MATTRESS INCORPORATING A HEADREST FOR PREVENTING AND CORRECTING NON-SYNOSTOTIC CRANIAL DEFORMITIES IN INFANTS

摘要

A device for correcting theshape of an infant's abnormally-shaped craniumby applying external forces over time with thegrowth of an infant to achieve normal shapingof the infant's head. The device applies inwardly-directedexternal forces only to areas of bonyprominence and minimizes (or altogether eliminates)these forces on the areas of the skull thatare less prominent (or flattened). Because thepresent invention is non-conforming to theshape of an abnormal skull, the exerted forcescause accelerated expansion of the skull in lessprominent (flattened) areas coincident withbrain and skull growth. This causes the craniumto return to a normal symmetric cranial shape.The material that contacts the infant's craniumis semi-rigid, relatively non-flexible, and maintainsits overall shape under stress.