Guest guest Posted October 3, 2002 Report Share Posted October 3, 2002 1st off...RACHEL - DANE's on the home page!!!!! how exciting...how's everyone at your house doing? t 2nd... i haven't been around - SORRY... for any of you that don't know me/us or don't remember...here's a small history... i'm traci, my (plagio) son alec was born 1/21/02 - he got his helmet (from Cleveland Clinic) on July 10th - he started at the upper end of moderate with a 16 mm difference - at his first appt. 3 weeks later was down to an 11 (we were SO pleased) then 4 weeks later down to a 9 - but this last appt. (9/27) there was NO change at all - his head only grew 2mm the whole month and his " roundness " didn't change at all...i'm kinda discouraged! i know he won't always grow at the same rate (that's how HIS helmet works best - not sure about everyone else's) but i was still hoping for SOME change...he wears it at least 22 hours a day and has been it next week will be 3 months...i'm just so worried we won't get anymore change or that when his growth spirts come it will be too late - they're only gonna have him wear it till he's a year old - so we've only got 3.5 months left! sorry - i just need a little encouragement... thanks, traci Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 3, 2002 Report Share Posted October 3, 2002 Hi Traci: Good to hear from you finally!!! Sorry you haven't been too happy with Alec's progress. I can't remember, is his helmet at passive design(think so)? He's still got plenty more growing to do over the next few mos., but I know how discouraging & frustrating it is not seeing any improvement Been there. But IF the helmet is passive, then you are right, improvement relies on growth spurts. It sounds like he had a slow month growth wise, which hopefully means he'll make up for it soon! It's great though he did get improvement the first month he wore it, that shows it's fit right. Hang in there, I know how you feel, but he'll improve soon! Debbie Abby' smom DOCGrad MI > 1st off...RACHEL - DANE's on the home page!!!!! how exciting...how's > everyone at your house doing? t > > 2nd... > > i haven't been around - SORRY... > > for any of you that don't know me/us or don't remember...here's a > small history... > > i'm traci, my (plagio) son alec was born 1/21/02 - he got his helmet > (from Cleveland Clinic) on July 10th - he started at the upper end of > moderate with a 16 mm difference - at his first appt. 3 weeks later > was down to an 11 (we were SO pleased) then 4 weeks later down to a > 9 - but this last appt. (9/27) there was NO change at all - his head > only grew 2mm the whole month and his " roundness " didn't change at > all...i'm kinda discouraged! i know he won't always grow at the same > rate (that's how HIS helmet works best - not sure about everyone > else's) but i was still hoping for SOME change...he wears it at least > 22 hours a day and has been it next week will be 3 months...i'm just > so worried we won't get anymore change or that when his growth spirts > come it will be too late - they're only gonna have him wear it till > he's a year old - so we've only got 3.5 months left! > > sorry - i just need a little encouragement... > > thanks, traci Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 3, 2002 Report Share Posted October 3, 2002 debbie, thanks for replying! alec's is active - it has air bladders that i have to pump up each time i put it on him...it applies pressure to his " bumps " (non-flat spots) so that as his head grows the flat spots will be all that grows - i hope i'm making sense! i AM pleased with his progress this far - but having a " down " month just worries me! he's had almost 50% correction so far and his forehead and face are perfect now and friends and family barely notice the flat spot anymore! but i'm his mom - ya know? i want him to be PERFECT!!!!! (he IS but you know what i mean!) anyway - he goes back nov 1 (5 weeks this time instead of 4) and he'll be 9 1/2 months old - i just want so badly for him to get to " perfect " by his birthday! hey i've got a question...my orthotist says that most people don't have a perfectly round head that a 1 or 2 mm difference is very normal...after everyone's kids have graduated from their helmets - did anyone actually GET to a 0mm difference? thanks - traci > > 1st off...RACHEL - DANE's on the home page!!!!! how > exciting...how's > > everyone at your house doing? t > > > > 2nd... > > > > i haven't been around - SORRY... > > > > for any of you that don't know me/us or don't remember...here's a > > small history... > > > > i'm traci, my (plagio) son alec was born 1/21/02 - he got his > helmet > > (from Cleveland Clinic) on July 10th - he started at the upper end > of > > moderate with a 16 mm difference - at his first appt. 3 weeks later > > was down to an 11 (we were SO pleased) then 4 weeks later down to a > > 9 - but this last appt. (9/27) there was NO change at all - his > head > > only grew 2mm the whole month and his " roundness " didn't change at > > all...i'm kinda discouraged! i know he won't always grow at the > same > > rate (that's how HIS helmet works best - not sure about everyone > > else's) but i was still hoping for SOME change...he wears it at > least > > 22 hours a day and has been it next week will be 3 months...i'm > just > > so worried we won't get anymore change or that when his growth > spirts > > come it will be too late - they're only gonna have him wear it till > > he's a year old - so we've only got 3.5 months left! > > > > sorry - i just need a little encouragement... > > > > thanks, traci Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 3, 2002 Report Share Posted October 3, 2002 Traci- I've been wondering how you are doing! Can you tell everyone more about Alec's helmet? An anesteiologist whose son was in a DOC Band was explaining about the air pumps. I find it pretty interesting and don't know exactly how it works. You only have to go for adjustments every 4-5 weeks? I'm glad Alec has progressed so far! He started at 5 mo, right? That was the same as Dane. He wore the DOC Band for 3 months. We saw progression throughout the whole time he wore it. HOw much longer do you think he will be in it? Did MMO pay for the helmet (you have MMo, right?)? I have heard they have a very good reputation with paying for the DOC bands, so I assume they didn't give you any trouble! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 4, 2002 Report Share Posted October 4, 2002 ....my orthotist says that most people don't > have a perfectly round head that a 1 or 2 mm difference is very > normal... Traci, we all have some amount of asymmetry 1-3mm. Sometime Conan O'Brien (I think) will take celebrity photos, cut them in half and make the face using just one side (mirror image on the other - does this make sense) and it is difficult if not impossible to tell who you're looking at. on another note, Dr. Papay - the guy that developed the helmet you are using is the Dr. that wrote our rx for the DOC band. The reason being is that was nearly a year by the time we talked to him and he said studies have shown his helmet to not make much difference after one year of age. I showed him the CT studies along with some before and after photos of some of the kids here showing that the DOC band can make a difference after 1yr. has been in his helmet for almost 3 weeks and we have seen a lot of change. He started wearing it at 11mos 3wks. Maybe you could go to a DOC band after your done with this one - assuming your still not happy with the results. Just a thought! Good Luck on your next adjustment and here's hoping for some more growth spurts!! Kristi (4) and (1yr - DOCbanded 9/14/02) OH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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