Flat head syndrome, or positional plagiocephaly, is a disorder that affects a baby's skull, making the back or side of their head look flat.

This happens because young babies spend a lot of their time lying on their backs, putting pressure on their skulls at a time when they are still soft and malleable.

In recent years, the number of babies suffering from flat head syndrome has substantially increased. Since the Back to Sleep campaign aimed at reducing cot death, young babies now spend much of their early lives lying on their backs while sleeping. Keeping your baby in a car seat for long periods also means he's putting pressure on the back of his head.

Balance bed and car seat time by giving him lots of tummy time when he's awake. A rolled up towel, put under the head end of the mattress may also help him sleep with less pressure on the flattest part of his head.

Physiotherapy can also be useful for babies who struggle to turn their heads one way and always lie on the same side of their head.

Another tip is that if you notice your baby's head is flatter on one side than the other, try moving his toys to the other side of the cot to encourage him to turn his head.

If you spend a great deal of time in the presence of babies, you have certainly noticed that it is becoming fairly common to see an infant with a flat spot on the back or side of the head. This phenomenon, known as positional plagiocephaly, or more commonly as flat head syndrome, is caused when babies spend a considerable amount of time with their head resting in the same position, such as when traveling in a car safety seat or stroller. Many modern travel systems allow parents to transfer their baby's car seat into the stroller base without removing the child, increasing the time that babies remain in the same position. Additionally, in an effort to reduce the instances of cot death, parents and caregivers regularly place babies to sleep flat on their backs. Although this technique definitively saves lives, it can contribute to flat head syndrome.

Babies are born with soft, pliable skulls, so when they rest in the same position on a regular basis, their head can develop a flat spot where it presses against the car seat or mattress. Infants born prematurely or those with torticollis, a condition that causes a baby's head and neck to tilt to one side, are at increased risk, but all babies can be affected. In most cases, a baby's head will return to a more natural, rounded shape once the child begins crawling and standing, but some parents prefer to purchase a helmet to help reshape their baby's head. Most effective when a baby is between the ages of 4-12 months, these helmets are worn almost continuously for a number of months in order to help remold the baby's head. Their use is a bit controversial, however, since many doctors feel that they are unnecessary.

There are some recommendations to help babies retain a rounded shape to their heads while they are developing. Although it is vital to continue placing infants on their backs to sleep, it is safe to adopt a "tummy to play" habit during the baby's supervised waking hours. Another idea is to place the baby to sleep with his head at alternating sides of his cot, encouraging him to tilt his head in various directions to view the room. By finding ways for the baby to take the pressure off the flattened area, the head will grow in a uniform manner. As babies continue to grow and develop, their increased mobility and physical capabilities will ensure that their heads do not regress to the earlier flattened shape.

Flat head syndrome is a purely cosmetic issue; it in no way impacts the child's brain or intellectual development. Nonetheless, parents worldwide are expressing their concern and seeking the advice of specialists. Craniofacial physicians have noticed a dramatic increase in inquiries from worried parents over the past few years. While most cases of flat head syndrome correct themselves, if you are concerned, be sure to consult with your child's pediatrician.

Why your newborn needs a lie-flat buggy

Whether it’s a fully reclining seat, a carrycot or a pram body that attaches to the buggy chassis, it’s important your young baby lies flat .It is essential that your newborn baby lie flat in a buggy for his or her overall healthy development.

There are buggies on the market that don’t have 180-degree lie-flat seats and these are generally labelled as being suitable only from 3 months or from 6 months. This is because it is recognised that in order to aid their development a newborn ought to lie flat.

If your baby is scrunched up then his or her breathing can be compromised. As your baby’s lungs are last to develop in the womb, it’s vital that the lungs get all the help they can after your baby’s born. Lying flat promotes lung development and also assists your baby’s breathing.A lie-flat position is also essential for your baby’s spinal development because it will aid spine growth and in time strengthen muscle tone. Your baby’s neck control will be helped by this support too. Lying flat will enable your baby to soon explore his or her own hands and feet and then even reach out. Lastly, it will encourage your baby to follow movement with his or her eyes and, if facing you, help the bonding process.

Many buggies that don’t have fully reclinable seats can have a carrycot attached to the chassis, so your baby can lie in a flat position until old enough to use the buggy’s seat. This is how these buggies can be labelled as suitable from birth.

Forward or parent facing: which buggy should you choose?

Is it best for your child to watch the world go by from her buggy or should she face you for some parent-child chit chat as a recent study suggested?

Can the direction your buggy faces have an effect on your baby's development? That's the shocking findings of research in late 2008.

While we all thought letting our babies watch the world go by from their forward-facing pushchairs was good stimulation for them, some experts are now saying that what babies actually need to see from their buggy is their mum - and so should sit in parent (or rear) facing pushchairs.

So is parent-facing best?

In the first ever study on the psychological effects of forward-and parent-facing buggies, researchers at the University of Dundee suggested that babies were less likely to sleep, laugh or interact with their parents if they were facing away from them.

In the study, researchers observed more than 2,722 parents pushing their infants in their buggies, the majority of which were forward-facing. They noticed that:

• Parents were twice as likely to chat to their children if they were in a face-to-face buggy.
• The children were more likely to talk back.

In the second part of the study, the researchers looked at 20 volunteer mums with their infants, who were aged between 9 and 24 months. They were asked to push their children in both types of buggy for 20 minutes each. When the children were in parent-facing pushchairs:

• Their mums spoke to them more.
• Mums and children laughed with each other more often than when they were facing forwards.
• Babies were more likely to fall asleep and their heart rate was lower, suggesting they were more content.
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• EXAMPLES OF FORWARD / REAR FACING PRAMS
• SILVER CROSS  FREEWAY
• SILVER CROSS  SURF
• SILVER CROSS SLEEP OVER DELUXE
• BABYSTYLE  LUX RANGE
• BABYSTYLE  OYSTER
• BABYSTYLE PRESTIGE RANGE