Head Growth & Helmets - and

March 15, 2006

Dear –

I friend had forwarded a copy of your message to my attention, so I

hope you don't mind my response. First let me say that you are

absolutely correct about the relationship between circumference and

geometry.

When I teach people about this relationship, the example I use is a

square, a circle and a trapezoid. I can create a circle, square and

trapezoid that all have an area of one square centimeter, but their

circumferences will be 3.54 cm, 4.0 cm, and 4.2 cm respectively.

A brachycephalic head shape is essentially a trapezoid, so as you

return it to its more circular (ellipsoidal) shape the circumference

would tend to get smaller. In reality, the head is growing at the

same time, so growth cancels out the shape change and when you

measure the head it appears that there is " no change " .

In our recent article published in Clinical Pediatrics – A study of

family head shape, we caution doctors that they need to be aware

about the relationship between geometry and circumference and that

the accepted circumferential growth curves that pediatricians are

using may soon be outdated!

Thanks again for the stimulating thoughts – and just wanted to let

you know you are absolutely correct.

Sincerely,

Tim Littlefield, MS

Cranial Technologies, Inc.

> > > > >

> > > > > hello all....my son nicholas has been wearing

> > > his helmet for 1

> > > > month

> > > > > now....cranial tech already sees a lot of

> > > progress....today i

> > > took

> > > > him

> > > > > to his specialist and he also sees progress but

> > > he said his head

> > > > didnt

> > > > > grow at all since last month....he said he will

> > > only allow that

> > > > (zero

> > > > > head growth) for one more month and then tell us

> > > to stop wearing

> > > > the

> > > > > helmet....he is the dr that referred us to ct

> > > and suggested he

> > > > wear

> > > > > the helmet, but he said that a lot of times the

> > > places that make

> > > > the

> > > > > helmets dont believe that wearing the helmet can

> > > stop head

> > > growth

> > > > and

> > > > > they'll leave the babies in helmets for

> > > sometimes 5-6 months

> > > with

> > > > no

> > > > > head growth....i'm just curious if anyone has

> > > had this happen

> > > with

> > > > > their babies head while wearing the helmet....he

> > > said he's still

> > > > in

> > > > > the 75% percentile for head circumfrance so he's

> > > ok....i'm just

> > > > > confused and wondering if this is a common

> > > thing....

> > > > > monica g

> > > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

> > __________________________________________________

> >

March 15, 2006