Plagiocephaly Pillow: Does It Really Work or Is It Dangerous?
If you are expecting a baby or have just become a mother or father, you will surely have seen at least one advertisement for some type of plagiocephaly pillow .
It has been presented to you as the solution to the problem, but is it really so?
In this article I will explain why the plagiocephaly pillow is not useful to prevent it or even to solve it, on the contrary.
Pillows for positional plagiocephaly and flat head in newborns can be harmful and counterproductive .
Every month I treat hundreds of newborns to successfully cure infant colic (read more than 260 verified reviews on Google by typing Matteo Silva Osteopath ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐).
In this article I will explain the real causes of colic in bottle-fed babies and how to treat them.
Before starting, I'll leave you some useful information:
- If you would like to schedule a studio visit with me, you can find me here.
- You can also find me on Instagram with the profile @drsilva.com_official
- In the video courses section you will find how to prevent or treat flat head and positional plagiocephaly in newborns.
Plagiocephaly Pillow: Introduction
I often receive messages from mothers asking me questions about the plagiocephaly pillow. The questions are of two types:
- Does it prevent flat head?
- Does it solve flat head?
My answer is no in both cases, but to understand why I first want to explain what plagiocephaly is and its causes.
What is plagiocephaly?
Positional plagiocephaly refers to the alteration of the shape of the newborn's skull due to incorrect positioning. Together with brachycephaly, it represents one of the most common forms of flat head .
What does it look like?
It is characterized by a unilateral flattening of the child's skull and occurs when the child always holds his head on the same side.
In the first months of life, the newborn's head is very malleable thanks to the fontanelles ; therefore, constant pressure can lead to a change in its shape.
Statistics: How many newborns develop it?
Flat head is a problem that occurs in 48% of newborns in the first 4 months of life. However, it could be prevented if parents were informed of all the correct postural recommendations to implement.
Causes of Plagiocephaly: Can a Plagiocephaly Pillow Be the Solution?
As we have seen, it is possible to prevent plagiocephaly .
But if it has already developed, what were the causes ?
There are two main reasons why flat head develops in newborns:
- Postural errors carried out unintentionally by parents : these represent all the daily practices that cause limitations in the child's neck movements. For example, prolonged use of the bouncer or the baby seat.
- Postural errors implemented by the newborn : indicates an incorrect postural attitude often determined by muscular tensions, such as myogenic torticollis . In fact, because of these the child always keeps his head turned to the same side, developing plagiocephaly.
So, now that you know the causes, do you think a pillow could be a solution?
If the baby assumes an incorrect position, he will also do so on the plagiocephaly pillow; therefore, the flat head will develop anyway.
But I'll tell you more: not only does it not solve this problem, but it can also cause it ! I'll explain it better in the next chapters.