It is not at all uncommon for an infant to have a misshaped head. This is especially true in the case of infants that are born vaginally. Often, when passing through the birth canal, the plates of the baby’s skull will actually shift, causing the head to be misshaped, in order to fit through the birth canal. This is the same reason that many babies that are born vaginally also will have something of a crushed nose. Within a few days after birth, an infant with a cone-shaped head or a smooshed nose due to a vaginal birth will find that their features will snap back into place.

There are other possible causes of an infant’s misshaped head. In some cases, if a baby sleeps consistently on the same spot, it will again cause the plates in the infant’s skull to shift, causing the misshaped head. This typically only occurs for babies that wind up sleeping on their sides or on their backs. The best way to correct your infant’s misshaped head if it is caused by sleeping position is to make sure that you are placing your infant on his or her back when you put him or her to bed. This is considered the safest sleeping position, and in addition to correcting your infant’s misshaped head, will reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

Another possible cause of an infant’s misshaped head is craniosynostosis. Craniosynostosis is a condition in which one or more of the spaces between the plates in an infant’s head closes too soon. Typically, when this happens, the infants head will become misshaped. Often, the infant’s head will become long and narrow, or it may become very flat and also broad on one side, in the back, or in the front. Craniosynostosis is a serious condition that can cause a great number of problems, including blindness, brain damage, developmental delays, facial defects, and seizures. The only way to correct your infant’s misshaped head if he or she has craniosynostosis is through surgery.

If your infant’s head is misshaped, and simply switching sleep position does not seem to correct it, you should speak with your health care provider. Your health care provider can help to diagnose and to figure out how to correct your infant’s misshaped head.

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