Guest guest Posted July 29, 2002 Report Share Posted July 29, 2002 , Wow - what a wonderful appointment! I'm so glad to hear that your orthotist was so thorough. I haven't heard of too many instances where a casting did not take place, but I have heard of it happening that way once or twice. Just be aware of the way the helmet fits when you get it and the improvement that you are seeing (or not seeing) and everything should be fine! Let us know when you go back to have the foam fitted. Marci (Mom to ) Oklahoma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2002 Report Share Posted July 30, 2002 Hi! We took to his appointment with the orthotist at the Center for Orthotic and Prosthetic Care today. We are on our way to a helmet! It will be a locally made helmet. We met with the very orthotist who will be making it. My husband and I had talked beforehand and had decided that this would be a checking-them-out appointment and that if we had any misgivings we would just leave and pursue treatment with another doctor. Well, I really REALLY liked our orthotist. He was a very kind man and sat us down and basically told us everything about the fitting process and the overview of the treatment. We will get more detail when we go back for the final fitting. I was impressed that I did NOT have to ask him any of my pain-in-the-tuckus questions on my list. :-) He covered everything. He also gave us his phone number and said that if we EVER had ANY questions at any time during the treatment, to call him asap. I got the impression he's dealt with lots of anxious parents before. The helmet will cost $1100.00. Our insurance, Anthem, has a poor record in paying for them, although the staff said that they usually give in after the 3rd appeal. They have packets of form letters and such and promised to help us through every step of the appeals process. I was trying to mentally prepare myself for the trauma of casting, and it didn't happen!! He took several measurements with various calipers, and took photos of ' head from several angles, and he will make the helmet from that. Next week, we go in and he will work on fitting the inner foam part of the helmet, and then the following week we will get the completed helmet and the treatment plan. On the one hand, I'm glad we didn't have to do a cast; on the other hand, the paranoid me is concerned that we might not get as good a fit -- and as good results -- this way. will probably wear his helmet for about 4 months, 20-22 hours a day. He says that most of the improvement will occur before is 12 months old, when growth slows and the bones start to fuse. He would not promise that we'll have perfect roundness, but we should achieve significant correction. That's OK by me. As long as we get better than doing nothing... if he still has some flatness but it's not so apparent, I will be happy. I'm hoping for symmetry. So there we are. Sorry to go on for so long! I'll keep you all posted. Thanks to everyone for your kind wishes! :-) - (mom to , 8 mo) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2002 Report Share Posted July 30, 2002 Hi , It's so nice to hear that you didn't get a run around. That is all too common around here! I've never heard of a child not having to be casted or scanned to be fitted for a helmet/band. Please let us know how the fit is. I also never heard of a baby only having to wear a band/helmet for 20-22 hours a day. It's usually 23 hours a day. I'm happy that your orthotist is experienced, that's so important!! Good luck and please keep us posted, > Hi! > > We took to his appointment with the orthotist at the Center for > Orthotic and Prosthetic Care today. We are on our way to a helmet! > > It will be a locally made helmet. We met with the very orthotist who > will be making it. My husband and I had talked beforehand and had > decided that this would be a checking-them-out appointment and that if > we had any misgivings we would just leave and pursue treatment with > another doctor. Well, I really REALLY liked our orthotist. He was a > very kind man and sat us down and basically told us everything about > the fitting process and the overview of the treatment. We will get > more detail when we go back for the final fitting. I was impressed > that I did NOT have to ask him any of my pain-in-the-tuckus questions > on my list. :-) He covered everything. He also gave us his phone > number and said that if we EVER had ANY questions at any time during > the treatment, to call him asap. I got the impression he's dealt with > lots of anxious parents before. > > The helmet will cost $1100.00. Our insurance, Anthem, has a poor > record in paying for them, although the staff said that they usually > give in after the 3rd appeal. They have packets of form letters and > such and promised to help us through every step of the appeals process. > > I was trying to mentally prepare myself for the trauma of casting, and > it didn't happen!! He took several measurements with various calipers, > and took photos of ' head from several angles, and he will make > the helmet from that. Next week, we go in and he will work on fitting > the inner foam part of the helmet, and then the following week we will > get the completed helmet and the treatment plan. On the one hand, I'm > glad we didn't have to do a cast; on the other hand, the paranoid me > is concerned that we might not get as good a fit -- and as good > results -- this way. > > will probably wear his helmet for about 4 months, 20-22 hours a > day. He says that most of the improvement will occur before is > 12 months old, when growth slows and the bones start to fuse. He would > not promise that we'll have perfect roundness, but we should achieve > significant correction. That's OK by me. As long as we get better > than doing nothing... if he still has some flatness but it's not so > apparent, I will be happy. I'm hoping for symmetry. > > So there we are. Sorry to go on for so long! I'll keep you all posted. > Thanks to everyone for your kind wishes! :-) > > - (mom to , 8 mo) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2002 Report Share Posted July 30, 2002 : I am happy to hear you had such a great appt with the orthotist & feel comfortable with him & his plagio knowledge. That's SO important to have a knowledgable orthotist, and he sounds to be great. That is definitely interesting that he didn't take an actual cast of ' head - I can't recall ever hearing this before, other than the STARscanner process (which is diff. than you described). But it sounds like he's done it before, so I'm sure it will fit fine! That's also great the office gave you some insurance appeal information. Sounds like a great place. Let us know when the helmet is done & how & mommy adjust to it. Thanks for the good update. Debbie Abby's mom DOCgrad MI > Hi! > > We took to his appointment with the orthotist at the Center for > Orthotic and Prosthetic Care today. We are on our way to a helmet! > > It will be a locally made helmet. We met with the very orthotist who > will be making it. My husband and I had talked beforehand and had > decided that this would be a checking-them-out appointment and that if > we had any misgivings we would just leave and pursue treatment with > another doctor. Well, I really REALLY liked our orthotist. He was a > very kind man and sat us down and basically told us everything about > the fitting process and the overview of the treatment. We will get > more detail when we go back for the final fitting. I was impressed > that I did NOT have to ask him any of my pain-in-the-tuckus questions > on my list. :-) He covered everything. He also gave us his phone > number and said that if we EVER had ANY questions at any time during > the treatment, to call him asap. I got the impression he's dealt with > lots of anxious parents before. > > The helmet will cost $1100.00. Our insurance, Anthem, has a poor > record in paying for them, although the staff said that they usually > give in after the 3rd appeal. They have packets of form letters and > such and promised to help us through every step of the appeals process. > > I was trying to mentally prepare myself for the trauma of casting, and > it didn't happen!! He took several measurements with various calipers, > and took photos of ' head from several angles, and he will make > the helmet from that. Next week, we go in and he will work on fitting > the inner foam part of the helmet, and then the following week we will > get the completed helmet and the treatment plan. On the one hand, I'm > glad we didn't have to do a cast; on the other hand, the paranoid me > is concerned that we might not get as good a fit -- and as good > results -- this way. > > will probably wear his helmet for about 4 months, 20-22 hours a > day. He says that most of the improvement will occur before is > 12 months old, when growth slows and the bones start to fuse. He would > not promise that we'll have perfect roundness, but we should achieve > significant correction. That's OK by me. As long as we get better > than doing nothing... if he still has some flatness but it's not so > apparent, I will be happy. I'm hoping for symmetry. > > So there we are. Sorry to go on for so long! I'll keep you all posted. > Thanks to everyone for your kind wishes! :-) > > - (mom to , 8 mo) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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