Re: 12 mo old & just diagnosed

[Guest guest]

Welcome to the group. I think it will be hard to find a parent here

who doesn't think banding is worth it. There are some parents who have

do repositioning to avoid banding, but at 12mo it is really to late

for that (best before 6 mo). If your daughter's plagio is mild, then

banding wouldn't really be required, but if it is more than that I

would 100% recommend banding. Our specialist (cranio facial plastic

surgeon) recommends banding at 10mm of asymmetry or 90% cranial ratio.

Some chose to band atlower numbers.

I have seen tricare parents here. I don't think they are great about

paying. You can search the old messages for " tricare " if you don't get

any good responses. Bands are worn 23 hours per day. Compliance is

really important because you want to catch as much growth as possible

while the child is wearing the band (they can grow 24 hours a day, but

you get 1 hours for cleaning and snuggling).

I think if you look at the photos section you'll see the great results

from banding, and why people think it is worthwhile. To me it is like

braces - for the most part the effect is cosmetic, but definitely

worth it. Also there are some indications that there may be healthy

problems down the road from plagio such as TMJ, but it isn't certain.

-christine

sydney 2 yrs starband grad

>

> Kaitlyn was just today diagnosed at 12 mo of age. I am curious if any

> of you think this was actually worth it? What would it hurt not to get

> it done? I see all of the visual effects, but what will it matter over

> all? How bad is the doc helmet? Would she have to wear it 24/7? Also,

> is there anyone out there on Tricare?

>

> ANY information would be greatly appreciated!!!

>

[Guest guest]

Hi there,

I am totally for the band. Here are the reasons that I decide to

band my son (maybe they'll help you in deciding): I didn't want him

to get teased for a " funny shaped head; " I wanted bike helmets,

glasses, etc. to fit; I was concerned about the possibility of TMJ

or headaches due to a mis-shappened head. I specifically said to my

doctor that hair would cover the assymetry and he said, " yes but we

want to make sure the head is growing correctly. " The DOC band is

worn 23 hours/7 days a week. THe better you are with sticking to

that the quicker you will see results and the sooner your child will

be done. I would/will band again in a heartbeat if I need to (as my

2nd son...2 months has a little bit of assymetry...hopefully, we can

reposition to make it better or prevent it from getting worse).

Good luck in your decision. NO one wants to band and many feel

guilty when they find out their child needs a band but in the end

the people that band don't regret their decision to band.

PS: Our son's head was 8mm off and banding did wonders for his head.

> >

> > Kaitlyn was just today diagnosed at 12 mo of age. I am curious

if any

> > of you think this was actually worth it? What would it hurt not

to get

> > it done? I see all of the visual effects, but what will it

matter over

> > all? How bad is the doc helmet? Would she have to wear it 24/7?

Also,

> > is there anyone out there on Tricare?

> >

> > ANY information would be greatly appreciated!!!

> >

>

[Guest guest]

My son received his band at 17 months old. We were aware of his head

shape from 2 months of age and it didn't correct itself in over a

year's time. Uncorrected plagio can possibly lead to eye, ear and

jaw problems, and headaches, depending on the severity, not to

mention possible social and self-esteem problems. I felt I had to do

all I could for my son even though it was late. If I could have

banded at 12 months, I think we would have seen more correction than

we have so far, but I am still happy with the change we have seen

and am very glad we did it. Good luck with your decision.

Jake-20m (tort resolved/rt plagio/DOCBand 12 weeks)

Jordan-4

>

> Kaitlyn was just today diagnosed at 12 mo of age. I am curious if

any

> of you think this was actually worth it? What would it hurt not to

get

> it done? I see all of the visual effects, but what will it matter

over

> all? How bad is the doc helmet? Would she have to wear it 24/7?

Also,

> is there anyone out there on Tricare?

>

> ANY information would be greatly appreciated!!!

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ~

When you were trying to decide to band or not did you have the support of your pediatrician? My son is almost 8 months old and they keep telling me that it will correct itself. Although it is better it is not corrected. I don't want to wait too long. However it is intimidating trying to talk to the doctor's when they think that he doesn't need one. They think that a flat head is no big deal. Have you encountered this? Any advice?

Thanks

amy

Re: 12 mo old & just diagnosed

My son received his band at 17 months old. We were aware of his head shape from 2 months of age and it didn't correct itself in over a year's time. Uncorrected plagio can possibly lead to eye, ear and jaw problems, and headaches, depending on the severity, not to mention possible social and self-esteem problems. I felt I had to do all I could for my son even though it was late. If I could have banded at 12 months, I think we would have seen more correction than we have so far, but I am still happy with the change we have seen and am very glad we did it. Good luck with your decision.Jake-20m (tort resolved/rt plagio/DOCBand 12 weeks)Jordan-4>> Kaitlyn was just today

diagnosed at 12 mo of age. I am curious if any > of you think this was actually worth it? What would it hurt not to get > it done? I see all of the visual effects, but what will it matter over > all? How bad is the doc helmet? Would she have to wear it 24/7? Also, > is there anyone out there on Tricare?> > ANY information would be greatly appreciated! !!>

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.

[Guest guest]

Hi Amy,

Many peds are jerks about this. I think they are just misinformed, and

I would love for them to join the olderplag group on so they can

see that baby's heads don't just magically get better. I've seen

parents of teens posting that it is still a problem. Maybe for most

kids it gets to the point where it isn't really noticeable (I don't

know) but does anyone really want their kid to have a SLIGHT deformity

if they can help it? I would say if you ped isn't supportive, try and

get some data from a band provider (e.g. free consultation at CT) and

if they still don't want to help find somone else who will take your

concerns seriously.

-christine

sydney 2 yrs starband grad

> >

> > Kaitlyn was just today diagnosed at 12 mo of age. I am curious if

> any

> > of you think this was actually worth it? What would it hurt not to

> get

> > it done? I see all of the visual effects, but what will it matter

> over

> > all? How bad is the doc helmet? Would she have to wear it 24/7?

> Also,

> > is there anyone out there on Tricare?

> >

> > ANY information would be greatly appreciated! !!

> >

>

>

>

>

>

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> Be a better friend, newshound, and

> know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.

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>

[Guest guest]

TRUST your instincts! For all those pediatrician's who do not support

banding, the first question is...have they ever had a child with

plagiocephaly? Sometimes it is easy to be far removed from the

situation if you are not a parent that has to look at your child's

mishapen head or see them not able to full range of motion in their

nect due to torticollis. My son's doctor said it would get better...my

son was 6 weeks old. It didn't get better; it got worse. I tried

repositioning, and it didn't get any worse but it didn't get better.

Find a doctor who supports you and have refer you for testing. Check

out the resoruces from other parents in the " Database " section to learn

about various insurance companies and how they will handle your claim.

I am fighting with CIGNA right now and found informations in the

Database and the " Files " section dealing wtih letters of medical

necessity and appeal form letters. I spoke to a co-worker who did not

get his son banded on the advice of a doctor who said " it would get

better. " He regrets his decision greatly.

>

> Kaitlyn was just today diagnosed at 12 mo of age. I am curious if any

> of you think this was actually worth it? What would it hurt not to

get

> it done? I see all of the visual effects, but what will it matter

over

> all? How bad is the doc helmet? Would she have to wear it 24/7? Also,

> is there anyone out there on Tricare?

>

> ANY information would be greatly appreciated!!!

>

[Guest guest]

HI! We have tricare and I am telling you now that they WILL NOT pay

for it! It sucks sooo bad! We have filed an appeal and havent heard

anything yet but everything I have read shows that they arent going

to cover it at all. We went thru the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society

to get the $3000 for the Doc Band. They gave it to us as a grant so

we dont have to pay it back. My son also was 12 months when he got

his DOC Band. He has had it for about a month now and there is a

diffrence that we can see already! I think it is def worth it!

> >

> > Kaitlyn was just today diagnosed at 12 mo of age. I am curious if

any

> > of you think this was actually worth it? What would it hurt not

to

> get

> > it done? I see all of the visual effects, but what will it matter

> over

> > all? How bad is the doc helmet? Would she have to wear it 24/7?

Also,

> > is there anyone out there on Tricare?

> >

> > ANY information would be greatly appreciated!!!

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile.

Try it now.

>

[Guest guest]

We have heard stories on both sides. My doctor is keeping me

positive saying that we could write to some politicians to see if

they might " put in a word " to Tricare to get it paid for. ESPECIALLY

with the election coming up I am going to give it my all. As many

politicians it takes. Hopefully, that will work. Where would you

suggest going to find out for a grant? I never thought of that. My

husband is in the Air Force. I know there will be differences.

However, how did you hear about the relief fund? I am glad your son

has done so well with it!!! You are definitely getting me more eager

to start the process!

> > >

> > > Kaitlyn was just today diagnosed at 12 mo of age. I am curious

if

> any

> > > of you think this was actually worth it? What would it hurt

not

> to

> > get

> > > it done? I see all of the visual effects, but what will it

matter

> > over

> > > all? How bad is the doc helmet? Would she have to wear it

24/7?

> Also,

> > > is there anyone out there on Tricare?

> > >

> > > ANY information would be greatly appreciated!!!

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ---------------------------------

> > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with

Mobile.

> Try it now.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Yea we were told to write the politicans too but my mom is a nurse

for an insurance company and she said that the doc band or any

banding is excluded from their policy so they arent going to cover it

no matter what you do. The only way they cover it is if surgery is

done 1st to try to correct the head but most people child's head isnt

severe enough to go that far. We found out about ther relief society

cuz it is a place on our base. I am sure there is something like that

for the air force. I would just start looking around. We also got

told of the Optimist club but i dont know if they have one in your

area but they help out military. I would try the lions club and other

places like that. But I def think even at 12 months the band is worth

it. feel free to email me personaly

> > > >

> > > > Kaitlyn was just today diagnosed at 12 mo of age. I am

curious

> if

> > any

> > > > of you think this was actually worth it? What would it hurt

> not

> > to

> > > get

> > > > it done? I see all of the visual effects, but what will it

> matter

> > > over

> > > > all? How bad is the doc helmet? Would she have to wear it

> 24/7?

> > Also,

> > > > is there anyone out there on Tricare?

> > > >

> > > > ANY information would be greatly appreciated!!!

> > > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > ---------------------------------

> > > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with

> Mobile.

> > Try it now.

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

i was looking around to see if the air force had a relief society and

it looks like they do! here is the website for what i found hopefully

they can help you http://www.afas.org/index.cfm

> > > >

> > > > Kaitlyn was just today diagnosed at 12 mo of age. I am

curious

> if

> > any

> > > > of you think this was actually worth it? What would it hurt

> not

> > to

> > > get

> > > > it done? I see all of the visual effects, but what will it

> matter

> > > over

> > > > all? How bad is the doc helmet? Would she have to wear it

> 24/7?

> > Also,

> > > > is there anyone out there on Tricare?

> > > >

> > > > ANY information would be greatly appreciated!!!

> > > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > ---------------------------------

> > > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with

> Mobile.

> > Try it now.

> > >

> >

>