

Plagiocephaly does not affect the development of a baby's brain, but if not treated it may change their physical appearance by causing uneven growth of their face and head. Deformational plagiocephaly, also known as positional plagiocephaly, means a misshapen or uneven (asymmetrical) head shape.

Plagiocephaly is the most common craniofacial problem today.

This designation recognizes our commitment to providing the safest and highest-quality surgical care to our young patients.Pronounced: Play-gee-o-kef-a-lee What is it? verified as a Level I children's surgery center by the American College of Surgeons. If your child shows any delays in development, our expert team of pediatric neurologists, physical and occupational therapists, and speech pathologists can help your child overcome those delays.ĭuke Children's is one of the few hospitals in the U.S. We will continue to see your child annually for the first five years following surgery to ensure he or she has normal skull growth and brain development. Your child’s medical team may also include radiologists, pediatric anesthesiologists, genetic counselors, and therapists, as well as intensive care doctors and nurses who take care of your baby immediately after surgery. In addition to pediatric plastic surgeons and neurosurgeons, your child may be seen by our pediatric ophthalmologists ear, nose, and throat doctors oral surgeons and orthodontists. Families from across North Carolina and surrounding states come to us for their children’s care. You can be confident in our team’s extensive experience in treating children with craniosynostosis. If your child is diagnosed with craniosynostosis, genetic testing may be recommended to determine whether your child’s head shape abnormality is the result of a rare genetic disease such as Apert, Crouzon, or Pfeiffer syndromes. Craniosynostosis can increase pressure on your child’s brain. The head could be long and narrow, pointy in the front, tall and round, or flat in specific spots. The exact shape depends on which parts of the skull are affected. Instead, the skull compensates by growing in other directions, which results in an abnormal head shape. As a result, the skull can no longer grow larger normally.

It occurs when the bone plates in the skull fuse earlier than usual. Unlike plagiocephaly, craniosynostosis is a birth defect. However, the earlier you seek evaluation of your child’s condition, the easier it is to reshape the soft bones of his or her skull. Surgery is not necessary to correct deformational plagiocephaly, and this condition does not affect how your child’s brain develops. Helmet therapy may be prescribed for severe cases. Plagiocephaly is primarily treated with repositioning exercises and possibly therapy. It can occur in twin pregnancies or if a child is born with a congenital stiff neck. Plagiocephaly usually develops gradually over the first few months of life but can also develop in the womb. The flat spots are called deformational plagiocephaly and are the most common cause of abnormal head shape in infants. Babies are born with soft skulls that can develop flat spots when they spend too much time in one position.
