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Conditions We Treat  /  Flat Head (Plagiocephaly)

Pediatrics

Flat Head (Plagiocephaly) Care for Babies in Bakersfield

You notice a flat spot on the back or side of your baby's head. It is a common worry for parents, and it is often linked to how a baby lies and turns their head. Simple changes at home, plus help for any neck tightness, can make a real difference.

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Physical therapy can help many babies with a flat spot on the head. Positional plagiocephaly is a flat area that forms when a baby rests on the same part of their soft skull again and again. It often goes along with torticollis, a tight neck muscle that makes a baby turn one way. A physical therapist helps with positioning, tummy time and any neck tightness, so your baby rests and moves more evenly. At ARI Physical Therapy in Bakersfield, every visit is one-on-one with a licensed physical therapist, and parents are part of every visit.

Does this sound like you?

✓A flat area on the back of the head, or on one side
✓One ear sits a little more forward than the other when you look from above
✓Your baby always turns their head the same way when lying down
✓Your baby's head tilts to one side, or turning one way seems hard
✓Your baby dislikes tummy time or spends little time on their tummy
✓Lots of time in car seats, swings or bouncers

Why flat spots happen

A baby's skull is soft and grows quickly in the first months. If the head rests in the same spot for long stretches, that area can flatten. Babies should always sleep on their backs, as the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends, so it is important to give them other positions while they are awake.

A tight neck muscle is a common reason a baby keeps turning the same way. If your baby's head tilts or turns mostly one way, see our guide to torticollis in babies. Treating the neck often helps the head shape too.

How physical therapy helps

Your therapist checks your baby's head shape, neck movement and how they move, then teaches you simple daily habits:

  • Positioning: taking turns with which end of the crib your baby's head is at, where you place toys, and how you hold and carry them, so they turn both ways.
  • Tummy time: supervised time on the tummy while awake, which takes pressure off the back of the head and builds neck and arm strength.
  • Less time in “containers”: limiting time in car seats, swings and bouncers when your baby is not traveling.
  • Neck stretches and play: if your baby has torticollis, gentle stretching and strengthening so they can turn their head easily.

We also keep an eye on milestones like rolling and sitting. See our page on gross motor delays.

What about helmets?

Some babies are prescribed a special helmet. That decision is made by your child's doctor or a specialist, based on your baby's age and head shape. ARI does not fit or provide helmets. If your baby is using one, we can still help with neck tightness, positioning and movement, and we coordinate with your child's pediatrician.

What treatment at ARI looks like

1
A gentle evaluation

The first visit takes about 45 to 60 minutes. We ask about sleep, feeding and your baby's day, then check head shape, neck movement and how your baby moves and plays.

2
A plan you can do at home

You learn positioning, tummy time ideas and any neck stretches during the visit. You leave with a simple home program that fits into feeding, diaper changes and play.

3
Tracking progress

We check your baby's head shape, neck movement and milestones over time, adjust the plan as they grow, and share updates with your child's pediatrician.

No referral needed to start. In California, you can see a physical therapist directly for up to 12 visits or 45 days, whichever comes first. Some insurance plans still require a referral for coverage; call us at (661) 282-8584 and we'll help you check.

When to see a doctor first

Call your baby's doctor promptly, or get emergency care, if you notice:

  • A hard ridge along the head, or an unusual head shape that was there at birth
  • A head shape that keeps getting worse even with changes in position
  • A soft spot that seems to have closed very early, or a soft spot that bulges
  • A bulging soft spot with fever, vomiting, unusual sleepiness or crying that will not settle, which needs emergency care
  • A head that seems to be growing much faster or slower than expected at checkups

Why patients choose ARI

Care at ARI is always one-on-one and in person with a licensed physical therapist at our Bakersfield clinic: 8200 Stockdale Hwy, Suite B2, in the Town & Country Village center next to Trader Joe's. Our clinic director, Deepa Konnur, PT, MPT, OCS, is a board-certified Orthopedic Certified Specialist. We accept most private insurance plans and Medicare, and we have staff who speak Spanish and Hindi.

Flat head in babies FAQs

Many flat spots improve as babies grow, spend more time upright and move around more, especially when positioning changes start early. Some take longer than others. Your baby's doctor and therapist can tell you what they see and what to watch for.
No. Back sleeping is the safest way for babies to sleep. Keep doing it, and focus on positioning and tummy time while your baby is awake. Avoid pillows, wedges or positioners in the crib, which are not safe for sleep.
Not every baby with a flat spot needs one. Whether a helmet makes sense is a decision for your child's doctor or a specialist. ARI does not fit helmets, but we can help with positioning, tummy time and neck tightness either way.
Start with short sessions a few times a day. Try tummy time on your chest, across your lap, or with a rolled towel under the chest, and get down at eye level with toys or your face. Your therapist can show you more ways to make it easier.
No. In California you can see a physical therapist directly for up to 12 visits or 45 days, whichever comes first. Some insurance plans still require a referral for coverage, so call us at (661) 282-8584 and we'll help you check.

Common questions

Ready to feel better?

Talk to a licensed physical therapist at ARI, one-on-one. Request an evaluation and we'll get back to you, usually within one business day.

Request an EvaluationCall (661) 282-8584

Sources

  1. Congress of Neurological Surgeons Systematic Review and Evidence-Based Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Positional Plagiocephaly. Neurosurgery (Congress of Neurological Surgeons guideline), 2016.
  2. When a Baby’s Head is Misshapen: Positional Skull Deformities. HealthyChildren.org, American Academy of Pediatrics.
  3. Baby Helmet Therapy: Parent FAQs. HealthyChildren.org, American Academy of Pediatrics.

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. If you have symptoms, a licensed clinician should evaluate you.

Clinically reviewed by Deepa Konnur, PT, MPT, OCS, board-certified Orthopedic Certified Specialist · Reviewed October 2026