Baby with flat head syndrome starts treatment after generous stranger pays £2,000 for specialist helmet

  • Lathan Beasley was born with plagiocephaly, causing a flattened skull
  • The NHS does not fund treatment as it is considered a cosmetic problem
  • Family set up a fundraising page to pay for specialist helmet therapy
  • They were stunned when a stranger donated the full amount in one go

By KATE PICKLES FOR MAILONLINE

Published: | Updated:

A baby who was diagnosed with flat head syndrome has been fitted with a special helmet after a generous stranger donated £2,000 to fund it.

Lathan Beasley has plagiocephaly - a condition where a baby develops a flattened head when they are a few months old.

Doctors believe it is caused by babies sleeping on their back and is not medically dangerous, so the NHS does not pay for treatment.

Lathan Beasley was born with plagiocephaly, a disorder that affects the skull, making his head appear flat

Lathan Beasley was born with plagiocephaly, a disorder that affects the skull, making his head appear flat

Lathan now wears a special hat designed to force the skull to grow in a certain shape, after a generous woman gave them £2,000 for the treatment

Lathan now wears a special hat designed to force the skull to grow in a certain shape, after a generous woman gave them £2,000 for the treatment

Instead, parents are advised to move their children on to their stomachs during the day.

But after doing some research, the family decided to fundraise for cranium orthoses treatment, known as 'helmet treatment', that costs about £2,000. 

WHAT IS FLAT HEAD SYNDROME? 

Babies sometimes develop a flattened head when they're a few months old, usually from sleeping on their back. 

Sometimes the head can be flattened on one side (known as plagiocephaly) or the back of the head becomes flattened, causing the head to widen and the skull to bulge out (known as bracycephaly).

The head can be flattened in the womb, and the condition is more common in babies born prematurely because they're squeezed through the birth canal when their skulls haven't fully developed.

But the most common cause is because babies now sleep on their backs every night – a position doctors advise to prevent cot death.

When they lie on their backs, the full weight of their heads rests on the back of their skulls and the pressure of the mattress on their soft skull causes it to become flat. 

The conditions is not thought to be medically dangerous.

Doctors advise changing the baby's position in the day to relieve pressure on the back of its head, and it will often correct itself over time. 

However, they warn parents not to change their baby's sleeping position from lying on their back at night. 

It's very important for babies to sleep on their back, because it reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Source: NHS Choices 

The specially designed helmet aims to improve the symmetry of his skull.

They launched a fundraising appeal for Lathan, six months, and were astonished when a woman responded and paid every penny of cash.

His mother Kyra Beasely, 30, his condition was 'very noticeable' and that she was worried about how it would affect him as he got older. 

'It was more the case of the mental impact it would have had as he was growing up,' she said.

'We just can't stop looking at Lathan to see how much it's helped him.

'It's horrible for a parent when you can't do something your child needs.

'It's just made things more normal because we can just get on and we don't have to worry about being careful with his head, and he can just look at us all much easier.'

The controversial treatment is not available on the NHS as doctors class the condition as cosmetic - and claim there is insufficient proof the helmet works. 

Experts state that if parents move their babies onto their stomachs during the day - to stop constant pressure on the back of the head - the condition should improve within eight weeks. 

Seven weeks after beginning his treatment Lathan's condition has changed dramatically, his family said.

The specially-made helmet works by only allowing growth within exactly defined limits so that the head shape reforms towards normality.

Treatment normally lasts for three to six months, when the baby will naturally grow out of the helmet, which is made from a foam liner and lightweight co-polymer shell.

The mother-of-four, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, said it could have taken months to raise the money without the benefactor's help, meaning the band might have been less effective.  

Six-month-old Lathan in his new colourful helmet, pictured with his mum Kyra and brothers and sisters - Gavin, 12 (left) Richard,  and Isabelle, 3.

Six-month-old Lathan in his new colourful helmet, pictured with his mum Kyra and brothers Gavin, 12 (left) and Richard, seven and sister Isabelle, three. The family are making the donor a memory box to say thank you

She said the gesture 'restored her faith in humanity.' 

It has also been touching for Lathan's brothers and sisters - Gavin, 12, Richard, seven and Isabelle, three - and dad Lee Beasley, 36. 

She said: 'They think their brother is special - Isabelle goes into nursery and tells her friends it's magic.'

She plans on thanking the woman, who wished to remain anonymous, with a memory box to show how she has helped Lathan. 

WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOUR BABY HAS A FLAT HEAD 

Treatment may not be necessary in mild cases of plagiocephaly or brachycephaly.

The baby's skull should correct itself naturally over time if parents take some simple measures to take pressure off the flattened part of their head and encourage them to try different positions.

Doctors advise:

  • Giving your baby time on their tummy during the day and encouraging them to try new positions during play time
  • Switching your baby between a sloping chair, a sling and a flat surface, so that there isn't constant pressure on one part of their head
  • Changing the position of toys and mobiles in their cot to encourage your baby to turn their head to the non-flattened side
  • Consider physiotherapy if your child is only able to turn their head one way; tight neck muscles may be preventing them from turning their head to the other side.

Parents may need to try these measures for six to eight weeks before they notice an improvement in the shape of the baby's head.

Source: NHS Choices

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