What is plagiocephaly?
More and more often, parents notice a slight asymmetry in their baby's head in the first few months of life. This is positional plagiocephaly, a benign condition that occurs when a newborn's skull – which is still very malleable – takes on a flattened or oblique shape, often because the baby tends to turn their head to the same side.
Plagiocephaly is not linked to brain growth problems, but it can have an aesthetic impact and, in more severe cases, affect motor development. For this reason, pediatricians, physiotherapists, and osteopaths immediately recommend preventive measures such as “tummy time” (supervised prone time), frequent repositioning, and, in more significant cases, the use of an orthotic helmet.
Where does osteopathy come in?
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in pediatric osteopathy, a gentle manual approach that aims to promote the mobility of cranial structures and the neck. Several scientific studies have evaluated whether these techniques can help correct asymmetry more quickly.
What the research says
- Randomized clinical trials conducted in Italy and Spain have shown that children with plagiocephaly treated with short cycles of osteopathic sessions (3–6 on average), in addition to postural advice, improve cranial symmetry more quickly than those who only receive postural education.
- In France, a study attempted to evaluate osteopathy as a preventive method in newborns considered at risk, but the results did not show significant differences compared to positioning advice alone.
- Other observational studies confirm an improvement in cranial asymmetry measures after osteopathic treatments, but without a control group, the data remain less robust.
Is it safe?
The available studies have not reported any major adverse events: the techniques were well tolerated by infants. However, it is essential that they are performed by professionals trained in the pediatric field.
What guidelines currently recommend
International scientific societies indicate the following as first-choice treatment:
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repositioning,
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daily tummy time,
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physiotherapy when necessary.
Osteopathy, despite showing promising results, is not yet part of official recommendations, because larger and longer-term studies are needed to confirm its effectiveness.
In practice
For parents, the message is clear: in most cases, plagiocephaly resolves spontaneously with simple postural adjustments. When the asymmetry is more evident or persists, osteopathy – integrated with physiotherapy and postural education – can be an additional resource, to be discussed with your pediatrician.
Dr. Andrea Pagani