Re: regarding the helmet, please help!

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It seems that everyone else has already explained the holding points to you. I just wanted to let you know.... I am a certified orthotist at Hanger. The Hanger band is considered active; however, I can see both sides.... I can see how someone might call it passive because it is not fitting tight and pushing on the holding areas and actively reshaping. It is just holding and waiting for the head to grow and fill the void areas. But it is an active band. I take lots of measurements every visit with a ML gauge (that looks like an old wooden ruler). I take ML, AP, circumference, and cranial vault. Sometimes I will take more depending on the situation. I keep a running chart that allows me to see how much growth has been acheived. Ishare this info with the parents. I would ask your ortho for a copy so you can see what is going on. A close follow up is important with helmets. Babies can hit a growth spurt and change overnight! If

you aren't seeing your orthotist very often, just watch your sons head carefully. Watch it for changes in red areas. Also watch the tightness of the helmet or strap. It seems to me that you and your orthotist arent on the same page. If you want to see them every 2 weeks for a peace of mind, your orthotist should allow that. The child might not need adjustments everytime but at least you get new measurements. If you have other options... such as another Hanger facility nearby.... you could go get a second opinion. They should not charge you as they are all Hangers. I hope this helps and I hope you get great results. Amy mantsingw <mantsingw@...> wrote: Hi, thank you so much for the information. I'm so desperate for moreknowledge on this - I've been struggling for the past months trying toget the the right treatment for my son. However, I have to use hangerbecause the insurance and timing issue...Could you explain to me what is the "holding points" in the bands? Ibelieve my son is getting a "Passive" band as the orthortist exactlytold us that " this band does not need adjustment and rounding will beachieved by the round shape for the skull to grow in to"! Will apassive band ever work?My son's helmet seems to be a little bit loose, especially the flatside - he doesn't seem to care at all and has been happily wearing 23hours since day 1! Is this

normal?Also, regarding the measurement, the orthortist did the scan, but wewere never told the results, but only a rough number that he got bymeasuring my son's head with an old wooden ruler! What numbers Ishould get in order to compare results in the future?Is "shave the inside foam" every 2 weeks a MUST or just something "nice to have" ? I really appreciate your advise and it's important to me...Anyone else who can help on these questions, please share your experience.Thank you!>> HI! I am also in CA and we also used Hanger. I am a bitsurprised that they said no adjustments would be needed. We went inevery 2 weeks and almost every time they shaved a bit off of theinside foam - wherever there was wear. Hangers are considered "active"bands, meaning they

have holding points and they actively direct thegrowth of the skull. Versus a "passive" band which does not needadjustment and rounding is achieved by the band providing a roundshape for the skull to grow in to. > I wonder how much education on banding this ortho has - do you know? > If a poor scan in 1st taken then yes, a poor band will be made. Andno good growth will come from a poor band. How is the band fittingnow? I know for us it took a few trips to the ortho to get a rightfit. Is it excessivley loose? Are there any holding points or doesit shift all over?> > > Jen and Luli - 24 months> Left tort - Right Plagio - Hanger Band Grad - CA> http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/jens5th/> > > Questions regarding using Hanger Helmet...> > > > > > > Hi, I'm in California. My son is 6.5 months and he just had his helmet> on last Friday. > > It seems that a lot of people recommend STARband from Orthomerica in> my area. However, we had to go with Hanger as the Orthotist the doctor> referred within our insurance group works with Hanger and their scan> software is not compatible with that in Orthomerica so he can not> order starband for us.> > After reading the comments here and conducting some online research,> I'm a little bit worried. > > Our orthotist is friendly, but he told me that he foresees no need to> make any significant adjustment to the helmet during the

whole> treatment, but that the key to ensure effectiveness is to Keep wearing> the helmet in the correct way 23 hours a day. I read a parent say "It> all depends on your orthotist and his or her experience with banding> babies." Does this mean that our orthotist isn't good as he obviously> doesn't plan to do anything unless there's scratch or irritations on> the baby's head due to wearing the helmet.> > Here's my question: > > What is the key factor that will affect the effectiveness of the> helmet treatment? Is it the technology the firm uses to cast/scan to> capture the head data accurately or the construction of the helmet> itself or the experience of the orthotist? What kind of adjustment> usually a good orthotist will need to do during the treatment? > > How likely the chances are that the hemlet is constructed in the wrong> way at the beginning due

to the wrong data or technology so that no> matter how hard we try later, no desired results will be achieved?> > I know I have a lot of questions on this, but please share your> experience or comments on any question that you think can help... I'm> willing to switch my insurance in order to get my son the effective> treatment. Thanks for your help!!> > Good luck to all...> > > > > > __________________________________________________________> More new features than ever. Check out the new AOL Mail ! -http://webmail.aol.com>

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