Abstract
Developmental plagiocephaly (DP) has been an increasing problem since the successful “back to sleep campaign”. The referrals for DP have increased by more than 400% during the years 2004 to 2008. Many infants spend less time in the prone position nowadays and some of the risk factors for DP are: tummy time less than 3 times per day, torticollis and slow achievement of motor milestones. Improved information for the parents is needed but also other strategies to prevent DP. This study is a continuum of an earlier pilot study; the aim was to investigate the effect of a pillow, designed to reduce pressure on the infant head. Method: Infants aged zero to two months were included in the study. They were randomized to either intervention group or control group. Head shape was investigated on two occasions, on the second occasion motor development, mobility and muscle function of the neck were also investigated. The parents were asked about tummy time and sleep position. All infants were investigated by the same physical therapist, blinded to group belonging. Result: Fishers exact test showed that it was more common with decreased CVAI among infants in the intervention group (P 0.001). Paired t test showed significant decrease in CVAI for the intervention group (P 0.002), but not for the control group (P 0.96). Conclusion: This study shows that a specially designed pillow can decrease DP in young infants.
Highlights
Developmental plagiocephaly (DP) is a condition in which the infant’s skull is deformed as a result of prenatalHow to cite this paper: Öhman, A. (2014) A Specially Designed Pillow Can Decrease Developmental Plagiocephaly in Young Infants
There is no doubt that infants ought to sleep on the back as the back to sleep campaign has resulted in a successful decrease in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) [20]
A negative side effect of the campaign is that some parents never put their infant in the prone position [21] [22], which increases the risk of DP and late motor development [23]
Summary
Developmental plagiocephaly (DP) is a condition in which the infant’s skull is deformed as a result of prenatalHow to cite this paper: Öhman, A. (2014) A Specially Designed Pillow Can Decrease Developmental Plagiocephaly in Young Infants. (2014) A Specially Designed Pillow Can Decrease Developmental Plagiocephaly in Young Infants. If an infant spends most of the time in supine with the head in the same position, this leads to DP [3]-[7]. Risk factors to develop plagiocephaly are: to be a firstborn child, male, twin, premature, tummy time < 3 times per day when awake, torticollis and slow achievement of motor milestones [2]-[7] [10]-[14]. A negative side effect of the campaign is that some parents never put their infant in the prone position [21] [22], which increases the risk of DP and late motor development [23]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
