8 week old with uneven head at the top, tips?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here with a not so positive update, we saw our regular pediatrician today and he referred us to a neurosurgeon for possible craniosynostosis im devasted and waiting for our referral appointment I now wish it was all this plagio and Torticollis just so it’s not this worst case scenario that will need skill surgery. Just a shitty day becoming shittier, be thankful for your healthy children.

OP, deep breaths. Whatever you are dealing with, you're doing the right thing by investigating it.

My kid also had craniosynostosis, fixed by surgery at 7 months. Yes, it was stressful to have a baby go through that kind of surgery, but years later, he is totally and completely fine. We joke that his bionic head gave him extra protection when he had a few playground mishaps in the early years.

OP here thank you I’m going down the googling rabbit hole and just crying. I hope it’s not this and if it is we have to get through it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here with a not so positive update, we saw our regular pediatrician today and he referred us to a neurosurgeon for possible craniosynostosis im devasted and waiting for our referral appointment I now wish it was all this plagio and Torticollis just so it’s not this worst case scenario that will need skill surgery. Just a shitty day becoming shittier, be thankful for your healthy children.

OP, deep breaths. Whatever you are dealing with, you're doing the right thing by investigating it.

My kid also had craniosynostosis, fixed by surgery at 7 months. Yes, it was stressful to have a baby go through that kind of surgery, but years later, he is totally and completely fine. We joke that his bionic head gave him extra protection when he had a few playground mishaps in the early years.

OP here thank you I’m going down the googling rabbit hole and just crying. I hope it’s not this and if it is we have to get through it.

That PP was a real jerk for even mentioning it. Can you feel the soft spot on top of your kid's head? If yes, he's fine. Just go to the pediatrician and get a referral to a craniofacial specialist at Children's. They'll be able to tell you upon looking at the kid.

[Anonymous]

I would see Dr. Gary Rogers at Children’s National Medical Center in DC. You should also check out his website for a helmet alternative for plagiocephaly that you can use in your baby’s crib while they sleep. I used it and it quickly molded my baby’s head back in shape without a helmet.

https://www.thenoggindoctor.com/

Join his Facebook page for great support. He will usually answer questions himself that are posted on there.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/169764948019732/

He will also be the surgeon who could operate on you if it is craniosynostosis.

For what it’s worth, I am a plastic surgeon who did a craniofacial fellowship with him and would 100% go to him for anything with my child (and have!). He is brilliant and technically gifted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would see Dr. Gary Rogers at Children’s National Medical Center in DC. You should also check out his website for a helmet alternative for plagiocephaly that you can use in your baby’s crib while they sleep. I used it and it quickly molded my baby’s head back in shape without a helmet.

https://www.thenoggindoctor.com/

Join his Facebook page for great support. He will usually answer questions himself that are posted on there.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/169764948019732/

He will also be the surgeon who could operate on you if it is craniosynostosis.

For what it’s worth, I am a plastic surgeon who did a craniofacial fellowship with him and would 100% go to him for anything with my child (and have!). He is brilliant and technically gifted.

OP here we are out of state and were refferred at Yale Childrens but if it ends up needing surgery I’d travel anywhere for my kiddo.

By the way what is the helmet alternative you mention? The link only goes to the main site and there’s a lot of info, is there a product you used?

[Anonymous]

Oh this is a better site for the helmet alternative

https://www.theperfectnoggin.com/

That’s the product, it fit in my mini crib and she slept on it. Avoided a helmet and helped her from preferentially sleeping with her head turned right.

Definitely check out the Facebook group too https://www.facebook.com/groups/169764948019732/?ref=share

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh this is a better site for the helmet alternative

https://www.theperfectnoggin.com/

That’s the product, it fit in my mini crib and she slept on it. Avoided a helmet and helped her from preferentially sleeping with her head turned right.

Definitely check out the Facebook group too https://www.facebook.com/groups/169764948019732/?ref=share

OP here again thank you PP I ordered it I’m desperate willing to do whatever I can in the hopes it’s not the cranio we have our appointment Monday.

[Anonymous]

OP been thinking about you. Do you have an update you can share?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another perspective on helmets to correct flat spots:

Our pediatrician recommended against the helmets because she felt there was not a lot of evidence they did anything, and can be hard to wear, get sweaty, etc.

We opted to reposition a bunch and by a year, his head was round. (And that was starting from an original flat spot that was so pronouncedly flat that the pediatrician sent us for a brain ultrasound because she was worried part of his brain might be missing.)

OP, please disregard the people calling you lazy, they have never been in your shoes and don't know how hard you are working to care for your kid and get an important issue evaluated while being extremely sleep deprived first time parents and being brushed off by your first pediatrician.

+1 our pediatrician's advice was similar. If you want to do the helmet, they can help, but it's stressful, lot of doctor visits, child may not take to it .. etc. For the helmet to work you need to start early (<6m) and wear for a long time (3-9m). On the other hand, you can do tummy time, repositioning, and give your child's body time and most likely it will round out by 1.

We opted for the latter for our flatheaded child, and by 1 yr it was almost entirely rounded but I joke I will warn her not to get a pixie cut when she's older

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another perspective on helmets to correct flat spots:

Our pediatrician recommended against the helmets because she felt there was not a lot of evidence they did anything, and can be hard to wear, get sweaty, etc.

We opted to reposition a bunch and by a year, his head was round. (And that was starting from an original flat spot that was so pronouncedly flat that the pediatrician sent us for a brain ultrasound because she was worried part of his brain might be missing.)

OP, please disregard the people calling you lazy, they have never been in your shoes and don't know how hard you are working to care for your kid and get an important issue evaluated while being extremely sleep deprived first time parents and being brushed off by your first pediatrician.

+1 our pediatrician's advice was similar. If you want to do the helmet, they can help, but it's stressful, lot of doctor visits, child may not take to it .. etc. For the helmet to work you need to start early (<6m) and wear for a long time (3-9m). On the other hand, you can do tummy time, repositioning, and give your child's body time and most likely it will round out by 1.

We opted for the latter for our flatheaded child, and by 1 yr it was almost entirely rounded but I joke I will warn her not to get a pixie cut when she's older

oh my op i am sorry i just read your follow up, I hope the specialist went well, you are right to investigate .... but as much as you can, step away from the google black hole of fear!

I also wanted to add, we used a pillow similar to the PP above (like a donut) and I think it was really helpful - no just at preventing more flattening on the back, but keeping our child from turning to their preferred side

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here thank you all he doesn’t have discomfort so don’t think Torticollis just uneven head I feel like we messed up being parents already we didn’t notice he’s been only on one side preferred for a month and now it’s so uneven and doesn’t seem fixable plus who wants to deal with a helmet sucks

No you didn't. You are great parents.

It is very fixable. I remember it was common in my culture to make small pillows for babies (very flat) that were filled with mustard seeds to round the skull. I don't know if that really worked but it was a common thing. I am sure that it did nothing and still all babies with misshapen skull somehow grew into normal looking people.