When did you start to notice Carter’s flat spot?

I had a natural birth with Carter, it was long birth and he came out with a misshaped head, so we always had an eye on it.

When Carter was 5-6 weeks old, we noticed he had a tight neck so headed to the physio. We spent a month repositioning, but his flat spot got worse, the flat spot was on the back of his head and the side.

What helped you make your decision to go forward with helmet therapy?

He was top of category 3 of sereve and that was enough for us to do something. It was the money verse him getting bullied at school.

At the third physio appointment, his neck was fine, his head was still flat, but they continued to say it would sort itself out. I didn’t want to go through what other families had gone through, still having a baby and child with a flat head.

Carter is our first child, and it’s difficult to find information. I’m not a big Facebook user so didn’t use the support group on there too much, I looked up the hashtags on Instagram. The feedback on the group about others experience was helpful and positive, didn’t bother their children, so this helped me make a decision.

How was the process of getting a helmet?

I was a bit worried about sleep, he’s good, he handled the whole thing very well, he’s a wonderful little baby.

Cater isn’t bothered by the helmet, it never disrupted his sleep, we had no concerns at all, no hiccups. As he grew and it got tighter, he got a little grizzly but that was fine.

How did you find information about plagiocephaly/brachycephaly?

It was difficult, but my partner is resourceful, determined, and tenacious. He kept asking questions, it wasn’t until the third appointment with the physio the helmet option was mentioned.

We found the GP, midwife, and physio all direct you to people who will tell you it will fix itself. In our experience, it wasn’t commonly known about with the GP and Maternity nurse, but it is prevalent.

It was difficult when you don’t even know where to start looking for a solution.

Were you ever worried about what others might think or say?

It’s Interesting, your child is always a sensitive topic. Other people instantly worry it’s a serious illness but once I told people it was fine, it’s a conversation starter in some sense. I worried about what some people might think but everyone was nice and supportive.

Did anyone else in your mother’s group helmet their child?

Flatheads are more prevalent within babies than is talked about. No one else in my mother’s group did helmet but since helmeting Carter, you kind of get known and so many people have spoken to me.

I was surprised so many parents or friends of ours wish they’d know more at the time they could have done something for their child. They would have helmeted their child.

What was the process of getting assessed and fitted for the helmet like?

It’s completely non-invasive. It was so easy, skillful, and fast. From the first appointment to the helmet it was less than 2 weeks.

It was easy, he was happy, a totally fine experience with no unnecessary medical appointment in a hospital or a very foreign unsettling environment for Carter.

Compared to going to the cranial specialist later in life too. Carter sat in the bumbo, he was very entertained by the blue light, stress-free, and with no tears.

What advice would you offer to anyone else?

Keeping asking questions, don’t be afraid to ask for more options, and don’t take the first opinion as gospel. Be tenacious, options and time are limited so ask and ask again until you feel comfortable and advocate for your child.