Re: info on the shape of helmets and the process

February 19, 2009

Ana-Do you even know what type of helmet your son is wearing? Is it a Starband, a Hanger helmet, a DOC band? Or is it a local helmet? Where did you get it from?I will answer your last question. My daughter Maysa was in a helmet back when she was 5.5 months old for 3.5 months and the helmet made her brachy and plagio worse. The orthotist lied to us for all that time and we wasted some good growth spurts.She has been wearing a DOC band since she was 9.5 months and the results so far are so encouraging. Her plagio is resolved but we are still hoping for better brachy numbers.Be informed. Ask questions. You can even call them back. The band should fit your son's head perfectly or almost perfectly at first with only a few minor adjustments. You don't want to go

through what we've gone through.LeilaMaysa, 13 months old, week 2 in DOC band 2http://mymaysa.wordpress.com/ From: anadashmaria <anadashmaria@...>Subject: info on the shape of helmets and the processPlagiocephaly Date: Thursday, February 19, 2009, 8:38 AM

(We just got our helmet yesterday for my 6 month old son)

I suppose I should have asked the doctor this or the tech but I

hadn't thought of it until today when I researched the helmets

online and saw all the different ones they have. Basically 2 weeks

ago we had a laser scan of my son's head for the helmet. When we

picked it up yesterday and he tried it on for the very first time it

was incredibly loose and we were there for 2 hours while the tech

glued on layers of foam and holled them out, and cut more clearance

for the ears and made vent holes in the helmet. I was under the

impression that it would be more custom made from the ghetgo. It

just seems that the laser scan is only to keep track of progress and

the caliper measurements might be the only corrolation to the helmet

size. To me it just seemed like a generic helmet that happened to be

teh closest size to his head. It was only made custom later on. He

basically has a flat spot diagonally accross the right side of his

head around 5'oclock if you look at his head from above.

The hollowed space in the helmet is generically up and down. I

understand it's room to grow but I feel like the shape of the

hoollow part is sort of weird when you think of where the flatness

is. Maybe there are more moms out there with more of a technical

udnerstanding or opinion of the helmets who can just shed more light

on the topic.

Also what makes the helmet be a certain cut or shape over others.

I 've seen transparent ones and I've seen ones where the "sideburns"

of the helmet are really short just above the years where as my son

is comepletely covered except for the hole on top of the helmet... I

am sure that certain cutouts have to do with the overall flatneess

they are trying to fix but I feel like his helmet could be cut down

to cover much less area of his head. I guess I need to bring this up

at Children's and just get more info.

He also has eczema and I want to make sure if I am going to

aggrivate that the helmet will really work. I mean, is there anyone

whose helmet did NOT work? I doubt that right?

Thanks in advance for any info!

Ana-

February 19, 2009

I just called and was told its a Boston brand and that they make their own . Its from childrens hospital in Boston so I'm pretty confident they are top notch. I just have so many questina that popped into my head since yesterdays initial fitting. From: L R Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:33:05 -0800 (PST)<Plagiocephaly >Subject: Re: info on the shape of helmets and the process Ana-Do you even know what type of helmet your son is wearing? Is it a Starband, a Hanger helmet, a DOC band? Or is it a local helmet? Where did you get it from?I will answer your last question. My daughter Maysa was in a helmet back when she was 5.5 months old for 3.5 months and the helmet made her brachy and plagio worse. The orthotist lied to us for all that time and we wasted some good growth spurts.She has been wearing a DOC band since she was 9.5 months and the results so far are so encouraging. Her plagio is resolved but we are still hoping for better brachy numbers.Be informed. Ask questions. You can even call them back. The band should fit your son's head perfectly or almost perfectly at first with only a few minor adjustments. You don't want to go through what we've gone through.LeilaMaysa, 13 months old, week 2 in DOC band 2http://mymaysa.wordpress.com/ From: anadashmaria <anadashmariagmail>Subject: info on the shape of helmets and the processPlagiocephaly Date: Thursday, February 19, 2009, 8:38 AM (We just got our helmet yesterday for my 6 month old son) I suppose I should have asked the doctor this or the tech but I hadn't thought of it until today when I researched the helmets online and saw all the different ones they have. Basically 2 weeks ago we had a laser scan of my son's head for the helmet. When we picked it up yesterday and he tried it on for the very first time it was incredibly loose and we were there for 2 hours while the tech glued on layers of foam and holled them out, and cut more clearance for the ears and made vent holes in the helmet. I was under the impression that it would be more custom made from the ghetgo. It just seems that the laser scan is only to keep track of progress and the caliper measurements might be the only corrolation to the helmet size. To me it just seemed like a generic helmet that happened to be teh closest size to his head. It was only made custom later on. He basically has a flat spot diagonally accross the right side of his head around 5'oclock if you look at his head from above. The hollowed space in the helmet is generically up and down. I understand it's room to grow but I feel like the shape of the hoollow part is sort of weird when you think of where the flatness is. Maybe there are more moms out there with more of a technical udnerstanding or opinion of the helmets who can just shed more light on the topic. Also what makes the helmet be a certain cut or shape over others. I 've seen transparent ones and I've seen ones where the "sideburns" of the helmet are really short just above the years where as my son is comepletely covered except for the hole on top of the helmet... I am sure that certain cutouts have to do with the overall flatneess they are trying to fix but I feel like his helmet could be cut down to cover much less area of his head. I guess I need to bring this up at Children's and just get more info. He also has eczema and I want to make sure if I am going to aggrivate that the helmet will really work. I mean, is there anyone whose helmet did NOT work? I doubt that right? Thanks in advance for any info! Ana-

February 19, 2009

We are using the Boston Band too. they have a site at CHOP (children's hospital of philadelphia).From: anadashmaria <anadashmaria@ gmail.com>Subject: info on the shape of helmets and the processPlagiocephalyDate: Thursday, February 19, 2009, 8:38 AM (We just got our helmet yesterday for my 6 month old son) I suppose I should have asked the doctor this or the tech but I hadn't thought of it until today when I researched the helmets online and saw all the different ones they have. Basically 2 weeks ago we had a laser scan of my son's head for the helmet. When we picked it up yesterday and he tried it on for the very first time it was incredibly loose and we were there for 2 hours while the tech glued on layers of foam and holled them out, and cut more clearance for the

ears and made vent holes in the helmet. I was under the impression that it would be more custom made from the ghetgo. It just seems that the laser scan is only to keep track of progress and the caliper measurements might be the only corrolation to the helmet size. To me it just seemed like a generic helmet that happened to be teh closest size to his head. It was only made custom later on. He basically has a flat spot diagonally accross the right side of his head around 5'oclock if you look at his head from above. The hollowed space in the helmet is generically up and down. I understand it's room to grow but I feel like the shape of the hoollow part is sort of weird when you think of where the flatness is. Maybe there are more moms out there with more of a technical udnerstanding or opinion of the helmets who can just shed more light on the topic. Also what makes the helmet be

a certain cut or shape over others. I 've seen transparent ones and I've seen ones where the "sideburns" of the helmet are really short just above the years where as my son is comepletely covered except for the hole on top of the helmet... I am sure that certain cutouts have to do with the overall flatneess they are trying to fix but I feel like his helmet could be cut down to cover much less area of his head. I guess I need to bring this up at Children's and just get more info. He also has eczema and I want to make sure if I am going to aggrivate that the helmet will really work. I mean, is there anyone whose helmet did NOT work? I doubt that right? Thanks in advance for any info! Ana-

February 19, 2009

I am new to this group. We are getting the Boston Band from NOPCO. We are getting it at CHOP (children's hospital of philadelphia). Does anyone know anything about this helmet? I keep hearing about a STAR band or a DOC helmet? Are they the same?MissyFrom: anadashmaria <anadashmaria@ gmail.com>Subject: info on the shape of helmets and the processPlagiocephalyDate: Thursday, February 19, 2009, 8:38 AM (We just got our helmet yesterday for my 6 month old son) I suppose I should have asked the doctor this or the tech but I hadn't thought of it until today when I researched the helmets online and saw all the different ones they have. Basically 2 weeks ago we had a laser scan of my son's head for the helmet. When we picked it up yesterday and he tried it on for the very first time it was incredibly loose and we were there for 2 hours while the tech glued on layers of foam and holled them out, and cut more clearance for the

ears and made vent holes in the helmet. I was under the impression that it would be more custom made from the ghetgo. It just seems that the laser scan is only to keep track of progress and the caliper measurements might be the only corrolation to the helmet size. To me it just seemed like a generic helmet that happened to be teh closest size to his head. It was only made custom later on. He basically has a flat spot diagonally accross the right side of his head around 5'oclock if you look at his head from above. The hollowed space in the helmet is generically up and down. I understand it's room to grow but I feel like the shape of the hoollow part is sort of weird when you think of where the flatness is. Maybe there are more moms out there with more of a technical udnerstanding or opinion of the helmets who can just shed more light on the topic. Also what makes the helmet be

a certain cut or shape over others. I 've seen transparent ones and I've seen ones where the "sideburns" of the helmet are really short just above the years where as my son is comepletely covered except for the hole on top of the helmet... I am sure that certain cutouts have to do with the overall flatneess they are trying to fix but I feel like his helmet could be cut down to cover much less area of his head. I guess I need to bring this up at Children's and just get more info. He also has eczema and I want to make sure if I am going to aggrivate that the helmet will really work. I mean, is there anyone whose helmet did NOT work? I doubt that right? Thanks in advance for any info! Ana-

February 19, 2009

There are alot of different band sout there and it can be confusing!

There are 3 Main makers - CT, Starband and Hanger... with a few other smaller brands and then there are the locally made ones.

There are 2 different "types" of bands... Active and Passive.

Active works on the principal that there are holding points on the skull where the band holds and voids where the skull needs to fill in or reshape.

Passive band work on the principal that the band is shaped round and so as the head grows it will take on the round shape.

What kind of band do you have? WHo makes it?

The success of a band is reliant on the growth of the babies skull and the experience of the ortho.

HTH!

Jen and Luli - 3 years old

Left tort - Right Plagio - Hanger Band Grad - CA

http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/jens5th/

info on the shape of helmets and the process