Is Passive or Dynamic Better?

[Guest guest]

Hello. My son is in a passive helmet, and will be in it for about 12 months total. Everyone in the group keeps talking about adjustments and more than one band, and I have no idea what everyone is talking about. I thought that there was only one kind of helmet. Which is better? My son has been wearing his for 7 months now, and from listening to everyone, does'nt a year seem a little long? I'm starting to worry that we would have seen better results so far. Also, my son has more of a brachy shaped head, and I've heard some of you say that brachy is treated different from plagio. The problem was that he got his helmet when he was 11 months, so I did'nt have time to research the different types of treatment. We just did not know. Do the dynamic bands give better results? Any information would be so kind. Thank you. Lori.

[Guest guest]

Lori- I can only speak for our experience but we have a locally made helmet that was constructed to do both. It applies pressure to the part of Graces head where it was drifting from the torticollis and it also had open spaces in the back for the head to round out. So I guess we got the best of both styles of helmets. Graces has liners in it that the orthotist takes out as her head grows. -- and Grace

[Guest guest]

Lori:

I can tell you're quite concerned & frustrated. I understand. One

year does sound like a long time for your son to be wearing his

helmet. We have had members in our group who have used an " active "

style band for a lengthy time, but that usually has been with at

least 2 bands. Is your son's helmet still fitting him properly? Has

he had ANY adjustments made to it? (i.e...some of the inside

padding/foam shaved away as his head has grown into it?).

The " older " a child gets, esp. after one, you would most likely see

better & faster results with an " active " band - such as a DOCband or

STARband. That is mainly because a passive style helmet simply

relies on growth spurts, as it allows room for the flat side of the

head to grow into. After a child turns one especially, they don't

grow as fast as they did when they were under one.

The " active " bands help push things along faster by applying pressure

to the non flat side of the head to help push the flat side out.

These too depend on growth spurts, but are much more active than the

passive style helmets.

I am quite sure brachy is treated very similar to plagio - But don't

quote me on that, I am really not all that familiar with brachy

treatments as my daughter had plagio.

Many of us in the group weren't aware of all options out there for

our child. I wasn't either at first. And that's a shame our Drs

didn't help us out more

You're doing everything you can for your son. Hang in there.

Debbie Abby's mom DOCgrad

Michigan

> Hello. My son is in a passive helmet, and will be in it for about

12 months

> total. Everyone in the group keeps talking about adjustments and

more than

> one band, and I have no idea what everyone is talking about. I

thought that

> there was only one kind of helmet. Which is better? My son has

been wearing

> his for 7 months now, and from listening to everyone, does'nt a

year seem a

> little long? I'm starting to worry that we would have seen better

results so

> far. Also, my son has more of a brachy shaped head, and I've heard

some of

> you say that brachy is treated different from plagio. The problem

was that

> he got his helmet when he was 11 months, so I did'nt have time to

research

> the different types of treatment. We just did not know. Do the

dynamic

> bands give better results? Any information would be so kind.

Thank you.

> Lori.

[Guest guest]

Lori,

I think I responded to you yesterday in regards to my feelings about passive

and dynamic helmets/bands. I think for younger babies that are experiencing

frequent and significant growth spurts the passive helmet is probably very

effective. Even in my babies case starting at 9 months we got good correction

with the passive helmet. I just feel like we could possibly have gotten even

more with a dynamic band. Even with our locally made helmet we went in for

re-checks and/or adjustments every two weeks. Also, the ortho told us that it

was possible that would outgrow her first helmet and need a second

helmet at some. That did not end up being the case, but we knew from the

start that it was a possibility. We were like you - we did not know what our

options were at the start and in fact, there were no bands being made in our

state at the time. (there are now) I can sense your frustration and concern.

Maybe it is time to go visit with your ortho or specialist and express your

concerns.

Marci (mom to )

Oklahoma