Impacts of helmet treatment for head-flattening

Helmet therapy has a very high success rate for babies with position-related head flattening or deformational plagiocephaly (DP). Meanwhile, infants with Medicaid insurance are more likely to have delayed treatment and are less likely to undergo helmet therapy.
"Our study also shows wide variation in access to helmet therapy for DP between states, related to state-level variations in Medicaid policy related to this common head shape deformity," said ASPS Member Surgeon Michael Alperovich, MD, MSc, of Yale University School of Medicine. Their paper appears as part of an expanded pediatric/craniofacial surgery section, commemorating July as National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month.
Deformational plagiocephaly is the flattening of the skull due to continuous external pressure on one side or area. It often occurs when the baby sleeps consistently in the same position. Positional skull deformities have become more common following the "Safe to Sleep" recommendation to place babies on their backs to sleep, which has been highly effective in lowering nationwide rates of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
"Our study also shows wide variation in access to helmet therapy for DP between states, related to state-level variations in Medicaid policy related to this common head shape deformity," comments ASPS Member Surgeon Michael Alperovich, MD, MSc, of Yale University School of Medicine.
The paper appears as part of an expanded pediatric/craniofacial surgery section, commemorating July as National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month.