When a baby’s head has an unusual shape, parents may have questions. Sometimes, a specialized helmet, known as a cranial orthosis, is recommended. These helmets are designed to gently guide a baby’s head growth and address specific head shape variations.
Common Reasons for Infant Helmets
Infant head shape variations often stem from conditions like deformational plagiocephaly and brachycephaly. Deformational plagiocephaly, commonly called flat head syndrome, refers to a flattening on one side of a baby’s head, which can also lead to an uneven forehead or ear displacement. Brachycephaly describes a flattened appearance across the entire back of the head.
These conditions primarily develop due to prolonged external pressure on a baby’s soft, pliable skull. The “Back to Sleep” campaign, while successful in reducing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), inadvertently increased the incidence of positional plagiocephaly and brachycephaly as babies spend more time on their backs. Torticollis, a condition where neck muscles are tight, also contributes by causing a baby to consistently favor turning their head to one side, placing constant pressure on that area. Other factors like limited space in the womb, difficult deliveries, or prematurity can also predispose an infant to these head shape irregularities.
While these positional head shape changes do not typically affect brain development, intervention may be recommended for moderate to severe cases. The primary reasons for addressing these conditions are cosmetic, to achieve a more symmetrical head shape. It is important to distinguish these from craniosynostosis, a condition where skull bones fuse too early, which often requires surgical intervention and is not typically treated with helmets alone.
How Helmet Therapy Works
Cranial helmet therapy operates on the principle of guided growth, leveraging the rapid growth of a baby’s skull during infancy. A custom-fitted helmet, or cranial orthosis, is designed with a hard outer shell and a foam interior. This device applies gentle, consistent pressure to the prominent areas of the skull while leaving space over the flattened regions.
This gentle pressure does not compress the baby’s brain or restrict its growth, as the brain continues to grow freely. Instead, the helmet redirects the skull’s natural expansion towards the flatter areas, allowing them to round out over time. Adjustments are regularly made to the helmet to accommodate this growth and maintain the corrective pressure.
The Helmet Treatment Journey
The process of helmet therapy typically begins with an initial assessment and diagnosis by a medical professional. If a helmet is recommended, precise measurements of the baby’s head are taken, frequently using 3D imaging, to create a custom-fitted orthosis. This ensures the helmet is tailored to the infant’s unique head shape and growth needs.
Once the custom helmet is ready, parents receive detailed instructions for its use. Babies typically wear the helmet for approximately 23 hours a day, with one hour removed for bathing and cleaning. A gradual break-in period, usually lasting about a week, is often recommended to allow the baby and their skin to adjust to wearing the helmet. During this time, wearing duration is slowly increased, and skin checks are performed regularly to monitor for any redness or irritation.
Routine follow-up appointments are scheduled frequently, often every 1 to 4 weeks, for adjustments and to track progress. The orthotist modifies the helmet to continue guiding the head’s growth effectively. Maintaining hygiene is important, requiring daily cleaning of the helmet with mild soap and water or rubbing alcohol, followed by thorough air drying.
The typical duration of treatment varies based on the severity of the condition and the baby’s age, but commonly ranges from three to six months. Younger babies, whose heads grow more rapidly, often require shorter treatment times. As the head shape improves and stabilizes, the orthotist will guide parents through a gradual weaning process until the helmet is no longer needed.