new member wondering about validity of helmets

[Guest guest]

My 8 month old daughter was diagnosed with positional plagiocephaly

early in December. We have just recently got her helmet, and I was

wondering if anyone would be willing to share their personal

experiences with the helmets. I am not fully convinced that we made

the right decision to get her the helmet.

The Neurologist that we saw told us that she felt that helmets were

a " racket " and that there is a lot of false information passed on to

parents by Physical Therapists. (my daughter also goes to PT for

tortocollis) She said by the time children are 5, you can't really

tell who wore a helmet and who didn't. She also told us that if it

got to be a hassle, not to worry if we decided not to continue

wearing the helmet. She left the final decision up to my husband and

me, our insurance covered the helmet fully so we decided to get it.

up

My daughter's head sweats like crazy, I mean it is actually dripping

out of the helmet, and she is pretty cranky towards the end of the

wearing period. (we're only up to 6 hours) I tried to have her nap

in it today, but she wouldn't. My husband and I are pretty upset,

and we're worried that we are putting our baby through wearing this

cumbersome device for nothing. I guess it would be helpful to

mention her plagiocephaly is " moderate " .

I would appreciate any feedback, thanks!

[Guest guest]

>

> My 8 month old daughter was diagnosed with positional plagiocephaly

> early in December. We have just recently got her helmet, and I was

> wondering if anyone would be willing to share their personal

> experiences with the helmets. I am not fully convinced that we

made

> the right decision to get her the helmet.

>

> The Neurologist that we saw told us that she felt that helmets

were

> a " racket " and that there is a lot of false information passed on

to

> parents by Physical Therapists. (my daughter also goes to PT for

> tortocollis) She said by the time children are 5, you can't really

> tell who wore a helmet and who didn't. She also told us that if it

> got to be a hassle, not to worry if we decided not to continue

> wearing the helmet. She left the final decision up to my husband

and

> me, our insurance covered the helmet fully so we decided to get

it.

> up

> My daughter's head sweats like crazy, I mean it is actually

dripping

> out of the helmet, and she is pretty cranky towards the end of the

> wearing period. (we're only up to 6 hours) I tried to have her

nap

> in it today, but she wouldn't. My husband and I are pretty upset,

> and we're worried that we are putting our baby through wearing this

> cumbersome device for nothing. I guess it would be helpful to

> mention her plagiocephaly is " moderate " .

>

> I would appreciate any feedback, thanks!

>

These people didn't have helmets; they had torticollis and

plagiocephaly. After you study this, you should feel vindicated

and confindant about your decision. I still want to strangle my

grandson twins' pediatrician....I wonder who gave my son the idea

that helmets are some sort of scam. My grandsons finally were

referred to CT, but I'm not sure they wore the helmets long

enough, and for some reason, their father (my son) decided that

if CT said the twins had outgrown the helmets, he was not going

to get new ones for them, even though their insurance was paying

for all of it!

15 patient study on tort and plagio, Taiwan

http://www.plagiocephaly.info/resources/pdf/Yu_etal2004.pdf

Also there is a webpage with posts by young adults who still suffer

with these conditions, and it is heartbreaking!

God bless you!

[Guest guest]

My husband is in his mid 40's and has brachy. He was raised in India

and slept on his back. Actually his mom likes his high head shape ;-)

but both he and his brother are flat in back. I can tell you he did

not wear a helmet. Also I have other friends from asian countries who

complain of having a flat spot they have to hide with certain hair

cuts etc. This came up a lot when my daughter was in her band, and we

would explain what it was for. This doesn't just go away by age 5. I

slept on my tummy and my head is nicely rounded in back.

The sweating usually lessens after a week or so. Take the band off and

dry her head and band with a towel when you notice she seems warm.

Also dress her very very lightly. My daughter didn't wear socks her

entire time in the band. That seemed to instantly make her sweat.

-christine

sydney, 3 yrs, starband grad

>

> My 8 month old daughter was diagnosed with positional plagiocephaly

> early in December. We have just recently got her helmet, and I was

> wondering if anyone would be willing to share their personal

> experiences with the helmets. I am not fully convinced that we made

> the right decision to get her the helmet.

>

> The Neurologist that we saw told us that she felt that helmets were

> a " racket " and that there is a lot of false information passed on to

> parents by Physical Therapists. (my daughter also goes to PT for

> tortocollis) She said by the time children are 5, you can't really

> tell who wore a helmet and who didn't. She also told us that if it

> got to be a hassle, not to worry if we decided not to continue

> wearing the helmet. She left the final decision up to my husband and

> me, our insurance covered the helmet fully so we decided to get it.

> up

> My daughter's head sweats like crazy, I mean it is actually dripping

> out of the helmet, and she is pretty cranky towards the end of the

> wearing period. (we're only up to 6 hours) I tried to have her nap

> in it today, but she wouldn't. My husband and I are pretty upset,

> and we're worried that we are putting our baby through wearing this

> cumbersome device for nothing. I guess it would be helpful to

> mention her plagiocephaly is " moderate " .

>

> I would appreciate any feedback, thanks!

>

[Guest guest]

We have had wonderful improvement from our helmet and natalie is

older so there we were told not to expect too much. She had moderate

brachy, but after 9 weeks she was down to mild. She has now been in

it for 12 weeks.

Obviously, the decision to continue the helmet is yours, but in some

sense, it would be nice if you could know what your daughter would

want you to do. Even though it's your decision, she will be the one

that has to live with it. In my case, I know that I would have wanted

my parents to do something about it.

I see other youngsters with plagio and brachy and some of them are

too old for a helmet. They are getting hair, but I can still see it.

My question to myself was how my daughter would feel with a mishapen

head. Because I couldn't know the answer, we decided to do the

helmet. Luckily, she took to it well. SLeep was a little rough at

first, but she got it eventually.

Does the helmet need an adjustment? Maybe you could also ease into

the wearing period a little slower than recommended to give her a

chance to adjust better. In my mind, that would be better than not

doing the helmet at all.

, mom to , 17 1/2 months

12 weeks in STARband plus CST

>

> My 8 month old daughter was diagnosed with positional plagiocephaly

> early in December. We have just recently got her helmet, and I was

> wondering if anyone would be willing to share their personal

> experiences with the helmets. I am not fully convinced that we

made

> the right decision to get her the helmet.

>

> The Neurologist that we saw told us that she felt that helmets

were

> a " racket " and that there is a lot of false information passed on

to

> parents by Physical Therapists. (my daughter also goes to PT for

> tortocollis) She said by the time children are 5, you can't really

> tell who wore a helmet and who didn't. She also told us that if it

> got to be a hassle, not to worry if we decided not to continue

> wearing the helmet. She left the final decision up to my husband

and

> me, our insurance covered the helmet fully so we decided to get

it.

> up

> My daughter's head sweats like crazy, I mean it is actually

dripping

> out of the helmet, and she is pretty cranky towards the end of the

> wearing period. (we're only up to 6 hours) I tried to have her

nap

> in it today, but she wouldn't. My husband and I are pretty upset,

> and we're worried that we are putting our baby through wearing this

> cumbersome device for nothing. I guess it would be helpful to

> mention her plagiocephaly is " moderate " .

>

> I would appreciate any feedback, thanks!

>