the position of the head either after some time or during the next nap.
Doing this reduces the chances of flat spots forming on the baby’s head due to the pressure that is exerted from sleeping in the same position.
2. Changing The Baby Room Layout
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Changing the layout of your baby’s room is another way by which you can avoid the flat-head syndrome. Their cots can be shifted to some alternate spot so that they use the other side of their heads to see all the things that attract their attention – such as toys, photos, posters, windows or doors.
Alternatively, you can also change the position of different things in the room to get the baby to look in other directions. This is to avoid having the baby positioning his/her head towards only one side or direction while he/she is awake and lying down.
3. Encouraging Your Baby To Lie On The Tummy
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After gaining some control of their muscles and head, babies can be made to lie on their tummies more often, at least for a few minutes. When doing so, make sure that the surface is firm. Doing this will encourage your child to look up and around, thus making their muscles strong and supple.
You can also use a baby sling carrier in which your baby can be positioned upright and can look around. These are some ways to avoid prolonged lying down and increasing the movements of the neck muscles, thus avoiding flat-head syndrome.
4. Get Help If Required
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As a mother, you are the best person to judge if there is something odd about how your baby is sleeping. If you think your baby always prefers a certain side while sleeping despite your best efforts, you could consider discussing the same with your pediatrician.
If there is already a flat- head spot in place, your baby can be referred for corrective therapies from an expert physiotherapist or be given a skull-molding helmet. However, these are professional interventions, and you must not try anything on your baby without proper consultation.
These were a few simple steps by which you can avoid the appearance of any flat-spots on your baby’s head. You only need to be observant and cautious.
If you take proper precautions right from the beginning, then we’re sure that neither you nor your baby will have to deal with these issues!
