PARENTING: 5 New Guidelines for Preventing Flat-Head Syndrome

Parents Magazine shared this article today that could be helpful for new parents... Get the scoop on 5 tips for preventing flat-head syndrome from the journal Pediatrics and Parents News Now ---

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A new report published this week in the journal Pediatrics contains new recommendations for pediatricians and parents on how to prevent and correct head flattening in babies.


Here are the tips --

  • - Increase “tummy” time, which is supervised time during the day when baby lies on its stomach.  A baby should spend at least 30 to 60 minutes a day on it’s belly, something that can be done immediately after birth.  This will help develop neck and shoulder muscles, says [the report's lead author, Dr. James] Laughlin. It has also been shown to “enhance motor developmental scores,” according to this new report.
  • -  The NIH recommends changing the direction your baby lies in the crib each week.  They say this change will encourage the baby to turn his or her head in different directions to avoid resting in the same position all the time.
  • - Some babies prefer to hold their head to one side. Laughlin suggests laying them down in a different way when they’re awake, so they have something interesting to look at on the opposite side. If you have them in a car seat or sitting in something else, you can also change the position to make the baby look in the opposite direction.
  • - Parents may find their babies sleep well sitting in a car seat, but this is another way they can develop an asymmetrical shape, especially in the first 6 months of life.  So experts suggest babies shouldn’t spend a prolonged period of time in a car seat (unless they are in a car of course) or bouncy seat.
  • - Cuddle!  The NIH says “getting cuddle time with the baby by holding him or her upright over one shoulder often during the day,” is another way to prevent flat spots.

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