Re: looking for feedback on brachycephaly/

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I think if you have 3-4 weeks before your daughter's actually in a

DOCband, that you should make an effort to keep her off of her flat

area at night. Check with your ped. about tummy sleeping to confirm

she is old enough to do so. With brachy babies, once that wider

head width is established, it can't be " squeezed " to a more narrow

shape - the band just prevents any more widening while redirecting

growth out the back of the head. It is especially important to

prevent any further widening to get optimum correction of the brachy

headshape.

Brachy babies can be notoriously difficult to repo at night, because

they really prefer and are most comfortable sleeping on the flatness

at the back of their head. We were extremely lucky that Remy

started sleeping on her sides on her own. I would keep giving side

sleeping a try, and check in here and there during the night if you

are able to do so and still get some decent sleep. You may not

always be successful, but even some success will be of help over the

next 3-4 weeks. Even when banded, I have read it can take brachy

babies a bit longer to get comfortable sleeping on the rounded

surface of the back of the helmet, since it feels so different from

their own headshape.

I hope Dana's get into her DOCband soon!

Christie (Mom to Repo'd Remy)

--- In Plagiocephaly , " Dawley " <krndwly@h...>

wrote:

> Hi Christie,

>

> Thanks for your nice welcome. I really appreciate your

thoughtfulness. We have decided to proceed with the DOCBand -

awaiting insurance pre-auth now. I'm dreading the casting because

Dana cannot stand to have her head or face messed with - just taking

the measurements irritated her.

>

> Maybe someone will invent a soft helmut like thing filled with

microbeads (like the Mogu) that babies can safely wear while

sleeping or in the car seat that cradles their heads to allow proper

growth!

>

> Your daughter Remy has wonderful hair! I'm so glad the repo

worked for her. Do you think having Dana sleep on her tummy until

she gets the band is something we should try? I think it will be 3-

4 more weeks before she is banded, and then I'm not sure how long it

will take to get her to sleep with it on at night. I've heard up to

a week or so. I've tried to get her to sleep on her side, but she

just fusses until she can get herself on her back. I put her on her

tummy last night while she was sleeping and she stayed asleep, but

my husband thought it was not a good idea and had me turn her back

over.

>

> The Springfield Interchange -- ugh! It's a nightmare, always

jammed up with traffic - we avoid it at all costs!

>

>

>

> --- Original Message -----

> From: redlocks2003

> Plagiocephaly

> Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2004 4:47 PM

> Subject: Re: looking for feedback on brachycephaly/

>

>

> Hi ,

>

> Welcome to the group! I see you have already gotten some great

> replies to your question about how we have some fabulous brachy

> success stories here at the group.

>

> Dana looks lovely in her pictures, and is still young at 7

months.

> I think she would correct very well in a DOCband.

>

> My own daughter had sort of a brachy/plagio combo headshape. We

> used repositioning only to treat her headshape, but started a

> critical 8 weeks earlier than your daughter is now (Remy was 5

> months.) Our daughter corrected nicely with aggressive

> repositioning; if you're interested, you can look at her

progress

> pictures in the photos/before and after/repositioned/Remy

folder. My

> own estimates were that Remy also was a 1.00 (width and length

> equal) at the start of repo, and she is about a .86 now (big

> improvement.) At 7 months old, it would be very late for Dana to

get

> results from aggressive repo, so you would be relying on hope

that

> it would round out on its own if you didn't band. It's

impossible

> to predict which babies will round out, and which ones won't, so

I

> think you made an excellent decision at Dana's current age to

have

> her evaluated for a band while she is young enough to get

maximum

> correction from severe brachy.

>

> Cranial Tech maintains a stellar reputation, and we have heard

of

> them turning away several babies here at the group for being too

> mild and not needing the DOCband, so you should have confidence

in

> their evaluation. Did you decide to pursue the DOCband, or are

you

> evaluating your options still?

>

> I grew up in Fairfax County (Springfield) a million years ago -

I

> recently saw a picture of the Springfield/I95 interchange, and

it

> looked like a big bowl of spaghetti!

>

> Take care,

>

> Christie (Mom to Repo'd Remy)

>

>

> --- In Plagiocephaly , " mnfamd " <krndwly@h...>

wrote:

> > Hi, we just joined. My 7 month old daughter, Dana, was just

> > diagnosed with severe brachycephaly by CranialTech in

ndale,

> > VA. Her head length and width are equal, and the back is very

> > flat. We are hoping to hear from families that have been

through

> > the experience and can provide feedback on results, with our

> without

> > band treatment. Thanks!

>

>

>

> For more plagio info