Neck Support Pillow Infant Head Positioner

Product Information

Place toys so that your baby is forced to look both ways. Those with sounds and lights are really good at drawing their attention. If your doctor used forceps or a vacuum device during delivery, those also might have put pressure on your baby’s SCM. Symptoms Preemies are at greater risk of plagiocephaly because their skull bones are even less developed, and they are often tied in one position to a ventilator.

There can be a number of reasons why adults get Torticollis, but the cause in babies is it not always very clear. Most paediatric experts believe it is due to the position the baby has been lying within the uterus, or due to the birth process itself. Improve awareness and understanding among your colleagues and care communities regarding a safe sleep environment for infants, and etiologies and associated management options for flat head syndrome.

There are theories as to the exact cause of torticollis after birth. It may be caused by the infant spending too much time with its head turned in a particular direction. There are theories that plagiocephaly can cause this as well. The development of the baby in the early months of its life are crucial. Torticollis can impact a baby’s vision, ability to eat properly, and motor skills both fine and gross. Example of distortion of development include decrease in head control, restricted reaching on the affected side, delayed sitting and walking, crawling imbalance, and other problems. Recently, the FDA became aware of companies marketing infant head shaping pillows with claims for the prevention and treatment of flat head syndrome without FDA clearance or approval. The FDA has communicated our concerns about these promotional materials to these companies and will continue to monitor promotional materials and claims for these medical devices.

If you experience adverse events associated with using an infant head shaping pillow, we encourage you to file a voluntary report through MedWatch, the FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting program. Health care personnel employed by facilities that are subject to FDA's user facility reporting requirements should follow the reporting procedures established by their facilities. If an infant in your care experiences an injury or adverse event when using a head shaping pillow, we encourage you to report it to the FDA and the manufacturer. Your report, along with information from other sources, can help the FDA identify and better understand the risks associated with medical devices. Siblings help when they play with the baby on the floor, encouraging the baby to follow them with his head in the restricted direction.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that parents and caregivers do not use infant head shaping pillows intended to change an infant’s head shape or symmetry or claim to prevent or treat any medical condition. The FDA is not aware of any demonstrated benefit with the use of infant head shaping pillows for any medical purpose. The use of head shaping pillows can create an unsafe sleep environment for infants and may contribute to the risk of suffocation and death. If kids still don’t respond to treatment, pediatricians refer them to the eye doctor for a visual exam. Some babies may tilt their heads to see better because their eyes are crossed, a condition called strabismus . When your baby has torticollis, this ropy muscle is shortened on one side. Why does the muscle become shortened? Your baby might have been cramped in the womb or may have been in an abnormal position, such as a breech position. That can put extra pressure on one side of your infant’s head, which can cause the SCM to tighten. Have some tummy time. Allow your baby to spend some time lying on their stomach while awake. Sing or talk to your baby, or hold up fun toys to catch their attention and encourage head movement. Infant head shaping pillows are not FDA-approved. The safety and effectiveness of these products have not been established for the prevention or treatment of flat head syndrome (also known as positional plagiocephaly or deformational plagiocephaly), or the more serious condition where the developing infant’s skull bones join together too early (known as craniosynostosis). Recommendations for Parents and Caregivers