Will my child be okay?

A Message to Parents of Plagiocephaly

If your child has been diagnosed with plagiocephaly, you likely have a lot of questions.

• How serious is it?
• Can this be fixed?
• Will my child need surgery?
• Is my child at risk for other problems?
• How will this affect our family?

It is also very common for parents of children with plagiocephaly to feel guilty and wonder “How did this happen? Did I do something to cause this?”

First and foremost, we want to reassure you that this is not your fault. Plagiocephaly is very common – about 20-25% of infants who sleep on their backs will develop plagiocephaly – and it is also very treatable! Other than the cosmetic effects, there are no known medical complications or problems associated with plagiocephaly.

Take a deep breath, everything is going to be okay. There is no conclusive evidence that plagiocephaly has any effect on a child’s brain development, vision, or hearing. Even the facial asymmetry caused by the condition seems to improve as a baby grows. The only potentially lasting effect is on the shape of the child’s head.

The best thing you can do now is to educate yourself and pass your knowledge along to other parents. The more we spread the word about prevention and treatment, the fewer cases of plagiocephaly we will see in this country.