Remember new and anxious? Casting done!

February 21, 2002

Hi, everyone, it's been maybe a few weeks since i've been on here,

I'm from Columbia MO and my 6 mo. old son, Kai(pronounced

like tie) has mild tort and mod-severe plagiocephaly. We went for

our casting for a Starband last Tue. and it went really well, our

orthotist used a fiberglass roll to cast, it was really quick and

lots easier and neater than what I thought after seeing the trad.

casting method on the net. He hasn't done too many posit. bands at

this job, but apparently did before this. He does mostly postsurgical

bands that he himself makes. He says he has more success when he

modifies the mold himself, instead of sending it to the company to

modify when they make the helmet. He doesn't take measurements before

or during, he said he keeps the mold for a few months, but can't keep

it for the whole process. He goes mainly by looking, not

measurements. Is this unusual, or worrisome? he seems reliable, very

easy to talk to and seems to be knowledgeable. He stated that Kai's

head is in the upper 30% as far as severity goes, that's why I called

it mod-severe, or maybe that's severe. He said he would probably have

to wear the helmet about 6 mo. or more, I was disappointed as the

time on the starband site says median of 3-5mo. or something, but as

I read thru the emails, I see it seems to really vary. He said it

would be a little harder because Kai's head is kind of short to the

peak of his head from the forehead, is that brachy? We have another

week or so until we get the helmet, I'm wondering about the looseness

everyone talks about, guess I'll find out. By the way, if anyone

breastfeeds, do you take the helmet off while doing so? Our orthotist

mentioned taking the helmet off every 4 hrs for 20-40 min. at least

until the redness disappeared, I thought it was supposed to be on for

23 hrs? Probably will have more questions in a short time, it almost

seems like this was all a nightmare, because we don't have the helmet

yet and life goes on as usual. We are doing the two exercises the Dr.

recommended for his tort and he's doing better with those. Well I'll

write soon, thanks for listening Kaneko

Columbia MO (mom to Kai)

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