Re: Anyone in the Bergen/Passaic County Area of NJ??

[Guest guest]

We are using the Phoenix CT office but I can tell you how we chose

to band. When we were trying to decide about the band I came here

and asked the same question you did about should I or not. Several

people said to me in one form or another... " If you do not band and

his head doesn't change will you be ok with that and not regret your

decision? " ...It may work out that he rounds out enough with the repo

but at some point you have to decide. I actually wish we would have

just banded him right away. My son has severe brachy and mild to

moderate plagio. Maybe we would see better results if we would have

started sooner. We are seeing a change but I don't know if one band

will be enough.

My DH said it was gettin better (pre-band) and he didn't really want

to band. I just told him that my guilt was too strong and that I

HAD to do it. I pointed out that most babies adjust very well

(which he did). They told me my son wouldn't fit into a bike

helmet. At first that doesn't stike home but if you really think

about it what will you do if your son doesn't fit into a standard

bike helmet?

My DH was not very helpful with repo either but, when it finally

came time to make a decision about the band he let me decide and we

banded him 2 days before he turned 6 months. We found out about the

tortocollis and plagio at 4.25 months and by then it was getting

hard to repo as our son was pretty squirmy. I did use the Boppy

Noggin Nest everywhere and that gave me a little peace of mind.

Well, both me and my husband are very happy that he has the DOC

band. It is absoulutely a non-event for us and it is helping. My

husband was pretty sure after the first week. I think it is just

hard for men sometimes to realize something is wrong and needs

fixing. I hope this helps. Best of luck to you in your decision.

Bobbi H.

7 months tort/brachy/plagio

DOC band 5/8/06

PHX

> Just wondering if there's anyone using the Paramus,NJ office of

> Cranial Tech? We have made one visit to and will be

returning there this week for pictures and measurements. We have

been repositioning our son since he was 3 months (he's 5 now) and

have definitely seen improvement, though his head is still not as

round as I'd like. I am so confused, and don't know if I should

give it a little more time or rush into a DOC Band now?? My hubby

keeps saying it's getting better and he doesn't think he needs the

band. He doesn't see this the same way I do, always making sure our

son isn't sleeping on the flat side, keeping him out of the car seat

as much as possible, carrying him around the mall so he's not in a

stroller putting pressure on his head. In everything I do I'm

thinking of that little noggin', and I just want to make the best

decision possible. How did anyone else make their choice to band or

not? Any help is appreciated.

>

[Guest guest]

We are new to this whole process but were just at CT in Paramus, NJ on

Friday for a free consultation. We were impressed with their level of

professionalism. They did not answer our question specifically as far

as how severe they think our 5 month old sons case is - her response

was she considers him to be " pretty invovled " - he also has facial

asymetry. My husband and I interpreted her response to be a nice, calm,

way of telling us he is probably on the severe side. When I asked about

the measurments because I wanted to know if it met Aetna's criteria for

coverage - they said yes it does because there was at least 6 mm

difference but they did not appear to want to give us the exact

numbers. We have an appt in 2 weeks with a cranofacial specialists at

Montefiore, Dr. Goodrich - and we plan to make our decision after that.

If he tells us we should band, we will.

To answer your question about how you decide - my husband put it to me

like this: When our son is 12 and if his head looks as deformed as it

does right now and everyone is teasing him, if he asks us was there

something we could have done about this what do we want our response to

be?? I personally would like to be able to tell him that I did

everything that was available at the time. I have appts scheduled so

that I will have had 3 opinions from specialists and we have been

respositioning since he was 4 months old. We plan to get the band at 6

mos. old if repositioning doesn't work and based on the outcome of our

3 opinions. After a month of respositioning there seems to be no

improvement so far. It appears that every case if very different - I

hope this helps you.

>

> Just wondering if there's anyone using the Paramus,NJ office of

> Cranial Tech? We have made one visit to and will be returning

> there this week for pictures and measurements. We have been

> repositioning our son since he was 3 months (he's 5 now) and have

> definitely seen improvement, though his head is still not as round as

> I'd like. I am so confused, and don't know if I should give it a

> little more time or rush into a DOC Band now?? My hubby keeps saying

> it's getting better and he doesn't think he needs the band. He

> doesn't see this the same way I do, always making sure our son isn't

> sleeping on the flat side, keeping him out of the car seat as much as

> possible, carrying him around the mall so he's not in a stroller

> putting pressure on his head. In everything I do I'm thinking of

that

> little noggin', and I just want to make the best decision possible.

> How did anyone else make their choice to band or not? Any help is

> appreciated.

>

[Guest guest]

I go to the Paramus office. We had our initial consultation with

- but have been working with Purvi since casting. I love them

there- they are all so nice and I am so comfortable with them.

I was in the exact same situation. I noticed flattening around 3

months- ped. said it would round out. I took my own initiative to

reposition etc., no stroller, swing etc.

Everytime I went to ped. he said it would work itself out. At 7

months I had enough and went to CT in Paramus. My sons plagio was

mild to moderate. They said there is a possibility that it COULD fix

itself- my husband and I both immediately knew we had to do it. What

if it didn't??? My husband is a physician and was certain this was

best for Jake. I agree completely. He has had the band for 6 weeks

and I see HUGE improvement. I am so happy we did it. I know a mom

whose son is 5, had mod. to severe plagio and she did nothing. She

is kicking herself now.

I was really upset at first- but truthfully it has become such a non-

issue. When I take it off to clean/bathe him- it seems like he is

missing something...I have become so used to seeing it on him.

This board is great- it was so comforting having all the other moms

to talk to.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Tara

Mom to Jake

DOC band 5/1/06

>

> Just wondering if there's anyone using the Paramus,NJ office of

> Cranial Tech? We have made one visit to and will be

returning

> there this week for pictures and measurements. We have been

> repositioning our son since he was 3 months (he's 5 now) and have

> definitely seen improvement, though his head is still not as round

as

> I'd like. I am so confused, and don't know if I should give it a

> little more time or rush into a DOC Band now?? My hubby keeps

saying

> it's getting better and he doesn't think he needs the band. He

> doesn't see this the same way I do, always making sure our son

isn't

> sleeping on the flat side, keeping him out of the car seat as much

as

> possible, carrying him around the mall so he's not in a stroller

> putting pressure on his head. In everything I do I'm thinking of

that

> little noggin', and I just want to make the best decision

possible.

> How did anyone else make their choice to band or not? Any help is

> appreciated.

>

[Guest guest]

We used CT in Paramus and had a wodnerful experience. JULIE was

AWESOME.....we miss her. Nolan was banded from 11/05 until 3/06. At

first we were annoyed that our pediatrician held off sending us...Nolan

was banded at 10 months...but now I am glad. He didn't grow out of his

band and by the time we were done there was no issue about sitting or

spending time on his back. So you do have time.....trust me!

Meagan

Nolan DOC 11/05-3/06

>