Many parents choose to use a cranial remolding helmet to help correct their baby’s plagiocephaly or flat spot. The theory behind its use is that as the baby’s head is growing, the helmet can help mold the baby’s skull into a more normal shape.
I question this approach because the helmet can possibly create more fascial strain in the head and restrict the brain cycle. I also want to know if the provider is checking the brain cycle as the baby is going through helmet therapy. If so, the combined therapy/helmet approach may possibly be beneficial.
If not, the baby may possibly now have more fascial strain in its body. S(he) may have a better-shaped head upon completion, but may possibly be more likely to have future health concerns.
The helmet may seem to be a reasonable option for parents, but no one is asking why the head is distorted to begin with and what the best way is to naturally correct the problem. We believe from our infant research that sustained compressive fetal trauma can create a twisted body and distorted head. We feel the best way to correct the head shape is to revisit that full-body trauma over a series of therapy visits. Most babies will experience significant correction.
I am not concerned if the shape is not perfectly symmetrical upon completion. I discovered over the decades that it was far better to have a toddler with a slightly unnoticeable distorted skull and a brain cycle over 200 seconds than a toddler with a perfectly shaped head and a zero-second brain cycle.
The parents may say the head was normally shaped at birth, but the flat spot started when the baby was lying in the same position for months. My contention is that the baby was probably predisposed to an unseen fully-body fascial twist. The infant was unable to have free range of neck and body movement, thus favoring that specific position.
We rarely saw a lopsided head in a healthy and happy infant. Usually the twisted full-body fascial web also caused torticollis, reflux, gas, indigestion, constipation, colic, and other neglected issues. With their focus just on the cranium, medical practitioners rarely connect all of these dots. That needs to change.
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