BBC - Radio 4 - Woman's Hour -Plagiocephaly

Controversial treatment for babies

Plagiocephaly is a disorder that can affect a baby’s skull, causing it to be flattened on one side. Taking the lead from treatments available in the US and Australia for many years, several companies in the UK now offer interventional procedures including the baby wearing a helmet to correct the problem, an option popular with many parents.

However, experts within the NHS say the helmets aren’t necessary, and instead leave the condition to correct itself. How can parents decide what choice to make?

As well as hearing from a couple who have decided to use a helmet to treat their son, Martha also speaks to Stephen Mottram from one of the companies involved and Steve Wall from the Craniofacial Unit at the Radcliffe Infirmary to explore the controversy around this increasingly common condition.

Oxford Craniofacial Unit
Plagiocephaly site for parents
Institute of Child Health factsheet on Plagiocephaly

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