What are the treatments for positional plagiocephaly?
In most cases, flat spots on the head go away on their own once an infant starts sitting up and crawling. Repositioning (described above) can also successfully correct positional plagiocephaly. If the problem is detected early, more severe positional plagiocephaly can usually be treated successfully under a health care provider’s direction. Some options for this treatment include: • A custom helmet that prevents the baby’s head from always falling to one side when lying down. Most importantly, it allows the baby’s skull to expand into a more rounded shape as the brain and skull grow. • Custom bands can also be used to help reshape a baby’s head. Bands place a small amount of pressure on the baby’s skull in the areas that need reshaping. A health care provider adjusts the band regularly as the baby’s head grows. Using these treatments, the flat spots typically go away in about 2 months to 4 months. If the abnormal shape is the result of some other disorder, and is not related to positio
