Plagiocephaly
Introduction
Babies sometimes develop aflattened head when they're a few months old, usuallyas a result of them spending a lot of time lying on their back.
This is known as "flat head syndrome", and there are two main types:
- plagiocephaly the head is flattened on one side, causing it to look asymmetrical; the ears may be misaligned and the head looks like a parallelogram when seen from above, and sometimes the forehead and face may bulge a little on the flat side
- brachycephaly the back of the head becomes flattened, causing the head to widen, and occasionally the forehead bulges out
These problems are quite common, affecting around one in every five babies at some point.
In most cases they aren't a major cause for concern, as they don't have any effect on the brain and the head shape will often improve by itself over time.
Your baby won't experience any pain or other symptoms, or any problems with their general development.
This page covers:
When to get medical advice
What you can do
Helmets, headbands and mattresses
Will my child's head shape return to normal?
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 28 Nov 2016
Introduction
Read about why some babies develop a slightly flattened head, what can be done about it, and how long it will take to improve.
What causesplagiocephaly and brachycephaly?
The skull consists of plates of bone that strengthen and join together as a child gets older. A young baby'sskull is still relatively soft and can change shape if there's constant pressure ona partic
When to get medical advice
Speakto your health visitor or GP if you're concerned about the shape of your baby's head or think they may have problems turning their head. Theycan examine your baby's head and suggest things you ca
What you can do
The shape of your baby's head should improve naturally over time as their skull develops and they start moving their head, rolling around, and crawling. Simple measures to take pressure off the flatt
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