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Expensive helmets do not correct skull flattening in babies

BMJ 2014; 348 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g3066 (Published 02 May 2014) Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g3066
  1. Zosia Kmietowicz
  1. 1BMJ

Babies whose skulls become deformed from lying in the same position for long periods do not benefit from wearing a corrective helmet, a study has found.

The Helmet therapy Assessment in Deformed Skills (HEADS) randomised trial investigated the treatment of positional skull deformation or plagiocephaly, which affects around a fifth of babies under the age of 6 months. The condition has become more common since parents were advised to lay their babies on their backs to sleep to reduce the risk …

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