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4.5mo DS flathead
  • Jlemo2
    Posts: 21Member
    Need advise or reassurance about DS's very flathead. Anyone out there whos sweet baby is perfect other than a funny looking head?
    We have taken him in to see a neurosurgeon who said all he should need is reposional therapy. That means I keep him off his back all the time but when he is asleep and then when he is asleep do the head turning from side to side. Question!? When do I sleep or get anything done in the house or take care of DD4? Help!!!
    More to add but its 2AM and I gotta go turn his head to the other side! :-S
  • AloneOverseasAloneOverseas
    Posts: 2,248Member
    Whenever you wake up turn him ... I wouldn't overly stress about it. Other than my DH, I've never seen an adult with an overly flat head. I do tease my DH sometimes, it looks like his mom left him on his right side more than his left. Lol. But it's really only noticeable because he is bald!! :)
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  • boring_nameboring_name
    Posts: 667Member
    @Jlemo2  I know a lot of babies that had the flat head from back sleeping and playing on their back so much...they got the bald streak from turning their head back and forth too! Make sure to give him lots of tummy time during the day... even if he doesn't like it at first! Good luck on the overnight head turns.. I can't imagine you'd have to do it too often do you? once or twice through the night? Can you plan it around your bedtimes? 

    My kids were babies before the 'put them on their back to sleep' so we had them on their side and would just alternate sides each night. My nephews head was very flat (still is somewhat) but he had very little neck strength to hold his head up for tummy time until he was 8 months or more (he has Down's with a subluxation in his neck). He had to be propped up in a swing, carseat, corner of the couch or bouncy chair.
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  • scotiamama
    Posts: 1,225Member
    My ds had the same issue @ that age. Doc told me the same thing, ds head is fine now. don't stress too much, soon he'll be rolling and crawling. Do lots of tummy time through the day. Do you have a bumbo seat? Or can he sit up in a highchair for short periods through the day?
  • beambeam
    Posts: 1,083Member
    i echo the tummy time advice but wonder if anyone has tried the rings (small doughnut shaped pillow used for this specific reason). something to check into at least, although i imagine it isn't for night sleeping ...
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  • Jlemo2
    Posts: 21Member
    Thanks!
    @AloneOverseas u r right now that I think about it. I too have never seen an adult or even a teen with a overly flat head. So that is reassuring. @boring_name, yes they said because he is a back sleeper and the fact he sleeps 12+ hours straight and time in his swing is the major cause of the flat head so u r right tummy time it has to be all the time or in a bumbo like @scotiamama said. I'm hoping that @arkroyal is right and it will round out on its own when he starts rolling and turning and keeping him off his back as much as possible. I have thought about one of those pillows that take the pressure off the back when he lays down... I know, I know there shouldn't be anything in his crib while sleeping. I just want to do anything to help him as I blame myself for it. Not enough tummy time soon enough...
  • PurpleFlowersPurpleFlowers
    Posts: 5,781Member
    IF there is actually a problem with his misshapen head, there is something called a moulding helmet too. Just an FYI
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  • Jlemo2
    Posts: 21Member
    Yep @beam going to look into the ring/pillow thing. Thanks!
  • momofdbbmomofdbb
    Posts: 9,339Member
    I would get one of those pillow things. I know if I was you I would set a clock or timer to go off once in a while to help me remember tomturn him. Yes I am that scatterbrained I would forget lol. With my first I was constantly turning him, DD not as much , DS2 the other two kids would not leave him alone, so they turned him. I have only seen one kid with issues with flat spots and he had CP , spinal bifida and I believe some form of epilepsy. His mom was just glad he was alive!!!
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  • jovie
    Posts: 16Member
    I would set a reminder like @momofdbb said. My nephew is 10 and his head is flat on the back and looks weird because my sister left him on his back and in the swing too much. I am hoping it goes away as he gets older.
  • OxiMOMOxiMOM
    Posts: 3,053Member
    Little man has a VERY flat side to his head  I tried turning his head ect he would aloways put it back to that side  I even  moved his bouncer around so he would have to turn his head to the rounded side to see what was going on in the room  Nothing has worked..... Little mans Doctor said not to worry too much because once he was mobile sitting up crawling and not constantly laying down  that it would even out  he is 6 months old as of today actually and even though it is still semi flat  it seems to be getting better..... he also rubs his head back and forth at night so has very little hair on the back of his head from rubbing it off..... good luck 
  • momsaidnomomsaidno
    Posts: 1,801Member
    here is my input, my ds had the same thing, (positional plagiocephaly) we took him to the dr and they wanted to make a special helmet that he wore 23 hours a day it was 4500.00 and we couldn't afford it. and he is now 3 almost 4 and his head is funny looking to me. it looks like he can put his head against a wall and  it would be a perfecct flat fit. look into getting one of the helmet things.

  • Jlemo2
    Posts: 21Member
    Thanks for all input! I set up an appointment to see a pediatric physical therapist on Thursday. The doctor thinks that they might have tools/advise that might help. They will also check his right side muscles to be sure he has full movement as hs left side of head is flatter. Dad is a lefty so that does not surprise me if he is too and favors that side...

    I just ordered a pillow from online . We will see... Hope it was not a waste of a hundred bucks! [-O<
  • intherain
    Posts: 55Member
    DS4 was in the hospital a lot when he was that age, and his head is very flat in the back now, too.  The docs offered a helmet, but said that it would make him miserable for 23 hours out of the day, and that it would lessen as he got older.  Still waiting....but like @Jlemo2 said, he is otherwise perfect.  :)
  • OxiMOMOxiMOM
    Posts: 3,053Member
    Poor little man if his head doesn't round out  his daddy is balding and my father wet bald early poor kid is probably going to be like my oldest brother and start balding in high school.
  • Jlemo2
    Posts: 21Member
    My H is bald too and so is his Dad so I'm worried about that for my DS also @OxiMOM. I just want to fix this for him!!! I blame myself for it... Couldn't nurse him (always fed him same side and head flad on boppy, nursing babies naturally get moved depening on what side the nurse from) had him in his swing too much and let him sleep for the 12-13 hours at night and didn't go move his head around I guess like a babe in the hospital-@intherain. Man, I feel the guilt! I hope the pillow works and not putting him on his back or resting the back of his head on anything during the day. Wish us luck!!
  • momsaidnomomsaidno
    Posts: 1,801Member
    @Jlemo2 hows the pillow working?

  • Jlemo2
    Posts: 21Member
    @toyoungtofeelold it's helping! Although we still are going to get a helmet for him and he needs physical therapy. The pillow will definitely help to keep his head from going flat again after he gets out of the helmet in two months. Thank you for checking up! :)
  • bjpundt
    Posts: 98Member

    I DO know a full grown man with a flat head. I went to school with him, and he could seriously lay on his tummy and someone could use it for a table to hold a glass of water. Sounds terrible, but sometimes they do stay that way.

    I have a 7mo cousin that I'm seriously concerned for. They haven't done a THING to help his seriously flat head.

    I'm glad you're taking measures to help him! Good on you!

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