What are Baby Helmets?
Helmets (cranial orthoses) are used to reshape infant skulls by applying a gentle force to direct normal skull growth into the flattened areas. They are typically worn 23 hours a day for 2-6 months. Some babies wear more than one helmet and this varies greatly by the specific product you choose and severity of initial head shape. They are very well tolerated by the baby.
Two Ways to Treat Plagiocephaly
Therapy
1-2 months treatment
home/clinic-based
can start immediately
skilled therapists
more economical than helmet
conservative approach addresses whole baby and development
Helmet
3-6 months treatment
clinic-based
not readily available
helmet worn 23 hours a day
doesn't address neck or development
costly
Baby Begin has been successful at keeping 90% of our patients out of helmets if they start treatment before 4 months of age.
If you have tried everything and your baby is over 5 months of age, the best way to improve the headshape is with a helmet.
We Cannot Stress This Enough - You Should Not Feel Guilty If Your Baby Needs A Helmet.
Does My Baby Need a Helmet?
There are many factors that cause plagiocephaly and a very small window of opportunity to change it, so treating it conservatively is not always an option. There should be no shame in making your baby’s headshape look as normal as it can be. We support you 100%! To help you with this decision, we offer personalized head shape consultations to provide an unbiased opinion for next steps in your baby’s head shape journey.