How is an uneven head shape treated?

Rarely, a baby's head shape becomes uneven when the bony plates in the baby's head join too early, called craniosynostosis. To give the brain enough space to grow and develop, surgery may be needed to separate the fused bones. For mild craniosynostosis, a helmet might be used to change the shape of the head.

Usually, though, a baby's uneven head shape is caused by how the baby is positioned. To treat this condition, your baby's healthcare professional may suggest to you how to position the baby when laying the baby in the crib.

• Continue to place your baby on the back to sleep but switch the direction your baby's head faces in the crib.
• Hold your baby upright to help relieve pressure on your baby's head from swings, carriers and infant seats.
• Switch the arm you use to hold the baby and switch arms when you feed the baby.
• With close supervision, slowly increase the amount of time your baby spends on the tummy when the baby is awake.

Your baby's healthcare professional also may suggest physical therapy to treat head unevenness. This may be linked to a condition called torticollis, in which the neck muscles are tight. Torticollis often shows up as your baby having a preferred side to turn the head.

Physical therapy involves exercises to help change a baby's preferred head position and strengthen the neck and head muscles.