Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 30, 2026
Preterm EEG: A Multimodal Neurophysiological Protocol
Published on: February 18, 2012
[Prevention of positional plagiocephaly]
1Service de Pédiatrie, CH Bassin de Thau, Sète, France. acavalier@ch-bassindethau.fr
Insights
Early counseling on unrestricted infant motility significantly reduces deformational plagiocephaly (DP) incidence. This approach is more effective than focusing solely on sleeping position or at-risk infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Infant Health
Background:
- Deformational plagiocephaly (DP) incidence has risen since the 1990s.
- Infant positioning advice has been suggested to mitigate DP.
- The role of sleeping position and pre-existing head shape in DP remains debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of early counseling on "unrestricted motility" in preventing DP.
- To investigate the relationship between sleeping position and DP incidence.
- To identify risk factors for DP development at four months of age.
Main Methods:
- Observational study involving early counseling on "unrestricted motility" during maternity stay.
- Assessment of DP incidence at four months of age.
- Analysis of correlations between sleeping position, initial head shape, and DP occurrence.
Main Results:
- Early "unrestricted motility" counseling significantly reduced DP incidence at four months.
- No significant relationship was found between sleeping position and DP.
- Flattened head at birth was not an independent risk factor for DP at four months.
Conclusions:
- "Unrestricted motility" counseling for all parents is recommended, not just for "at-risk" infants.
- The absence of "unrestricted motility" may be more critical to DP development than supine sleeping position.
- Early intervention focusing on infant movement is key to reducing DP prevalence.
Abstract:
Since the beginning of 90's, there is an increasing incidence of deformational plagiocephaly (DP). Based upon observational studies, some authors proposed to provide parents with advices about positioning infants. We recently observed that early specific counselling about "unrestricted motility", as suggested by E. Pikler, during maternity stay, is able to significantly reduce the incidence of DP at 4 months of life. In agreement with recent studies we did not observe a relationship between sleeping position and the occurrence of DP. Flattened head at birth was not an independent risk factor for DP at four months, suggesting that it could be more efficient to provide "unrestricted motility advices" to all parents and not only to a supposed "at-risk" population. Finally the absence of "unrestricted motility", rather than supine position, could be implicated in the increasing incidence of deformational plagiocephaly.
