KKH Sees Jump In Cases Of Flat-Head Syndrome, Launches Clinic To Treat Condition

Customised 3D-printed helmets are being used by KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) to treat very young babies with flat-head syndrome, a misshaping of the skull that can occur when babies sleep in one position for long periods.

- Judith Tan

The helmet, which is worn almost all the time, gently guides the skull to grow into a more rounded and symmetrical shape.

A growing number of parents are seeking treatment to correct this head shape abnormality in their babies, pushing up the number of cases at KKH by 36 per cent in the last two years.

With the cases of flat-head syndrome or cranial asymmetry rising from over 800 in 2022 to more than 1,000 in 2024, the hospital has launched a specialised clinic dedicated to treating the condition.

At the KKH PlagioCentre, babies are managed by a multidisciplinary team made up of doctors who specialise in the care of newborn infants, physiotherapists and experts in the designing, making and fitting of artificial devices.

"The doctors make sure that there are no developmental issues that cause the flat head," said Dr Kavitha V. Sothirasan, who heads the centre.

Flat-head syndrome is a relatively common condition in which an infant's head becomes misshapen or flattened owing to constant pressure on one side of the skull.

One form of the syndrome is plagiocephaly, where the head is flattened on one side. Another type is brachycephaly, where the head is flattened at the back, resulting in a wider-than-usual head shape.

Globally, the condition affects up to 22 per cent of infants by the sixth week of life, and nearly 30 per cent by the fourth month.

Mild cases often resolve naturally as babies start to crawl and move their heads independently.

Parents can help by increasing tummy time - when babies lie on their stomachs while awake - to enable them to develop strength in the neck, arms and back. This will make it easier for them to move their heads and shift positions.