Last updated on September 21st, 2023 at 02:03 pm
Have you heard of Flat Head Syndrome? Having children has opened up my eyes on so many different things I was blind to before I had children. Like tummy time?! I had no idea what it was until I heard moms on birth boards showing pictures of their tummy time mats that they had purchased. Off to my friend Google I went and found out the benefits of of tummy time and one of them being to prevent plagiocephaly… what?!
Plagiocephaly is also known as flat head syndrome. After my twins were born and we were doing everything to prevent this, my husband and I noticed that one of our daughters had what appeared to have a flat spot on the back of her head.
I brought this up at a well check and we were referred to a company that specializes in correcting this issue and we went for an evaluation. After our evaluation, we had to take the steps forward for her treatment and that alone had increased my knowledge of plagiocephaly and how people don’t know about it.
Here are 5 tips about flat head syndrome and some little stories of our journey with it.
Flat Head Syndrome Causes
1. It can be caused by how a baby is positioned in the womb or by how they are sleeping or sitting in the early months while the head is still forming. I had been watching how I put her to sleep and how she would sleep, and she always went to her “sweet spot” which was where she was developing her flat spot. Attempting to repositioning her after she fell asleep but she managed to get back to that spot.
I also pushed tummy time. As I mentioned earlier, tummy time helped develop neck muscles and also keeps babies off that spot. This had not worked for us and we went on to seek help.
Flat Head Syndrome Treatment
Treatment goes by very quickly! My daughter was diagnosed later, due to our pediatrician wanting to wait to see if it corrected itself. At 9 months old and starting treatment it took just over 8 weeks and she was done. Children who get treatment earlier in life can finish treatment in a quicker time frame. My daughter had to wear her band, also known as a helmet, for 23 hours a day.
One hour a day became bath time, scratch her head time, and clean the band time. Yes these things do get very smelly, they hold in 23 hours’ worth of sweat and smell. (yuck) Those hour times were hilarious to watch her scratch her head, imagine not being able to scratch your head all day, I would imagine it being unpleasant.
Flathead Syndrome Awareness
Educate the people who stare. I know with twins you get the people who stare and then the people who come up to you and start talking. Add on something that makes a child not appear “normal” and you get more strangers looking at you. The day she had gotten her band I went to the bank and some stranger came up to me and said, “Oh, you got a helmet for her cause she runs into stuff? That’s smart. I need to do that for my child.” I was scared to respond.
About a week later I heard the comment again and I told the truth, “My daughter has a flat spot on her head we are trying to correct.” I felt so much better knowing I told the real reason behind it. Some people had no idea and were thankful of being taught. I had numerous parents come up to me and tell me how their child needed one and how they had to do the same thing. It was affirmation that we had made a good choice and put my mind to ease.
The Helmets
4. You can decorate the bands! The bands can be decorated and not look so “medical”. I found businesses online that do this, and ideas for some to do at home. We bought a big purple flower hair clip that I fastened on with Velcro while my husband and I decided on a design.
I am VERY thankful for a local car wrapping place that designed, made, and applied wraps to these bands at no cost to parents. The day we came home with her band all wrapped up, it matched her and her personality, and it made the band hers.
One on One Time
5. It can give you one on one time with your twin. I know it can be hard to figure out one on one time with multiples, but this was how I had started it with my daughters. We’re lucky to have the opportunity to have family watch my other daughter while we had doctor visits and check-ups. I know it’s not an option for a lot of families, but if you can, try doing it.
I had both my daughters with me for the first 9 months of their lives and these doctor visits let me see the true personality difference between the two. Sometimes, I would stop and grab a snack before or after an appointment just to hang out a little longer just the two of us. Because of the appointments, I would then make time to spend time with the other twin.
Our short, yet eventful, journey during my daughters’ treatment opened my eyes to something I did not know prior to having kids. I always love telling parents I see with kids who have bands, that we had one as well. I know I appreciated the support when my daughter was in treatment. It’s like when you see a twin parent with twins younger than yours, and you give them a “it gets better” look: the feeling is exactly like that.
Robyn is currently a stay at home mom to her 4 year old fraternal twin daughters, Kayden and Kaylee, and wife to her husband, Roy. She is currently pursuing her career in the medical field. Click here to read more of Robyn’s articles on Twiniversity.
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