© 2002 BMJ Publishing Group & Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
CONTROVERSY
Orthotics
Plagiocephaly and head binding
1 Neonatal SpR, Southmead Hospital, Bristol BS10 5NB, UK
Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr S J Bridges, Neonatal SpR, Southmead Hospital, Bristol BS10 5NB, UK;
sarahbridges@hotmail.com
Orthotic devices do not improve plagiocephaly
Keywords: plagiocephaly; orthosis; physiotherapy; positioning; orthotics
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
The practice of head deformation by pressure to an infant's skull dates back to 2000 BC when the Ancient Egyptians used head binding to produce a cosmetically pleasing and fashionable skull shape.1 With an increasing incidence of plagiocephaly (asymmetric skull) this practice, with a modern slant, is re-emerging. A simple web search resulted in five "paediatric offices" offering such a service. If an Ancient Egyptian walked into clinic today with their child's head bound between two planks of wood, we would be informing social services. Should we, as paediatricians, be advocating modern orthotic devices for plagiocephaly or condemning them?
Plagiocephaly can be subdivided into synostotic, where one or more sutures are fused, and nonsynostotic, or deformational, plagiocephaly. Surgical treatment of the synostotic variety is undisputed as the deformity is likely to progress and there is a significant risk of raised intracranial pressure. However the treatment of deformational plagiocephaly is
2 Oxford Craniofacial Unit, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford OX2 6HE, UK
CiteULike 
Complore 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
-
Gill, D., Walsh, J.
(2008). PLAGIOCEPHALY, BRACHYCEPHALY AND CRANIAL ORTHOTIC DEVICES: MISSHAPEN HEADS AND HELMETS. Arch. Dis. Child.
93: 805-807
[Full Text] -
van Vlimmeren, L. A., van der Graaf, Y., Boere-Boonekamp, M. M., L'Hoir, M. P., Helders, P. J. M., Engelbert, R. H. H.
(2008). Effect of Pediatric Physical Therapy on Deformational Plagiocephaly in Children With Positional Preference: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med
162: 712-718
[Abstract] [Full Text] -
van Vlimmeren, L. A., van der Graaf, Y., Boere-Boonekamp, M. M., L'Hoir, M. P., Helders, P. J.M., Engelbert, R. H.H.
(2007). Risk Factors for Deformational Plagiocephaly at Birth and at 7 Weeks of Age: A Prospective Cohort Study. Pediatrics
119: e408-e418
[Abstract] [Full Text]
- Full Text
- Full Text (PDF)
- Submit a response
- Alert me when this article is cited
- Alert me when eLetters are posted
- Alert me if a correction is posted
- Citation Map
Services
- Email this link to a friend
- Similar articles in ADC Online
- Similar articles in PubMed
- Add article to my folders
- Download to citation manager
- Request Permissions
Citing Articles
Google Scholar
PubMed
Topic Collections
Bookmark with
Register for free content
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.
Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.
