plagiocephaly

1 9.9

A baby's head that is flat on one side from lying in the same position

noun
/ˌpleɪdʒiəˈsɛfəli/

Specialized

: plagiocefalia

The outlook for babies with plagiocephaly is generally quite positive when treated appropriately.
positional plagiocephaly

Examples

Finally, we have shown that there are some clear risk factors for stronger flattening in infants. Their findings are also consistent with other reports, supporting the widely accepted belief that the development of plagiocephaly is progressive, beginning in early childhood.

Blog text (2)
The purposes of intervention for infants with congenital muscular torticollis are to prevent plagiocephaly, achieve symmetrical head position, develop normal range of motion, and balance muscle function around the neck.

Academic text (2015)
Positional plagiocephaly is usually easy for parents to notice because it causes a distinct shape to the baby's head.
It's important to recognize that plagiocephaly does not impact overall brain development in infants.

Surface Forms

plagiocephaly singular

plagiocephalies plural

Morphology

plagiocephaly = cephaly (opaque) = plagio + cephal + y

The components are Greek medical combining forms (plagio- 'oblique' + -cephaly 'head condition') that are technical and unlikely to be understood by an average B1 learner from the parts alone.

Etymology

The word plagiocephaly comes from plagio- 'slanting' and -cephaly 'head'. So it literally means a slanted or uneven head, which is why doctors use it for a baby's skull that looks tilted or uneven.