Deformations (Positional Plagiocephaly):
Overview:
There are two basic causes for an abnormal skull shape in an infant:
craniosynostosis and skull deformations. Craniosynostosis involves a fusion
of one of the sutures of the skull that restricts growth and needs to
be treated with surgery. This condition is discussed elsewhere (go to
"").
The most common cause of an abnormal skull shape is a deformation. A
deformation is an abnormal skull shape that results from outside pressure
on the skull. Since the "Back To Sleep" campaign was initiated by the
American Academy of Pediatrics in 1992, physicians noted this condition
appeared to be occurring more frequently. This campaign has successfully
lowered the incidence of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Shortly
following the recommendation of the Academy to put babies to sleep on
their backs instead of their tummies, pediatricians began noticing that
more and more babies were showing up in their offices with the back of
their heads flat on one side. Early on, many children with flat heads
were incorrectly diagnosed as having craniosynostosis and were undergoing
unnecessary surgery. After a number of articles were published about this
misdiagnosis (including one on the front page of the Wall Street Journal),
many doctors became better educated about the differences between the
two conditions.
What causes a
deformation?
How do I know
if my child has a deformation?
Do deformations
cause any internal problems?
Why do deformations
need to be treated? | Treatment
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