Why Are Helmets More Common Lately?
Have you heard about more babies needing cranial remolding helmets? Or maybe have seen more when you’re out and about? We are often asked, “why are helmets more common these days?”
There are a few factors that are contributing to the overall increase in cranial remolding treatments and, like just about anything else in the world, awareness of head shape is becoming much more heightened than it used to be. Here are some of the reasons why we are seeing more helmet-hunnies and helmet-hunks out there:
Head Shape Awareness
Have you had a friend or family member post a picture of their adorably helmeted baby or grandbaby on social media? Or maybe it’s a photo of a friend-of-a-friend’s kids’ birthday party and there happens to be a baby who has a helmet in the picture. Yeah, me too. Because of social media, it is just simply more common to see babies with cranial remolding helmets floating around social media. This awareness is helpful in making cranial helmets more normalized. While no one wants their child to have to undergo this treatment, feeling like you are not alone can ease feelings of fear or shame.
Seeing a baby with a helmet may cause parents to assess their own child’s head shape more attentively than they had in the past. This can lead to directed conversations with practitioners and a possible recommendation for an evaluation.
Further, there are more articles about head shape and plagiocephaly prevention available online and entire social media pages or accounts dedicated to specific families’ cranial remolding journey. This is all a great way to, 1) normalize the need for helmets, and 2) share stories and experiences to lessen the fear of this treatment.
Related: How to Assess My Baby’s Head Shape at Home
Back to Sleep Movement
Since the Back to Sleep campaign, which started in the mid ‘90s, we started seeing more cranial asymmetries, specifically brachycephaly. Brachycephaly is a head shape characterized by overall flattening and widening across the back of the head. Babies with this head shape demonstrate increased sloping from the forehead to the crown of the head and bulging above the ears. When babies spend their sleep time (which is a lot in those early days) on their backs and, subsequently, the back of their heads, the skull’s pliability allows for that flattening and widening to result in a brachycephalic look.
Related: Head Shape 101: Shapes and Lingo
Busy Lives & Lots of “Container” Options
The reality of our time is that families are busy. And advancements in technology and manufacturing have allowed parents to adapt to living productive, efficient lives by offering various “containers” for babies to be safe, comfortable, and present as they do all they need to do in a day; especially parents with older children who have activities outside of the home. An infant may be transported from the bassinet, bouncer, car seat, stroller, swing, and back to the bassinet all in a matter of a few hours. With each container comes more time spent on the back of their heads.
If a baby has difficulty turning their head due to torticollis (tightness in one side of the neck muscles) or general weakness in head or neck control, considerable amounts of pressure are then put on one side of the skull, which can result in a flat spot. One of our first suggestions is to prioritize variable positions throughout the day, including baby-wearing and plenty of tummy time.
More Twins, Triplets & Beyond
The incredible advancements in reproductive science are increasing instances of multiples. A risk factor for cranial deformities is a womb shared between two or more occupants. This is because there is a higher chance of non-optimal fetal positioning that can influence head shape. These babies also have a higher chance of spending time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), which often results in them being on their backs with medical tubing securing them in a certain position. Their developing, but still highly pliable, skulls conform to the surface they lay on for most of their time as they get strong enough to join their family at home.
Additionally, premies (which many multiples are) have an increased chance of needing a helmet due to their skull bone and neck muscles having not fully developed or strengthened prior to delivery. With multiple births being more common, we are seeing more premies in the clinic for cranial treatment.
Related: Which Babies are More Likely to Need a Cranial Remolding Helmet and Why?
My Baby Might Have A Flat Spot… Now What?
If you have any concerns about the shape of your baby’s head, please reach out. We offer free consultations, which include a 3D scan of your baby’s head that will give us objective data that, along with a few other factors, can help us determine if a cranial remolding helmet would be an appropriate treatment for your family. You can set up a consultation here: Baby Bear Cranial Clinic Scheduling.