Flat head pillows are advertised to help prevent flat spots on a baby’s head, but they pose a deadly risk of suffocation and should never be used, according to the FDA.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting flat head pillow induced injury cases in all 50 states. If your baby suffocated, had low oxygen (asphyxia), or died while using a flat head pillow, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
What’s the Problem?
The top rule for new parents is to always put babies to sleep on their backs, on a firm and flat surface without any pillows in the crib. That advice helps prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), but when babies spend a lot of time on their backs, they can develop a flat spot on the back or side of their skull. The condition is technically called plagiocephaly.
Flat Head Pillows are Dangerous for Babies
Recently, some companies have started selling “flat head pillows” or “head-shaping pillows,” which are advertised to prevent or fix a flat spot on your baby’s head. The problem is that these pillows are unnecessary and dangerous because they pose a deadly risk of suffocation.
How Do Babies Suffocate?
Babies can twist onto their side, or roll over from their back to their stomach, and get their face trapped up against the fabric of the pillow. They can suffocate to death within minutes, or develop positional asphyxia (low oxygen due to position), which can cause permanent brain damage and lifelong disabilities.
What Do Flat Head Pillows Look Like?
Flat head pillows usually look like a small mat with an indent or hole in the middle, which is supposed to cradle the back of a baby’s head. Many pillows are made out of memory foam. They can look like a misshapen donut, heart-shape, oval with animal ears, or rectangle.
Don’t Use Flat Head Pillows Due to Suffocation Risk
In October 2022, the FDA warned parents and caregivers: “Do Not Use Infant Head Shaping Pillows to Prevent or Treat Any Medical Condition.” Flat head pillows are not FDA-approved for any medical purpose. They are also dangerous, according to the warning:
“The use of head shaping pillows can create an unsafe sleep environment for infants and may contribute to the risk of suffocation and death.”
Flat Head Pillows “Are Not Safe,” FDA Warns
Flat head pillows “are not safe or effective for preventing or treating flat head syndrome,” according to the FDA. These pillows pose life-threatening suffocation risks, unlike flat head syndrome, which is usually harmless. Most flat spots go away on their own, they are not painful, and they do not cause any developmental problems, according to the FDA.
What is Flat Head Syndrome?
Flat head syndrome is a common condition in which a baby’s skull is asymmetrical or flattened on one side. Flat head syndrome is also called “positional plagiocephaly.”
What Causes Flat Head Syndrome?
Many babies develop a flat spot on the back or side of their head during their first few months of life because they spend many hours laying on their back — sleeping, in car seats, swings, or bouncers.
Signs & Symptoms of Flat Head Syndrome
- Baby’s head is flatter on one side or misshapen
- Less hair on the flat part of the head
- Ears misaligned
- Thicker neck muscles on one side
- Neck muscles are much stronger on one side (torticollis)
- Asymmetrical facial features
Why Does My Baby Have a Flat Head?
After babies are born, they are supposed to be put on their back to sleep (following guidelines of the Safe to Sleep campaign for preventing SIDS).
Being on their back helps prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), but it also puts pressure on the skull. Many babies develop a flat spot, but it is usually harmless and goes away on its own. If it does not go away, it is rarely noticeable after the child is a few years old.
In severe cases, doctors may prescribe an orthotic helmet. The baby will be fitted with a special helmet to correct the shape of their skull.
Flat head syndrome is more common in premature babies, because they are born with softer skull bones and must stay on their back for medical treatment in the NICU during their first few weeks of life.
Flat Spots and Torticollis (Turning Head to One Side)
Flat spots may also be caused by torticollis, which is a condition in which the baby always prefers to sleep with their head turned to one side. This is because their neck muscles are stronger on one side. Torticollis can be due to positioning in the womb, especially for larger babies or multiples.
What About Craniosynostosis?
In rare cases, flat spots are caused by a serious condition called craniosynostosis, when the skull bones join together too early, before the brain is fully formed. Babies with this condition will often need surgery to give the brain room to grow. Doctors may prescribe special FDA-approved helmets, caps, or head bands to shape the skull as the baby grows.
Why Do Babies Have Soft Skulls?
Babies are born with 6 separate skull bones that are not fused together. They also have open spaces between the skull bones (called “fontanelles” or “soft spots”) that remain open for months after birth. During childbirth, this allows the skull bones to squeeze together and overlap so that a baby’s head can pass through the birth canal. The flexibility of the skull also gives room for rapid brain growth during the first 2 years of life.
Infant Pillow Lawsuits Filed for Suffocation Hazards
A growing number of lawsuits have been filed for babies who suffocated while using infant pillows, sleep positioners, and inclined sleepers.
One of the most recent lawsuits was filed against Leachco, a company that refused to recall 180,000 Podster Infant Loungers after 2 babies died.
More than a dozen baby deaths have also been linked to other types of infant pillows, such as the Boppy Newborn Lounger, the Nap Nanny Portable Baby Recliner, and others.
Do I have a Flat Head Pillow Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting flat head pillow induced injury cases in all 50 states. If your baby suffocated, had low oxygen (asphyxia), or died while using a flat head pillow, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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