Chrissy Teigen responds to trolls questioning her son's head-shaping helmet
Her son is wearing a helmet to correct flat-head syndrome
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Your support makes all the difference.Chrissy Teigen has defended her decision to use a helmet to shape her baby son’s head after people questioned the tactic.
On Monday, Teigen announced that six-month-old Miles was being fitted for a little helmet for his “adorable slightly misshapen head” and that people should not feel bad for him when they see pictures because he is just “fixing his flat.”
The mum-of-two then shared photos of baby Miles wearing the white helmet on social media.
Teigen’s admission resonated with other parents, who then responded in a Twitter thread with photos of their own babies wearing the helmets.
In one photo, a baby wears a hand-painted helmet meant to look like captain’s goggles, while another shows off a flower-decorated helmet.
And others praised Teigen for being open about Miles’ condition.
“Chrissy, really cool of you to share. All of us parents have these moments with our kids and it just makes it easier to talk about them when you see you are not alone,” one mum wrote.
The purpose of the head-shaping helmets is to fix plagiocephaly, a condition that occurs from a baby’s sleep position and results in a misshapen or flat head, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
And according to Boston’s Children Hospital, the condition is extremely common, as baby’s heads are pliable, but very easily treated through “special exercises, varying sleep positions, or wearing corrective headbands or moulding cups.”
However, while most of the responses have been positive, others have questioned why Teigen would use a helmet on Miles when therapy exists to fix the condition.
Teigen responded on Twitter, addressing the concerns of trolls.
“Good morning trolls!” she wrote. “Just a friendly reminder that you do not indeed know absolutely everything. Miles has been seeing a physiotherapist - we didn’t just go straight to helmet. We tried muscle work and will continue.
“Also your flat-headed kid turned out fine yes yes yes I agree.”
Teigen also reminded her followers that she was not promoting the method, just sharing her story.
While expert advice varies, the AAP states that “helmet therapy is rarely necessary” and that physical therapy can most often correct the condition.
The NHS also does not recommend the technique, as it can be expensive and there is no “clear evidence to suggest they work.”
But, according to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, if other changes do not rectify the issue, helmet therapy may be required.
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