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| Brittany, no need to worry that your son's brain is being squished. What happens is that he probably spends a lot of time on his back whether it be in a chair or lying down flat. Babies heads are made so that the bones are not joined yet to make room for a growing brain. When they lay flat their heads mold...get flat where they have been lying. My recommendation to you would be some extra tummy-time for him OR they do have helmets now that you can get from your pediatrician to try and correct the problem as well. But really no need to worry about his brain squishing :) Happy Mommying! |
| posted by Christina on 01/28/2008 02:13 PM
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| It is probably due to him laying on his back like Christina said. Besides tummy time which will help other things besides his head, try to turn his head to one side or the other when he is sleeping or will let you. You could put something he likes to look at on the left for awhile then the right and then he will look at it and not lay flat on his back |
| posted by Heather on 01/28/2008 02:18 PM
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| My daughter was also born c-section and had a nice round head at first. She would always sleep with her head to the right side and ended up with a flat spot. My ped suggested rotating her during sleep and play time (also adding more tummy time). This did not work for us and it did get worse, my ped was concerned about brain growth, she suggested a helmet & physical therapy. I didn't go with the helmet option but instead had my chiropractor adjust it, and in two weeks the flat spot was just about gone. I would recommend talking with your ped as this can get worse very fast since babies have a soft skull. If you wait too long it could stay there permanently. |
| posted by on 01/28/2008 03:10 PM
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| My daughter sucks her left thumb so when she is lying down, trying to go to sleep, her head is always turned to the left. She started sucking her thumb at about 4 months. At her 6 month check-up, I asked her doctor about the flat spot. She told me that by 6 months babies' heads are the shape they are going to be, so it won't get worse. She also told me that it could be corrected with a helmet but she strongly discouraged that. She said they usually only correct the problem if it is causing their face to change shape. And since she is a girl, her hair will cover it. I wanted to have it corrected but we didn't. My baby is now 15 months old and she doesn't have much hair, but her doctor was right, I can't even tell anymore. |
| posted by Jessica on 01/29/2008 12:20 AM
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Jessica,
You are lucky it didn't get bad. My daughters entire head was shifting and it was visible looking at her face. I didn't want the helmet either, the ped said she would have to wear it 23 hours a day. |
| posted by on 01/29/2008 08:27 AM
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I am sorry to hear that, Jackie. How long will she have to wear it? She probably doesn't like it, but she will have a nice round head as a result. I, so badly, wanted my daughter to have a perfectly round head.
Your daughter is sooo cute in that picture! |
| posted by Jessica on 01/29/2008 03:16 PM
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I didn't go with the helmet, I couldn't imagine her having to wear it and I was worried that it would cause problems with her back and neck. I had talked to my chiropractor to see if there was another way and sure enough she was able to correct it. I saw results in two weeks and now Emilie's head is nice and round again. Not that anyone could tell with all the hair she has, LOL.
Thanks
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| posted by on 01/29/2008 03:23 PM
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| How did you pick your chiropractor? I am afraid to just walk into any chiropractic office especially when it comes to my babies head! lol I am new to my area and don't know how to pick one. I am going to see my pediatrician about it on Friday as well. Tomorrow I am going to go look around and see if i can find something that will hold him so he will be sleeping on his side(* I will alternate sides every night*) If the doctor recommends the helmet I will get it, but I just don't see my baby tolerating it very well. |
| posted by Brittany on 01/29/2008 03:51 PM
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Jackie,
I thought that was what you meant when I read your first post, then I read your second....... I misunderstood.
I never thought of going to a chiropractor. I wish the ped would have suggested that.
I am going to be more careful with the next baby. |
| posted by Jessica on 01/29/2008 04:30 PM
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| I had been going to my chiropractor even before I was pregnant. They are husband and wife team that are also holistic. The wife specializes with pregnant women and children. I would suggest asking the same/similar questions you would ask a ped. Also my ped sees their kids too. I had tried a wedge pillow in the crib to get my daughter to lie on her left side, but she always moved it and went back to the right side. I had to also be aware of how I would be holding her. I am right handed and noticed that I would almost always hold her in my left arm. If the flat spot is not too bad, keep the rotations going this usually resolves on its own. I think my daughters was so bad because it was on the side of her head not the back. |
| posted by on 01/29/2008 04:32 PM
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| I think most people feel that a chiropractor is only for accendents, but they are also for wellness and healing. |
| posted by on 01/29/2008 04:33 PM
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| typo sorry, accidents |
| posted by on 01/29/2008 04:34 PM
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| We noticed my son had a flat spot on his right side when he was 6 months, we went to the doctor and they said it wasn't that bad and he didn't need a helmet but now you can tell if you look at him from the top or the side. he is turning one this month do you think the chriopractor could doing anything this late . |
| posted by Katie on 02/06/2008 09:48 PM
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Katie,
I don't think they would be able to do anything since by one year the skull has hardened, but I don't know for sure. My daughter and I still get regular adjustments as it helps to keep us healthy. You could always call some and ask.
Funny story, my man got his hair cut the other day really short and I noticed that he has a small flat spot on his head too. He has thick hair and I have never seen him get it cut so short so I never noticed it before. Just an FYI, he is 43 and his brain functions just fine. (for a guy, lol, just kidding) |
| posted by on 02/06/2008 10:11 PM
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My daughter was also born by *C-SECTION* on Dec 5, 2007. However, didn't have the perfect little round egg shpaed head. She was born with what it seems as brachy symptoms - flat in the back and wide on the sides of her head. This is probably due to my restrictive uterius. Now being that she will be 3 months in a week, I went to a cranial clinician for treatment since her head shape hasn't gone away. The Cephalic Index norm is supposed to be 2.0. The results were that my daughter has a Cephalic Index of +4.71 (ratio of the maximum width of the head to its maximum length ((i.e., in the horizontal plane, or front to back), sometimes multiplied by 100 for convenience.)) I'm very concern and don't want to just brush this under the rug. This is the time to do something about it. I'm just worried that Kaiser Insurance will not cover her theraputic support $ - such as a head band/cast.
HAS ANYONE DEALT WITH KAISER INSURANCE FOR SUCH AN ISSUE AS MINE? |
| posted by Jessica on 02/24/2008 11:27 PM
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Jessica,
Have you talked to your ped about different treatments? They can check with your insurance to find out what is covered. From my own experience I would suggest rotating your little one during sleep and adding tummy time. I also wouldn’t wait too long to talk with your ped, sometimes physical therapy is all they need.
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| posted by on 02/25/2008 08:20 AM
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| Jessica, do whatever your doctor tells you, I do not think rotating the babies head at this point will matter much, being that your child was born like that. It is not flat head from the way the child is sleeping, but you know that, you saw the specialist. A lot of times, whatever the insurance does not cover, the doctor will write off, but you need to discuss this with them well in advance, I know my doctor does that for us. |
| posted by on 02/25/2008 09:23 AM
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