Editing Plagiocephaly (section)

==Treatment==
The condition may improve to some extent as the baby grows, but in some cases, home treatment<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Gee|first1=Edward|last2=Hill|first2=Christopher E.|last3=Saithna|first3=Adnan|last4=Modi|first4=Chetan S.|last5=van der Ploeg|first5=Irene D.|date=May 2013|title=Treatment of deformational plagiocephaly and torticollis using a weight distribution ring: a report of three cases|journal=Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics B|volume=22|issue=3|pages=275–281|doi=10.1097/BPB.0b013e32835e38d6|pmid=23358241|s2cid=26416944|issn=1060-152X}}</ref> or physical therapy treatment can improve the shape of a baby's head.<ref name=pmid22920774/>

Early interventions (based on the severity) are important to reduce the severity of the degree of plagiocephaly.<ref name=pmid22920774/> Diagnosis is most commonly determined through clinical examination. To assess the severity of the condition and determine the best course of treatment, practitioners often use the Plagiocephaly Severity Scale.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Holowka|first1=Mark A.|last2=Reisner|first2=Andrew|last3=Giavedoni|first3=Brian|last4=Lombardo|first4=Janet R.|last5=Coulter|first5=Colleen|date=May 2017|title=Plagiocephaly Severity Scale to Aid in Clinical Treatment Recommendations|journal=Journal of Craniofacial Surgery|language=en|volume=28|issue=3|pages=717–722|doi=10.1097/SCS.0000000000003520|pmid=28468155|s2cid=25549515|issn=1049-2275}}</ref> This is a scale that can help practitioners evaluate the condition in a standardized way.{{cn|date=October 2020}}

The course of treatment is typically based on the age of the child when the diagnosis is made in conjunction with the severity of the diagnosis. If a diagnosis of mild to moderate plagiocephaly occurs before four months of age, repositioning therapy may be helpful. If the diagnosis is determined to be severe, practitioners will likely prescribe a [[cranial molding orthosis]] (helmet), which has the best results when prescribed between five and six months of age.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Ditthakasem|first1=Kanlaya|last2=Kolar|first2=John C.|date=March 2017|title=Deformational Plagiocephaly: A Review|journal=Pediatric Nursing|volume=43|issue=2|pages=59–64|issn=0097-9805|pmid=29394478}}</ref>

===Repositioning===
Initially, treatment usually takes the form of reducing the pressure on the affected area by repositioning the baby onto the abdomen for extended periods throughout the day.<ref name=Rob2009/>

This may include repositioning the child's head throughout the day so that the rounded side of the head is placed against the mattress, repositioning cribs and other areas that infants spend time in so that they will have to look in a different direction to see their parents or others in the room, repositioning mobiles and other toys for similar reasons, and avoiding extended time sleeping in car seats (when not in a vehicle), bouncy seats, or other [[supine position|supine]] seating which is thought to exacerbate the problem.{{Citation needed|date=February 2018}}  If the child appears to have discomfort or cries when they are repositioned, a neck problem should be ruled out.<ref name="Pediatrics 112">{{cite journal |doi=10.1542/peds.112.1.199 |title=Prevention and Management of Positional Skull Deformities in Infants |year=2003 |last1=Persing |first1=J. |last2=James |first2=H. |last3=Swanson |first3=J. |last4=Kattwinkel |first4=J. |journal=Pediatrics |volume=112 |pages=199–202 |pmid=12837890 |author5=American Academy Of Pediatrics Committee On Practice Ambulatory Medicine |issue=1 Pt 1|doi-access=free }}</ref>

===Helmets===
High-quality evidence is lacking for cranial remolding orthosis (baby helmet) for the positional condition and use for this purpose is controversial.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Goh|first1=JL|last2=Bauer|first2=DF|last3=Durham|first3=SR|last4=Stotland|first4=MA|title=Orthotic (helmet) therapy in the treatment of plagiocephaly|journal=Neurosurgical Focus|date=October 2013|volume=35|issue=4|pages=E2|pmid=24079781|doi=10.3171/2013.7.focus13260|doi-access=free}}</ref> If conservative treatment is unsuccessful, helmets may help to correct abnormal head shapes. These helmets are used to treat deformational plagiocephaly, [[brachycephaly]], [[scaphocephaly]], and other head shape deformities in infants 3–18 months of age by gently allowing the head shape to grow back into a normal shape. This type of treatment has been used for severe deformations.<ref name=Rob2009>{{cite journal|last1=Robinson|first1=S |last2=Proctor |first2=M |title=Diagnosis and management of deformational plagiocephaly |journal=J Neurosurg Pediatr |date=April 2009 |volume=3|issue=4|pages= 284–95 |pmid=19338406 |doi=10.3171/2009.1.PEDS08330|doi-access= }}</ref>