baby

The important reason this family are all wearing bike helmets inside.

For most families, wearing head wear indoors goes against proper decorum.

But when Gary Gutierrez found out his four-month-old, Jonas would need to wear a head-shaping helmet, his whole family decided to get involved too.

In a heartwarming Twitter post, Gutierrez’s cousin gave the world an insight into what it’s like raising a baby with Flat Head Syndrome.

“My cousin’s baby wears a head-shaping helmet so he’s got the whole family wearing helmets now,” the tweet, which has been shared over 28,000 times reads.

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Highlighting the common condition many families experience with their newborns, Gutierrez’s creative solution inspired other parents to share photos of their helmet-clad babies.

Flat Head Syndrome, or positional plagiocephaly is a condition affecting one in 10 babies resulting in a flat or misshapen skull.

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Developing in babies because of external pressures on the soft, malleable baby skull, Flat Head Syndrome is more common now that babies sleep on their backs in accordance with SIDS guidelines.

While a review by The Conversation indicates about 10-25 per cent of children with Flat Head Syndrome had developmental delays, it also confirmed it’s likely most children would be fine in terms of their development.

There’s a few things you can do at home to prevent Flat Head Syndrome.

LISTEN: Bec Judd shares her experience with Flat Head Syndrome on the Hello Bump podcast (post continues after audio…)

Incorporating tummy time while playing in a supervised environment starting from birth can help strengthen neck muscles, and provide time off the back and sides of the head.

Altering the position of baby while awake (holding, or in a carrier) is also helpful.

If your baby has Flat Head Syndrome, it’s important to know that some children, such as premature babies, those delivered during a challenging birth, or who have torticollis (also known as wry or twisted neck) have a higher chance of developing the condition.

Above all else, Flat Head Syndrome is not something parents should feel guilty about. If you’re concerned, please seek help from your GP or paediatrician.

Has your child suffered from Flat Head Syndrome? What was your experience like?