Plagiocephaly pillow: how it works and when to use it

Plagiocephaly pillow: how it works and when to use it

Jan 18, 2023Shepherd Ltd.

Although in most cases it is a transitory condition, there is much you can do, both while waiting for it to resolve and to prevent it from arising.

For example, it is always good to alternate the position of your child's head while he sleeps, to hold him in your arms or in a baby carrier when he is awake, and to rest him on a plagiocephaly pillow, which prevents deformation of the skull bones.

Pillow for flat head syndrome: which one to use

 

The latter is a crucial step, because the indications of pediatricians, as well as the Ministry of Health, are crystal clear: the infant should sleep supine. And since the baby spends most of its time sleeping, here it is this position that is one of the main causes of plagiocephaly.

A risk you can avoid by purchasing a Pharmaflex plagiocephaly pillow, which will not only take care of your child's head, but also provide him or her with all the comfort he or she deserves. But in the meantime, here are some answers to your many questions related to the plagiocephaly pillow.


Plagiocephaly pillow: when is it needed?

A lot of new parents wonder how an infant with plagiocephaly should sleep, but the answer is simple: on a plagiocephaly pillow! Remember. During the first few months of life, the infant must sleep strictly on its back in order to reduce the risk of SIDS, the dreaded crib death.

So if he has already developed plagiocephaly, you absolutely must prevent it from worsening. It is true that this disorder usually takes the form of a simple blemish, but it is also true that, in the most severe cases, plagiocephaly can go so far as to impair the child's motor and cognitive development.

Plagiocephaly pillow: when is it needed?

 

In addition, the plagiocephaly pillow can and should also be used as a prevention against possible deformation of the occipital bones. By having your child sleep on a plagiocephaly pillow, you will prevent any possible future problems.


What does a plagiocephaly pillow look like? 

How does the plagiocephaly pillow work? The plagiocephaly pillow, commonly known as the "flat head pillow," has a very specific task: to prevent the weight of the baby's head from bearing down on the posterior area, forcing the bones of the skull to deform.

This is a real risk because the heads of newborn babies have to grow rather quickly, and for this reason the bones of the skull are extremely moldable.

 

What does a plagiocephaly pillow look like?

In order to prevent skull deformities, plagiocephaly pillows usually have a kind of cavity in the center of the pillow in which to place the baby's head, so that the occipital bone does not have to bear the weight of the head. Basically, this raises the baby's head and prevents it from touching the surface of the mattress.

Pharmaflex Baby, on the other hand, relies entirely on the quality of the materials, designed to distribute the weight of the baby's head over the entire surface of the pillow to counteract the onset of plagiocephaly.

In fact, it is no coincidence that the material of this pillow for plagiocephaly is the result of no less than 5 years of study, testing and analysis, at the end of which AirCell was born, the evolution of memory foam, a product that can play an excellent orthopedic role and provide maximum comfort. 

In addition, the carbon fiber cover provides antibacterial and antiviral action, as well as thermally insulating the baby, giving him or her an optimal temperature all year round.


Newborn plagiocephaly pillow: at how many months to start using it?

Here is a question that plagues all new parents! Again, the answer is simple: right from the start, in the form of prevention, before the infant's skull can deform.

In this regard, however, it is worth specifying that for safety's sake, in the first months of a baby's life, it is best to use it only when you can keep an eye on the baby and instead let him sleep without a pillow during the night, when you will not be there with him, watching over his sleep.

Newborn plagiocephaly pillow: at how many months to start using it?

 

From 6 months onward, on the other hand, you can let your baby sleep on the plagiocephaly pillow without any restrictions, so even during the night. 


How to use the pillow for plagiocephaly? 

This is a good question, because most parents worry about securing their children's plagiocephaly pillow only when their children are asleep.

In reality, however, you have to think that even in waking moments your child still assumes the same position as when he or she is napping, that is, supine, with the head resting on a surface.

Then again, it could not be otherwise, since in the first few months of life, the infant is incapable of lifting its head!

Here, then, the plagiocephaly pillow also comes in handy at a great many other times, even outside strollers, baby carriages and cribs.

For example, when your child is on the bouncer or on the carpet at home, busy playing with his or her own little feet. But also during breastfeeding, when he rests his head on your arms: as cozy as a mattress is, these also represent a surface!

By placing his little head on a plagiocephaly pillow, you will provide him with soft support and at the same time take care of his little head.


Plagiocephaly pillow: yes or no?

And now that you know all about the plagiocephaly pillow for infants, let's tackle a thorny topic that has raised a lot of debate among experts and parents in recent times: is the plagiocephaly pillow useful or dangerous?

The answer is: no, it is not dangerous at all. Some pediatricians, in fact are against the use of the pillow for plagiocephaly, arguing that if the baby turns over during the night, he could end up with his face on the pillow, thus risking suffocation.

But this depends on the type of pillow for plagiocephaly: perhaps there could be a slight risk in the case of pillows perforated in the center, in whose cavity the child's face could end up, but certainly this risk does not arise by using a pillow for plagiocephaly without a hole, which guarantees maximum safety and adequate dissipation of the weight of the child's head over the entire surface.

In addition, you must also consider the fact that the infant, up to 4-5 months, is completely unable to rotate on itself, so the problem does not arise at all.

Indeed, a plagiocephaly pillow allows him to sleep on his back, as prescribed by pediatricians, preventing annoying skull deformities from occurring.

Choose Pharmaflex Baby, the best pillow for plagiocephaly produced by a company certified by the Ministry of Health.

We know how to take care of your child: trust the specialists in sleep health.



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