Recently, the "orthopedic helmet" that claims to be able to correct the shape of the head has caught fire and needs to be customized, worth tens of thousands of yuan. So, is it really suitable for children to wear?
Debunkers:
Liu Qiuliang, Professor of Pediatric Surgery, Zheng University First Affiliated Hospital;
Zhang Jihua Is the Deputy Chief Physician of the Department of Child Rehabilitation, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University
Parents ask the most whether the child's flat head is better or the round head is better, and even more, the flat head will affect the intellectual development, and the round head will be smarter. In fact, in general, the flat head and round head do not exist which head shape is smarter, which is the absolute "good head shape", but the appearance is different, just like some people are round faces, some people are square faces.
There are also parents who worry that the child's head is flat, is not suffering from flat head syndrome. There are two types of flat head syndrome, one is orthostatic factors, such as uterine stenosis during pregnancy, squeezing the birth canal during childbirth, or always sleeping in the same position after birth, which will cause the baby to flatten the head. There is also a pathological factor, such as premature closure of the skull.
If it is a pathologically caused flat head, it is first and foremost to cure the disease, rather than simply wearing an orthopedic helmet. Because the skull closes too early, the brain development will be limited by the small space, which will indeed lead to mental retardation, optic nerve atrophy, and relatively slow mental development. If pathological factors are excluded and the head is flat, it is not recommended to wear an orthopedic helmet.
Because from a medical point of view, the baby's brain and head development has its own rules, generally without external intervention; long-term wear, prone to allergies, rashes and other uncomfortable reactions, serious words also have an impact on the baby's cervical spine, causing unnecessary damage.
Wearing a helmet will also affect the development of children's sensory system function, such as when children look at things, it will affect the line of sight, wearing something on the head, but also naturally affecting activities, in the long run, it is not good for children. If it is mandatory to wear it for children, it will have an impact on the child's personality cultivation.
However, if after the doctor's assessment, the child's partial head, flat head situation is serious, coupled with the strong will of parents, the child's compliance is better, you can consider customizing the exclusive helmet, and to constantly adjust the helmet with the baby's head shape change, the most important thing is to find a regular institution. But it must be before the age of 1, after the age of 1, with the fontanelle closed, the skull began to be fixed, the head shape has basically been determined, and it is difficult to change.
When parents find that the baby has a flat head and a partial head, they can help the baby adjust in the following ways:
1. Adjust the sleeping position, parents can tilt the baby's face to one side when the baby sleeps on his back, and then tilt the baby's face to the other side when he gets up in the middle of the night to feed and change his diapers. Using the baby's bedtime before the age of 1 will greatly help to improve the child's head shape;
2. When holding the baby, pay attention to changing the direction, and pay attention to the exchange of left and right arms when feeding, so as to avoid partial head;
3. When the baby is awake, let him lie flat on the crib to play, which will increase the burden on the back of the head, and it is easy to lie flat. When the baby is awake, parents can let the baby play on his stomach (be sure to have someone to watch over him) or hold him to play.
Finally, if the baby's flat head, partial head is serious, or due to torticollis caused by flat head, partial head, to seek medical treatment in time.
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