Plagiocephaly, also known as "flat head syndrome," is a condition where part of an infant's skull is flattened due to repeated pressure on the area. When plagiocephaly is referred to as "positional," it means that the flattening was caused by positioning after birth during sleep or in containers. Sometimes, a baby can be born with head shape changes due to positioning in the womb, which is called "congenital" plagiocephaly. Plagiocephaly is a common condition in infants, and with early identification and intervention, has good treatment outcomes!

Plagiocephaly has become more prevalent in recent years since the "Back to Sleep" Campaign was introduced by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in the 1990s, The "Back to Sleep" Campaign recommends that infants be put to sleep on their backs to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and has successfully reduced the occurrence of SIDS by more than half! To help combat the effects of back sleeping, it is recommended to do tummy time with babies when they are awake and ready to play!

Plagiocephaly is known for causing head shape changes on the back of the head and the forehead, and may include a shift in the position of the ears or jaw. When a baby has a wide, flat back of the head, that is called Brachycephaly. When a baby has flattening on both sides of the head, that is called Scaphocephaly, which is common in premies.

No matter what the head shape changes are, many can be helped with early identification and referral to a pediatric physical therapist. A pediatric physical therapist will instruct parents on repositioning strategies, tummy time techniques, and make the appropriate referral for a helmet evaluation (if needed).