So what do you do about a flat head, anyway?

So my daughter has a flat spot on her head. A spot, that's fairly noticeable, despite family and friends reassuring me that its "nothing!" "it will get better!" "you worry too much!". Well it is true that I worry too much (what new mother doesn't!), but it doesn't change the flatness on the back of her head. Like most babies these days, she's been put to sleep on her back. Great to reduce SIDS risk, not so great for head shapes apparently! Because Ella was born with torticollis (a shortening of the muscles one side of her neck), it caused her to sleep with her head to the right at all times. Much like Zoolander, she could only turn in one direction! Eventually that position caused the right side of her head to be flat. She has been in physiotherapy since she was 2 months old to fix the range of motion of her neck and I've been working with her daily as well. Ironic that a baby with torticollis was born to a physio? Ha! Her neck is getting a lot better, but unfortunately the damage had been done. Short of her wearing sassy hats, bows, and hairbands, there is nothing you can do to fix this flatness past six months short of getting her a helmet.

The decision to go for a helmet is not one to be taken lightly. Our journey started at Ella's two month well baby checkup. At this appointment, I brought it up to my family doctor that Ella never turned her head left, and that she was developing a flat spot on the back of her head. He diagnosed her with torticollis (which I already knew, despite my husband telling me that I was subscribing to "fretful mother's magazine") and referred us to a paediatrician along with a referral for physiotherapy. This being outside my realm of comfort, seeking a paediatric physio was the best course of action. I kept thinking that her flat spot would get better, it would be nothing to worry about, and she wouldn't need a helmet because she would be fine! The paediatrician didn't mince words. I believe her exact words were "Your daughter has a significant flat spot and facial deformity. You can do what you want, and you certainly don't have to go the helmet route. It really depends how much deformity you are comfortable with."

Wow.

Who could say that to this beautiful face?

Talk about a slap in the face! Who tells a new mother that their daughter has a visible facial deformity, even if its true? I left the appointment extremely upset, and with a referral to Sick Kid's Hospital Plagiocephaly Clinic.

It took a few months to get an appointment for this clinic. By that time, Ella was six months old, and I had hoped that because her flat spot had improved somewhat (no longer did she have a facial 'deformity'!), the clinic would say "Hey! Its gotten better. Just give it a few more months and she'll be fine." The orthotist walked in the room, took one look at Ella and said "So you're here about a helmet I see!" Ha! He described the flatness as moderate, and basically told us what the paediatrician had told us, in a lot nicer way. Her head was flat. It was going to stay flat. Its a cosmetic problem so we can either leave it as is, or fix it with a helmet.

After much deliberation we went the helmet route. We received the helmet two days ago.

And this is our story.