Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026
Midface Hypoplasia and Cranial Base Morphology in Syndromic Craniosynostosis: A Comparative Analysis Study Using a Predictive Regression Model
Published on: November 4, 2025
Evidence-based care of the child with deformational plagiocephaly, Part I: assessment and diagnosis
Wendy S Looman1, Amanda B Kack Flannery
1School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, 5-140 Weaver Densford Hall, 308 Harvard St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. looma003@umn.edu
Insights
Non-synostotic deformational plagiocephaly (DP) is infant head asymmetry caused by external forces. This guide helps healthcare providers assess, diagnose, and manage DP, differentiating it from craniosynostosis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Cranial Morphology
Background:
- Non-synostotic deformational plagiocephaly (DP) is a common head shape abnormality in infants.
- It arises from external molding forces acting on the pliable infant skull.
- DP is frequently identified by primary care providers during routine well-child visits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To equip healthcare providers with knowledge for assessing, diagnosing, and managing infant deformational plagiocephaly.
- To provide Part I of a two-part series focusing on DP assessment and diagnosis.
- To differentiate DP from craniosynostosis and classify DP severity.
Main Methods:
- Review of background information on DP and associated conditions like torticollis.
- Presentation of visual and anthropometric assessment strategies for suspected DP.
- Inclusion of diagnostic tools to distinguish DP from craniosynostosis and classify DP subtypes.
Main Results:
- Established the importance of primary care provider competence in managing DP.
- Provided methods for visual and anthropometric assessment.
- Offered tools for differential diagnosis and classification of DP severity.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare providers need expertise in assessing and diagnosing infant deformational plagiocephaly.
- Effective management strategies are crucial for addressing DP.
- Part I lays the groundwork for evidence-based management discussed in Part II.
Abstract:
Non-synostotic deformational plagiocephaly (DP) is head asymmetry that results from external forces that mold the skull in the first year of life. Primary care providers are most likely to encounter DP when infants present for well-child care, and for this reason it is important that providers be competent in assessing, diagnosing, and participating in the prevention and management of DP. The purpose of this two-part series on DP is to present an overview of assessment, diagnosis, and evidence-based management of DP for health care providers. In Part I we provide a brief background of DP and associated problems with torticollis and infant development, and we present strategies for visual and anthropometric assessment of the infant with suspected DP. We also provide tools for differentiating DP from craniosynostosis and for classifying the type and severity of lateral and posterior DP. Part II (to be published in a future issue of the Journal of Pediatric Health Care) provides a synthesis of current evidence and a clinical decision tool for evidence-based management of DP.
