Flat Head Syndrome, medically termed Plagiocephaly is a condition characterised 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.
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
Deformational 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
Possible causes includes:
untreated torticollis
preferred sleeping position
premature birth
multiple births (e.g., twins, triplets etc.)
fetal positions for birth (e.g. inter-uterine, breech etc.)
