Plagiocephaly

Plagiocephaly 

Plagiocephaly occurs the most often. It happens in approximately one out of every 2,500 births. It involves fusion of either the right or left side of the coronal suture that runs from ear to ear. This is called coronal synostosis and it causes the normal forehead and the brow to stop growing. Therefore, it produces a flattening of the forehead and the brow on the affected side, with the forehead tending to be excessively prominent on the opposite side. The eye on the affected side may also have a different shape. There may also be flattening of the back area (occipital). Unilateral lambdoidal suture synostosis may cause plagiocephaly, as well. Positional plagiocephaly is the most common cause of plagiocephaly. This is not caused by unilateral synostosis, but rather by sleeping in one position. The part of the skull that is dependent (in one position) tends to flatten out. Usually no intervention is needed.