Doctors from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, recently did a randomised control trial of positioning treatments for infants with plagiocephaly and brachycepahly. In this study head shape was measured digitally and neck function was assessed. Children were followed up at 3,6 nad 12 months. One group were treated using positional strategies and one with positioning strategies and a SafeT sleep.  The results of this study showed  that there was no difference in head shape outcomes for the two treatment groups after 12 months of follow up, with 42% of infants having head shapes in the normal range by that time. Eighty percent of children showed good improvement. Those that had poor improvement were more likely to have both plagiocephaly and brachycephaly and to have presented later to clinic.

 Most infants improved over the 12-month study period, although the use of a sleep positioning wrap did not increase the rate of improvement.