Center for Reconstructive Pediatrics
Positional Plagiocephaly
The newborn skull: The "sutures" or anatomical lines where the bony plates of the skull join together can be easily felt in the newborn infant. The diamond shaped space on the top of the skull and the smaller space further to the back are often referred to as the "soft spot" in young infants.
What is positional plagiocephaly?
This is a disorder that affects the skull, making the back or side of your baby's head appear flattened. It is sometimes called 'deformational plagiocephaly'.
The skull is made up of several 'plates' of bone which, when we are born, are not tightly joined together. As we grow older, they gradually fuse - or stick - together. When we are young, they are soft enough to be moulded, and this means their shape can be altered by pressure on it to give part - usually the back - of a baby's head a flattened look.
Although you may hear plagiocephaly referred to as a type of craniosynostosis (a condition where the skull plates do fuse too early), the skull plates are not fused, but moulded into a different shape - a condition that does not require the surgical treatment needed for craniosynostosis.
Positional nonsyndromic plagiocephaly (positional molding)
Positional nonsyndromic plagiocephaly is a form of craniosynostosis. In 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that infants sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). This successfully reduced the number of infants with SIDS, but also increased the number of infants suffering from positional plagiocephaly due to back sleeping. An infant with positional nonsyndromic plagiocephaly has a flattened skull at the back of the head. This condition is also commonly called positional molding or deformational plagiocephaly.
- What causes positional plagiocephaly?
- What are the symptoms of plagiocephaly?
- How is it diagnosed?
- What is the outlook for babies with positional plagiocephaly?
- What treatments are available?
- Glossary, key terms, definitions
- Prevention and parents' concerns
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