Although true synostosis can be corrected only by surgery, there are several less invasive options for babies with positional molding. If a baby's head and face look symmetrical from the front and his head is flattened only in back, his head's rounded shape may be restored by positioning him away from the flat side at night and keeping him as erect as possible when he is awake. If the asymmetry affects the front of a baby's face, just positioning her differently may not be enough to correct the problem. Sometimes babies under one year of age can successfully be treated with a molding helmet. The helmet is custom fitted to the child' s head and worn up to 23 hours a day.
Many children quickly adjust to wearing the helmet.
In severe cases of asymmetry, especially in older children whose bone growth has slowed, the only way to undo the head molding may be surgical reconstruction of the bones of the skull. If you are concerned about the shape of your child's head, a visit to your pediatrician of consultation with a neurosurgeon may allay your fears. A doctor usually can rule out synostosis syndrome simply by looking at the child's head from above. If the ear on the flattened side of the head is pushed forward, positional molding probably is the culprit. If the ear is gathered back toward the flattened area, this may be a sign of synostosis.