Newborns spend a lot of time lying down. Time in which your head is usually supported in the same way, causing in some cases its flattening. It is what is known as postural or positional plagiocephaly. And to prevent it, some professionals recommend using a pillow for plagiocephaly. And I say some, because not all do it or in all cases. Discover its pros and cons!
What is plagiocephaly?
In newborns, the skull bones are very immature and not fused, so lying down for a long time It can cause the head to flatten from the pressure exerted on it. Something that usually worries parents and yet does not affect the intellectual development of the child.
The fact that does not affect their intellectual development, does not mean that it is not advisable to study it and correct it if the deformities are not corrected spontaneously in the first 6-8 weeks of life. And it is that this uncorrected deformity could cause facial anomalies and derived from these problems to chew, eat and see. In addition, their self-esteem and socialization may suffer.
How to prevent it?
How can we prevent these postural deformations of the skull from appearing? In newborns and infants there are several routines that help prevent plagiocephaly and that you can adopt with your baby because they will also be beneficial:
- Newborns cannot move their heads to the sides, so it is important that we do it for them. Change the position of your head while they are in the crib or stroller to the right and to the left and thus avoiding that the baby rests on the head in the same way is important.
- carry the baby It is also a great option so that the baby does not spend so many hours lying on his back on a mattress.
- Place the baby face down on the chest of the mother or father or on a soft surface always under supervision and for short periods of time to play is also important. Thus, babies also exercise their muscles and improve psychomotor development.
- In addition, there are those who recommend the use of a pillow for plagiocephaly to reduce the pressure under the baby's head, and make it easier to reposition it. Although not everyone agrees on its preventive use as we explain later.
How to correct it?
In severe cases, it is usually advisable to see a specialist to assess whether the use of a corrective orthopedic helmet or orthopedic bands. If treatment with these is started before five months, they are usually effective in correcting the deformity.
It may also be necessary to correct problems associated with plagiocephaly. with physiotherapy. Analyzing the degree of deformity and mobility of the head, the pediatrician could recommend it to combat, for example, congenital torticollis.
Pillows for plagiocephaly
Plagiocephaly pillows are pillows developed for hold baby's head reducing pressure that ends up causing the deformity. Some pediatricians recommend them preventively and also to treat the first signs, however there is no scientific evidence to show that they are useful for preventing or correcting plagiocephaly.
In the same way that there are pediatricians who recommend it, there are others who do not recommend using pillows or cushions during the first year of life since they increase the risk of sudden death. Who do we listen to then?
In general, it is correct not to use a pillow for plagiocephaly, helmet or orthopedic band without the supervision of a professional. The diagnosis and treatment of plagiocephaly should always fall to a specialist and should be personalized. What has worked for another child does not always have to work for ours.