How to Hold a Baby Who Wears a Helmet
Sometimes an infant suffers cranial asymmetry -- a condition called plagiocephaly -- whereby his head becomes flattened or misshapen. The treatment of plagiocephaly often involves the use of a helmet, especially for babies with moderate to severe plagiocephaly. With the use of a helmet (at your physician's recommendation), your baby's skull should respond quickly to the gentle remolding. When beginning treatment for plagiocephaly, parents and baby will need to adjust to the helmet. Parents, especially, may need to learn to hold the baby in a slightly different way.
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Instructions
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Hold your baby on your hip or in front of your body as you ordinarily would hold her.
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Avoid holding positions that put the helmet near your face. As the baby moves around with his helmet on, bumping accidents can easily occur. This bumping will not hurt baby, but the hard helmet might hurt you.
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Place your baby in a sling or a baby carrier, either on your hip, your chest or your back. A baby carrier keeps your hands free and helps to prevent the helmet from bumping your head or face.
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Tips & Warnings
Help your baby adjust to the helmet by having her wear the helmet for 30 to 60 minutes as tolerated; then remove it for 20 minutes to give her a break. Work up to having your baby wear the helmet during all waking hours. Then add in nap times and finally add overnight wear. It may take up to one week for a baby to adjust to wearing a helmet.
Follow physician instructions about follow-up appointments so that the doctor can monitor your baby's progress as well as the size of the helmet. Because a baby's skull grows, the helmet must adjust to accommodate the growth.
Watch the baby's scalp for red spots, especially during the initial adjustment period. Call your physician if red pressure points begin to blister.
Watch your baby for overheating while wearing the helmet. The head regulates overall body temperature, according to the About Kids Health website. So if ambient temperature is high, a baby may overheat while wearing a helmet.
