Plagiocephaly in Babies — Why Flat Spots Often Start with the Nervous System
You’ve Noticed a Flat Spot — But There’s More to the Story
You’re changing your baby’s nappy, or watching them nap, when you realise — their head seems flatter on one side.
Maybe they always look the same way when they sleep, or tilt their head slightly to one side when they’re awake.
Your midwife or GP may have called it plagiocephaly, or flat head syndrome, and recommended more tummy time or alternating sleep positions. Those are great steps, but often, they only address the surface.
To truly help babies move evenly and develop symmetrical head shape, we have to understand what’s driving the preference in the first place.
That’s where the nervous system comes in.
What Is Plagiocephaly, Really?
Plagiocephaly happens when pressure on one part of a baby’s soft skull causes flattening. Because their skull bones are still flexible, consistent pressure in one position can easily change the shape over time.
But most babies don’t just randomly pick a side. They choose it because it feels easier or more comfortable — often due to tension or imbalance in their nervous system.
When the muscles in the neck or upper back are tight (or one side is working harder than the other), it changes how a baby holds and moves their head. Over time, that creates uneven muscle tone and visible asymmetry.
The Hidden Cause: Birth Stress
Even a gentle birth can place significant pressure on a baby’s head and neck.
Long labours, inductions, fast deliveries, or assisted births with forceps or vacuum can all create tension in the upper neck and shoulders — especially around the cranial nerves that help coordinate movement and balance.
When that tension isn’t released, it can affect how the brain communicates with the body. The baby may naturally turn one way more than the other or avoid looking in a certain direction.
That one-sided preference leads to repetitive pressure on the same area of the skull — and eventually, flattening.
Why This Matters for Development
The shape of a baby’s head is more than cosmetic — it reflects how the brain and body are developing together.
Babies with plagiocephaly often show other signs of imbalance, such as:
Difficulty feeding on one side
Tension through the shoulders or upper back
Delays in rolling or lifting their head evenly
Trouble settling or sleeping comfortably
When one part of the body is under constant stress, the nervous system must work harder to compensate. This can influence posture, movement, and even how sensory information is processed as the brain grows.
The Nervous System’s Role
The nervous system controls every movement and muscle in your baby’s body. When it’s balanced, both sides of the body move equally, allowing for natural, symmetrical development.
When it’s stressed or overloaded, the brain may prioritise one movement pattern over another. The body then adapts — often by tightening or shortening certain muscles — which creates uneven pressure and alignment.
That’s why plagiocephaly is rarely just a “head shape” issue; it’s a reflection of how well the nervous system is communicating with the body.
How Chiropractic Care Helps
At Healthy Families Chiropractic, we start by measuring how your baby’s nervous system is functioning using INSiGHT scans.
These non-invasive scans show us exactly how well your baby’s system is adapting and where areas of stress or imbalance exist:
Thermal scans identify nerve tension that may be restricting neck movement.
Surface EMG scans measure how evenly muscles on both sides of the spine are firing.
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) helps us see whether your baby’s nervous system is calm and adaptable, or stuck in fight-or-flight.
When we gently release areas of tension and restore proper communication between the brain and body, babies often begin turning their heads more evenly, lifting higher during tummy time, and developing smoother movement patterns.
Over time, their head shape begins to even out naturally — because their body finally has the freedom to move as it was designed to.
Why Parents Notice a Difference
Parents often tell us they start seeing changes within weeks:
Their baby looks both ways more easily.
Feeding becomes smoother on both sides.
Sleep improves as their body relaxes.
That’s the power of a calm, balanced nervous system.
When the brain and body communicate clearly, development unfolds effortlessly.
You Don’t Have to “Wait and See”
Plagiocephaly isn’t something you have to wait for your baby to outgrow. There’s always a reason behind asymmetry — and by addressing the root cause early, you can support healthy development now and in the years ahead.
If you’ve noticed a flat spot, a side preference, or difficulty turning the head, let’s start with a conversation.
Understanding your baby’s nervous system is the first step toward helping them move — and grow — freely again.
