Re: Daughter, Holly 10 months (a UK experience)

[Guest guest]

Hi Natialie & Simon

We are with Dr Blecher as well, and also found the casting a little

traumatic. However we had the helmet fitted yesterday and it was

absolutely fine - our son didn't even seem seem to notice it

and slept through last night. The casting is definately the hardest

bit.

You have absolutely made the right decision - and youu should be

proud that you have.

Keep in touch

Alison

-- In Plagiocephaly , " Sandy " <samipa74@y...> wrote:

> Hello

> I do think you have made the right decision. My daughter was 1.2,

> so much less than yours. Please let us know when you guys get the

> helmet. Oh and the fitting for the helmet won't be bad at all.

> Holly will be off to a rounder noggin soon. )

>

> Sandy Willow's Mom

> Torticollis resolved

> Cranio Germany Grad 02/04

>

>

> > > I'm new to this board and would like to share my experiences.

> From

> > > two weeks old we had noticed that Holly always had a tendency

to

> > look

> > > to one particular side. Our Health visitors and GP all ignored

> our

> > > opinions and said that it was nothing to worry about. We

noticed

> > her

> > > head shape was not completely 'normal', but all the advice we

> > > received was that it would correct itself when she was sitting

> > up.

> > > She was diagnosed with mild plagiocephaly and slightly

> hypertonic.

> > At

> > > 9 months we saw a consultant paedatrician who said she was

> > developing

> > > normally and should make good progress.

> > >

> > > It was only when my wife searched on the internet that we

> > discovered

> > > there was a potential link between the hypertonia and the head

> > shape

> > > that made us determined to get some answers. What finally

> brought

> > it

> > > home was the experience of a colleague at work whose son saw Dr

> > > Blecher in London.

> > >

> > > We saw him this Sunday at his clinic in London, who said that

> she

> > was

> > > classed as being moderately plagiocephalic, although from the

> > front,

> > > her facial features were perfect, her right ear was about an

> inch

> > > forward of her left. Had she been severe, he would have

> > recommended

> > > her the helmet, if mild, to do nothing. Because of her age, the

> > > helmet would not provide guaranteed improvement - had we seen

> him

> > six

> > > months ago, then the chances of improvement would have been so

> > much

> > > greater. As a result, the decision was entirely ours to make.

> > >

> > > He also explained some neck exercises that could have helped

the

> > neck

> > > muscles and help stop the looking to one side, and maybe that

> > could

> > > have helped with her head shape. All too late now.

> > >

> > > The decision & #8211; to do nothing, and hope for the best that

> it would

> > get

> > > better on its own, or to put her through six minutes of hell

> with

> > the

> > > casting, and then the longer term effects of wearing the

helmet.

> > All

> > > for just vanity? It was the hardest decision we have ever had

to

> > > make. Had we been six months earlier, we would have had the

> luxury

> > of

> > > time to make our decision. To make it within an hour seemed so

> > > impossible. All sorts of emotions crossed us. Was it cruel?

> Would

> > it

> > > really make any difference? Were we bad parents? Why hadn't

> anyone

> > > listened?

> > >

> > > We eventually came to the decision that we had to go for the

> > helmet.

> > > At 10 months old, we knew the chances of making a major

> difference

> > > were not as good, but at least we would have done everything

> > possible

> > > for her. It would have been so easy to have walked out and gone

> > home

> > > to let nature takes its course, but the constant niggling

> thought

> > > of `what if?' in six months time would have been impossible.

> > >

> > > The casting process was hell, my wife couldn't watch, I felt so

> > > inadequate and like the worst father ever, watching as the

> casting

> > > material was put on her & #8211; Holly screaming and fighting

> against us.

> > > Those few minutes seemed to last forever, and always at the

back

> > of

> > > my mind `had we made the right decision'. When the cast finally

> > came

> > > off, she sobbed, the rest of her bed-time milk soothing her.

She

> > even

> > > giggled at the nurse once she had calmed down. Driving home she

> > was a

> > > happy sausage once again.

> > >

> > > In two weeks time we go back for fitting (on Father's Day of

all

> > > days). I still wonder whether we have made the right decision.

I

> > do

> > > not know what the future holds for us, but at least we have

some

> > hope.

> >

> >

> >

> > For more plagio info