
is a condition
characterized by the flattening on one side of the back of the head. This is due to the distortion of skull plates. 80% of skull growth takes place in the first year of life and slows after the child turns 18 months old. Skull fuses at around 18-24 month of age.

Possible Causes
- untreated torticollis
- preferred sleeping position
- premature birth
- multiple births (e.g., twins, triplets etc.)
- fetal positions for birth (e.g. inter-uterine, breech etc.)
- birth trauma
- assisted birth and more…
Types of Flat Head Syndrome

Plagiocephaly
- Most common type of flat head syndrome, also known as deformational or positional plagiocephaly
- Head shape resembles a parallelogram from top view
- Facial asymmetry might be present (shift in positions of ears, differing sizes of eyes and/or cheeks)
- Asymmetrical (misshapen) head shape results from repeated pressure to the same area causing flatness on one side

Brachycephaly
- Head is abnormally wider than it’s length.
- Flattened back of head visible from side view and head shape resembles a trapezoid from above
- Head can be high at the back causing a bulging forehead visible from side view
- Widest part of head is just above ears
- Tips of ears protrude
- Face appears smaller to size of head

Asymmetrical Brachycephaly
- Combination of plagiocephaly and brachycephaly
- Facial asymmetry (where ears and eyes might appear mis-aligned)
- Head is excessively wider and taller than normal with sloped forehead

Scaphocephaly
- Characterised by a long and narrow head shape, often due to constant positioning of the baby on one side
- Deformity of proportion
- Premature babies are particularly prone to this as their skulls are fragile and side-lying positions are used in neonatal intensive care for easy access to monitors and other medical equipment