How late can plagiocephaly be treated?
Surely the question of how late can plagiocephaly be corrected is one of the most frequent questions that are often asked.
As a general rule, small cranial asymmetries are perfectly natural.
However, when this asymmetry occurs at higher levels and the asymmetry is severe, it is when we can already speak of plagiocephaly and treat it accordingly.
As we always say, in case of any small doubt or suspicion that our baby has an unusual head shape, going to the doctor is essential.
We, specialist doctors, have a series of parameters and measurements that allow us to determine whether or not there is any deformation that should be treated.
Plagiocephaly appears as a consequence of the fragility and malleability of the skull of babies.
It can be caused by a number of factors related to positioning: a long period of time in the incubator, sleeping in the same position for hours, the process during birth, or the position in the womb.
Read more about causes of plagiocephaly.
If it is a baby of about 3 or 4 months of age and the asymmetry is slight, it can be treated simply by finding an alternative position at bedtime and turning our little one. We recommend reading the Tummy Time Guide (or upside down time).
Up to what age can plagiocephaly be corrected?
In general, plagiocephaly can be corrected up to 22 months.
Treatment for plagiocephaly is estimated to be effective between 4 and 22 months and the duration of treatment can fluctuate between 5 and 6 months, depending on each case and each individual child.
However, the growth of the skull is greatly reduced after 18 months of age.However, this makes correction of the deformity and the effectiveness of the treatment more difficult.
Positional prevention
So, let’s remember how we can prevent positional plagiocephaly.
- Turn the child while he is awake and place him face down for short periods of time and always under our supervision.
- When you are sleeping, better on your back but with your head to one side . It will be the task of the parents to change the right-left direction so that it does not remain in the same position for a long time.
Remember that the point is not to leave the little one unattended for a long time so that he does not stay in the same position.
In this way, a trick so that the little one is forced to turn is to change the orientation of the crib , so that the baby has to turn his head to the opposite side when he wants to interact with the parents.
Finally, it is also good to hold him in your arms (although not too much so that he does not get used to it), since this way, the baby will not have his head resting on any support.
Positional prevention works until the age of 4 months. From 4 months to 22 months, the treatment of plagiocephaly requires an orthopedic helmet.
The treatment consists of using a custom-made orthopedic helmet to take advantage of the growth of the head and thus correct the deformity.
- the hull exerts a restraint on prominent areas
- so that the head grows through the unrestrained parts free of restraint
The treatment requires a series of regular visits to the specialist, who will make modifications to the helmet, depending on the growth of the skull.
This treatment is possible thanks to the fact that the fontanelles are more or less open during the first 2 years of life fontanelles of the skull are more or less open during the first 2 years of life, enough to be able to remodel the lost shape.
The treatment has an average duration of 4 months. It is advisable to treat plagiocephaly as early as possible.
For more information about therapies for the treatment of the plagiocephaly, the extensive professional experience of our team (more than 35 years), or any information about the therapies we offer. Please do not hesitate to contact contact us.
The following guide can help you assess whether your kid has a plagiocephaly, or another skull deformity.
