Re: Newly diagnosed plagio

[Guest guest]

Welcome-

It's kind of funny. It sounds like you're in the exact opposite

position of a lot of families here, where the mom thinks they should

band, but the dad is against it or thinks it will be fine on its

own. It's kind of refreshing to know that dads can obsess too!

Anyway, to answer your questions, I think a lot of moms will tell

you that repoing after 6 months old can be difficult: as the child

becomes more mobile, it's harder to control how they sleep. I am a

mom who did try repo and took for granted that the doctors were

right when they said it would " work itself out, " but it didn't. My

son still has high moderate plagio and just got his band at 17

months old. I would not recommend waiting that long or putting off

the decision more than another month or 2. I regret not banding him

sooner, so the earlier you have the opportunity to do it, the better.

Having said that, I don't know how mild or severe your daughter's

plagio is. Can you post photos for us to look at? The one piece of

advice that a lot of mom's will give you is to ask yourself the

question: " if her head stays exactly this way for the rest of her

life, will I be happy with it? " If the answer is yes, don't band, if

the answer is no, then maybe banding is the best way to go. I have

heard of moms who didn't band their child until 9 or 10 months old

and see great results, so it's feasible to attempt repo for a little

longer and then decide. But as a mom who waited too long, I always

have to say, the earlier the better.

Good luck with your decision!

Jake-17.5m (tort resolved/rt plagio/DocBand 2/11/08)

Jordan-4

>

> Hello, everyone.

>

> Never realized there were so many of us. Here is our current

situation:

>

> We'd mentioned the flatness of the back of our daughter's head to

her

> pedi. from 2mo. checkup on. At 6 mo., she sent us to neurosurgeon

> (Children's Hosp. Boston), who said she was " just below the line "

> where they'd recommend a helmet. He said it was up to us whether

to

> try repo or helmet, but gave us prescript for helmet, since her dad

> was so concerned.

>

> I'm, initially, against it, but dad is consumed with thinking that

> she'll have a " weird " shaped head and will be made fun of or

resent us

> for not doing something.

>

> We're trying repo now - sleep positioner at night/nap, alternating

> sides, limited use of bouncy seat and swing, tummy time, etc.

>

> Dad will not let it go, and I'm starting to wonder if we should

wait

> or just helmet......now it's starting to consume me!!

>

> Any advise from those of you who have been through similar would

be so

> appreciated!!!

>

> Thanks!!

>

[Guest guest]

Initially we were going to wait too and do more repo, but the more we

thought about it, the more we realized that we were looking at a

longer treatment the longer we waited. As it was she was starting to

get too mobile and the thought of her sleeping on that flat spot was

just too much for me.

My dd is 6mo and has had her helmet for 12 days. In that time she has

gone through a growth spurt... an amazing 13mm head circumference

growth and 6mm growth on the flat spot!!!! The PT was SHOCKED!!! We

are over half way done already and we have only had it 12 days! If we

would have waited, it might have rounded out some more by itself

during that growth, but in my heart, I think it would have either made

it worse or maybe gotten better, but not all in place it needed to be.

I have a friend who banded her dd at 8 1/2 mo. She too is seeing

great success in a short period of time. She started at 7mm and is at

3mm in 8 weeks.

> >

> > Hello, everyone.

> >

> > Never realized there were so many of us. Here is our current

> situation:

> >

> > We'd mentioned the flatness of the back of our daughter's head to

> her

> > pedi. from 2mo. checkup on. At 6 mo., she sent us to neurosurgeon

> > (Children's Hosp. Boston), who said she was " just below the line "

> > where they'd recommend a helmet. He said it was up to us whether

> to

> > try repo or helmet, but gave us prescript for helmet, since her dad

> > was so concerned.

> >

> > I'm, initially, against it, but dad is consumed with thinking that

> > she'll have a " weird " shaped head and will be made fun of or

> resent us

> > for not doing something.

> >

> > We're trying repo now - sleep positioner at night/nap, alternating

> > sides, limited use of bouncy seat and swing, tummy time, etc.

> >

> > Dad will not let it go, and I'm starting to wonder if we should

> wait

> > or just helmet......now it's starting to consume me!!

> >

> > Any advise from those of you who have been through similar would

> be so

> > appreciated!!!

> >

> > Thanks!!

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

6 mo is a little old to start repo since babies often have a will of

their own by that age and don't stay where you put them. It would be

easier to give an opinion about banding if you could post some pics of

her head & /or give some measurements. Our doc recommends banding at

10mm of asymmetry or 90% for cephalic index, but many band at lower

numbers. It also depends how the baby looks since the numbers aren't

everything.

We banded my daughter at 5 mo for brachy (flat in back) and she got

excellent correction. You can see her pics under Our Plagio Babies

S/Sydney M. Goodluck with a hard decision.

-christine

sydney 2 yrs starband grad

>

> Hello, everyone.

>

> Never realized there were so many of us. Here is our current situation:

>

> We'd mentioned the flatness of the back of our daughter's head to her

> pedi. from 2mo. checkup on. At 6 mo., she sent us to neurosurgeon

> (Children's Hosp. Boston), who said she was " just below the line "

> where they'd recommend a helmet. He said it was up to us whether to

> try repo or helmet, but gave us prescript for helmet, since her dad

> was so concerned.

>

> I'm, initially, against it, but dad is consumed with thinking that

> she'll have a " weird " shaped head and will be made fun of or resent us

> for not doing something.

>

> We're trying repo now - sleep positioner at night/nap, alternating

> sides, limited use of bouncy seat and swing, tummy time, etc.

>

> Dad will not let it go, and I'm starting to wonder if we should wait

> or just helmet......now it's starting to consume me!!

>

> Any advise from those of you who have been through similar would be so

> appreciated!!!

>

> Thanks!!

>

[Guest guest]

Hi. I'm the mother of a newly helmeted 10 month old. Your story

sounds much like mine (including the mildness of the asymmetry and you

and your husband's feelings), and we really agonized over the

decision. She's still too early in treatment to tell how well it's

working, but I'm already glad we've done it because I know I'm doing

all I can for my daughter. I didn't want her to grow up someday and

ask why didn't we fix her head? For more of this perspective, see

this website:

http://forums.craniology.org/index.php?showtopic=341 & st=0

A craniology forum with posts from adults who have untreated

plagiocephaly.

We came down to the decision that it would be a pain in the rear (and

expensive) for a few months, but then we'd have no regrets later on.

She's taken to the helmet well and already it's just a part of our

lives. Also, I can relate to you being blinded by your love for her.

What I came to is that she is absolutely perfect as she is, but

someday she might not think so and I want to spare her that doubt.

> > > >

> > > > Hello, everyone.

> > > >

> > > > Never realized there were so many of us. Here is our current

> > > situation:

> > > >

> > > > We'd mentioned the flatness of the back of our daughter's head to

> > > her

> > > > pedi. from 2mo. checkup on. At 6 mo., she sent us to neurosurgeon

> > > > (Children's Hosp. Boston), who said she was " just below the line "

> > > > where they'd recommend a helmet. He said it was up to us whether

> > > to

> > > > try repo or helmet, but gave us prescript for helmet, since

her dad

> > > > was so concerned.

> > > >

> > > > I'm, initially, against it, but dad is consumed with thinking that

> > > > she'll have a " weird " shaped head and will be made fun of or

> > > resent us

> > > > for not doing something.

> > > >

> > > > We're trying repo now - sleep positioner at night/nap, alternating

> > > > sides, limited use of bouncy seat and swing, tummy time, etc.

> > > >

> > > > Dad will not let it go, and I'm starting to wonder if we should

> > > wait

> > > > or just helmet......now it's starting to consume me!!

> > > >

> > > > Any advise from those of you who have been through similar would

> > > be so

> > > > appreciated!!!

> > > >

> > > > Thanks!!

> > > >

> > >

> > >

> >

> > --

> > Rae Gulliver

> > Administrative Assistant

> > Tufts University

> > Advancement Information Systems

> > 80 Street, 2nd Floor

> > Medford, MA 02155

> > p.617-627-5636 f.617-627-4014

> >

>