Baby born with ‘flattened’ head after mum was in labour for over a month

A baby was born with a condition that caused his head to be "flattened" after his mum was in labour for over a month.

JJ Rushton's contractions began six weeks before her son, Bobby, was due to be born. However, she did not deliver the baby until over a month after as medics managed to stop her from going into premature labour. JJ continued to experience contractions during this time. Due to the cramped conditions in her womb, Bobby was born with severe Plagiocephaly or Brachycephaly, meaning that his skull has appeared to be "flattened." Although this condition is quite common in children, mum JJ says that the special helmet needed to treat her son is very expensive and not available on the NHS. She has created a GoFundMe page to raise money for Bobby's helmet. She wrote:

"Pressure can be placed on a baby's head before it's born if things are a bit squashed in the womb or there's a lack of amniotic fluid to cushion the baby also being born prematurely. "Premature babies are more likely to develop a flattened head because their skull is softer when they're born."

Although the helmets do not have a high success rate, JJ and her husband are still fundraising to buy one because it is the only treatment available. The mum explained how the helmet could help her son.

"The device will apply pressure to "bulging" parts of the skull and relieve pressure from other parts, potentially allowing growth in the flatter areas. "Treatment is normally started when the child's skull is still soft, usually at around 5 or 6 months old, and the device is worn almost continuously (up to 23 hours a day) for several months. As mentioned Bobby is already approaching 8 months so time is crucial."

Images via GoFundMe.