Plagiocephaly

Because infants are born with a soft skull, they can become vulnerable to developing plagiocephaly. Also called “deformational plagiocephaly”, this condition is commonly referred to as “flat head syndrome”. Plagiocephaly is a condition where an infant’s head has an uneven or irregular shape caused by external factors. For some infants, plagiocephaly happens while in utero, caused by pressure on the skull. Infant plagiocephaly can also be caused by lying in the same position for too long, placing pressure on the skull causing a flat area on the back of the head.

Plagiocephaly Treatment

In some cases, plagiocephaly will correct itself. But, if an infant naturally rests their head on a flattened area, the condition can worsen causing additional issues. Because we cannot predict whether or not this condition will correct itself, working closely with the team of trained professionals at Sovereign Rehabilitation is important to ensure your infant is getting the best care possible. Treatment includes repositional therapy where special exercises are used on the infant on a regular basis both with physical therapists and at home. Other treatment options are orthotic therapy, where a custom-fit helmet is used to assist with changing the head shape. Depending on your baby’s specific needs, our caring and professional physical therapists will work with you and your infant to develop the best care plan possible.

Causes of Flat Head Syndrome

Flat head syndrome can also be associated with another condition called torticollis. The professional team of highly trained physical therapists at Sovereign Rehabilitation is dedicated to helping your infant with the necessary treatment options to help relieve symptoms of deformational plagiocephaly. Other causes of flat head syndrome can include:

Womb position:

for infants who remain in one position in utero can be at risk for plagiocephaly

Multiple births:

limited space with multiples can cause plagiocephaly

Premature birth:

making them more susceptible to flat head syndrome

Torticollis:

with this condition, babies have limited mobility causing their head to be in one position

Back-sleeping:

while back-sleeping is recommended to reduce the risk of SIDS, frequent rotating of the head and supervised tummy-time can reduce your infants susceptibility to flat head syndrome

Sovereign Rehabilitation offers exceptional ankle/sprain injury treatment and rehabilitation. If you suffered from an ankle injury it can remove you from your regularly scheduled events due to your inability to get around and be mobile. If you’re a professional football player, like Brandon Fusco, on… Read Full Post

The American Diabetes Association set aside the month of November to highlight and raise awareness about Diabetes. The ADA uses this month to raise public awareness about diabetes and the risk factors associated with it. It’s also a great time to encourage people with diabetes… Read Full Post

If you have frozen shoulder you will certainly wonder how you it got frozen, and if it’s frozen, will heat melt it and make it feel better? While your shoulder may be frozen, it certainly does not mean it’s just cold and needs melted for… Read Full Post