Plagiocephaly as a risk factor in neurodevelopmental disorders.

During the years of experience as physiotherapists of the CDIAP we have been able to observe in the clinical signs how children referred from Health for Plagiocephaly, Brachycephaly and even torticollis (PPB), present associated clinical signs that would confirm an added diagnostic orientation of disorder of regulation and psychomotor disorder.

Executive Summary
This relationship between plagiocephaly and psychomotor disorder can be found in several articles that describe cranial deformation as a risk factor for disorganization of the Nervous System and therefore being vulnerable to developing disorders in motor, language or cognitive development.
In the physiotherapy examinations carried out over the last few years, we observe a possible relationship between positional cranial deformations and difficulties at the level of regulation and psychomotor.

Context and Justification
The need for research on this topic will allow us to quantify and relate which are the most important clinical signs to take into account.
This data collection will help us develop a prevention plan for our future interventions with children with this osteoarticular disorder.

General Objective
The aim of the research work that we present is to be able to collect quantitative and qualitative data on the clinical signs observed in the 3 physiotherapy exploration visits that were made at the time in children with a diagnosis of cranial deformation, and that allow us confirm the hypothesis that PPB is a risk factor for neurodevelopment.

Specific Objectives

• Record which diagnostic orientations they have at entry, type and duration of treatment, and exit diagnoses.
• Register ages of referral, diagnostic examination, and discharge from physiotherapy service and/or treatment.
• Observe if there is a correlation between PPB and disorders of regulation, psychomotor disorder and other developmental disorders.
• Based on the data collected, design a network intervention and prevention plan, especially at the level of the basic areas of health and nursery schools.

• Data collection with a grid of the different clinical signs.
• Data collected in an interview with parents (diagnostic interview) at the time of the visit.
• Data collected during each child's clinical course: consultation phase, diagnostic process and dates.
• Scale for measuring the cephalometric index using craniometry.
• Protocol for measurements of plagiocephaly, brachycephaly and dolichocephaly. (Method used by the HSJD neuropediatric service).

Plagiocephaly was previously considered an aesthetic condition. The conclusion reached by many studies, and the present one, is that positional plagiocephaly is a risk marker for developmental delay, and monitoring by early care specialists is necessary. Likewise, more longitudinal studies are needed to demonstrate this relationship.