What is plagiocephaly?
Plagiocephaly refers to the flattened, asymmetrical, or misshapen skull of infants due to positional molding from external forces. While still in the womb, the baby’s head may be ‘stuck’ in a certain position (more common in twin pregnancies). After birth, the baby may be spending a lot of time lying on his back, or having their head turned favoring a side. A baby’s skull is soft and pliable, so it may flatten during the first few months of life.
Different types of plagiocephaly
Your baby’s head shape can have different shapes, depending on where most of the prolonged pressure is present.
The most common form of plagiocephaly is the parallelogram shape, in which one side of the back of the baby’s head flattens. This may cause the ears to shift and may cause the bone above the eye to protrude.
Brachycephaly
Brachycephaly refers to the symmetrical and widened flattening of the back of a baby’s head.
Dolichocephaly (scaphocephaly)
Dolichocephaly (also called scaphocephaly) refers to the flattening on both lateral sides of a baby’s head, giving the skull an elongated appearance. Overall, this head shape is much less common and can be associated with a rare condition called craniosynostosis. Craniosynostosis refers to the premature fusion of one or more of the baby’s skull sutures. This informative website will not address craniosynostosis because it will require a different treatment approach. If you are concerned about craniosynostosis, talk to your pediatrician.