How 3D printing can help babies with Flat Head Syndrome

3D printing applications in the medical sector has impressed many around the world and been adopted by many hospitals and physicians. One of the many reasons of this widespread adoption is due to the technology’s ability to develop customized products from body to the exact specifications of the patient.

Source: 3dprint.com

Here is another case where 3D printing comes in handy: “CranioCaps” to treat a condition in infants’ known as Flat Head Syndrome – “a condition that occurs when a baby positions his or her head the same way repeatedly; this positioning can either occur on the side or the back of the head, and over time the pressure on that part of the head flattens it”. The American Academy of Pediatrics launched a campaign in 1992 called “Back to Sleep” in order to raise awareness about infants sleeping on their backs to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). One way to avoid this is with the use of helmets known as “CranioCaps” for the babies to wear during a 14-week growth period.

St. Paul, Minnesota’s Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare luckily had Stratasys 3D printer to print their own CranioCap. It took 5 hours overall: three hours to make the replica of the baby’s head and two to make the CranioCap. Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare reports that it treats around 1,100 children with Flat Head Syndrome annually – proving that the printer will definitely be a welcomed addition at the hospital.