FAQs

Plagiocephaly is an asymmetric moulding of the head caused by external forces.

It can be caused by a number of factors including:

• Extended time spent in a neonatal unit
• position in the womb
• the infant's preferred sleeping position
• torticollis which is an imbalance in the muscles on either side of the neck

We always recommend that if your baby is less than 4 to 5 months old, that you reposition (see our repositioning guide.
If repositioning and tummy time are not having any effect after about a month, then we would recommend that you consider an assessment to see if PlagioCare™ treatment will help.
If your baby has a tight neck muscle on one side, called torticollis, this should be treated in conjunction with the orthotic treatment program.

PlagioCare treatment uses a lightweight, plastic and foam helmet that is made from a 3-D scan of your infant's head. The foam lining has growth room inside which allows improvement in head shape as your baby grows and over time, this is modified to allow for continued improvement. The helmet allows your baby to sleep in any position he/she wants yet keeps pressure off the flat spots and allows growth to bring about correction. Correction usually starts after 2 or 3 weeks and we’d expect an infant between 4 and 7 months of age to need to wear the helmet for about 12 weeks. For older infants a longer treatment time is necessary.

It is unusual for a GP or consultant in the UK to refer, although this is common in other countries. All of our clinicians are registered healthcare professionals and are qualified to assess and diagnose for the treatments that we offer.
If you wish to see us for an assessment, please contact your nearest clinic. 

We receive very few referrals or payments from hospitals. Your GP may agree to try to gain an Exceptional Treatment approval from your PCT but this is rarely successful. We will help all that we can, but cannot guarantee any success with this route which may take some considerable time.

Generally UK insurers do not pay for any orthosis unless it is part of an acute medical treatment or operation. Each insurance company has different coverage and medical policy guidelines. It is best to contact your insurance company and/or employer benefits coordinator to determine the type and level of coverage for orthotics to see if you or your baby qualify for funding of treatment.

We usually start to see an improvement after only 2 weeks of treatment. Correction continues over time, and requires complete compliance to achieve the greatest degree of symmetry available. Although there is often early visible improvement, the helmet must be worn by the baby for the full length of the treatment to gain the maximum benefit.

The helmet is cleaned with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) which we provide.

Yes, your child will need regular review appointments during the course of the treatment to make sure that all is well and to adjust the orthosis. We usually need to see you at 2 - 4 week intervals depending on age and severity. We offer appointments that are frequent enough for your baby's safety but not so often that it interferes with your life too much. If you need to contact us, you can at any time during treatment.
treatment.

There are 3 reasons for ending treatment:
When the helmet is outgrown and there is no more room for correction.
For older infants, when growth has stopped and no more correction is occurring.
When, even if there is growth room available, the parents are so satisfied with the result that they are happy to end treatment.

In cases of very severe deformity in very young infant, it is possible to outgrow the helmet before all available correction is achieved. If this happens, we will discuss whether it is appropriate to continue with a second treatment.

No. Many parents ask this and our experience is that head shapes continue to grow as they were at the end of treatment. As children get older, they spend more time sitting, crawling and walking which minimises the amount of time they spend on their backs.

Orthotists are registered medical professionals. All Orthotists are educated for 4 years at degree level in all aspects of anatomy, physiology, biomechanics and orthotic manufacturing and application. Cranial remoulding is one recognised part of an Orthotist’s work, requiring additional training and experience.

The ideal age to start treatment is 4 to 7 months, but remoulding can be started up to the age of 14 months. Generally, better results are achieved within a shorter time if started when the infant is younger.

If you would like us to give you an indication of whether we think that your baby would benefit from cranial remoulding treatment, please Email them to smottram@ossur.com and we will answer by return.

We do not treat babies older than 14 to 16 months as by then the majority of head growth has occurred and the treatment requires growth to bring about change. We do occasionally continue a treatment up to the age of 24 months if the baby is already with us and correction is continuing. We regard treatment of older infants as unethical because without growth there can be no correction and by 14 – 16 months, the majority of growth has already occured and the head is becoming more rigid and inflexible.