Babies with Flat Head That Did Not Get the Helmet

You can go to this place for a free evaluation and see what they say:
http://www.cranialtech.com/ClinicLocations/index.html

My son was born with a big head, and then developed a flat head from sleeping on it. We were abroad at the time, and it was not the done thing to put them in helmets. In fact the paediatrician told us that flat heads were now so common, it was starting to be called 'modern head'. Anyway, my boy is now five and it is not really noticeable.

Well, we did do the helmet and in fact, we were told it would be a good idea to do a second helment just to finish the job, so to speak. Our insurance wouldn't cover the helment for babies over the age of 1 (she was now 14 months, so barely over the 1 year mark). The biggest things we looked at was not so much how round her head was after the first helmet but were her ears back to even? In the beginning, her ears were not only lopsided (one higher than the other) but one also sat further back on her head. With the first helmet her ears were back to straight, we could put sunglasses on her and they weren't all skeewhompas. So, since she was a girl and she could hide her flat spot that she still has (she's almost 3) we wouldn't fork out the money for the second helmet. So, after my long winded story, my advice to you is to put sunglasses on your baby and see if they sit straight and go from there:)

My baby's right side of head was flat, flat, flat because he would always sleep on the right side of his head. The pediatrician wasnt too concerned and told me that it would even out on its own. When he turned one, it was still flat, and she had me get him a CT scan to make sure there wasnt anything going on internally that would cause his head to be that flat. We did the scan and everything turned out normal. As he grew muscle strength, his head rounded out on its own. When he turned 18 months, we switched pediatricians because we moved. The first thing the pediatrician said.. his head his flat. But he also said it was working its way out. He is now two and a half and his head has completely rounded out. You cant tell it was once flattened on one side at all. So, if you think the helmet is the way to go, then go for it.. but me and my son we just didnt need it.

my neice has the biggest head I've ever seen! It didn't effect her brain development and now that her hair is longer its not AS noticeable but its still huge and cosmetically it may have done her some good but not medically necessary and very expensive I would maybe check into some physical therapy? Good luck mom!

My son had a very flat head on one side. He would only sleep with his head facing one way and as a new mom, I really didn't catch it until his head was flat. Our pedi said he was border line, he could recommend the helmet but he could go without. It was up to us. So we didn't do it. He is now 2yrs and it has gotten significantly more round. He has a head full of curly hair so you cannot even tell. But it's not perfect. I don't think he will be shaving his head as an adult.

I had one child in a helmet. You can get a free assessment through a helmet company called cranial tech. They will do scans and measurements. I had a friend told by CT that they did not need it so I do trust that they will be honest.

I would give a call to Dr. Conrad Speece a DO in Dallas who specializes in cranial work. The man works miracles, no joke. He has a very busy practice, could be hard to get into right away. But call and inquire about your dilemma and see if they could help. A lot less expensive, but not cheap.

B.

Our pediatrician recommended the helment for my son when he was a baby but said it was purely cosmetic, no medical reason whatsoever. We chose not to do the helmet since it was not medically necessary. He's six now and there is no noticeable misshape at all. We're happy that we did not do the helmet.

Both my daughters wore the helmet. My first really needed it, she was breech and flat head on one side. It did wonders for her and what didn't fix perfect is covered by hair. My insurance, in NJ, payed for the whole thing. My second daughter may have been okay to not get it, but it helped a bit and she has ton of hair so it is covered. With her our insurance did not cover it at all! So we did the care credit.
The older your little one gets the longer they have to wear it and it may not work as well, so if you are going to cranial tech, which we did, do it now! With my second they left it up to us so they won't push you to do it if you don't want to unless they really think it is nessasary!!!
Good luck, and if your little one is a girl, hair will so cover it keep in mind!

My babies head really rounded out within the past month since he spends so much time on his belly and sleeps on his side- he is 7.5 months. I was worried too about the flat head but, his corrected itself.

Pm me if you like but My first question is how old is your child now? My son had really bad FHS bc the day care he was at only put him in a bouncy seat. he was 3 months when he got it. Slowly (after i took him out of that care) it got better and his dr twords 9 months said he would most likely need a helmet but then she saw him again a few weeks later and said its still getting better and that a helmet would be benificial but only for cosmetic purposes. If it stopped getting better he would be fine just look a little funny if he ever decided to shave his head bald. Now at close to 11 months he has a perfect head NO helmet. I wasnt going to get the helmet unless it was nec. for develment of the brain and would cause problems if i didnt. Does his head look extreme or slight (in your opinion) you can always pm me and i can give you my number and you can text me a pic (if you would like) and i could give you a better opinion and base it on the severity of how my son was. ( just a thought)

Secondary question for the doc - is this cosmetic or might it cause physical issues for her later?

I SORT OF wish my son did the helmet (the pediatrician didn't push it, neither did I)... he's 20 months old now, and let's just say he'll never want to shave his head like daddy does! It has corrected itself a little, but not all the way. Since you have a girl, I wouldn't worry about it, it's not like SHE'S worried about shaving her head as an adult ;)

My daughters head was flat and the Dr told us to think about getting the helmet. We worked on her for a long time to get it resolved. After the next visit he said that her head was alot better and that we didn't need to get one. I guess hers wasn't that bad. She is now 3 1/2 and is just fine. I have him check her head at the well visits and he said that she is fine. I guess it just depends on the severity of the flat spots. I guess since you are saying that at every visit it is getting better, your dr still recommends the helmet? I would see what the cut off time is and wait it out. Since it is alot better maybe time will tell.
Just call your ins company and ask them if its covered or not. This way there are no surprises. You are right a new ins company may say that it is a pre existing condition so try to get it taken care of now. If it is not covered you may be able to work out a payment plan. Not really sure how that works. If I were you I would get a second opinion just to make sure that he really does need it.
Best of luck to you!

My first child had a very flat head (they had me SO terrified that she'd die if I put her on her stomach. Well, I learned my lesson. Baby number two has a perfect head.) We did not get the helmet, nor was it ever suggested, which kind've pisses me off.

Now she's six, and all I can say is that she has a "wide" head. It doesn't look "flat" with her long hair, etc...it looks normal...but headbands don't fit her, child sunglasses have NEVER fit her (nor hats), and she has a harder time being fitted for glasses. However, we just work around it, and she looks normal to everyone, I think. :)

I would check with another pediatrician. When my DD was young, I had one doctor who was pushing the helmet pretty hard. My DD's flat head was considered 'moderate' (Borderline severe). Her head was so bad because her clavicle was broken during delivery, so for the first 3-4 weeks she needed to be placed on her back and couldn't have any tummy time. When we moved, and switched pediatricians, I still hadn't been able to get her into a helmet. I asked her new pediatrician his opinion about getting her a helmet, and he showed me a way to massage her head (gently!) to encourage it to round out. He also had me roll a washcloth up really tight, and once she fell asleep to turn her head and prop it with that. (My DD REFUSED to sleep on her stomach or side) and that really helped. We saw enough improvement that we don't need the helmet now. (She is 16 months, and still a little flat... but the pedi. says that at this point it will grow out on it's own.)

I will point out though... When I first noticed it I was a little freaked out that my DD might have a 'different' head shape than other kids... But then I started noticing the shape of people's heads (something you never really register normally). Heck, just watching TV with any military show, and you will see a WIDE range of head shapes, a lot of them much flatter than my DD's head! And, since she is a girl, her hair hides most irregularities.

I also remember when I was first worried about it, I had a lot of people telling me that my DD's flat head would cause problems because it didn't 'give her brain room to grow...' The pedi. told me that is a load of BS. As long as the head is growing, there is room for the brain.

My son who is now four had a flat head when he was an infant. Our physician referred us to Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) for physical therapy. The PT came to our house once a week to do exercises with him and check on his head. We also did the exercises every day. Within two and a half months his head was better and the talk of the helmet went away. ECI was also at no charge to us. If you haven't looked into PT for him maybe you could ask your physician if there is a program such as ECI for him to receive PT.

Now at four you have to look hard to see where his head was flat. No one has ever said anything to us about his head being flat as he has grown. We are happy with not having to get a helmet for him. The suggestion of getting a second opinion is a great suggestion.

As far as a new insurance saying it's pre-existing they can't say that unless there is a lapse of coverage between insurance. Good luck.

My Dr brought up getting a helmet for my son, but then said we should wait a few months....it did get better, but definatley is not perfectly round...especially compared to my younger son. My son is 5 now, he will not be shaving his head...then it would be quite noticible. If I had to do it again, I probably would do the helmut if it was finacially possible.

We did not do the helmet. The craniofacial specialist we saw thought he was borderline, would be ok with or without it but might still have some residual flatness. I believe it has improved substantially and I don't believe you can tell just by looking (DS is 5-1/2 and has LOTS of long curly hair). I do believe that he will not be able to be one of those men who shaves his head and has a perfectly shaped one. If the specialist had recommended the helmet, we would have done it.

my neice's head is totally flat on the back. you cant tell though because she has long hair. as for boys, i'm sure it is noticiable. how old is your son? i would also check into medicaid first though. you may qualify if your income is under a certain ammount and then they would probably cover the cost. my 2 1/2 year old had a flat spot on the side of his head that rounded out by itself. my 9 month old twins heads are kind of flat on the back, but not as bad as they used to be. I am thinking that as they continue to grow they will naturally round out a bit.

I would call your insurance company and talk to them, they should be able to tell you if it is covered or not.

My son's head is POINTY in the back (sort of trapezoidal on the whole). Obviously, we never did the helmet either - the doc had reassured us it did not mess with his brain development or anything. (I still hold that the Kid did it to himself. Notoriously stubborn since birth - he would turn his head to the preferred side even when we reversed his position in the crib, even when we used "head positioners", even when we tried to do "tummy time"...) He just started kindergarten, and has longish hair for a boy. I'm NOT looking forward to the day he wants to buzz-cut like all his friends... but, it's JUST a skull - it serves its intended purpose, and is 90% unnoticeable.... I don't think we would do the helmet even if it were free.

My doctor recommended we see a specialist for my daughter when she was an infant because she tended to look to one side, and her forhead was "crooked" because of it. My husband thought it was ridiculous, but I took her in anyway, it turned out that she was fine. The plastic surgeon (helmet doctor) said she didn't need it. I decided it was worth paying the copays and out of pocket expenses to find out if it was something we could fix. I would have hated for her to grow up thinking she looked bad/ugly because of something I could have changed for her.

IF it's getting better, there is a chance that your baby won't even need a helmet. I think it is at least worth seeing a specialist about (not just your regular doctor - there are pediatric plastic surgeons who specialize in this area). See what they have to say.

J.