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Doctors have been telling parents to make sure their infants sleep on their backs to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
What doctors didn't tell parents is the practice may have an unexpected side effect -- the baby can get a flat head.
Science Specialist Ed Yeates reports from Primary Children's Hospital.
At the recommendation of their pediatrician, Larissa and Allen Freestone recently brought their 4-month-old
son here to Primary Children's because the back of his head had become noticeably flat.
Reiner Groebs of Primary Children's Hospital is making a cast of Austin Freestone's head. From here, he'll make a specially designed helmet the 4-month-old will have to wear 23 hours a day for about three to four months.
That's because the back of Austin's head has become flat from lying on his back. That's the correct way - the SAFEST position for an infant to sleep. But since those sleeping guidelines were adopted - pediatricians have been seeing more flatheadness.
Ralph Garramone, M.D./Cranial-Facial Specialist, PCMC: "THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE WHICH IS REPORTED TO BE AROUND 30 TO 40 PERCENT."
Dr. Ralph Garramone says the condition can do more than just flatten the back of the head.
Since the cranial bones are still pliable and not fully formed on infants under six months of age, the flattening can reshape the front of the head as well - and push the ears out of alignment.
"I HAVE SEEN DISPLACEMENT THE WIDTH OF A NORMAL EAR - THAT FAR POSITIONED ANTERIORLY."
In Austin's case the ears are out of alignment. That's why Larissa and Allen's pediatrician decided to do more than just wait - especially since it becomes extremely difficult to reshape the head after 18-months.
Allen Freestone/Austin's Father: "THERE'S A STUDENT IN MY CLASS WHO HAS RELATIVES WHO HAD THIS WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER AND NEVER GOT HELPED WITH HELMET THERAPY OR ANYTHING AND HE SAYS NOW EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE OLDER - YOU CAN TELL A DIFFERENCE ALTHOUGH IT'S COVERED BY HAIR."
So as a preventive measure, Austin got his helmet. Inside the solid headgear - five pliable layers which can be removed one at a time or piece by piece as his head grows.
"WE BUILT THIS SYMETRICAL AND WE ALLOW THE HEAD BY NORMAL HEAD GROWTH TO GROW INTO THAT VOID THAT WE BUILD INTO HERE."
Most cases are not as pronounced as Austin's and most flatheadness will disappear naturally if parents simply observe how their infants are sleeping and rotate that position from the back to side-to-side.
Larissa Freestone/Austin's Mother: "I JUST THINK PARENTS NEED TO BE EDUCATED ABOUT THE CONDITION THAT IF THEIR CHILD IS FAVORING ONE SIDE AND THEY NOTICE IT - LIKE IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF LIFE - THEY CAN TURN THEM TO DIFFERENT POSITIONS AND MOST LIKELY THEY'LL STAY THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE SO YOUNG."
Again, the sleeping position should be back and side-to-side, but never on the stomach.
And you may only have to altnerate the positions every other night.
