Abstract

Due to increasing number of head deformities in newborns during the last decade that is often associated with developmental and cognitive delay, there has been a rising interest in non synostotic head deformities. There is also information available about preterm infants and their particular risk of developing symmetrical and asymmetrical head deformities. In the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Clínica Alemana Santiago we implemented a postural management based on the analysis of posture and movement of the newborn, which allows us to take specific measures to prevent hospital stay complications. In the present study we aim to obtain quantitative data about head shape of newborn infants at the time of discharge from hospital. who have received this postural management. 189 infants were included (102 female). Cranial measurements were made as a routine procedure by qualified staff using a craneometer. Cranial Vault Asymmetry (CVA) and Cranial Index (CI) was calculated. Head shape was described by CVA and CI for each subject, during the initial evaluation and at the time of discharge. Initial CVA showed normal (85%), mild (14%), moderate (0.5%) and severe (0.5%) deformational plagiocephaly (DP). CVA at discharge showed a prevalence of normal (82%), mild (18%), moderate (0%) and severe (0%) DP. IC results showed in initial measurement were normal (58%), brachycephaly (52%) and dolichocephaly (28%). At discharge there was normal (56%), brachycephaly (18%) and dolichocephaly (26%). Estos datos preliminaries muestran porcentajes de deformación craneana similares a los presentados previamente (Ifflaender S. et al., 2013) y porporcionan un antecedente de importancia crítica para la impelementación de políticas o estrategias de prevención y manejo específico de las deformaciones craneanas.