Baby Baker’s appeal after 'flat head syndrome' diagnosis

Rachel Wilkinson with baby son Baker Wilkinson

The family of Baker Wilkinson are raising money to get him a special ‘baby helmet’ after he was diagnosed with Plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome).

The 12-week-old baby boy was diagnosed with the condition shortly after birth, which causes an asymmetric flattening of the head and can lead to various problems with his physical development.

Treatment for the condition can be troublesome as it is not available as one might imagine on the NHS – so Baker’s parents are having to find over £2,000 for corrective treatment and a helmet for him.

Mum Rachel Wilkinson said she was taken aback to find that her baby’s treatment was classed as “cosmetic” and would set them back further than they are able to afford.

She said: “People would think it was available on the NHS. We thought it would be. It’s quite strange that it would be classed as a cosmetic treatment when it is clearly something that he needs.”

She added: “Baker’s condition has so many possible issues, it can even unbalance his ears, making it very difficult to get him glasses if we should ever need them.

“He has a tendency to only look one way because the shape of his head restricts him.”

Typically, babies with Plagiocephaly develop a ‘parallelogram-shaped’ skull, with flattening of back of the left or right side of the skull, frontal bossing on the same side as the flattening and bulging on the opposite side at the back. There is sometimes a tendency to only look in one direction, as the neck muscles may be tighter on this side. This is known as Torticollis and requires therapy to help correct it.

It can also cause problem with his jaw which could become a problem when he starts teething and eating.

Specialists will be able to help reduce the severity of Baker’s deformity with orthotic treatment after a few months, but first he will need the helmet to help him start his recovery.

Rachel set up a fundraising page in the hope of getting some help towards his treatment, and she was overwhelmed with the response.

She continued: “We raised £480 in just a few hours which was amazing. We are so thankful to everyone who has donated.”

To donate, visit:

https://www.gofundme.com/2dt7egv8