A group of parents whose babies suffer from positional Plagiocephaly has initiated a signature collection campaign from the Plagiocephaly group. With this campaign they try to alleviate the deficiencies in the health field, the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of a type of condition that suffers 12% of infants in Spain.
The truth is that it is a serious problem, since if they are not operated on time, 40% of the cases would be affected by psychomotor delays, headache, strabismus and other physiological or mental alterations without mentioning the possible psychological sequelae caused by said pathology . In the upper left photo, you can see the deformation and on the right, the change 6 months after the treatment.
Positional plagiocephaly is caused by continued poor posture of the baby during his hours of rest and always when he is resting his head on the same side. In most cases, it is accompanied by congenital muscular torticollis of unknown origin, which is characterized by right or left occipital crushing, as well as causing facial asymmetry and misaligned ears.
Unfortunately, in Spanish society this pathology has increased considerably from the moment the “put you to sleep on your back” campaign appeared, which despite being beneficial, since it has considerably reduced cases of sudden death, has brought Other complications
Given the increasing number of parents of affected children, there is a great demand to resolve this situation, to improve the well-being of children and the tranquility of parents. What is incomprehensible is that, if this problem exists, there is no information campaign towards parents, doctors and society in general so that they know what are the possible consequences of the "put you to sleep on your back" campaign (which is not at all doubt the benefits it brings) and that measures must be taken to avoid these side effects. Undoubtedly, misinformation is a daily occurrence in our society and it only echoes a problem at the moment it jumps to the media.
Information to parents and knowing prevention is essential, a rapid diagnosis and an effective treatment will lead to an adequate development of the child. The treatment of positional plagiocephaly consists in the use of a dynamic band or orthopedic helmet that leaves spaces in the depressed parts of the skull so that, taking advantage of its expansive growth, these can develop and form properly.
As we said before, the lack of information means that there are currently children without treatment, but there is something important that we should all know, according to some pediatricians, this malformation corrects itself and with time. But this is not always the case, only if it is a mild case and accompanied by repositioning techniques during the first four months of life.
There are cases such as craniosynostosis (a malformation that is caused by the closure of one or several skull sutures), which through early diagnosis and proper surgery during the first weeks after the baby is born, would prevent a traumatic operation.
The parents of the affected children make a request addressed to the training of pediatricians, who are trained and properly trained, who act quickly to prevent greater evils, since time does not play precisely in their favor. The fact that many pediatricians are unaware of the prevention, diagnosis and effective treatment against positional and symptomatic plagiocephaly makes the number of children affected increase.
There are several reasons for the collection of signatures and it is important to participate to improve this situation, you just have to access the Plagiocephaly Collection of Signatures website, you will benefit all Spanish children who suffer from this malformation and their parents. If you want more information regarding this issue, nothing better than to access the Association of Parents of Children with Plagiocephaly and other cranial deformities, this association seeks family counseling for those parents who have this problem with their child and not Know where to go and also, to fight for all this to change.
The information provided in this entry has been provided by our friend Vanesa, mother of a child who was in treatment because of this malformation.
Photos courtesy of DOC band -Craniofacial Medical Center-Cranial Technologies Inc. of Spain.
