Is deformational plagiocephaly more common than it used to be?
The incidence of deformational plagiocephaly has increased since 1992 when the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that parents place infants on their backs or sides to sleep in order to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. This highly effective program has dropped the SIDS rate in the United States and across the world by 40%. However, the additional time many infants spend in infant seats, car seats, and other supine (back) positions places them at risk to develop greater flatness and/or asymmetrically shaped heads. But this program alone is not responsible for the increased incidence. Other factors that may influence the development of deformational plagiocephaly include: premature births, restrictive intrauterine positioning, cervical spinal abnormalities and/or birth trauma. Deformational plagiocephaly is commonly seen in multiple births, affecting one or more siblings.
