A photo of a baby’s flattened head is going viral, after the poster issued a warning to parents about the impact of leaving babies laying on their backs too often.
“Reminder that if you leave your baby supine too often their skull will flatten out. Tummy time is important,” said Twitter user @Tocharus in the tweet, which has been viewed over 31 million times.
They shared a photo of a baby’s head, which was flattened at the back, next to a photo of the same baby whose head had reverted to a more rounded shape.
So is there any truth to this?
Yes, babies heads can become flattened at the back if they’ve spent a lot of time lying on their back.
This usually tends to happen when they’re a few months old, according to the NHS, and is pretty common, impacting around one in five babies.
There are two types of flat head syndrome: brachycephaly, where the back of the head becomes flattened which causes the head to widen; and plagiocephaly, where the head is flattened on one side which causes it to look asymmetrical.
The NHS says that in most cases it’s not a major cause for concern, as it doesn’t have any effect on the brain and the head shape will often improve by itself over time.
But obviously some parents will be concerned, so what do you need to know?
Why does the head flatten?
Well, babies have very soft skulls that are made up of plates of bone – these join together and strengthen over time as the baby gets older.
It goes without saying then that if there’s constant pressure on a particular part of their head, the soft skull will change shape.
It’s worth noting that head shape changes can also occur as a result of problems in the womb, being born prematurely, and neck muscle tightness which means a baby might only be able to sleep in a certain way.
What can you do about it?
If you’re concerned about the shape of your baby’s head, it’s always best to speak to your GP or health visitor about it – especially so they can investigate any possible neck issues.
In some cases, a physical therapist or even an osteopath can help determine if there are other reasons within the body that might be causing your child to sleep or spend more time laying in a specific position or side of their head.
It’s important that babies sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), so the best way to help reduce the risk of your baby getting a flattened head is to encourage tummy time – with you watching them, of course – when they’re awake.
This can start from a couple of days after your baby is born – experts recommend doing two or three short tummy time sessions each day and then gradually building up to more sessions.
Some paediatricians recommend that by about two months of age, babies should be doing 15 to 30 minutes of total tummy time per day. Although let’s face it, some babies absolutely hate it so if you don’t manage that, you’re certainly not alone.
Other ways to help reduce the chances of your baby’s head flattening include: switching them between a sloping chair, sling and flat surface throughout the day; changing the position of toys and mobiles in their cot, alternating the side you hold and feed your baby, and reducing the time your baby spends lying on a firm flat surface, such as car seats and prams.
Some parents buy special helmets for their child’s head to improve the shape, however the NHS warns that there is not clear evidence to suggest they work.
But one study of 4,205 infants treated with a helmet from 2013-2017 found there was an 81.4% improvement towards normal in the cephalic index (aka the the percentage of breadth to length in the skull) of the infants treated.
So the jury’s out on that one.