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How We Squeezed My Son’s Head to Avoid a Helmet

February 3, 2014 by naptimetales 69 Comments

…and by “we” I mean a medical professional of course. Bizarre topic right? Well LOTS of babies need help getting a nice round head. Even Today did an online article about how parents are getting creative with baby helmets. Cute right?! But what if you don’t want your kid in a helmet? Didn’t know this was an option? Oh please…read on…

 

Our pediatrician noticed my son’s flat head at his 2 month checkup. We knew he was favoring one side of his head when he slept, but the “damage” wasn’t clear to us until the doctor pointed it out. My kid’s head was lopsided. VERY lopsided. No worries, our doctor said it was quite common and to work on positioning his head different ways when he slept or was in his swing and to do lots of tummy time. We thought it would be a simple change and he’d be good to go.

 

Then we went back for his 4 month check up and it was worse. We had a nice long talk with our pediatrician about helmets and doctors to see because that’s just the “typical” thing to do when your kid has a flat head. He checked his neck muscles to make sure those were strong and developing as they should…everything else checked out perfectly. I was just wrapping my head around the fact that my son was going to wear a space helmet when the doctor was silent. I could tell he was thinking and after a bit he said he new a “magician” that, if we were open to the method, would be able to fix his head with no gear. Our baby’s doctor told us in so many words (and as gently as he possibly could) that my sweet son’s head would be squeezed back into shape with the “magician’s” bare hands.

 

Total. Voodoo. I didn’t think it would work and I thought it sounded insane. Buuuuuuut I really wanted to avoid a helmet. We agreed to see this head squeezing doctor so we could ask lots of questions and then go from there. If we didn’t like what he had to tell us we were going to go the helmet route. And since my son was still very young, we had some time to explore all possible routes.

 

I was feeling good about things after I did some at home research on osteopathic manipulative therapy (aka- head squeezing). It looked promising but I couldn’t find any REAL parents that had opinions about it. There’s not a ton out there other than the normal medical papers and I don’t have a lot of patience when it comes to medical terminology. It was trying not to give my hopes up and prepared myself to deal with the helmet thing…but I thought that this might just work!

 

Our first appointment was right after my son turned 5 months old. The unfortunate thing about going this route was that there aren’t many specialists out there, let alone in our tiny town. So we drove almost 2 hours to the “magician’s” office. Annoying, yes. But this would have been the case for a “helmet” doc for us as well.

 

Our doctor’s name is Dr. Grimshaw based out of an adorable office close to Lansing, MI. When we got there and met him I immediately felt better about the squeezing thing. He explained to us, in dummy terms, how it all worked and was SO gentle with examining our little guy. He told us in some cases he can fix a child’s head in 1-2 sessions but typically no more than 10. FYI- Jack’s head was pretty bad and it ended up taking 8 or so to get the job done. He answered all our questions and even demonstrated some of the techniques on us so we’d know how much pressure he would be putting on Jack’s head.

 

There were a few things wrong with my son’s head. The obvious flat spot but something I didn’t notice- his ears were not centered and his face was a little “off”. I’m not one to stare at my child and notice all his imperfections but when the doctor pointed this out I was horrified. PLEASE fix my poor lopsided kid I thought.

 

We asked about the difference between what he was doing and a helmet. His explanation was specific to my son (please do your own research!) but for Jack, a helmet would not have fixed the root of the issues. It turns out that he had a flat spot in his spine which caused tense muscles elsewhere resulting in his skull plates to be pulled in ways they shouldn’t have. It was interesting to hear how these things can have an effect on the ear canals, sinuses and even cause migraines…etc in the future. For Jack it wasn’t just about his lopsided head, there were some other serious things to take into consideration.

 

I was fascinated that after just ONE session of manipulation I could see improvement in Jack’s head. ONE SESSION. It was magic. We went back monthly through the summer and into the fall. We could have done things quicker but because we had that drive, he said it was no problem to spread out our sessions. Each session lasted about 30-45 minutes…just depending on how Jack did. Dr. Grimshaw would keep things interesting for him, it wasn’t just Jack laying on a table being squeezed. He walked him around his office, let him play in his sink with bath toys or let him sit in his lap all while massaging his back and head. During some of the times where he needed to apply more pressure, Dr. Grimshaw even had me nurse (our go to soothing technique) to relax Jack. He even SLEPT while he was getting worked on. No tears through out the entire process, I’m guessing that would NOT have been the case in the helmet scenario.

 

So revisiting the pictures I have…here was the difference we noticed after just 3 treatments-

 

We went back about 4 or 5 more times because he still needed work on the position of his ears. I realize these are not the best pictures and I wish I had more but trust me, the difference in his head is absolutely phenomenal.

 

If you’ve been told by your pediatrician that your child may need a helmet, do yourself a favor and look into osteopathic manipulative therapy. Bring it up with your child’s doctor and see what they think. I am so so SO glad our pediatrician was open enough to bring this up, I would have never known something like this even existed to fix a flat head. It is magic!

 

I should probably say the reason I was so against a helmet wasn’t for the cosmetic aspects or the annoyance factor. My daughter (Jack’s big sis) has had sensory issues her whole life. Even as a baby the signs were there. If we would have had to do a helmet, she would have freaked. It would have been an all out war and truthfully, she would have won. Having your first child with sensory issues makes you very cautious about what you do with your second. In good ways because you tend to expose them to more, but in bad ways in that you cringe when you think about them having to wear a helmet 24/7.

 

I would LOVE to hear from anyone else that has used this method to reshape their baby’s head. Or any positive helmet experiences as well. There are a lot of Moms and Dads worrying about their kid’s heads and I promise, no matter what method you choose, your baby will be just fine and won’t remember a thing!

UPDATE: Dr. Grimshaw has kindly answered a couple of questions in our comments but I’d love to include the info he posted here:

There were some questions about the differences between craniosacral therapists and Osteopathic physicians who practice Cranial. It is a matter of the level of education. There are craniosacral therapists with good hands and abilities, but they are not physicians. To treat babies requires a lot of experience and time in practice, and the more education a person has, the more they are able to apply all that they know as they use their hands and give advice to parents. The website for Cranial Osteopathic doctors in US is http://cranialacademy.org/ My new address is: 1106 N. Cedar St, Suite 200B, Lansing, MI 48906. Phone is 517-492-4818, Web site: oldtowndoc.com

 

 

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Filed Under: baby 6-9 months, Uncategorized

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Comments

  1. Julie A says

    February 5, 2014 at 4:03 pm

    I am so glad you posted this! I had never heard of this, but I'm going to keep it in mind now, since I get asked about helmets from time to time. (Being a speech path, people sometimes think I know about every single thing that kids can need therapy for, helmets included.) Thanks for the new info!
    Julie

    Reply
  2. tegan isleman says

    March 3, 2014 at 7:19 pm

    Can you give me any tips to find one of these drs? Website anything? Drs are thinking my sons head isnt severe enough for a helmet so he will just live with his head being flat. Im not ok with that. I would love this approach as I wasnt to kee on a helmet anyways. If I have to I will tough. Please let me know thank you!

    Reply
    • Ashley and Ashley says

      March 3, 2014 at 8:41 pm

      Hi Tegan! Fortunately it was our ped that recommended our "magician" so I never had to look for one. Maybe try googling "osteopathic manipulative therapy" or "infant cranial manipulation" in your state? Then contact any office you can find to see if they would have referral in your area? If you are in Michigan I'd be happy to get you in contact with our doctor. Send us an email at naptimetales@gmail.com if you need that number!

      Reply
  3. mgberman says

    September 6, 2014 at 1:15 pm

    Ashley, I wanted to write to thank you for sharing your story. I came across your post about 1.5 months ago after we left my son's 4 month ped's appt with the recommendation to see a doctor for a helmet eval. I quickly started researching alternatives because the idea of forcing my sensitive son to wear a helmet for 23 hours a day sounded like pure torture to me. Thankfully I read your story, and fast forward 1.5 months, my son is like a whole new baby after receiving excellent care from an osteopath dr here in Cleveland. Not only has she changed his head shape with light touches from her hands (magical hands, I swear), but she has helped his with all the other tightness in his body that was related to the cranial issues. She helped me understand that this was due to the trauma of birth (he was "sunnyside" up), and not due to lack of enough tummy time (which is how I left his 4 month appt at peds feeling- along with a massive amount of mommy guilt & shame). But more importantly, his temperament has changed so much due to her therapies that I feel like his is a whole new happy baby. I now attribute all his fussiness early on to his body being tight and uncomfortable, and love seeing how freely he now rolls and stretches and plays, with a big smile on his rounding out head! Thank you, thank you. You've made a huge impact on my family's life by sharing your story!

    Reply
    • Ashley and Ashley says

      September 7, 2014 at 1:52 am

      Awwwww! I started reading your comment to my hubby and it made me cry. Haha. I'm SOOOOOOO happy you were able to take your little guy to an osteopath and had such a wonderful experience. It really is magic isn't it?! My son had the same tightness…I didn't really go into that but I agree, his temperament changed after we started therapy. I just want to squeeze you both! Thanks SO much for reading and for filling us in on your guy! <3 Hugs! ~Ash B

      Reply
    • Faith says

      July 28, 2016 at 5:30 pm

      hi! could you share the name of your dr in Cleveland?
      im in Pittsburgh with a baby with a similar story! I am willing to drive to cleveland if needed!

      Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 11, 2016 at 11:54 am

      Can you share the name of the doctor in Cleveland, OH?

      Reply
    • Kristen D says

      October 17, 2017 at 12:57 pm

      Could you please share the name of the Dr. in Cleveland? Desperate mama looking for some help here!!

      Reply
    • Danielle says

      February 15, 2018 at 2:06 pm

      Hi!! I am a pediatric PT in the Cleveland (east) suburbs. Would you mind sharing with me the name of this doctor? I have a few patients I would like to refer to him!

      Reply
    • Jennifer says

      March 9, 2018 at 8:49 pm

      Would you be able to provide who you saw in Cleveland?

      Reply
  4. Katelyn Meyers says

    January 8, 2015 at 9:36 pm

    So glad I found this post! My daughter just had her 2 month appointment and we were referred to a surgeon for a helmet but I would like to avoid one if possible. We have an appointment at the end of February but I would like to know my options. We are in Michigan to is there a way to send me information about the Dr. you saw. Thanks so much!

    Reply
  5. Shaon Hossain Opu says

    February 18, 2015 at 9:32 am

    Thanks

    Reply
  6. Les says

    April 10, 2015 at 8:35 pm

    A good starting point especially if you are not very familiar with osteopathic medicine is http://www.osteopathic.org/osteopathic-health/Pages/patients.aspx it is the page the American Osteopathic Association maintains for patients. All kinds of information that can be of use.

    Reply
    • Ashley and Ashley says

      April 12, 2015 at 1:22 am

      Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
  7. Chris Zang says

    July 22, 2015 at 7:23 pm

    is this the same as cranial sacral therapy? we are going to try this with our baby.

    Reply
  8. Karla says

    November 12, 2015 at 5:33 pm

    I have been searching and searching to find more info about this. My father in law’s chiropractor said he can do this. Was your “magical” doctor a magician? I have never heard or a chiropractor doing this and am very hesitant to take my baby but desperate to try anything other than a helmet!

    Reply
    • Karla says

      November 12, 2015 at 5:34 pm

      I meant was your magician also a chiropractor? 🙂

      Reply
      • naptimetales says

        November 12, 2015 at 9:37 pm

        Hi Karla! Haha no, he’s not a chiropractor. I would look for someone that specializes in osteopathic manipulative therapy. It is my understanding that these two things are different. Our doctor did do some manipulation on his spine and hips, but most work was done on his head. I hope that helps!

        Reply
  9. Chelsey says

    November 18, 2015 at 6:15 pm

    I had no idea this was even an option until I saw your blog… My daughter had her first appointment with Dr. Grimshaw today! He was absolutely wonderful and my daughter did awesome. He remembers you and said you are an amazing mom. 🙂 Looking forward to going back. Thank you!

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      November 19, 2015 at 2:11 pm

      Thank you for sharing Chelsey! I just adore him. You will have to tell him we said “hi!” and keep up posted on your little girl’s progress! If you’d rather not share here, email us at naptimetales {at} gmail.com. I’d LOVE to see what you think when he’s finished with her. 🙂

      Reply
  10. Laura says

    November 30, 2015 at 6:07 am

    Was this covered by insurance?

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      November 30, 2015 at 1:49 pm

      Our insurance did reimburse us for some of the expense!

      Reply
  11. Jon says

    December 21, 2015 at 11:35 am

    Hey we’re in Michigan too and just made an appointment for getting a helmet, but I really like the idea of not having to do a helmet. Can you give me a number and or address for dr grimshaw? I’d like to call right away as my son is just over 5 months.

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      December 21, 2015 at 2:56 pm

      Hi Jon! I believe I just responded to an email you sent as well. 🙂 For future reference for other readers, here is Dr. Grimshaw’s info via Google. He has moved offices since we last saw him, but I believe he is still close to the address listed. Please keep us updated Jon!

      Grimshaw, David Dr-Center For Integrative Medicine
      Doctor & Clinic · Open
      4655 Dobie Rd, Ste 270, Okemos, MI · (517) 381-5360

      Reply
  12. AK says

    January 4, 2016 at 3:41 pm

    Thanks for this!
    our son has unfortunatly developed a flat spot 🙁
    Is this treatment the same as a cranio sacral therapist?

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      January 4, 2016 at 7:16 pm

      I believe it is, I know I’ve heard that term mentioned by our pediatrician while we were doing treatment.

      Reply
  13. PaleGirl says

    January 13, 2016 at 12:53 pm

    Can I ask how, um… earthy your doc was? There weren’t many results around my city from this link (http://www.osteopathic.org/osteopathic-health/Pages/patients.aspx), but we drove to Asheville to see one of the docs on the list. He didn’t do much work on our daughter in the office, but attempted to show us how to work on her at home.

    He basically wanted me to use my “energy” and “imagine” her head in the correct shape by using a very light touch with my fingers on her head. Pretending to “suction” the flat spots if you will. I hate to say it sounded like a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, but…. I am legitimately trying it, but I don’t know if I legitimately believe it. 🙂

    Was this similar to your experience? Did a light touch and lots of “energy” and “imagination” really produce the results you showed in your photos? Or should I be looking for another doctor?

    For the record, many more results come up when I search craniosacral therapist in my city, so that would make my life easier if this kind of professional would work all the same.

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      January 13, 2016 at 4:21 pm

      Hahaha. I will say Dr. Grimshaw came off a little earthy than a normal doctor. I could see him saying these exact same things and did give me some tips for moving things along at home, but he did the bulk of the therapy in office. I watched him do almost everything except for when my son would get fussy- then he’d walk him around the entire office and sing to him as he manipulated. It doesn’t look like much, our sessions never took more than 20-30 minutes but it helped. Everything is very gentle touch- I thought there would be some pulling and twisting but everything was so gentle that I did question if it was going to work. But after seeing results after the second manipulation, I knew it would! I don’t remember him really using a whole lot of his imagination though LOL

      That said, maybe contact a craniosacral therapist as well. Just for another take on things. It doesn’t hurt to get a second opinion! I wouldn’t discount the other doctor yet, but make sure you are seeing results after a month or two!

      Reply
      • PaleGirl says

        January 13, 2016 at 9:15 pm

        Thanks for replying so quickly! And thanks, sounds like our experience wasn’t totally off-base. I guess this kind of thing is just new to me. The doc did say to give it a month. I’ll check out someone local too to be on the safe side 🙂

        Reply
        • naptimetales says

          January 15, 2016 at 4:40 pm

          You’ll have to keep us posted!

          Reply
          • PaleGirl says

            March 9, 2016 at 3:51 pm

            Hi Ashley, I wanted to share an update. Since we don’t live near an osteopathic doctor, we wound up seeing a craniosacral therapist here in Charlotte. We’ve seen her a total of 5 times. The photos are from December through March (3 months). Definitely better! Still room for improvement, but I’m pretty happy for the results. As for cost, we will go in one more time I think, and the total price tag will be less than $300! 😀

            Here’s a link to photos of her progress: https://goo.gl/photos/xpUwJp1weBeZiAvR8
            Here’s a link to our therapist’s website for anyone who might live in the Charlotte, NC area: http://www.sherylmcgavin.com/

            Thanks once again for posting! I’m so happy we went this route instead of a $2-$3k helmet.

          • naptimetales says

            March 9, 2016 at 5:28 pm

            Oh my GOODNESS! That top view is amazing. Isn’t it just mind blowing that a doctor could do this with their hands?! Thank you SO much for sharing pictures, I know this helps a lot of people looking into manipulation. And thanks so much for the update, I’m so glad it is working for your little one!

  14. CC says

    January 22, 2016 at 12:05 am

    I just wanted to say thank you so much for this post. I found it on the way home from the Drs after my son’s 4 month apt where they told us he had a flat head. We live in Western Australia and helmets are not available here otherwise I can assure you we would have been first in line! I actually managed to get in contact with Dr Grimshaw (who is so lovely and was so generous with his time) and find an osteo who practiced the same technique here in Perth. Not only has there been a dramatic improvement in head shape (although I think he has a wide head naturally) the health benefits over all have been amazing. Releasing the conpression of his skull front to back has completely cleared his stuffy nose and blocked sinuses which he had since birth as well as his gunky eye.

    We used a mimos pillow too but not sure that it did much. It was the osteo who really helped to correct it. So for those who are rushing for a helmet there are other options out there which may just deliver more benefits than you’d even bargained for. I have before and after pics if interested.

    Thanks again – so very appreciative!

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      January 28, 2016 at 5:46 pm

      You are so welcome!!! I am so happy our post can help others!! Best wishes!

      Reply
    • Megan says

      September 14, 2016 at 4:40 pm

      I would love to see before after photos of your little one! Looking into an osteopath route vs helmet for my daughter.

      Reply
  15. Bianca says

    February 7, 2016 at 2:00 am

    Hi I’m so happy u posted this because my son had a helenet and it was a nightmare n his head is a lil lopsided. Now my fighter had became flat n I just made a appointment for Tuesday with dr grimshaw. I have couple questions when the doctor puts pressure on the head is it safe for the brain? Will he go over all the steps with me?!? T

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      February 7, 2016 at 5:47 pm

      Hi Bianca! So glad you are going to see Dr. Grimshaw, tell him I said “hi!”. Yes- he is very good about explaining everything and will do things at a pace you are comfortable with. I had the same concern but after our first few visits, I was jokingly telling him to push harder so we could be done faster haha. It is SO very gentle, my guy didn’t cry at all when Dr. Grimshaw was applying pressure. He’s also very good at distracting little ones so at times my son would sit on his lap and play in the sink with water toys, other times I would nurse my son and Dr. Grimshaw would even walk him around the office and sing to him. You are going to LOVE him!

      Reply
  16. Lissy says

    February 7, 2016 at 1:50 pm

    Hi. Thank you so much f or this info. I’m searching in my area but all I found so far is “cranial sacral therapy”. Is this the same?

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      February 7, 2016 at 5:49 pm

      Hi Lissy, I do believe this is the same thing but you may want to put in a call to that office and chat with a nurse to see. Good luck!!

      Reply
  17. David N Grimshaw, DO says

    February 11, 2016 at 10:38 pm

    Hi Ashley! Thanks for your wonderful post! It was lively and full of humor–just like you! And thank you for letting people know about me and Osteopathy in the Cranial Field. There were some questions about the differences between craniosacral therapists and Osteopathic physicians who practice Cranial. It is a matter of the level of education. There are craniosacral therapists with good hands and abilities, but they are not physicians. To treat babies requires a lot of experience and time in practice, and the more education a person has, the more they are able to apply all that they know as they use their hands and give advice to parents. The website for Cranial Osteopathic doctors in US is http://cranialacademy.org/ My new address is: 1106 N. Cedar St, Suite 200B, Lansing, MI 48906. Phone is 517-492-4818, Web site: oldtowndoc.com Best wishes to you and your family and thanks for saying hi!
    Dr. Grimshaw

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      February 12, 2016 at 9:53 am

      Thank you for clearing that up Dr. Grimshaw! You were actually on my list of people to contact this week to ask a few of those questions you answered. I’m going to update this post with the info you provided so people don’t have to sort through comments to find more info. We get so many emails and comments on this subject, I’m so glad several of the parents contacting us are able to visit you. We’ve also had parents outside of Michigan visit other doctors throughout the US and have had amazing results. We are so thankful for you and others like you!! Keep working that magic!! 🙂

      Reply
    • Sheena Holland says

      June 1, 2017 at 8:42 pm

      Hi I’m from Missouri I found a OMT in the St Louis area but I’m concerned cause he used a massaging tool instead of his hands will this work for flat head? My son has plageocephaly and slight torticollis that cause buldging of the forehead on one side can OMT help with correcting forehead it just looks out of place? I have a appt Tuesday for helmet evaluation cause I know theires a small window of opportunity to fix it he’s 6 months and starting to get really worried.

      Reply
      • Bethany says

        June 19, 2017 at 8:37 pm

        Hi Sheena,

        I’m in the St. Louis area, and my son has plageocephaly and had that buldge on one side of his forehead. I didn’t do the helmet because we were told it would round out on its own, but when he was 18 months old I started worrying that it wouldn’t. We took him to our chiropractor, Dr. Lynne, and she used similar techniques of gentle massage and stretching, and my son’s forehead is no longer bulging. There is still a flat spot on one side, but the front of his head is much improved.

        Here is her info:
        http://claytonchiropracticstl.com/
        Dr. Lynne Cerutti

        Good luck!!

        Reply
        • naptimetales says

          August 4, 2017 at 7:23 pm

          Thanks for sharing Bethany!

          Reply
  18. Victoria says

    March 18, 2016 at 4:32 am

    Do you have to go through your pediatrician first before going to an osteopathic Doctor ? My daughter hasn’t been diagnosed with flat head, but at our 4 month appt, the doc said that I should get her the beanie that keeps their head from one side to another to prevent it. She said it not a flat head yet but looks like it can get there. What are your thoughts ?

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      March 19, 2016 at 4:55 pm

      Hi Victoria! I would probably start with asking your insurance. Some require a referral, some don’t. Otherwise I don’t think it’s necessary to go through your pediatrician but you may want to put in a quick call to chat about it. Lots of kids get flat spots that can easily be corrected by adjusting the way you lay them in their carseats, doing more tummy time, holding them differently etc. So your ped might just be thinking your little one’s head can be correct and grow more round if you make a few small adjustments. ;o)

      Reply
  19. Gracie says

    April 6, 2016 at 1:30 am

    How did you discover that it was more than jusy a flat spot on his head and actually stemming from a spinal issue? My son is 9 months and just started treatment with a helmet. I’m guessing he is too old to be treated by an alternative therapy at this point, but now I’m curious if there is more to it than just lack of tummy time. None of his doctors thus far have mentioned anything beyond that but I wondeted how I could rule that out. Thanks!

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      April 7, 2016 at 3:25 pm

      Hi Gracie! The doctor that did the manipulation for us discovered it after working on him one or two times. He wasn’t pushing himself off his belly enough and also wasn’t getting his knees under his body like he should have been at that point. After doing a little extra work on him he was on his hands and knees within weeks! I can’t honestly say how common or uncommon having an underlying issue is, lots of kids simply get lopsided heads from just laying the wrong way. That said, I don’t think your guy is too old to see an alternative therapist. Dr. Grimshaw told me we’d have up to age 2 to fix my son’s issues!

      Reply
  20. Ana says

    April 20, 2016 at 11:32 pm

    Hi!!
    Because of you my son is seeing a cranial dr and we pray this works and he does not need a helmet!! I am so glad I found your post!!!

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      April 21, 2016 at 7:59 am

      Hi Ana, I hope it works perfectly for your little guy! You’ll have to keep us posted!

      Reply
  21. Sarah says

    May 4, 2016 at 6:09 pm

    Glad to see that others have had great results with OMT or are looking into this treatment for plagiocephaly. Our daughter had slight plagiocephaly and a helmet was recommended to us when she was 7 months old. We weren’t completely against using the helmet, but wanted to do some research to see if there might be other ways of effectively and safely addressing the issue. After a recommendation from a family member who is a DO, we saw Dr. Laura Bouch who practices in Caledonia, Michigan. We did need a referral from our PCP and our insurance covered 2 of the visits as chiropractic care. We saw her 7 times over the course of 5 months and our daughter’s head only grew exactly where it needed to. We returned to get her checked at the “helmet clinic” again and her cephalic index was in the normal range. This route was much less expensive and much less intense of an intervention. Our daughter never minded the treatments – it really just looked like Dr. Bouch was gently moving her fingers around while cradling our daughter’s head. Even if your family decides to go the helmet route for treatment of more severe plagiocephaly, cranial manipulation or OMT can help a child’s skull plates settle in more naturally and quickly.

    Reply
  22. AudreyJ says

    May 18, 2016 at 12:27 pm

    Hi Ashley, my twins both have flatheads and are now getting OMT, I was wondering how to avoid any setbacks. Did you use a pillow at home in between treatments? My sons are only 5 months are not sitting up on their own and one still sleeps on his back while the other flips over on his tummy or sleeps on his side. I just want to ensure the best results for my little guys

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      May 19, 2016 at 2:34 pm

      I did my best to put my guy down in different ways and tried to position him differently when I nursed. It was hard because my son didn’t sleep well (like, at ALL) and he have a very specific way he liked his head to be. All you can do is try to give the head position a little variety when you are laying them down or putting them in their car seat, swing…etc. You may also chat with their doc and see if he/she has any recommendations. My guys’ head was BAD and I didn’t notice any set backs by him correcting the way I’d put him down though…hope that gives you some peace of mind 🙂

      Reply
  23. Jane says

    June 7, 2016 at 3:05 pm

    Hi there! I am so glad I found this article. I am so concerned about my 5 month old daughter’s head. I have continuously asked her pediatrician if I should be concerned with how flat her head is, and she keeps telling me that it is perfect… so one of us is clearly blind and I know it’s not me! I have an appointment with a chiropractor who does cranial work for flat heads and I am praying that it will help! I am so sick of my family making comments about her flat head! She is only on her back when she sleeps and it seems to just be getting worse! Fingers crossed that we see improvement!

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      June 7, 2016 at 3:27 pm

      Always go with your gut! Our doctor did say that a child’s head changes up to age 2-3 so maybe your doctor thinks it will correct itself? Either way, always nice to have a second opinion! Good luck!

      Reply
  24. Chim says

    July 7, 2016 at 3:15 pm

    Hi Ashley! Thanks for this post, the past few days I have been searching for ways help my 3 months old son, he’s got a flat head sand his head tilt to just one side, he Will be four months on the 9tb Of this month, last month i mentioned this Prob to the Nurse when visit the Pediatricia (who wasnt available) on that day, But the Nurse dismissed my worry, over the past weeks, I have noticed that in all pictures his head is justing tilting to the right, so I started searching for answers, found lots of info on your you tube, then today this noon I came across your post, and it really has given me so much confidence that am ready to visit the pediatrian, and ready to bring back my bubbly little man… Thank you so much

    Reply
  25. JH says

    March 24, 2017 at 9:57 pm

    Thank you for your story! Our 4 1/2 month old just got a helmet. It leaves red spot on his head. He’s normally so calm and has been crying. It’s so sad. We had a friend in Michigan with a similar story to yours but couldn’t find anybody in the area. These helmets really seem to be big business. They use scare tactics for sales. It’s worse Han being at a used car dealership because declining their recommendations means you’re not doing the best for your child or so they make you feel.

    The web link your doctor posted is exactly what I used to find a local doctor who seems to be the perfect solution. I can’t wait to make an appointment.

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      March 27, 2017 at 2:31 pm

      I’m so glad you found this helpful. You are right- helmets are turning into big business. It’s sad. 🙁

      Reply
  26. Tonee says

    April 12, 2017 at 10:58 am

    Thank you so so much for posting this ! My 5monyh old has a flat head and we where going in the direction of getting a helmet. I was looking for anything out there that would help with out one when I found your post ! We also live in a tiny town and ended up having to drive 4 hrs for a dr. But it is so worth it ! My little one has had one appointment and I can already see a difference! Again I can’t thank you enough!

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      April 23, 2017 at 11:46 pm

      WE are so glad you found our post, as well! I hope your little one continues to show improvement! <3

      Reply
  27. Galina says

    July 8, 2017 at 6:39 pm

    Hi Ashley! Thank you for your post – it is so informative and sincere. We are starting OMT next week (my baby is 9 months old) and my concerns are: can this therapy possibly harm her brain and affect development? Did you have any issues with your baby?

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      August 4, 2017 at 7:21 pm

      We haven’t had any issues- he is now a very healthy 4 1/2 year old! 🙂

      Reply
  28. Johanna says

    August 9, 2017 at 11:28 am

    Hello and thank god you posted this ! My daughter is four and a half months and has been being treated for her plagiocephaly for a few weeks now and I have noticed a big difference after weekly sessions but my concern was should we keep the OMT going and avoid helmet or just do helmet just in case. Like our daughter my little one is very sensitive to change and I’m dreading her wearing that thing all day. We also noticed her flat spot at two months and at four month checkup do noticed it was also worse where her ears also weren’t aligned and she had a flat spot on the side she favored. We also don’t have insurance coverage so would be paying out of pocket $2-3k for this thing so I would much rather pay $15 co pay for cranial treatment. So after her shots today at four and a half weeks her doc said her head is better ! She has another evaluation this Friday at another cranial place so I’m going to see how it looks but after reading this I’m thinking of talking to my husband to see if we just stick to the OMT.
    Thanks again for your article it made me more optimistic about whole thing !

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      September 10, 2017 at 11:55 am

      I’m so glad you found this helpful and that your daughter’s head is improving (and that you are able to save some money haha!).

      Reply
  29. Sue says

    September 19, 2017 at 1:34 am

    Ran across your blog as I’m researching for a clinical study project. I would like to address the current practices available for parents and their babies with plegiocephaly (misshaped heads). Now thought to be caused by either back-to-sleep or too much tie spent in bouncy seats with slings, these heads can also become shaped like this by a torticollis (wry neck). The therapy first described on this thread is called Cranial Osteopathy. (Osteopathic physicians who were the original chiropractors in our country. (Actually chiropractors broke away from Osteopathic traditions over 100 years ago, but that’s another story). CranioSacral Therapy, a different version to the above therapy, was developed by an osteopathic physician, John E. Upledger, DO who felt that the distortion is not caused by the bones in the babies head (after all they are very very soft cartilage). Instead, the problems are with the connective tissues and the fascia that surround the brain and spinal cord. CranioSacral is NOT squeezing babies heads, but instead a soft gentle sustained stretch on the tissues. So there is a difference between the two therapies. Both are highly developed artforms. In my practice we can reshape a baby’s head usually within 4-6 sessions (depending upon the reason it occurred). Sometimes it can take longer. You can find local practitioners by either contacting the Cranial Osteopathic Academy or the Upledger Institute International at http://www.upledger.com Look for people with pediatric training (or occupational or physical therapy as well). Many different professions can practice craniosacral therapy and do so for a multitude of difference reasons. You should certainly interview any perspective practitioners.

    Reply
  30. Diego says

    January 15, 2018 at 11:37 pm

    Hi. Thanks for sharing this information.
    I have a two-year-old son, and he has plagicephaly.
    I want to ask you if this treatment works for children of that age.
    I am Colombian and I live in Colombia, and it has been difficult for me to find specialists.
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • naptimetales says

      January 22, 2018 at 9:47 am

      I believe our doctor said our son’s head could be fixed up to two years but I also know he saw and did manipulation on adults! Not sure what type of manipulation but it may be worth trying to find someone and reaching out. Maybe your pediatrician or a local university would have a recommendation on a specialist in Colombia?

      Reply
  31. Shelby says

    February 17, 2018 at 11:35 pm

    I know this post is from a while ago but I was wondering how much does this cost? Does insurance cover this? My son is supposed to be getting a helmet and insurance covers it all and I was just wondering if this is something that wouldn’t be covered.

    Reply
  32. Bonnie says

    February 19, 2018 at 11:13 pm

    Great information, I had never heard of this type of therapy for plagiocephaly, but thought I could share how well a helmet worked for us. My middle son wore a helmet 6 years ago. I saw the one side preference and flat spot develop early. I had to push my pediatrician for a referral at 2 months as I knew it was getting worse even with lots of repositioning. He had severe torticollis likely from delivery and physical therapy only helped so much since his head naturally settled back to the flat spot. But he had a helmet by 4 months. They used a machine that was painless to take exact measurements of his head (no mold or casting) to order his helmet. I was diligent in having him wear it 23 hours a day. He was never phased by it, no pain or fussing and after 3 follow ups he was out of it in under 9 weeks with a gorgeous round head! The earlier the problem is addressed the easier and faster it can be to correct.

    Reply

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