At Lucie’s 2-month pediatrician check up, her doctor pointed out that the back right side of her head is flat. She assured us that Lucie was developing just fine though, and that the flat spot is purely cosmetic. For the next 2 months, we tried a multitude of things to balance out the flat part of her head:

• We turned her head to the other side whenever she was sleeping, but she always managed to revert back.
• We put Lucie on her tummy during the day, however she cried every time.
• We’d also purposefully talk to her from the left side so she would turn her head to the other side to look at us.

Despite our efforts, Dr. Beth said Lucie’s flat spot was even more pronounced at the 4-month visit! Instead of a round head, the back right side of Lucie’s head looked slanted.  If I looked closely, I could also see the right side of her forehead protruding out a little more than the left side.  We consulted with a specialist about how to correct her moderate case of flat head, and they recommended a helmet molding therapy for babies. Lucie would need to wear the custom-molded helmet to help reform her head into a rounded, symmetrical shape.

Considerations to think through

After the consultation, I vacillated back-and-forth between getting Lucie a helmet or not.  For those who are finding themselves in this position, here are the factors we considered as we thought through our decision.

• Effectiveness: Medical professionals have mixed reviews on effectiveness of helmets. Some support it while others argue that helmets do little to shape infant skulls. So at best, Lucie’s skull could potentially re-form back into a round shape! 
• Severity of flatness: Lucie is considered a moderate case of flatness; so for her, it is completely optional and cosmetic. She is healthy and not at risk for developmental impacts. If she had a severe case, potential development concerns would have been our primary concern.
• Age: Lucie is at an age where the helmet would be most effective.  The longer we wait, the less effective helmet therapy will be.
• Wear time: Doctors generally recommend babies to wear helmets for 23 hours on and 1 hour off, which could be irritating for them. The helmets are not much more than plastic and some foam, so it’s not particularly luxurious for babies. Lucie would have to wear the helmet around the clock minus bath time, which could get in the way of caring for her.
  • Note: Total helmet wearing duration would depend on each child’s progress, so there’s no way to gauge exactly how long she would need to wear the helmet.
• Long term resolution: Small flat spots are normal. In most cases, the baby’s head shape will resolve on its own.
  • Note: At 4 months old, Lucie just rolled over and started sleeping on her tummy. There would be less pressure off of the back of her head which would help the natural resolution process.
• Cost: Helmet therapy isn’t cheap! Cost of a helmet is approximately $800 with health insurance, but in some cases could be more expensive.

Our decision

My husband felt strongly against the helmet treatment, believing Lucie’s flat spots would self-correct as she gets older. He was also concerned about the helmet potentially harming Lucie’s head development, and the discomfort she may endure.  I shared all of his concerns, but I was also afraid what would happen if we made the wrong decision by not getting her the helmet treatment.  What if the flat spot did not self-correct?  Would she be upset at us for not fixing it when she was a baby?  And, even though Dr. Beth had reassured us multiple times that Lucie’s flat head was purely cosmetic and she is on target with all of her developmental milestones, there was a tiny part of me that questioned it.  Could this develop into some sort of a learning disability? 

Ultimately, we decided to not pursue helmet therapy for Lucie, believing and hoping her flat side will improve on its own. As parents, we regularly make decisions that impact our kids for the rest of their lives; whether it be for a round head or virtually anything else. Often, we’re asked to make these decisions without all the information needed, and the consequences of our choices can last for a long time.  One reason why moms are so exhausted is because of the physical demands of taking care of young children, but I think the mental and emotional demands can be just as taxing.  Parenting, especially motherhood, can be challenging on so many fronts.  On most days, I am happy with our decision, but there are some days where the doubts creep into my mind, however irrational they may be.  When that happens, I have to remind myself of all the reasons why I made my choice, and just hope for the best.