Neck Support Pillow Infant Head Positioner

Product Information

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. However, if you can adjust their head position without causing wakefulness, you can attempt repositioning. 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. This tightens and shortens one of the “strap muscles” that turn the head. These sternocleidomastoid muscles (SCMs) run from the collarbone to behind the ear.

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 .

Trending Topics

Pillows are not safe for babies. You should avoid using a pillow when laying your baby down for a rest, as it can increase the risk of sudden death during infancy. Experts recommend that parents wait to introduce their baby to a pillow until they're over two years old. At this age, the toddler is no longer sleeping in a crib, and they can fully move and flip over without help. For the most part, a baby with torticollis will eat, sleep and play like any other baby, except when it comes to activities that involve turning. You may see:

Further intervention will be needed for plagiocephaly if a baby’s ears are uneven, if one eye opens more than the other or if it causes vision problems. Does torticollis also affect older kids? But when it comes to your newborn, his message is clear: “If you have concerns, talk to your pediatrician sooner rather than later.” The tighter SCM pulls the fetus’s head to one side, tilting it — typically to the left, reflecting the position babies find most comfy in the uterus.

Reporting Problems to the FDA

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. 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. 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.

Babies can also develop the condition after birth. Then it’s called “acquired,” rather than congenital. Acquired torticollis may be linked to other, more serious medical issues. What Causes It? 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 CaregiversThe sternocleidomastoid muscle, connecting from the collar bone to the skull, plays a vital role in head movement. When this muscle is tight, babies may display a head tilt and difficulty turning to one side. Signs of torticollis can include a consistently tilted head or a preference for looking in one direction. Observing these signs in your baby's behavior or in photos can prompt further evaluation. If a parent or caregiver reports a problem with an infant head shaping pillow, advise them to discontinue its use and report it to the FDA and the manufacturer. Prompt reporting of problems can help the FDA identify and better understand the risks associated with medical devices. Be aware that, in most cases, flat head syndrome will go away on its own as an infant grows, it is not painful and it does not cause any developmental concerns.