Our Family’s Experience With a Cranial Helmet: What Parents Should Know
About this time last year, we learned that our daughter was going to need a cranial helmet. Up until that point, I hadn’t given them much thought. Honestly, I assumed (wrongly) that babies who wore them must have a disability or head injury. I’d heard the phrase torticollis helmet thrown around, but I didn’t know what that meant either.
The truth? Many babies today are prescribed helmets—not because of an injury, but because of conditions like plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome) or brachycephaly (wider-than-normal head shape). If you’re a parent trying to figure out if a cranial helmet might be necessary, I want to share both the medical side and our very real, very human experience.
Why My Daughter Needed a Cranial Helmet
For us, there wasn’t really a decision to make. Our daughter’s head shape was so unusual that her doctor ordered an X-ray just to make sure nothing more serious was going on. Left unchecked, our daughter may have faced ridicule from her peers, jaw problems, as well as difficulty fitting helmets, hats, and glasses later on in life.
Even then, no one was sure if the helmet could fully correct her diagonal slope. Spoiler: it didn’t fix everything, but it did help.
The Emotional Toll of Helmet Therapy
I won’t sugarcoat it—the first day was rough. When I put the helmet on my daughter for the first time, I cried. Hard. She looked so different. The helmet made her bright eyes look droopy, puffed out her forehead, and hid her unusually long baby hair. It felt like she suddenly wasn’t my baby.
But here’s the thing: once I got past my own emotions, she adjusted almost immediately. She wasn’t bothered by it. In fact, when we’d take the helmet off to clean it, she seemed to want it back on. Babies are resilient—it’s usually the parents who struggle more.
What Life With a Baby Helmet Really Looks Like
23 Hours a Day
After a short adjustment period, she needed to wear the helmet for 23 hours a day. That meant one hour off for cleaning and skin checks.
Cleaning Routine
Sweat and odor build up fast. Every day, we wiped the helmet down with rubbing alcohol and bathed her more often than usual.
Overheating
Our daughter already “ran hot,” and the helmet made it worse. Even in December, she lived in short-sleeved onesies because warmer clothes caused heat rashes. Strangers gave me weird looks when they saw her in light clothing in the middle of winter, but it was necessary. One elderly woman even offered to “cover her tootsies,” as though I were a bad mom.
Weekly Appointments
Because babies’ heads grow so quickly, we had appointments every week to shave the helmet and adjust the fit. If my husband’s work schedule hadn’t allowed some flexibility, this would’ve been nearly impossible. After she turned six months old, appointments changed to every other week.
The Cost of Two Helmets
What many parents don’t realize is that sometimes one helmet isn’t enough. If your baby’s head shape doesn’t improve significantly, a second helmet may be required. Insurance coverage is inconsistent—many providers consider it “cosmetic,” meaning parents are stuck paying out of pocket. Even if the helmet is covered, you usually have to pay out of pocket first and be reimbursed.
Staph Infections
Even though we followed every cleaning guideline, our daughter developed a staph infection under her second helmet. At first, everyone (including doctors) thought the red patch was a birthmark. But it grew redder, flakier, and smelled awful. By the time it was diagnosed, the infection had contaminated the helmet. They would’ve had to make her a second one, but the start date kept getting pushed back due to reinfections. At that point, with her first birthday approaching along with hot summer weather, we made the decision to stop helmet therapy altogether.
What Causes Flat Head Syndrome?
An “abnormal” head shape can result from many factors:
- Time spent in one position in the womb
- A long or difficult delivery
- Genetics
- Torticollis (tight neck muscles that limit movement)
- Too much time lying flat in the same position during infancy
In our case, her doctors believe it was caused either by her 30+ hour labor with vacuum delivery or positioning in the womb. Along with the helmet, she also needed physical therapy to stretch her neck and correct her torticollis.
Do Cranial Helmets Really Work?
This is the big question—and the research is mixed. Some studies suggest that mild cases of plagiocephaly improve on their own over time. For severe cases, like my daughter’s, helmets are usually recommended.
For us, the helmet seemed to help. Before she got it, her head shape kept getting worse. After a few months, it improved noticeably. That being said, even after stopping her second helmet early, her head continued to round out naturally. It will never be “perfect,” but her specialist told us from day one that no helmet could fully correct it.
What Parents Should Know Before Starting Helmet Therapy
If you’re considering cranial helmet therapy for your baby, here are a few takeaways from our journey:
- Be prepared emotionally—it may be harder on you than your baby.
- Budget for it—insurance may not cover the cost, and sometimes two helmets are required.
- Stay on top of cleaning and skin checks—even then, infections can happen.
- Expect frequent appointments—weekly or biweekly adjustments are not optional. Skip them, and the helmet may rub your baby’s skin raw.
- Know that results vary—improvement is common, but a “perfect” head shape isn’t guaranteed.
Final Thoughts
If your doctor recommends a cranial helmet, know that you’re not alone. Many babies wear them, and most adjust just fine. While it was a stressful season for us filled with emotions, doctor visits, and challenges, I do believe the helmet helped our daughter.
Most importantly, she’s happy, healthy, and thriving—and at the end of the day, that matters more than the shape of her head.
Disclaimer
I’m sharing our family’s personal experience with cranial helmet therapy in hopes it helps other parents feel less alone. This post is not medical advice. Every child’s situation is different, so always consult with your pediatrician or specialist before making decisions about treatment.
