Does Nature really round out a baby's head?

[Guest guest]

This may seem like a silly question, but does a baby's head really round out if

left alone? Since I've become aware of plagiocephaly, tort, and brachyocephaly

and have been talking to parents of kids with these issues, I have yet to really

hear one say that the head just rounded out completely either by skipping the

helmet or after graduation from it.

Is there anyone here who ended with some plagio or brachy, went back in a year

or so later to be measured, and the issue had resolved or gotten significantly

better?

This may just be my experience, but everyone I meet just says the hair covers it

when they get older. No one has ever said it went away. I'd like to hear the

opposite!

[Guest guest]

Hi,

You definitely cannot count on it rounding out! I thought my older's

son had, but it is just that his hair covers it. His flat area was

mild and it still is. (We didn't pay any attention to his head shape

in baths.)

There probably are cases where the head rounds out, but then most of

those people would probably not be on this list.

Best,

Kathy

Parnis wrote:

This may seem like a silly question, but does a baby's head really

round out if left alone? Since I've become aware of plagiocephaly,

tort, and brachyocephaly and have been talking to parents of kids with

these issues, I have yet to really hear one say that the head just

rounded out completely either by skipping the helmet or after

graduation from it.

Is there anyone here who ended with some plagio or brachy, went back in

a year or so later to be measured, and the issue had resolved or gotten

significantly better?

This may just be my experience, but everyone I meet just says the hair

covers it when they get older. No one has ever said it went away. I'd

like to hear the opposite!

[Guest guest]

sorry, couldnt find anyone either but i guess who would be out there looking/complaining if it had?  when i googled years ago i even found many teens/adults that were unhappy with their headshape or assymetry

On Sat, Mar 6, 2010 at 3:20 PM, Parnis <julesfrommobile@...> wrote:

 

This may seem like a silly question, but does a baby's head really round out if left alone? Since I've become aware of plagiocephaly, tort, and brachyocephaly and have been talking to parents of kids with these issues, I have yet to really hear one say that the head just rounded out completely either by skipping the helmet or after graduation from it.

Is there anyone here who ended with some plagio or brachy, went back in a year or so later to be measured, and the issue had resolved or gotten significantly better?This may just be my experience, but everyone I meet just says the hair covers it when they get older. No one has ever said it went away. I'd like to hear the opposite!

-- -mommy to Emma, Becca, , and Girl Scout cookies are coming!

[Guest guest]

My four year old has a flat spot on the right side of the back of his head.  Luckily it did not affect his face ,so it never really bothered me.  I was told over time it would round out, but it never did.  Hair just covers it and it is not noticeable.  Now my 10 month old has plagio and it does affect his face.  He is in a helmet.  I didn't want to take the chance of nature fixing his face because there is no guarantee it will fix itself on its own.

On Sat, Mar 6, 2010 at 2:20 PM, Parnis <julesfrommobile@...> wrote:

 

This may seem like a silly question, but does a baby's head really round out if left alone? Since I've become aware of plagiocephaly, tort, and brachyocephaly and have been talking to parents of kids with these issues, I have yet to really hear one say that the head just rounded out completely either by skipping the helmet or after graduation from it.

Is there anyone here who ended with some plagio or brachy, went back in a year or so later to be measured, and the issue had resolved or gotten significantly better?

This may just be my experience, but everyone I meet just says the hair covers it when they get older. No one has ever said it went away. I'd like to hear the opposite!

[Guest guest]

Our youngest twin ha brachy that has mostly resolved on it's own since he has been more mobile.On Mar 6, 2010, at 2:20 PM, Parnis <julesfrommobile@...> wrote:

 

This may seem like a silly question, but does a baby's head really round out if left alone? Since I've become aware of plagiocephaly, tort, and brachyocephaly and have been talking to parents of kids with these issues, I have yet to really hear one say that the head just rounded out completely either by skipping the helmet or after graduation from it.

Is there anyone here who ended with some plagio or brachy, went back in a year or so later to be measured, and the issue had resolved or gotten significantly better?

This may just be my experience, but everyone I meet just says the hair covers it when they get older. No one has ever said it went away. I'd like to hear the opposite!

[Guest guest]

When my daughter was first diagnosed we were referred for a band, we talked to many people/doctors, etc. for advise/info/opinions (Many of my husband's clients are doctors) When he brought it up to his GP, he said "Talk to my receptionist" so he did. She was told her daughter needed a helmet and she couldn't afford it and didn't get it. She said now that her daughter is over 2 years old, her head has naturally rounded out on its own. I don't know this woman, and I've never seen her daughter so I can't confirm this! And who knows, maybe now that her hair is longer she doesn't notice it, or maybe there is some assymetry that she doesn't see. A lot of these doctors he spoke with when we were trying to decide what to do thought the bands were just a money-making scheme. Maybe that is why so many of your pediatricians are dismissive of it. Luckily it was our pediatrician that brought it to our attention at a young age. Especially because it took us a few months to make a decision on what to do. I'm glad we didn't listen to everyone who said it would round out. Even if those stories are true, who is to say which child's would do that. We were also so worried about how she would tolerate the helmet and she is great with it!Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with SprintSpeedFrom: Parnis <julesfrommobile@...>Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 12:20:10 -0800 (PST)<Plagiocephaly >Subject: Does Nature really round out a baby's head? This may seem like a silly question, but does a baby's head really round out if left alone? Since I've become aware of plagiocephaly, tort, and brachyocephaly and have been talking to parents of kids with these issues, I have yet to really hear one say that the head just rounded out completely either by skipping the helmet or after graduation from it.Is there anyone here who ended with some plagio or brachy, went back in a year or so later to be measured, and the issue had resolved or gotten significantly better?This may just be my experience, but everyone I meet just says the hair covers it when they get older. No one has ever said it went away. I'd like to hear the opposite!

[Guest guest]

I'm interested in this as well.  A friend of mine has a daughter a bit older than mine who also had tort & plagio.  She is trusting that the head will round out on it's own & we decided not to take a risk & to band our daughter.  Only time will tell I guess.  I do hope that the head naturally rounds out as we opted not to get a second band even though our daughter was a 5/6 after her first.  It would be nice to see some natural rounding but I honestly do not expect it.

On Mar 6, 2010 2:42 PM, <carrie_fl4@...> wrote:

 

When my daughter was first diagnosed we were referred for a band, we talked to many people/doctors, etc. for advise/info/opinions (Many of my husband's clients are doctors) When he brought it up to his GP, he said " Talk to my receptionist " so he did. She was told her daughter needed a helmet and she couldn't afford it and didn't get it. She said now that her daughter is over 2 years old, her head has naturally rounded out on its own.

I don't know this woman, and I've never seen her daughter so I can't confirm this! And who knows, maybe now that her hair is longer she doesn't notice it, or maybe there is some assymetry that she doesn't see.

A lot of these doctors he spoke with when we were trying to decide what to do thought the bands were just a money-making scheme. Maybe that is why so many of your pediatricians are dismissive of it. Luckily it was our pediatrician that brought it to our attention at a young age. Especially because it took us a few months to make a decision on what to do.

I'm glad we didn't listen to everyone who said it would round out. Even if those stories are true, who is to say which child's would do that. We were also so worried about how she would tolerate the helmet and she is great with it!

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with SprintSpeedFrom: Parnis <julesfrommobile@...>

Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 12:20:10 -0800 (PST)<Plagiocephaly >Subject: Does Nature really round out a baby's head?

 This may seem like a silly question, but does a baby's head really round out if left alone? Sin...

[Guest guest]

Hi-

My son wore two DOCBands from 17 months old to just over 2 years old. We got a

lot of improvement considering his age but he still had 5-6 mm of asymmetry and

a still noticeable (to me) flat spot. One year after his graduation, I took him

back to CT for another imaging and when they compared his exit image from the

one at 3 years old there was no change in his plagio. His head had grown, but in

the same shape.

It just so happens that I was at a fundraiser today for childhood cancer

research where people raised money by shaving their heads (St. Baldrick's

Foundation). There was a boy there, I'd say about 9 or 10, who had gotten his

head shaved and I could easily see he still had mild to moderate plagio. Of

course, his head was shaved so it was easy to spot and I didn't see what he

looked like with hair. But all it did was confirm for me (again, because he's

not the first older child I've seen with plagio) that not every child's head

will round out and you're better off treating it when they're young just to be

sure. I still regret not pushing for a band for my son when he was younger and

we could have gotten better results.

Jake-3.5 (DOCBand Grad 9/08)

Raleigh, NC

>

> This may seem like a silly question, but does a baby's head really round out

if left alone? Since I've become aware of plagiocephaly, tort, and

brachyocephaly and have been talking to parents of kids with these issues, I

have yet to really hear one say that the head just rounded out completely either

by skipping the helmet or after graduation from it.

>

> Is there anyone here who ended with some plagio or brachy, went back in a year

or so later to be measured, and the issue had resolved or gotten significantly

better?

>

> This may just be my experience, but everyone I meet just says the hair covers

it when they get older. No one has ever said it went away. I'd like to hear the

opposite!

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Back when was wearing her helmet, we had Thanksgiving with a grad school friend who lives a couple of hours away. She told us that her son had a flat head, but it wasn't noticed until after he was a year and they told her it was too late for a helmet (he was already over 2 at this point). She said that it had rounded out. I didn't really notice much more then.

We had Thanksgiving again with them this year (after I've had a lot more experience looking at heads). I could see that there was rounding at the back of the head, but his head is still quite wide - wider than 's. So, he clearly has brachy, even though the head did "round out" some.

Some parents who claim that there has been rounding out may be referring to this. I'm not sure about how that would refer to plagio heads, but is seems to make sense in the case of the brachy heads.

, mom to , 2.5 years

STArband grad May 2009

Chiro and CST

land Does Nature really round out a baby's head?

This may seem like a silly question, but does a baby's head really round out if left alone? Since I've become aware of plagiocephaly, tort, and brachyocephaly and have been talking to parents of kids with these issues, I have yet to really hear one say that the head just rounded out completely either by skipping the helmet or after graduation from it.Is there anyone here who ended with some plagio or brachy, went back in a year or so later to be measured, and the issue had resolved or gotten significantly better?This may just be my experience, but everyone I meet just says the hair covers it when they get older. No one has ever said it went away. I'd like to hear the opposite!

[Guest guest]

I would love to be able to say that it does, but in my experience, it does not.

Up until this past spring I worked at a retail protrait studio and I saw way too

many school aged children with significant cranial flattening. The parents were

clearly not made aware of plagiocephaly and so could not have done anything to

treat or prevent the condition. And the shape of their children's heads reflect

that. I have been told by experts in the field that once a child reaches a

certain age, their head grows in size only and not in shape.

Anyway, that's my experience. My daughter's headshap was corrected by

repositioning, not a helmet or band, but either of those ways is intervention so

in my experince, nature doesn't change headshapes at all.

Becky, repositioning moderator

, repo grad

>

> >

> >

> > This may seem like a silly question, but does a baby's head really round

> > out if left alone? Since I've become aware of plagiocephaly, tort, and

> > brachyocephaly and have been talking to parents of kids with these issues, I

> > have yet to really hear one say that the head just rounded out completely

> > either by skipping the helmet or after graduation from it.

> >

> > Is there anyone here who ended with some plagio or brachy, went back in a

> > year or so later to be measured, and the issue had resolved or gotten

> > significantly better?

> >

> > This may just be my experience, but everyone I meet just says the hair

> > covers it when they get older. No one has ever said it went away. I'd like

> > to hear the opposite!

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Today I was at Costco and spoke with parents who's son had worn a helmet. He was about 5 yrs now and had an obvious flat spot. They said the helmet was worn from 5 to 10 mo of age when the boy started taking it off on his own and that there was no change in the head shape since.

So! My decision is made. I'm keeping my baby in the helmet until I can't see anything, or until my Ortho kicks me out. I just have to assume when the helmet comes off, there will be no improvement.

Thanks so much for all the feedback!

From: <res103198@...>Subject: Re: Does Nature really round out a baby's head?Plagiocephaly Date: Sunday, March 7, 2010, 5:05 PM

I would love to be able to say that it does, but in my experience, it does not. Up until this past spring I worked at a retail protrait studio and I saw way too many school aged children with significant cranial flattening. The parents were clearly not made aware of plagiocephaly and so could not have done anything to treat or prevent the condition. And the shape of their children's heads reflect that. I have been told by experts in the field that once a child reaches a certain age, their head grows in size only and not in shape. Anyway, that's my experience. My daughter's headshap was corrected by repositioning, not a helmet or band, but either of those ways is intervention so in my experince, nature doesn't change headshapes at all.Becky, repositioning moderator, repo grad> > >> >> > This may seem like a silly question, but does a baby's head really round> > out if left alone? Since I've become aware of plagiocephaly, tort, and> >

brachyocephaly and have been talking to parents of kids with these issues, I> > have yet to really hear one say that the head just rounded out completely> > either by skipping the helmet or after graduation from it.> >> > Is there anyone here who ended with some plagio or brachy, went back in a> > year or so later to be measured, and the issue had resolved or gotten> > significantly better?> >> > This may just be my experience, but everyone I meet just says the hair> > covers it when they get older. No one has ever said it went away. I'd like> > to hear the opposite!> >> > > >> > > >>

[Guest guest]

Here is what ended up happening. At my last scan, we were told we could go

part-time with the helmet since my daughter's CVA was 2mm and so close to being

done. We kept the helmet on at nights and naps, but took it off when visiting

friends and feeding her. About 5 days ago, we found the helmet was too tight to

put back on after taking it off for a few hours, so left it off until today.

At her scan today I was so upset to find out ALL the growth was in the high

spots! She went from a CVA of 2 mm to a 2.6 mm! I think the ortho was really

surprised too, though I don't want to speak for her. Another strange thing is

that her circumference growth per visit was tracking down from 10.9 mm to 1.4,

but this visit had gone up to a 2.8 mm. It's almost as if taking the helmet off

more made the head grow faster.

I feel so upset at myself. If we had just worn the helmet full time we would be

almost done now, but we've gone back to where she was 5 weeks ago and since she

is 8 months old tomorrow, it will take more than 5 weeks to catch back up. (I

know I'm being a bit dramatic since its all based on her head growth and she

could have a spurt..)

So! Nature does NOT round out on it own. I think it favors the high spots when

left on its own! I'm wondering now if we should keep the helmet on until she

stops growing or until it won't fit anymore even if she does correct so that she

doesn't regress again.

By the way: I don't know how much positioning played a role in this since she

sleeps on her belly and the helmet got too tight even though she only had it off

while awake and off her head.

Has anyone seen this happen? If we stay with the helmet, can we count on the

bossing on her right forehead and the flat spot in the back going away, or could

it stay even with the helmet? She's a small baby with a circumference of 427.1.

Sophie Starband since 1/28/10

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Back when was wearing her helmet, we had Thanksgiving with a grad

school friend who lives a couple of hours away. She told us that her son had a

flat head, but it wasn't noticed until after he was a year and they told her it

was too late for a helmet (he was already over 2 at this point). She said that

it had rounded out. I didn't really notice much more then.

>

>

>

> We had Thanksgiving again with them this year (after I've had a lot more

experience looking at heads). I could see that there was rounding at the back of

the head, but his head is still quite wide - wider than 's. So, he

clearly has brachy, even though the head did " round out " some.

>

>

>

> Some parents who claim that there has been rounding out may be referring to

this. I'm not sure about how that would refer to plagio heads, but is seems to

make sense in the case of the brachy heads.

>

>

>

> , mom to , 2.5 years

>

> STArband grad May 2009

>

> Chiro and CST

>

> land

> Does Nature really round out a baby's head?

>

>  

>

>

> This may seem like a silly question, but does a baby's head really round out

if left alone? Since I've become aware of plagiocephaly, tort, and

brachyocephaly and have been talking to parents of kids with these issues, I

have yet to really hear one say that the head just rounded out completely either

by skipping the helmet or after graduation from it.

>

> Is there anyone here who ended with some plagio or brachy, went back in a year

or so later to be measured, and the issue had resolved or gotten significantly

better?

>

> This may just be my experience, but everyone I meet just says the hair covers

it when they get older. No one has ever said it went away. I'd like to hear the

opposite!

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

This could easily be measurement error. Did you think the head looked

worse before the scan? Anyhow, it could be that the measurement was

never down quite as low as 2mm. Since you seem unsure, I would keep

the helmet on a little longer. Then you don't need to worry about

regression. Keeping it on until it doesn't fit may be longer than

needed though, since there is a lot of growth room in a Starband, and

it sounds like you are already down to pretty good numbers.

Best,

Kathy

wrote:

Here is what ended up happening. At my last scan, we were told we

could go part-time with the helmet since my daughter's CVA was 2mm and

so close to being done. We kept the helmet on at nights and naps, but

took it off when visiting friends and feeding her. About 5 days ago, we

found the helmet was too tight to put back on after taking it off for a

few hours, so left it off until today.

At her scan today I was so upset to find out ALL the growth was in the

high spots! She went from a CVA of 2 mm to a 2.6 mm! I think the ortho

was really surprised too, though I don't want to speak for her. Another

strange thing is that her circumference growth per visit was tracking

down from 10.9 mm to 1.4, but this visit had gone up to a 2.8 mm. It's

almost as if taking the helmet off more made the head grow faster.

I feel so upset at myself. If we had just worn the helmet full time we

would be almost done now, but we've gone back to where she was 5 weeks

ago and since she is 8 months old tomorrow, it will take more than 5

weeks to catch back up. (I know I'm being a bit dramatic since its all

based on her head growth and she could have a spurt..)

So! Nature does NOT round out on it own. I think it favors the high

spots when left on its own! I'm wondering now if we should keep the

helmet on until she stops growing or until it won't fit anymore even if

she does correct so that she doesn't regress again.

By the way: I don't know how much positioning played a role in this

since she sleeps on her belly and the helmet got too tight even though

she only had it off while awake and off her head.

Has anyone seen this happen? If we stay with the helmet, can we count

on the bossing on her right forehead and the flat spot in the back

going away, or could it stay even with the helmet? She's a small baby

with a circumference of 427.1.

Sophie Starband since 1/28/10

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Back when was wearing her helmet, we had Thanksgiving with

a grad school friend who lives a couple of hours away. She told us that

her son had a flat head, but it wasn't noticed until after he was a

year and they told her it was too late for a helmet (he was already

over 2 at this point). She said that it had rounded out. I didn't

really notice much more then.

>

>

>

> We had Thanksgiving again with them this year (after I've had a

lot more experience looking at heads). I could see that there was

rounding at the back of the head, but his head is still quite wide -

wider than 's. So, he clearly has brachy, even though the head

did "round out" some.

>

>

>

> Some parents who claim that there has been rounding out may be

referring to this. I'm not sure about how that would refer to plagio

heads, but is seems to make sense in the case of the brachy heads.

>

>

>

> , mom to , 2.5 years

>

> STArband grad May 2009

>

> Chiro and CST

>

> land

> Does Nature really round out a baby's head?

>

> Â

>

>

> This may seem like a silly question, but does a baby's head really

round out if left alone? Since I've become aware of plagiocephaly,

tort, and brachyocephaly and have been talking to parents of kids with

these issues, I have yet to really hear one say that the head just

rounded out completely either by skipping the helmet or after

graduation from it.

>

> Is there anyone here who ended with some plagio or brachy, went

back in a year or so later to be measured, and the issue had resolved

or gotten significantly better?

>

> This may just be my experience, but everyone I meet just says the

hair covers it when they get older. No one has ever said it went away.

I'd like to hear the opposite!

>

>

>