https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 17 Apr 2026 05:49:51 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nine-month-old-baby-with-flat-head-helmet-or-no#post-2800227 Sat, 27 Jan 2018 15:27:06 +0000 caitcat 2800227@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsmacSLP, @mrsads: Thank you! I've heard it can be a long process with insurance. I'm very curious to find out if ours will cover the helmet. I think we're at the point now, where if they cover it (or partially cover it), we'll go ahead and get it. From her measurements at our evaluation and limited preliminary information I had from insurance, I think we'll get at least some help with it. I don't think I'll look back and say I wish I hadn't done the helmet. But I worry I might look back and wish I had given it a try. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nine-month-old-baby-with-flat-head-helmet-or-no#post-2800195 Sat, 27 Jan 2018 12:29:38 +0000 MrsADS 2800195@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsmacslp I totally agree and I am so glad we did it for my son. I knew there was a chance it might start looking better on its own as he got older, but there was also a good chance it wasn't going to change and I did not want him to get made fun of or have any issues in the future, and this was our only chance to treat it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nine-month-old-baby-with-flat-head-helmet-or-no#post-2800182 Sat, 27 Jan 2018 10:43:15 +0000 mrsmacSLP 2800182@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son is 9 months now and entering his second month of wearing the cranio helmet. His head was flat on one side (not back) and we had been pushing for a helmet since he was 3 months old. We started the process when he was 7 months, got it when he was 8 months. It’s such a long tedious process. But in our opinion, totally worth it. If it bothers you do it! Our insurance paid because his difference was sooo big (if the difference is greater than 6mm insurance covers, we were at 11mm).</p> <p>In the photo his helmet had moved, he’s a mover in his sleep!</p> <p>[attach=7419/18/p38103.450x600.7E33AE5A-C3C7-4F25-B62D-A60CC948AB8E.jpeg] </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nine-month-old-baby-with-flat-head-helmet-or-no#post-2800051 Fri, 26 Jan 2018 15:52:51 +0000 Mrsbells 2800051@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@caitcat: DS has a bit of a flat head, his is wider at the ears so I believe thats called something else. He had really thick curly hair so we didnt really notice it until we cut his hair after he was a year old. Its does seem that its changing with time so I'm glad we didnt do a helmet or anything </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nine-month-old-baby-with-flat-head-helmet-or-no#post-2800047 Fri, 26 Jan 2018 15:42:48 +0000 caitcat 2800047@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@turquoisemama: Thanks for including the photo! This looks a LOT like where we were around five months, so it gives me hope hearing how it's gone since. </p> <p>(Also, isn't it amazing what people will say about baby's heads?! We've had a handful of rude comments. I'm sorry you did too!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nine-month-old-baby-with-flat-head-helmet-or-no#post-2800041 Fri, 26 Jan 2018 15:35:47 +0000 caitcat 2800041@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsADS: Thanks! I'm glad to hear he adjusted pretty quickly, even with the heat. We live in the northeast, so for now it's chilly outside at least, but I do worry about her just feeling clammy. I was surprised how lightweight the helmets are though. I have a feeling if we go this route, I'll be more stressed about how my daughter handles it than she'll actually be phased! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nine-month-old-baby-with-flat-head-helmet-or-no#post-2799990 Fri, 26 Jan 2018 14:08:17 +0000 turquoisemama 2799990@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was given the same advice from our pediatrician until at her 9 month appointment we saw someone else who referred us to the physical therapist. The physical therapist (who was getting her PhD in this condition) said most doctors really don’t know much about it and that she really just needed tummy time boot camp. She hadn’t crawled yet. She told me that the muscles on the sides of the neck are what shape the head and pull the bones into the right places. Think about the muscles you use when you turn your neck and look backwards and a little bit up. Anyway she advised us to do tummy time a lot more and try to encourage her to look behind her while she’s in the floor. We did this by standing behind her and calling her name or jingling toys. Soon after we started this, she began crawling. She is now three and while I notice a tiny bit of flatness only because I wash her hair and brush her, etc , it’s not noticeable at all with a full head of hair. It rounded out a lot over time. I’m glad we didn’t do the helmet. Here’s a picture around 5 months. It was clearly flat and people would even comment on it. So rude. </p> [attach=4716/18/p36g64.415x600.867FE139-5D7C-4D72-B1D9-CBAC5C667B4B.jpeg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nine-month-old-baby-with-flat-head-helmet-or-no#post-2799931 Fri, 26 Jan 2018 11:27:07 +0000 krispi 2799931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had my daughter evaluated for a helmet around 8 months old, I think. She developed plagiocephaly pretty early on due to torticollis in her neck and keeping her head turned to one side. We did physical therapy to help with her neck, but the flat spot was already there, on the back right side of her head.</p> <p>When we had her evaluated, they said her case was borderline (even though I thought it was pretty obvious to an untrained eye). They weren't sure it was severe enough for our insurance to cover it. The technician said that she wouldn't personally pursue a helmet in our case but that if we did want to, she could understand it. My husband felt pretty strongly about not moving forward with the helmet, and I was more on the fence about it. Ultimately we decided not not to.</p> <p>My daughter is now almost 2.5. Her head still isn't perfectly round in the back. However, I'm probably the only person who notices, and sometimes I do worry/feel guilty that we didn't fix her issue soon enough to give her a more rounded head. Now that her hair has grown in, it's really only noticable in the bath when I rinse her hair or slightly noticable when I put her hair in pigtails because it's harder to get them even. I don't think anyone but me pays much attention though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nine-month-old-baby-with-flat-head-helmet-or-no#post-2799881 Fri, 26 Jan 2018 10:22:22 +0000 raspberries 2799881@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We were in a similar boat with DS2 - when we went in for an ear infection when he was ~8 months, the pediatrician mentioned it and asked if we wanted a referral to a specialist for an evaluation (but she also cautioned us that helmets are most effective when used earlier.) I did some research and we ultimately opted not to do it - the research said it was most effective if used by 4 months, plus it was just a slight flattening, and like yours, not visible from the back but only from above. Plus, our son was already mobile and stomach sleeping by the time the pediatrician noticed it, so the only time his head was pressed flat was when he was in his car seat (~15 minutes/day.) He's 11 months now, and it's pretty much undetectable now that his hair has grown in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nine-month-old-baby-with-flat-head-helmet-or-no#post-2799858 Fri, 26 Jan 2018 09:03:06 +0000 MrsADS 2799858@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We got one for my son when he was about that age (8/9 months). Our insurance did not cover it - it was about $2500 out of pocket. I am really glad we did it. My only regret is we didn't do it sooner because I can still *kind of* see the remaining issues w/his head, but he's 2.5 now with a ton of hair and you would NEVER know now. But I think without the helmet, it would still have been very noticeable now even with hair.</p> <p>What pushed us into doing it was that you have such a small window to correct it - once they get too old, that's it. I figured it was worth it, so I would definitely vote in favor of it. We could really tell a difference.</p> <p>It WAS kind of a hassle to deal with, but not unmanageable. The worst was when he first got it, it made his head SO SWEATY. I felt horrible :crying: We live in Florida and he got it in May, so it was hot. We just kept him inside with the AC blasting and the first week or two, would take it off frequently to dry off his head, cool off his head, dry off the helmet, and put it back on. The company told us his body would adjust and he totally did - he stopped sweating like that fairly quickly. I think he wore his for about 2 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nine-month-old-baby-with-flat-head-helmet-or-no#post-2799849 Fri, 26 Jan 2018 07:13:39 +0000 caitcat 2799849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi! I've followed these boards for the last couple years and have seen so much helpful advice from you ladies. I'm curious if anyone here has been in a similar position, and if so, what you did? </p> <p>Our nine month old daughter has developed a relatively flat head (brachycephaly). We started noticing it when she was about four months old, and our pediatrician encouraged us to wait and see how it rounded out as she grew and spent more time upright. We had similar advice at her six month checkup.</p> <p>At her nine month visit last week though, her doctor encouraged us to take her for an evaluation for a cranial helmet since she didn't feel like her head was rounding out as much as she'd expect on its own. From a profile view, her head has rounded better - it's really more from a top-down view that it looks wider/flatter than is "normal" in the back. </p> <p>We went for the evaluation for the helmet yesterday and (as I expected), they recommended we get one. The therapist did acknowledge that we were on the "older" end of when helmets are as effective for babies, but still felt like it would be worthwhile. My husband and I are on the fence about it. I'm not sure yet if insurance would cover the helmet. I'm waiting to hear back about that early next week.</p> <p>If you started treatment for flat head with an "older" baby, was it effective? Do you feel like it was worth it? How did your child handle it? If you were in a similar boat and decided not to the helmet route, how has that played out? </p>