Why Does my baby always look to one side? Plagiocephaly & head preference explained.

You gently turn your baby’s head and they turn it straight back.

You change their position, place toys on the other side and encourage them to look both ways. Yet, no matter what you try, they continue returning to the same side.

A consistent head preference is rarely just about the head - It’s a sign there is  stress and asymmetry in the nervous system, that is often part of a whole body pattern.

When a baby consistently faces one direction, you may notice other signs alongside it, including:

• Difficulty feeding or latching on one side

• A head tilt

• Tightness through the neck or shoulders

• A curved or “banana-shaped” posture

• Difficulty or frustration during tummy time or travelling in the car

• Flattening on one side of the head

• Uneven use of the arms

• A tendency to rotate or curve the body in one direction

• Tension in one of the hips

• Digestive struggles or discomfort 

Why might a baby prefer one side?

A head-turning preference may be influenced by several factors, including:

• Their position during pregnancy

• Limited space in the womb

• Birth-related stress and strain to the upper neck, head and shoulders especially when there was intervention during delivery

• Congenital muscular torticollis

• Spending extended periods with pressure on the same area of the head

In practice, the most common reason I come across a head preference is due to the stressors and stain placed on baby’s head and neck during the birth, especially if there has been use of forceps, vacuum, assisted delivery or a cesarean birth. 

This leads to stress and subluxation (lack of normal movement) within the neurospinal system impacting balance & symmetry of movement  This creates wind up & tension in the nervous system, and your baby gets stuck in a fight flight response.

What is Plagiocephaly & Torticollis?

Positional Plagiocephaly, sometimes called flat head syndrome, is a flattening on one side of a baby’s head. A baby’s skull is naturally soft and rapidly growing. If the same area of the head rests against a surface repeatedly (due to an inability to more freely side to side), the skull can begin to mould around that pressure.

You may notice:

• Flattening at the back of the head on one side

• One ear sitting further forward

• Unevenness through the forehead or face

• A consistent head turn or tilt

• A fuller or more prominent area on the opposite side of the head

Torticollis is a name or diagnosis  given to the tight muscles in your baby’s neck contributing to a head tilt one way with their chin pointing the other way. 

Both Plagiocephaly and torticollis are symptoms of subluxation and stress within the neurospinal system. 

What can a persistent head preference affect?

If left uncorrected plagiocephaly can impact;

head and facial symmetry, sinus drainage, airway health balance, neurological function, hearing, coordination, sensory processing, movement patterns and muscle tone

• Feeding, craniofacial & jaw development

• Sinus drainage and recurrent ear infections

• Airway health

• Posture, movement patterns and coordination

• Sensory processing, developmental delays 

Looking beyond the flat spot

Noticing a head preference is the first step.

At Unbound  chiropractic we  gently assess your baby for stress and subluxation in their neurospinal system to understand why they continually return to one side and how this is impacting their movement, posture, feeding and developmental patterns.

If your baby is struggling with a head preference book them in for an initial consultation today so we can support them back to balance.