Positional plagiocephaly and other positional skull deformities have become more common since 1992, with the inception of the Back to Sleep campaign that recommends placing babies on their backs to sleep to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Due to the increase in positional plagiocephaly, a multidisciplinary task force of clinical experts performed a comprehensive review and analysis of research on the diagnosis and treatment of positional plagiocephaly, and published a new set of clinical guidelines in the November issue of Neurosurgery. Developed by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Positional Plagiocephaly are also endorsed by the Joint Guidelines Committee of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
The new plagiocephaly guidelines include recommendations in the following areas:
The recommendations in the new guidelines are rated according to the strength of the supporting research. The new document offers guidance to the many healthcare professionals who evaluate children with positional plagiocephaly. The guidelines also highlight the need for continued research in several key areas.
