For the Summer Babies: What to Know About Head Flatness and Side Preferences
Welcome to your first Fall with your infant! At 2-4 months old, parents often start to notice a flatness on one side of their baby’s head or a preference for looking one direction over the other. These changes are very common in the first few months of life and we very often hear concerns about this from our parents.
Why Does This Happen?
Newborns spend a lot of time on their backs, while they sleep, while in a car seat, bouncing in their Bjorn, etc. Because your baby’s skull is soft, this can cause a flattening in areas that get the most pressure.
Additionally, some babies develop a “side preference”, meaning they prefer to rotate their head towards one direction or they tip their head laterally to one side. This may be due to positioning in the womb, birth history, or tightness in the neck muscles known as torticollis. Over time, these preferences can contribute to flat spots if your baby keeps resting on the same part of their head.
Notice here the lateral flexion of this baby’s neck. When babies move in and out of this position, this is completely normal. However, if your baby frequently rests in this position they are at risk for flat spots or torticollis.
What Parents Can Do?
The good news is that noticing this early and intervening can make a HUGE difference! Here are a few things you can do to help reduce flat spots and side preferences:
Tummy time, tummy time, tummy time! Even short sessions throughout the day help strengthen your baby’s neck, shoulders, and back, while relieving pressure from the flat spot.
Switch feeding and play positions. While feeding, offer bottles or breastfeed from both sides. During play, position toys on your baby’s less preferred side and try sidelying as an alternate position to tummy time and back play.
Seek support if you don’t notice improvements. If your baby continues to favor one side and their flatness persists, it may make rolling difficult for your little one as well as delay other milestones down the line. Babies who receive physical therapy early make improvements much faster than those who don’t receive physical therapy until later on. With gentle stretches, strengthening activities, and positioning strategies, we can support your baby’s head shape, motor skills, and overall development.
Final Thoughts
For summer babies, fall is often when these early head shape changes become noticeable. If you have any concerns, don’t wait - simple, proactive steps now can set your baby up for healthy growth and development. And remember, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Our pediatric physical therapy team is here to guide you and your little one every step of the way.