Kingston baby Jack’s plagiocephaly and LOCband Lite helmet journey

When Jack was around four months old, his parents, Rachel and Charlie, started to notice that his head shape was becoming uneven. He began to sleep for longer stretches at night and would only turn his head in one direction while sleeping. Jack was later found to have plagiocephaly, a condition where one side of a baby’s head becomes flattened, often due to positioning.

Rachel concluded on her experience before finding LOC. “We first mentioned it to our GP when Jack was a little younger than four months. We had also noticed that he preferred turning his head one way and could not move it much in the other direction. Both the GP and health visitor reassured us that it was normal and that he would grow out of it, saying every baby has a preferred side.”

However, as time passed, Rachel and Charlie began to feel uneasy. Despite reassurances, Jack’s head shape did not seem to be improving. They returned to their GP several times and eventually pushed for a referral to a paediatrician at their local hospital. Unfortunately, by the time Jack was around six to seven months old, his head shape had worsened.

Around this time, they also visited an osteopath who expressed concern. “She said it did not look like it was improving, and she recommended we go back to the paediatrician with measurements,” Rachel recalled. “The paediatrician was quite dismissive of us and we weren’t able to get another appointment because they didn’t feel that it was a medical issue and it was more ‘aesthetic’.”

By 10 months, Jack’s head shape still had not improved. At this point, another health visitor recommended that they contact LOC as soon as possible. “She actually said she felt like we had been failed at other points throughout his life and throughout that process,” Rachel shared.

Starting helmet treatment at LOC Kingston

At 10 months old, Jack had his first appointment with senior orthotist Joanne Drake (Jo) at our Kingston clinic. His parents were relieved by how quickly the process moved, and within two weeks, Jack had been fitted with his LOCband Lite helmet.

Looking back Jack’s parents shared, “Jo was really reassuring. There was never any pressure; she explained everything clearly and did a scan of Jack’s head. It was helpful to see the measurements on screen, rather than relying solely on what we could see with our eyes. We could finally understand what was going on.”

Because LOC manufactures in-house, Jack’s helmet was ready quickly, which gave the family confidence that they were finally moving forward with the treatment.

Although they wished they had started treatment earlier, Rachel and Charlie were relieved to finally have a plan in place. “We had followed the advice we were given at the time, which led to us starting later than we would have liked. We just wish we had known what route to take when Jack was four months old.”

One of the family’s initial concerns was how wearing a helmet might affect Jack’s personality. “He is such a cheerful, social baby, and we worried the helmet might change that. But once treatment began, we realised we did not need to worry at all.”

To help Jack adjust, they introduced the helmet gradually. “We let him play with it at first, then started with short periods of wear. As he got older, he would even ask for his ‘hat’, which was so impressive to see.”

Jack’s results after the LOCband Lite helmet treatment

Jack’s head shape showed significant progress over the course of treatment. His cranial vault asymmetry reduced dramatically from 22 mm to 11 mm, bringing him well within the moderate range. His parents felt reassured that they had made the right decision.

Jack’s head shape showed steady improvement throughout his treatment, moving from the severe to moderate. Over time, his family could notice the real improvement and felt reassured that the treatment was working.

At first, Jack’s parents admitted they felt a little self-conscious in public. “People would ask questions, and sometimes other parents thought we were being overly cautious. But then we met a dad with a nine-year-old who had had the same treatment. That was really reassuring; it made us feel we were not alone.”

The family even found that other parents were curious and wanted to learn more about their experience and were happy to answer these questions and share what they had learned along the way. Looking back, Jack’s parents describe their LOC experience as overwhelmingly positive.

Rachel and Charlie hope that by sharing their story, other parents will feel reassured and know where to turn if they have similar concerns.

If you’re concerned about your baby’s head shape, we’re here to help. You can fill out our free flat head photo assessment form or contact us to book a free consultation with one of our experienced orthotists.