Jena Sims, wife of LIV Golf player Brooks Koepka has had a somewhat difficult time with the birth of their child, Crew. He was born prematurely and had to be in the NICU for a long time. Other complications that the parents are battling is the flathead syndrome and wryneck syndrome from the post-birth care.

The complicated growth of the baby would result in a flathead, therefore, the parents decided to put a protective and treatment-related helmet on the child’s head. Sims updated the boy’s progress with five words, saying, “We’re still in it but we’re near the end.” She also said that there is a limit to the time until when they can have Crew wearing the headgear, “They don’t give you an end date. I do know the cranial technologies they don’t treat past eighteen months.”

The child arrived 7 weeks ahead of its due date. Because of this, he had to be admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit in his first few days. Now into his fifteenth month, the child is nearing the time when the cranial helmet might not prove effective enough to affect the head’s shape. Sims asserted that the shape of her son’s head looks quite normal now. Moreover, she remarked that the child’s head doesn’t display a huge amount of flatness as of now. This would mean that the helmet has worked. Jena Sims also said that the parents know what the problem areas are, and the treatment has still not been completed yet.

The health of their child is the primary concern for any parent and surely, the Koepka’s are very involved and proactive with the health of Crew. But let us learn what exactly is flathead syndrome and what we can do about it.

What is flathead syndrome?

Flathead syndrome actually happens to babies if they sleep on the same side for a long time in the initial days after the birth. It can occur either on the side of the head or on the back of the head. It is also a more common occurrence in premature babies, which Crew Koepka is, as the body part is still growing rapidly. It can also occur if there is pressure on the baby inside the womb, either from the mother’s pelvis or from a twin.

To prevent the babies developing the syndrome, parents must ensure turning the baby’s head regularly. If the child is diagnosed with the syndrome, there are a few ways to treat it. One good way to treat it is to have tummy time, which is that you can put the baby on its stomach while it is awake. Another way is to vary the positions of the baby in the crib or bed. A helmet may be prescribed by a doctor and this method will work faster than the natural growth which will take years.