Often imaging is obtained if the diagnosis is questionable to see if the babys sutures are present or not. If the sutures are not present, craniosynostosis may be ruled into question.It is also common for an infant with positional plagiocephaly to have misaligned ears (the ear on the affected side may be pulled forward and down and be larger or protrude more than the unaffected ear). Prevention
Prevention methods include carrying the infant and giving the infant time to play on their stomach (tummy time), which may prevent the baby from progressing into moderate or severe plagiocephaly.Letting babies crawl may also prove to be crucial in preventing plagiocephaly as it strengthens babies spine and neck muscles. Crawling also boosts gross and fine motor skills (large and refined movements), balance, hand-eye-coordination and overall strength.In addition, specialized mattresses are available to prevent plagiocephaly. The design of these mattresses is characterized by an ergonomic design that reduces pressure on the babys head. It is very important that these mattresses are certified to guarantee their effectiveness. Treatment
The condition may improve to some extent as the baby grows, but in some cases, home treatment or physical therapy treatment can improve the shape of a baby’s head.Early interventions (based on the severity) are of importance to reduce the severity of the degree of the plagiocephaly. Diagnosis is most commonly determined through clinical examination. In order to assess the severity of the condition and determine the best course of treatment, practitioners often use the Plagiocephaly Severity Scale.
Cholesterol crystals may be found in the fluid extracted from a branchial cyst. Diagnosis
The diagnosis of branchial cleft cysts is typically done clinically due to their relatively consistent location in the neck, typically anterior to the sternocleidomastoid muscle. For masses presenting in adulthood, the presumption should be a malignancy until proven otherwise, since carcinomas of the tonsil, tongue base and thyroid may all present as cystic masses of the neck. Unlike a thyroglossal duct cyst, when swallowing, the mass should not move up or down. Types
Four branchial clefts (also called "grooves") form during the development of a human embryo. The first cleft normally develops into the external auditory canal, but the remaining three arches are obliterated and have no persistent structures in normal development. Persistence or abnormal formation of these four clefts can all result in branchial cleft cysts which may or may not drain via sinus tracts. First branchial cleft cysts account for 8% of the sinuses and cysts of the neck. The cysts are usually located in the front or behind the ears, lateral to the facial nerve, parallel to the external auditory canal. Second branchial cleft cysts account for 90 to 95% of the neck cysts. It is located medial to the facial nerve, at the anterior neck, anterior to the sternocleidomastoid muscle, above the hyoid bone. Skin pit can be found in this location. However, if skin pits are found on both sides of the neck, then, branchio-oto-renal syndrome should be ruled out.