The course of skull deformation from birth to 5 years of age: a prospective cohort study

Abstract

The course of skull deformation is favourable in most of the children in The Netherlands; at 5 years of age, brachycephaly is within the normal range for all children, whereas the severity of plagiocephaly is within the normal range in 80%, within the mild range in 19%, and within the moderate/severe range in 1%. Medical consumption may be reduced by providing early tailored counselling. What is Known: • Skull deformation prevalence increased after recommendations against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, little is known about the longitudinal course. • Paediatric physical therapy intervention between 2 and 6 months of age reduces deformational plagiocephaly at 6 and 12 months of age. What is New: • The course of skull deformation is favourable in most of the children in The Netherlands; at 5 years of age, deformational brachycephaly is within the normal range for all children, whereas the severity of deformational plagiocephaly is within the normal range in 80%, within the mild range in 19%, and within the moderate to severe range in only 1%. • Paediatric physical therapy intervention does not influence the long-term outcome; it only influences the earlier decrease of the severity of deformational plagiocephaly.