Tortle Giveaway! (positional plagiocephaly)

FREE GIVEAWAY!!!! (***update...this giveaway has ended, but you can still purhcase a tortle, HERE. Be sure to follow us by email so you can get updates on future giveaways)

Thanks to Tortle for providing us with a Tortle for one of our lucky readers!!! Read below for a chance to win.



picture source: http://www.tortle.com/

Positional plagiocephaly (flat head) and torticollis has become a big worry for parents lately especially due to the back to sleep campaign, to learn more about it read our post, HERE. All babies are at risk especially those that are premature or from multiple births. Studies show that plagiocephaly and torticollis have an increase in developmental delays.  There are different lifestyle changes that you can make to prevent a flat head and torticollis. The best way to prevent plagiocephaly is to be very consistent with repositioning your child, and lots and lots of tummy time! Remember you can start tummy time right after birth to strengthen baby’s muscles! As an occupational therapist, we always recommend limiting the amount of time that your baby is in a stroller, car seat or bouncy seat. But, with our busy lives it is often inevitable that your baby will need to be in one of these resting positions for long periods of time.

Dr. Jane Scott is a Pediatrician, mother of 4 has created the Tortle. The Tortle is a beanie that helps with preventing flat head and torticollis when your baby is in resting positions. Thank you to Hilary Abbott Company, Inc for providing us with our very own Tortle to giveaway to a lucky reader! Keep reading for entry details.

For more information and to purchase a Tortle please click, HERE.

What Is Tortle?

Tortle is a simple, comfortable beanie that helps prevent and treat early stages flat head syndrome: plagiocephaly & torticollis. It makes the job of repositioning newborns safe and easy.

It is recommended that all newborns wear a Tortle for the first few months of life to aid in repositioning; which supports healthy development. Tortle works by gently deflecting your baby’s head when she's sitting or lying on the back of her head, to gently move her head from side to side.

The incidence of plagiocephaly and torticollis (or flat head syndrome) has increased by 600% since 1992 due to the amount of time infants spend on their back (the safest place to be). However, if left untreated, treatment is expensive and can be hard on the baby. Moreover, long term developmental delays can occur. But plagiocephaly and torticollis almost 100% preventable with repositioning, which Tortle makes easy.

 

How Do I Use It?

• Put the beanie on your baby when lying awake (such as on the floor or in a bouncer or swing), sleeping with your supervision, or traveling in a car seat or stroller.

• Align the support roll behind one ear, then at feeding time, switch sides so she doesn’t begin to favor a position. Tortle is not intended for overnight use.

• If your baby has developed some flattening or plagiocephaly, use the Tortle to position the head preferentially to the other side. Once the flattening has improved, then return to alternating it side to side.

• The patented support roll aids in repositioning: it’s firm enough so she won’t roll over, and soft enough to encourage natural, comfortable movement. 

I was able to take a look at the Tortle and here are my thoughts:

I often recommend parents to use a blanket to help positions babies in certain positions but this is a lot easier to use correctly. It’s also great for prevention as long as the caregivers are consistent with alternating sides. It is very lightweight and won’t overheat easily it’s perfect for babies that have a preferred side. Also it allows baby to move freely.

Overall, I wish I would have had the Tortle when my daughter was a newborn it would have decreased my anxieties of having her in the car or stroller for long periods of time.

If you suspect your child has positional plagiocephaly or torticollis, talk your doctor as soon as possible and see an occupational therapist, or contact us speakeatplay@gmail.com, for positional changes as well as to determine if there are any developmental delays.

Positional Plagiocephaly

Does your baby have flat areas on his head (Positional Plagiocephaly)?

By Jackie Gurdian, MS, OTR/L

Childbirth is an adventurous ride for your baby and sometimes it results in your newborn looking like a cone head, but don’t worry, because your baby’s skull will even out on its own.

Some babies develop a flat area after birth, this is called positional plagiocephaly. Flatness can occur on either side of the back of the head.

Why does this occur?

One of the main reasons why babies develop flat areas is because they sleep or rest in same position repeatedly. It is not recommended that babies spend too much time laying on their backs when they are awake, or anywhere where their head is laying head against a surface.

Another reason is having weak neck muscles. Your baby could be having difficulty turning his head to both sides. This can lead to torticollis, other times the child has torticollis which leads to flatness (information on torticollis coming soon). 

Prematurity is also another reason that plagiocephaly can occur. Premature babies have softer skulls than most full term babies and possibly could be spending time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where they are unable to move from the same position for long periods of time.

Positional plagiocephaly can also occur in utero when there is pressure placed on your baby’s skull.

What do you do if you suspect your child may have positional plagiocephaly?

This could be very easy for you to notice. Most of the time you will see a flattened side and this may cause that side to look pushed towards the front of the face. You may also notice asymmetry when looking at the face in frontal view.

If you suspect your child may have a “flat head”, ask the doctor. The doctor could recommend simple positioning changes to make around the house or possibly a custom molded helmet to provide pressure on some areas and allow growth in others.

How can you prevent positional plagiocephaly?

·         Lots and lots of tummy time to not only prevent baby being on his back for so long but also to strengthen their neck muscles. You could also try baby carriers when you need to be on the go.

·         Try putting baby at different ends of the crib every nap or bedtime. Usually if you are right handed you will place child in crib the same way every time try and alternate what arm you use to hold baby.

·         Limit the time that the baby is in equipment such as car seat, bouncy chair, swing or other similar seats.

·         If you have crib safe toys, alternate sides in which baby will have to look to play.

• Use a product like the Tortle, a beanie especially made for positional plagiocephaly, we wrote a review about it HERE.    

If you would like more information on different positional adjustments to make for your child please contact us speakeatplay@gmail.com.  We will also love to read your comments and any other suggestions you have tried.

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Thanks for reading!