In need of support

[Guest guest]

I cried every night the week before my son received his helmet and then for

another week when he started wearing it. It is definitely harder on the parents

than it is on the child. When I saw a difference within a few days, things

started to change. You'll start to get used to having the band on. Luke

started to look " naked " after a while without his helmet on.

Keep a happy face on. A smile can help change your mood even when you are

feeling down, and your son will be looking to you to see your reaction.

I think what you are feeling is completely normal. Hang in there. It

definitely gets easier.

Mom to Luke, 7.5 months old

severe brachy, mild plagio

STARband graduate 6/09

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> my son is about to receive his helmet tomorrow for his plagiocephaly and I'm

having a really difficult time. i know that he needs it & obviously, we are

going through with it, but that doesn't make it easy. i feel like i'm going to

miss out on snuggling with him and holding him the way that he likes b/c of this

big, intrusive piece of equipment. not to mention that i worry he will be so

hot having to wear it in the dead of summer. did other mom's feel the same way

at first? how do you cope with these feelings? any advice would be greatly

appreciated b/c i am so anxious about this as our appt. is tomorrow. thanks so

much!

>

[Guest guest]

First, good luck with your little guy's helmet.

My daughter has positional plagio due to her first day care situation (they left

her in her infant carrier). She was only off by 8.4mm, which put her at the

early end of moderate. I really didn't want her to get a helmet, because I

couldn't tell that she was flat, and I didn't want to deal with the looks in

public. But since the doctor told us that her facial structure was being

affected and that she would look 'off' as an adult, I decided we should go

through with it. She's now had her helmet for 7 weeks and we have seen

substantial improvement! She improved 3mm in the first 3 weeks. Her next

appointment is Wednesday afternoon, so we'll find out how much more she's

improved then. Her head is much rounder (I can see that she was flat now that

there's been improvement). Her eyes have also improved - her left eye used to

not open all the way, but now it can. She has 2 to 4 months left in the helmet,

depending on how quickly she continues to grow. We won't get a perfect

correction, since she was banded at 9.5 months, but I'm happy with the progress

we've seen so far. And I am glad that she'll look just as cute as a teenager as

she does right now. You're doing the right thing, and your baby will adjust. My

daughter will pull her helmet off the table to put it back on, so I guess it

doesn't bother her too much!

Keep us posted!

>

> -Thank you all for the support, it is so helpful. I know that we are

absolutely doing the right thing, it's just hard. I will let you all know how

tomorrow goes. Fingers crossed that does as well as some of your

children. Thanks again!

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[Guest guest]

, 

If you want to continue breastfeeding and if Enbrel is approved to do so, then

your insurance company can't deny you.  Breastfeeding is more than a choice for

women, it is highly medically recommended for moms to breastfeed.  An insurance

company denying you Enbrel because MTX is cheaper is like them denying you

coverage for being pregnant.  Stick to your guns of what you desire for yourself

and your child.  Breastfeeding has so many benefits for both your infant and

yourself, many of which we have not discovered yet. 

Good Luck,

Dale Ellen (a L & D RN)