Kellie &

[Guest guest]

Thanks !

[Guest guest]

Kellie, first of all, a very Happy Birthday to ! That is so awesome

that they had presents waiting for him. graduated two weeks before

his first birthday so I guess he was outta luck. But they gave him a Ty

Kid's doll when he graduated and he still gives " dollie " big kisses! Too

bad about that woman's comment. I will say that most of the comments you

get will be good! And we got more comments than I thought we would. Mostly

kids (and adults) envious of the cool stickers on his helmet. Of course,

was totally oblivious to it all.

Good luck and a big happy birthday to your now one-year-old.

& (15 months)

helmet 4/26/01 - 9/6/01

Redmond, WA

[Guest guest]

Kellie,

Thanks for the update on and it's good to hear that you have seen some

improvement over time - that's good news. I'm sorry to hear of your

disappointment with the helmet - I can only imagine how frustrating that must

be for you.

Best wishes to you and !

Marci (Mom to )

Oklahoma

[Guest guest]

Kellie:

First off, a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!! I know what you mean

about all the good bdays are gone, now all we have to look forward to

are the " over the hill " bday cards! LOL. My 27th bday is next month

& I'm really dreading it for some reason

I am so sorry you haven't had much success with & his helmet.

At least you tried your best & did everything you could possibly do.

I really feel for you with all of this, first with the military & the

problems they gave you, now this helmet not working. I do understand

your frustrations, I know how it feels to be " unsuccessful " in a

helmet/band. I cannot believe his orthotist told you to throw it

away when you're done.....wow. Sounds like he really doesn't care

much about him, that would've torked me off! I do remember you

posting a while back that did in fact have a CTscan done that

ruled out cranio right? (everyone kept asking me that about Abby too

after her 1st band did not work).

Like you said, the most important thing is that is a happy &

healthy little dude who loves the Price Is Right . Hang in there.

I hope you enjoyed your birthday after all.

Debbie Abby's mom DOCgrad

MI

--- In Plagiocephaly@y..., Kelliesmith@a...

> Hi Debbie. Thanks for asking about . It has been a while

since I have

> posted about 's progress.

>

> At this point, I really wish we could've spent the extra money and

time to

> fly down to California Cranial Technologies to do the DOC band. I

really

> feel like we have wasted our time with the Children's helmet. And

I know

> there have been some recent newcomers from Seattle, and I don't

want to deter

> anyone from using it, because it has helped many children. I just

don't

> think my child is one of them. He is 15 months old now and didn't

get in the

> stupid thing until a year. (Can you sense my frustration?) Plus,

this is

> the second time, including the military situation, that I have felt

like I

> have wasted my son's and my time.

>

> At this first check-up with the orthotist, she didn't see any

growth at all,

> however, his head shape has improved a little. I was very

discouraged at the

> appointment because the orthotist basically said, " Whenever you

want to

> quit, just quit. Throw the helmet away. " They didn't show any

desire in

> seeing him ever again or seeing if their helmet was doing the job.

I was

> thinking, " Don't they want to document results for future

studies? " Her

> reasoning for this was because it's " not a medical condition, " so

it's up to

> us when we stop treatment. And there was no need for an adjustment

because

> his head had not grown at all in two months.

>

> Now the helmet isn't fitting right anymore. He had to be out of it

for

> almost a week because of him being sick, and it will barely go on

anymore.

> He hasn't worn it for about two weeks now.

>

> However, I do believe his head has gotten considerably better over

time,

> probably due to both three months of helmet therapy and just time.

If you

> look at his photos in the photo section, those were taken when he

was about

> six months old, and his head looks absolutely NOTHING like that

anymore. I

> was absolutely horrified when I looked at them the other day. I

couldn't

> believe what a funky shape his head had, and it has since rounded

out a lot.

> At this point I am just hoping Mother Nature will step in a little

more. No

> one notices his head shape anymore, and I only notice it because I

have a

> trained eye.

>

> Right now, I am just very grateful for any correction we have seen,

and

> really, I am so grateful that I have a very healthy, happy, very

smart little

> guy, who is reaching milestones in his little life so fast.

>

> Sorry I sound so grumbly this morning. It's my birthday and I am

not too

> excited because I have already passed all the good birthdays. I'm

just

> getting old now.

>

> Kellie, mom of

> Tacoma, WA

[Guest guest]

Kellie,

I am so sorry to hear of the frustrations that you are experiencing.

You and have really been given the runaround throughout all of

this, and it really hasn't been fair. I would be really ticked off

too if my ortho told us to just throw the helmet away when we were

done. You have been here with the group with for quite some time,

and I can tell that you are a wonderful advocate for and a

terrific mommy, it just seems that you guys have been hit with every

roadblock there is. But I am really happy to hear that 's

headshape has rounded out considerably compared to his 6 month

pictures. Please don't feel that you have wasted 's time or

your own, you are doing a wonderful job and every little bit counts.

And I wish you a very Happy Birthday! I hope you had a wonderful

day! Every birthday is a good birthday, at least thats what I tell

myself! Then again, ask me in a few years when I hit the big 30, and

I'm sure I'll be singing a differrent tune! Hope it was a good one!

Niki

Kaylie & Danny (STAR grads)

Phila., PA

> Hi Debbie. Thanks for asking about . It has been a while

since I have

> posted about 's progress.

>

> At this point, I really wish we could've spent the extra money and

time to

> fly down to California Cranial Technologies to do the DOC band. I

really

> feel like we have wasted our time with the Children's helmet. And

I know

> there have been some recent newcomers from Seattle, and I don't

want to deter

> anyone from using it, because it has helped many children. I just

don't

> think my child is one of them. He is 15 months old now and didn't

get in the

> stupid thing until a year. (Can you sense my frustration?) Plus,

this is

> the second time, including the military situation, that I have felt

like I

> have wasted my son's and my time.

>

> At this first check-up with the orthotist, she didn't see any

growth at all,

> however, his head shape has improved a little. I was very

discouraged at the

> appointment because the orthotist basically said, " Whenever you

want to

> quit, just quit. Throw the helmet away. " They didn't show any

desire in

> seeing him ever again or seeing if their helmet was doing the job.

I was

> thinking, " Don't they want to document results for future

studies? " Her

> reasoning for this was because it's " not a medical condition, " so

it's up to

> us when we stop treatment. And there was no need for an adjustment

because

> his head had not grown at all in two months.

>

> Now the helmet isn't fitting right anymore. He had to be out of it

for

> almost a week because of him being sick, and it will barely go on

anymore.

> He hasn't worn it for about two weeks now.

>

> However, I do believe his head has gotten considerably better over

time,

> probably due to both three months of helmet therapy and just time.

If you

> look at his photos in the photo section, those were taken when he

was about

> six months old, and his head looks absolutely NOTHING like that

anymore. I

> was absolutely horrified when I looked at them the other day. I

couldn't

> believe what a funky shape his head had, and it has since rounded

out a lot.

> At this point I am just hoping Mother Nature will step in a little

more. No

> one notices his head shape anymore, and I only notice it because I

have a

> trained eye.

>

> Right now, I am just very grateful for any correction we have seen,

and

> really, I am so grateful that I have a very healthy, happy, very

smart little

> guy, who is reaching milestones in his little life so fast.

>

> Sorry I sound so grumbly this morning. It's my birthday and I am

not too

> excited because I have already passed all the good birthdays. I'm

just

> getting old now.

>

> Kellie, mom of

> Tacoma, WA

[Guest guest]

AnnMarie,

Happy belated Birthday!!!!! I hope you took sometime to enjoy yourself- you

really deserve it!!! I hate to hear all that you have gone through- and I

know first hand what your talking about when you say its next to impossible

to stretch at this age! is the same way- but - I tried

again to stretch him since he was tight the other night and he was so conked

out that for the first time in months, he let me do it without waking up.

Keep trying, you never know when all of a sudden he'll be so tired that he

won't even know your there- I hope!!! We also try to incorporate stretches

in playtime (Dad is good at this)- he will hold him sideways in the air, and

let his head hang, on the tort side it stretches out the muscle. Then he'll

hold him the other way and the right muscle will have to work if he wants to

pull his head up to look at Dad. He gets a kick out of it. I know it stinks

to have to still keep doing this, and its so frustrating when all the tricks

that used to work, don't anymore!! We are always having to be as creative as

possible and figure out ways to get him to stretch. AnnMarie you are doing a

great job, and your dedicated to your son- he will be just fine and it will

be the reward for all of your hard labor!! Please keep us posted! Sending

hugs your way from !

' Mom