I thought for sure the doctor would prescribe a helmet to correct DS's head shape. It's better after a month of forcing the issue but still a little noticable when you look for it from the back (you can't tell from the front). He said that if he were his baby, he wouldn't put him in a helmet. On the one hand, I'm glad he doesn't have to wear an ugly helmet, but on the other hand, I'm a little concerned about his head shape permanently being off. It's only noticable if you're looking for it, but should I have insisted on a helmet? Are babies heads normally perfectly round or do they have some minor abnormalities? He's my 3rd baby, but I don't remember anything like this with my girls.

Ds had about 6 months of PT for torticollis, and when we were there, we often saw kids with helmets for therapy as well. These kids had VERY mishapen heads. I don't know, maybe get a second opinion, to make you feel like it's the right choice, but if it's not that bad, why put them through it?;) I'll bet it will correct itself, do you alternate the side he sleeps on and such?

I go back and forth. Of course I'd rather not have him in a helmet if he doesn't really need it, but if there is a way to make it better while his head is still forming, I don't know. I trust our pediatrician, and his head isn't really that bad and has been getting better with our efforts. I got together with a woman from my mom's group and her kids yesterday, and her baby has a bulge on the back of his head too, but his is more in the center so it isn't noticeable unless you're specifically looking at head shape. I didn't bring it up but she never mentioned anything about anyone suggesting a helmet or anything and his head looks relatively normal.

We don't alternate the side he sleeps on at this point since we're still trying to correct the problem without a helmet. He started out with a strong preference of sleeping with his head turned to the left (on his back), which is what caused the problem (he looks both ways and turns his head when he's awake, so it's not a developmental problem, just a cosmetic issue). We half-heartedly tried initially to alternate him, but he'd roll completely over so he could turn his head to the left (stinker!) so we didn't make an issue of it then and just let him sleep how he was comfortable (you do what you have to do to get them to sleep longer before they start sleeping through the night :o ). Now we prop him up on his right side to sleep, feed him on the opposite arm, and put toys and activity on his right side to encourage him to keep his head more toward the right for the time being to correct the problem. It's gotten better over the last month since we've been forcing the issue, so it could stilll get better on it's own with our efforts without the helmet. The doctor still wants us to focus on his right side and not alternate him yet, so it doesn't sound like he's abandoning the issue completely, just not putting him in a helmet since it's getting better. I guess that makes sense. He's got hair and from the front you can't tell, so no one else notices his head shape being a little off unless we point it out. Even my mom who sees him once a week couldn't figure out what I was talking about with the helmet issue and I had to point it out to her, so I guess it's really not that bad.

Hi there,

I have the same issue with my son--except he has a tendancy to turn his head to the right. Actually, dh and I didn't even notice anything at all until his 4 month vaccinations, the nurse said that the right side was a bit flatter than the left, and since then I've been totally paranoid about it. Now I COMPLETELY notice it, and I think it might be getting worse, despite my efforts to round it out. I've also been feeding him on the opposite side, and trying to encourage him to look to the left when lying on his back (he's now a hard-core tummy sleeper--he won't sleep on his back ever). The nurse said they'd take another look at it when we take him for his 6 month vaccinations (which are on Oct. 30), but I've been worrying that it won't get better. I did however, read a website that said normally if it's only a slight flatness, it will round itself out as the child grows... Maybe that's why your ped didn't seem overly concerned?

Whiskers