Do still put your baby to sleep on their backs though – the benefits far outweigh any negatives (The Lullaby Trust, 2019). The mattresses babies lie on are also firmer and that combination is thought to have led to an increase in the number of babies with positional plagiocephaly (GOSH, 2017). But it means that babies now spend a lot of their early lives lying on their backs. Why do babies develop plagiocephaly and brachycephaly?īabies sleep on their backs: Putting your baby to sleep on their back greatly reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (NHS, 2017). This usually corrects itself within six weeks after the birth but sometimes part of the skull might become flat (GOSH, 2018). Plagiocephaly and brachycephaly develop when constant pressure is placed on one side of the baby’s skull (GOSH, 2017).Īfter most births – and the baby’s trip down the birth canal – the head might look elongated for a little while. Until they’re about one, the bones of a baby’s head are very thin and flexible, which makes them soft and easy to mould (NHS, 2018). Plagiocephaly and brachycephaly: background and causes Craniosynostosis needs surgery to correct it. Your GP can help you decide if your baby might need some other tests, x-rays or scans to rule out problems like craniosynostosis, where the plates of the skull join together too early (GOSH, 2017). One in five babies get some sort of flat head syndrome at some point and most get better without any treatment (GOSH, 2017 NHS, 2018). If your baby gets plagiocephaly or brachycephaly, try not to worry. Other than the physical appearance of it, there are no symptoms of plagiocephaly and brachycephaly (GOSH, 2018). (NHS, 2018) What are the symptoms of plagiocephaly or brachycephaly? The back of the baby’s head becomes flattened, causing the head to widen, and occasionally the forehead bulges out. The ears may be misaligned when you look from above, and sometimes the forehead and face may bulge on the flat side. The baby’s head is flattened on one side, so it looks asymmetrical. Plagiocephaly and brachycephaly describe the two main types of this condition (NHS, 2018). If this happens, it’s called flat head syndrome. That’s usually because they spend a lot of time lying on their backs or with their head turned to one side when they’re tiny. When babies are a few months old, they sometimes develop a flattened head. Plagiocephaly and brachycephaly: What are they?