Craniosynostosis is a concern for brain development as it can limit or slow the growth of the baby's brain because in a baby with craniosynostosis one or more of the sutures closes too early.
Babies get craniosynostosis as a result of changes in their genes and sometimes craniosynostosis occurs in babies because of an abnormality in a single gene that can cause genetic syndrome.
There is no guaranteed way to prevent craniosynostosis.
Prenatal genetic testing may show gene mutations that could lead to craniosynostosis.
A genetic counselor can help you understand genetic risks and possible treatment options if your baby is born with craniosynostosis.
There are several ways to treat flat head syndrome or craniosynostosis which include Corrective headband therapy that uses applied pressure to encourage the head to grow only where needed.
Cranial helmet therapy involves your baby wearing a fitted helmet for 23 hours a day (leaving an hour daily for bathing and cleaning) for an average of three months.
A helmet can fix craniosynostosis in babies.
To dress a baby with a cranial helmet you can remove the cranial helmet for a short time while you dress the baby.
Or you can use clothes for your baby that can be put on from the feet up such as footed sleeper.
You can prevent your baby from wearing a helmet by.
Carrying your baby in different ways.
Changing your baby's feeding position.
Change the baby's position in the crib.
Limiting time in car seats, rockers and other baby equipment.
Using tummy time that keeps your baby off their back.
Flat head syndrome is most common between the ages of 6 weeks and 2 months old, and almost always resolve completely by age 2, particularly if parents and caregivers regularly work on varying baby's positions when the baby is awake.
Your baby needs a helmet when they have a large flat spot that does not get better by around 4 months of age.
In order for the baby helmet or cranial helmet to be effective the treatment should begin within 4 to 6 months of age.
This allows the helmet to gently shape the baby's head as they grow.
9 months is not too late for a helmet although the ideal age for a helmet is between the ages of 4 months to 7 months and as the baby ages there's less improvement.
The maximum cut off age for baby helmet treatment is 14 months of age.
Babies wear helmets for up to 23 hours a day and the baby will wear the cranial helmet for 3 months to 5 months.
A cranial helmet out of pocket costs between $1,500.00 to as much as $3,000.00.
Most of the cranial helmets will grow with the baby because of progressive and planned removal of the foam lining the orthotic cranial helmet.
Babies sleep with a helmet by laying on their back to sleep.
However it's fine if the baby wearing the helmet rolls over to their tummy or side.
A baby helmet should not affect the baby's sleep positioning so any way the baby sleeps with the baby helmet is just fine.
Babies do not lose hair with the baby helmet and the baby helmet does not make your baby's hair fall out.
The baby helmet also does not apply any pressure to the babies head so it should not tug or pull at the babies hair.
The side effects of baby wearing helmets are odors, sweating and skin irritation.
However you can help prevent these baby helmet side effects by removing the baby helmet for a short period of time.
Some babies wear helmets to help mold their skull into shape and when a baby wears a helmet it's known as helmet orthosis or helmet therapy.
Helmet therapy is used to gently correct the shape of babies' skulls over time.
Newborn babies' skulls are soft plates with spaces between them.
As the baby grows, these plates grow, gradually harden and knit together.
Baby helmets are controversial because of the potential side effects that the baby helmet can cause.
Some of the side effects of a baby helmet are pain, sweating, unpleasant smell, irritation and because the baby helmet can hinder the cuddling of the baby with the parents.
A cranial helmet is worth it for most babies although cranial helmets are not always needed.
A baby's head shape will naturally get better with or without the use of a cranial helmet.
Although helmet therapy is a good thing and is a choice that some parents will make along with their baby's doctor to cosmetically improve the shape of the baby's head.
Babies wear cranial helmets for up to 3 months although sometimes babies may need to wear the cranial helmet a bit longer depending on their treatment duration and age.
Also careful and frequent monitoring is required to be sure that the babies skull is reshaping correctly.
Cranial Helmets costs between $1,000.00 to as much as $3,000.00
Health insurance will most often pay for a cranial helmet if it's medically necessary.
The insurance company typically wants to make sure that a helmet is medically necessary before they will cover the device.
This use to mean your child only needed a prescription from the pediatrician and then their device would be covered.
Depending on the provider and your child's specific case, a baby helmet can cost between $1,800.00 and $3,300.00
On average, helmet therapy will cost about $2,500.00 including the custom-made device and your appointments with the specialist.
If your child is diagnosed with deformational plagiocephaly, brachycephaly or scaphocephaly and is less than 12 months old, cranial remolding may be prescribed to correct the shape of the baby's head.
Helmets must be prescribed by a licensed physician.
In most cases, your baby's head shape will resolve on its own.
Given enough time and a little effort, your baby's head will grow and return to normal as they begin moving and doing more. Wearing a helmet is also a good way to correct large malformation or flat spots on your baby's head.
On average, a child will wear a helmet for three to five months, and babies typically wear their helmet for about 23 hours a day.
However, your baby will follow a special schedule for the first five days he or she wears the helmet.
If your baby's helmet fits well, any sleep interruptions should be short-lived.
Some things that help when it comes to sleep with a helmet: Make sure the room is cool.
Baby's head can get a little hot in the helmet, so keeping the room cool can help avoid any discomfort from a sweaty head.