Plagiocephaly is a fairly common condition in newborns. In many cases it is the parents themselves who detect it when observing the baby. But the best thing to do is to consult your paediatrician so that he/she can assess the situation and give a correct diagnosis.

What is plagiocephaly?

Plagiocephaly is when a baby has an asymmetrical head deformity caused by external pressure. The deformity can be on the back or on one or both sides.

There are several situations that can cause it, such as:

• During pregnancy the foetus is in a position where its head is pressed down.
• When babies spend a long time in the incubator.
•  When the baby always sleeps on one side, and the weight of the head always goes to the same point.
• Congenital torticollis, which causes the baby’s head to always rest in the same area.

Let’s keep in mind that it is a deformity, but plagiocephaly does not cause damage to the baby’s intellect. It is an aesthetic issue. And the good thing about babies is that their bodies are still malleable and therefore, in most cases, this deformity is corrected within 2-3 months.

The measures that can be taken to try to correct this are initially positional.

• Change the position of the head at bedtime, first on the left side and then on the right side.
• Changing the position of the cot in cases where the baby always looks to one side looking for the parents or a stimulus.
• Use of a plagiocephaly pillow. We have 2 models, which help the correct position of the head and allow the lateralisation of the head.
• Hold the baby in your arms so that the head is not supported.
• Place the baby face down, as long as he/she is awake, supervised and for a short period of time.

If, once the above measures have been taken, it is observed that the baby’s head does not improve, then the paediatrician should be consulted again. Physiotherapy or, in some cases, even surgery may be necessary, but as we have said, these are usually the fewest cases.