To Helmet Or Not To Helmet? That Is The Question.

When the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that babies sleep on their back to prevent SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), there was a sharp rise in the problem of flat heads in babies. More babies were sleeping on their backs and their heads were getting flat as a result.

January 24, 2024

When the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that babies sleep on their back to prevent SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), there was a sharp rise in the problem of flat heads in babies. More babies were sleeping on their backs and their heads were getting flat as a result. Since sleeping babies on their backs dramatically decreased the number of cases of SIDS, having babies just sleep on their bellies again was not a viable option. So what came of all those flat heads? The baby helmet industry was born.

Everybody has seen a baby wearing one of those baby helmets or DocuBands (a type of partial helmet). The idea is to put pressure on the parts of the head that are sticking out and leave room for the flat parts to fill in a more rounded shape. The goal is that you gradually reshape the head over time. So why not just use a helmet?

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