In a column published on the website of the Naître et Vivre association, Dr Elisabeth Briand-Huchet recalls that sleeping babies on their backs is vital.
“Disinformation”, “Unfounded disputes”, “accusation unworthy of a doctor” … In a column published on the website of the association Naître et Vivre, the pediatrician Elisabeth Briand-Huchet does not mince words. The reasons for his anger? The medical-backed patient advocacy association Le Lien has claimed that plagiocephaly, better known as “flat head syndrome”, is on the rise due to lying on your back. She would have even seized the High Authority of Health considering that this is a problem of public health.
A position that worries and irritates pediatricians. “Talking about plagiocephaly does not mean destroying 25 years of preventing unexpected infant death!” », Launched the head of the referral center at Antoine Béclère hospital (Paris). For the specialist, these “unfounded” protests brought by “self-proclaimed experts”, and relayed by the media, are “irresponsible”. “To accuse the prevention of unexpected infant death, which since 1994 has saved more than 20,000 children’s lives, of being ‘unnatural abuse’ is unworthy of a doctor, and even more so. a pediatrician, ”she added.
She naturally understands the questions and concerns of parents who are confronted with this deformation of their baby’s skull. But she recalls that this flattening of the back or one side of the head “occurs when babies are permanently positioned on their backs, without being able to move”, stressing in passing that “in the vast majority of cases, the affected babies’ skulls spontaneously remodel with the growth and development of the child ”.
How to avoid plagiocephaly
Above all, she ensures that it is quite possible to prevent and avoid plagiocephaly while respecting the sleeping precautions. A message also sent by Dr François-Marie Caron, pediatrician at the maternity hospital in Amiens and president of the Picardy Perinatal Network that the drafting of Why actor interviewed on April 4. In this interview, he explained that the sleeping on the back is imperative, specifying that it is especially important not to position the babies on the side “because they can very well fall on the belly, and once in this position, they are unable to move before the age of 4 months. “
To limit the deformation of the skull, it is crucial that children have the neck movable, he explained. Also, he advises making babies sleep “once at the head of the bed and then the next time on the other side of the bed with a mobile on the side to attract his attention”. This prevents the child always turning his head to the same side which favors plagiocephaly.
He adds that during the day, it is better to carry the child in the arms as often as possible, especially the first month, to avoid having his head resting on something, ”he explains. He also recommends having the child play on his stomach twice a day on a play mat. On the other hand, he advises against leaving children for hours in the relax chair, as well as the use of flat head cushions or cocooning mattresses supposed to fight against plagiocephaly because they can promote it.
Listen to our full interview with Dr François-Marie Caron:
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