What is Plagiocephaly / Flat Head Syndrome / STARband Treatment? ?

What Is Plagiocephaly? The Term Plagiocephaly is a blanket word for covering three different types of flattening on a child’s head. The three different types are: • Plagiocephaly. (Play-gee-o-kef-a-lee) • Brachycephaly. (Bray-key-kef-a-lee) • Scaphycephaly. (Scay-fee-kef-a-lee) All three terms describe the flattening on different areas of a child’s head. Brachycephaly and Plagiocephaly are the most common, however, it is not uncommon for a child to have both Plagiocephaly and Brachycephaly together. Plagiocephaly Plagiocephaly describes the flattening on one side on the child’s head. Brachycephaly Brachycephaly describes a flattening across the back of a child’s head. Scaphycephaly Scaphycephaly is the rarest of the three. It describes a flattening on both sides of a child’s head. What causes Plagiocephaly? The flattening occurs due to an external force exerted onto the child’s head for a prolonged period of time. Due to the soft, malleable, mobile characteristics a child’s skull has, the external force, when left in contact for a length of time can cause a flattening in the corresponding area. What are the External Factors which Influence Plagiocephaly? There are a number of external factors which can cause Plagiocephaly. These could be: • The position of the baby in the womb. • Restricted space in the mother’s womb. • Multi foetuses / Twins. • How long the baby was engaged for. • Extended time in a neonatal unit. • The child’s preferred sleeping position. • Torticollis (Tightness / contraction of the neck muscles (Sternocleidomastoid)). What is the Incidence of Plagiocephaly? Statistics show that in 1992 the incidence of Plagiocephaly was approximately 1 in 300, compared with 1999 where the incidence had increased to approximately 1 in 60 children. Therefore in the United Kingdom in 2009, there were 706,248 babies born, of which in line with the statistics, 11,770 babies had a form of deformational plagiocephaly. What is Torticollis? Torticollis is another factor which can predispose a child to a flattening on their head. It is characterised by tightness and shortening in sternocleidomastoid and other neck muscles. When one side of this muscle is shortened or contracted the child’s head will flex forward, tilt towards the affected shoulder and the child’s head will rotate towards the opposite shoulder. This limits normal range of movement therefore only allowing the child’s head to rest in one position, so any external force is concentrated in one area causing Plagiocephaly. It is estimated that approximately 85% of children diagnosed with Plagiocephaly have a form of Torticollis. What is STARband Treatment? The STAR cranial remoulding orthosis (band / helmet) redirects normal head growth to improve normal proportions and symmetry to your child’s head. The term STARband was derived from the helmets purpose; Symmetry Through Active Remoulding. The STARbands or STARband helmets are custom orthoses designed individually for each child to provide total contact over the prominent or bossed areas of the child’s head with voided areas correctly placed corresponding to the flattened areas. The total contact area discourages growth and the voided areas encourage and allow all growth. Therefore the STARband functions by directly channelling your child’s head growth into the flattened areas, creating symmetry and normal length. The STARbands are constantly altered and modified throughout treatment by your specialist at Vitality in Motion. The alterations correspond directly to your child’s head growth to continually maximise improvement within the shortest time. &#