Positional Plagiocephaly

Ryan's Trip to University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital

We kept this news quiet because both of us (Mom and Dad) were a little 'worked up' and we didn't want to spread 'the unknown' fear to friends/family.

6-Month Checkup

Notice the bump in the back? Surprisingly that's normal.

At Ryan's 6-month checkup, Mom alerted the pediatrician to a bump on the back of Ryan's head and also that his ears appeared asymmetrical (not lining up correctly with each other). Our pediatrician agreed that it didn't look 'normal' and we needed to consult with a specialty doctor for a second opinion.

Our pediatrician referred us to a neurosurgeon at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital in Minneapolis. Good Grief! When you hear who we have to see and where, the first thing that comes to mind is the severity of the issue and of course, worst case scenarios. And what's the first thing we did when we got home - Google Search!

So, for the next few weeks, Mom and Dad have been scouring the web looking at what an 'abnormal head' means and what are the effects. That was not a good idea and I would suggest not looking into this.

Appointment Day
Mom was super nervous. Dad played it cool - duh! We drove up to Minneapolis two days after a foot of snow. Even at 9am, traffic was at a standstill because the roads were still covered in ice/snow. As a result, we arrived a little late. No worries though, our appointment was still available.

We met with the neurosurgeon and his assistant and they determined that the area we should be concerned with is not the bump but the flat spot. He diagnosed Ryan's condition as Positional Plagiocephaly - flat head syndrome.

What is Flat Head Syndrome?
Here is the definition... Positional Plagiocephaly refers to an asymmetrical shape of the head caused by repeated pressure to one side of the back of the head. When looked at from above, the head shape has a parallelogram appearance. This shape is characterized by flattening on one side of the back of the head, and a noticeably rounder shape on the other side.

When looked at from above the baby’s head, one ear may look more forward than the other. The forehead on the same side as the flattened area may bulge more than the other side. Asymmetry of facial features may also be noted such as cheekbone prominence, eye orbit shape and/or jaw dysmorphology.

Note: I have been saying for a long time that Ryan constantly turns his head and sleeps to the right. And wouldn't you know it - that's the flat side.

What's Next
It was reassuring to know that the doc quickly identified Ryan's condition. I was afraid that they would have had to do a bunch of tests and possibly a CT scan. Luckily, none of those happened because he said that putting a child under or exposure to scans or wearing a helmet is a last resort thing.

Even though he didn't do any of these extensive tests, that doesn't mean we are completely out of the woods. Yes, the news received was GOOD but we do have to monitor his head the next one to two months to make sure it doesn't worsen or doesn't improve.

My advice to everyone is not to worry. We're confident that everything will be fine as long as Ryan sits up more which will strengthen neck muscles and also keeps pressure off that flat spot.