Plagiocephaly and helmets. Necessary?

[Anonymous]

We were referred to cranial technologies by the pediatrician because our 4 month year old daughter has a flat head from preferring one side while sleeping. They said she was evaluated as “severe” and you can see the ears being misaligned if you look top down. They recommended helmet therapy which will cost a few thousand dollars if insurance doesn’t cover it. They said if insurance covers it, it’ll be a couple hundred out of pocket.

My question is, is this actually an issue we need to do something about? The whole experience gave off a weird predatory salesman vibe. I’ve read mixed opinions on this and see lots of folks saying it corrects on its own over time, and the helmet thing is a scam. I don’t know what to believe. I’d rather not waste hundreds of dollars on this if it’s completely unnecessary

[Anonymous]

You should fix this issue, because it's pretty easily fixable by the helmet, and if you don't do it your daughter could end up with more severe issues. (Muscles tighter on one side leading to asymmetry).

If they were being forceful, it's probably because it's one of these medical issues where it's really straightforward to solve. The helmets work.

[Anonymous]

We didn’t do the helmet, and it mostly sorted itself out. Son is 4 now, and you can’t really tell unless you’re looking for it. It’s a bit more obvious when his hair is cut short. But his was classified as “mild,” rather than “severe.”

[Anonymous]

Yes do it if you can. It’s not something they suggest randomly. Especially for a girl - some other girl will notice and then everyone will.
Spare her that since you can.
(Would you get her braces if she has very crooked teeth? Same deal )

[Anonymous]

if you do not trust your dr who is recommending this - find a new dr.

if you do not like the specialist you went to - get a 2nd opinion.

[Anonymous]

If it’s severe then you really do need the helmet. It does not magically unflatten. And it is way better to do it sooner so you are done quicker.

Mild cases you can ignore but otherwise I would not risk it. This is the only opportunity to fix it.

[Anonymous]

I am so glad we did it for our kid. Be aware you might be blind to how bad it is. I didn’t think my daughter’s head was that flat at the time and questioned whether to do it. Now I look back and old pictures and can see how incredibly flat her head was. Very glad we fixed it

[Anonymous]

Fwiw, I had this issue as a baby, it was not addressed, and I've had migraines and muscle issues in my neck/shoulders for most of my adult life.

[Anonymous]

Yes, we fixed the issue and he is now 22 years old and wears glasses. His head is still kinda flat but his hair hides. Worth every penny. Our insurance denied the claim and we paid out of pocket.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fwiw, I had this issue as a baby, it was not addressed, and I've had migraines and muscle issues in my neck/shoulders for most of my adult life.

Same. Also in some cases it can affect vision and coordination later on.

That being said my son was able to avoid the helmet with intense PT. Might want to get an evaluation from a PT too.

[Anonymous]

I was in college when I realized I have a mild flat spot on one side of the back of my head, and I think it’s the reason my eyes are uneven and it’s impossible for me to take a decent picture without holding my head at an angle. TBH, I resent the fact that my parents never noticed or bothered to do anything about it. So just go ahead and get the helmet (get a second opinion if you really don’t trust the doctor). But don’t cheap out in this.

[Anonymous]

15:52 here. Also, if insurance doesn't want to pay for it, argue with them. The fact that your doctor has diagnosed it as "severe" and recommended the treatment is in your favor. Likely your doctor is trying to increase the likelihood it is covered after past experiences with insurance trying to reject it. I bet you can get it covered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fwiw, I had this issue as a baby, it was not addressed, and I've had migraines and muscle issues in my neck/shoulders for most of my adult life.

Same. Also in some cases it can affect vision and coordination later on.

That being said my son was able to avoid the helmet with intense PT. Might want to get an evaluation from a PT too.

You can, but know that every week that passes without the helmet now means an extra month in the helmet later. I think it’s better to just do it.

[Anonymous]

Get the helmet. It won't round out on its own without it. My son is almost 5 and didn't have a helmet--his head is still not even. No one notices but me, but knowing I could have done something about it when he was a baby bothers me.

[Anonymous]

There are a couple things that are true about plagiocephaly and helmets in the U.S. First, the U.S. is the only country I know of where babies are routinely advised to wear corrective helmets. Second is that the predatory vibe you picked up on is correct - the helmet industry is interested in selling helmets, and the medical professionals who work there are not highly medically trained. As an analogy, they are more like drug reps than pharmacists.

However, neither of these statements means that a helmet isn’t a good therapy in your case. To get a better perspective, I would ask to be referred to a PT who is not associated with a helmet company. PT is the first line for plagiocephaly in the uk and Europe.