Re: Second day with helmet - TOUGH - help, suggestions for adjusting

[Guest guest]

You'll have the band for a few months, so don't rush if it is

absolutely not working. My ortho told me " it is not a race " . If the

red marks aren't fading it may not fit properly, and that may be why

he's so miserable. If they are fading, it may be the teeth or the

ears, but still he's not happy. I would take your time a little and do

what you can to get him to wear it without driving you family crazy in

the first 2 days.

-christine

sydney, 3 yrs, starband grad

>

> Well, Noah got his helmet yday. Our break in period is three hours

> on...taking off until red marks fade...three more hours on...repeat.

>

> Noah was supposed to sleep in it last night, but I was at a meeting

> and my DH had to put Noah to bed. He was so fussy that my DH took

> the helmet off and he slept wihtout it.

>

> Today I've noticed that Noah is MUCH fussier...I'm not sure if it's

> his two first teeth that have just broken through...a red ear that

> the Dr noticed earlier in the week...or his helmet. Regardless, poor

> Noah is screaming/shreaking like I've never hear him before.

>

> He hasn't napped more than 30 minutes today with the helmet on...he's

> SO tired and cranky. Oh, I'm dreading tonight. I have a feeling I'm

> going to be up a million times. And, since I'm the only one who can

> calm Noah down, I'll pretty much be on my own. I feel like I have a

> newborn again. It's sooooo hard to see him upset like this...esp

> since I don't know if he's hurting or not.

>

> I plan on giving him Tylenol and teething tablets before bed. Other

> than that, I don't know what I can do for him. I know he's supposed

> to be in this helmet 23 hours a day, but what if we can't do that. I

> can see me giving up mid-way through the night and taking it off. I

> know we'll eventually get to 23 hours, but I can't stand to see him

> shreak like this.

>

> Hopefully the longer he wears it the more used to it he will get. I

> know we're only on day two, so I'm trying not to make any decisions

> about how the next three months are going to be right now.

>

> Any encouragement or advice would be greatly appreciated. Better

> go...He's screaming again now.

>

>

> Mom to Noah 6 mo. Plagio/Bracy 13mm. Day two in Doc Band

>

[Guest guest]

>

> Well, Noah got his helmet yday. Our break in period is three hours

> on...taking off until red marks fade...three more hours on...repeat.

>

> Noah was supposed to sleep in it last night, but I was at a meeting

> and my DH had to put Noah to bed. He was so fussy that my DH took

> the helmet off and he slept wihtout it.

>

> Today I've noticed that Noah is MUCH fussier...I'm not sure if it's

> his two first teeth that have just broken through...a red ear that

> the Dr noticed earlier in the week...or his helmet. Regardless, poor

> Noah is screaming/shreaking like I've never hear him before.

>

> He hasn't napped more than 30 minutes today with the helmet on...he's

> SO tired and cranky. Oh, I'm dreading tonight. I have a feeling I'm

> going to be up a million times. And, since I'm the only one who can

> calm Noah down, I'll pretty much be on my own. I feel like I have a

> newborn again. It's sooooo hard to see him upset like this...esp

> since I don't know if he's hurting or not.

>

> I plan on giving him Tylenol and teething tablets before bed. Other

> than that, I don't know what I can do for him. I know he's supposed

> to be in this helmet 23 hours a day, but what if we can't do that. I

> can see me giving up mid-way through the night and taking it off. I

> know we'll eventually get to 23 hours, but I can't stand to see him

> shreak like this.

>

> Hopefully the longer he wears it the more used to it he will get. I

> know we're only on day two, so I'm trying not to make any decisions

> about how the next three months are going to be right now.

>

> Any encouragement or advice would be greatly appreciated. Better

> go...He's screaming again now.

>

>

> Mom to Noah 6 mo. Plagio/Bracy 13mm. Day two in Doc Band

>

How did Noah do last night with the helmet? Any better? My little guy has been

in his

helmet since tuesday so we are pretty much on the same timeframe except my son

is 7.5

months so he might be in his helmet longer.. who knows.

I thought my son was also upset by his helmet but it was something else.

Obviously keep

monitoring the red spots but imagine him without his helmet on when he is

upset.. and

you will react to him like you normally would if he was crying. Chances are, it

is not the

helmet that is bothering him.

Have you been out in public yet? How is that? We went to a coffee shop with him

and I

don't think we got any weird stares but I was also very busy chatting with my

friend so I

didn't notice.

We took him swimming and on the way into the change room, a three year old

shouted to

her mom " That baby has a HELMET! " but the mom said " yes just like your cousin

does " .

Keep us updated! Even if you don't get a lot of responses, lots of people are

reading and

wondering how it is going.

S

[Guest guest]

Last night was pretty terrible, as far as sleeping goes. Noah was up

at 8, 9, 10, 11, 2, 5 and finally up for the day at 7am. Ugh. He's

done ok today...he seems pretty happy. He's only napping for about

45 minutes though...not his regular hour and a half. Hopefully

tonight will be better...and each day after that. Right now I feel

like I have a newborn again!!

Today I decided to paint his helmet, but now I'm wishing that I

didn't. We follwed the instruction in the files section, but it's

just not drying. The Killz primer and paint was fine, but when we

put the sealer on top it's just stayed sticky. Maybe I should have

used Modge Podge instead of the sealer???...I bought some to put over

the stickers I want to put on, but didn't use it over the paint since

the instructions said to prime, paint, seal, stickers, modge

podge...maybe I read it wrong...wouldn't surprise me with as tired as

I am! LOL!!! I need to get the helmet back on Noah, but am not sure

if I should since it's still sticky. It looks like I could pretty

much peel it all off from some of the spots on the bottom. Anyone

have tips for me?

I think I'm just tired and frustrated. Sorry for the rant, I'm

usually more upbeat than this. I guess some good news is that the

red marks are fading very quickly on his head, so I think we have a

good fit. We went in public and got stares, but you know, they don't

bother me. I'd kind of like someone to ask me so I can help educate.

Thank you all for your kind responses and encouragement. Good luck

to you who are just starting as well!!

> >

> > Well, Noah got his helmet yday. Our break in period is three

hours

> > on...taking off until red marks fade...three more hours

on...repeat.

> >

> > Noah was supposed to sleep in it last night, but I was at a

meeting

> > and my DH had to put Noah to bed. He was so fussy that my DH

took

> > the helmet off and he slept wihtout it.

> >

> > Today I've noticed that Noah is MUCH fussier...I'm not sure if

it's

> > his two first teeth that have just broken through...a red ear

that

> > the Dr noticed earlier in the week...or his helmet. Regardless,

poor

> > Noah is screaming/shreaking like I've never hear him before.

> >

> > He hasn't napped more than 30 minutes today with the helmet

on...he's

> > SO tired and cranky. Oh, I'm dreading tonight. I have a feeling

I'm

> > going to be up a million times. And, since I'm the only one who

can

> > calm Noah down, I'll pretty much be on my own. I feel like I

have a

> > newborn again. It's sooooo hard to see him upset like this...esp

> > since I don't know if he's hurting or not.

> >

> > I plan on giving him Tylenol and teething tablets before bed.

Other

> > than that, I don't know what I can do for him. I know he's

supposed

> > to be in this helmet 23 hours a day, but what if we can't do

that. I

> > can see me giving up mid-way through the night and taking it

off. I

> > know we'll eventually get to 23 hours, but I can't stand to see

him

> > shreak like this.

> >

> > Hopefully the longer he wears it the more used to it he will

get. I

> > know we're only on day two, so I'm trying not to make any

decisions

> > about how the next three months are going to be right now.

> >

> > Any encouragement or advice would be greatly appreciated. Better

> > go...He's screaming again now.

> >

> >

> > Mom to Noah 6 mo. Plagio/Bracy 13mm. Day two in Doc Band

> >

>

>

> How did Noah do last night with the helmet? Any better? My little

guy has been in his

> helmet since tuesday so we are pretty much on the same timeframe

except my son is 7.5

> months so he might be in his helmet longer.. who knows.

>

> I thought my son was also upset by his helmet but it was something

else. Obviously keep

> monitoring the red spots but imagine him without his helmet on when

he is upset.. and

> you will react to him like you normally would if he was crying.

Chances are, it is not the

> helmet that is bothering him.

>

> Have you been out in public yet? How is that? We went to a coffee

shop with him and I

> don't think we got any weird stares but I was also very busy

chatting with my friend so I

> didn't notice.

>

> We took him swimming and on the way into the change room, a three

year old shouted to

> her mom " That baby has a HELMET! " but the mom said " yes just like

your cousin does " .

>

> Keep us updated! Even if you don't get a lot of responses, lots of

people are reading and

> wondering how it is going.

>

> S

>

[Guest guest]

Unfortunately, my 7-month-old son isn't doing so well with his helmet.

He got it just over a week ago (Friday Jan. 30) and has been VERY

fussy since getting it. He napped in it starting on the third day

(last Monday), but hadn't napped more than 40 minutes at a time, and

fitfully in it, and I couldn't get him to sleep in it at

all...starting Tuesday night I tried, and got to 10 pm Tuesday, 1:30

am Wednesday, and 10 pm Thursday. I took him back to the orthotist to

have it adjusted on Friday, and he seemed happier in it mostly Friday

and slept in it for the first time last night (Friday night), but woke

about every three hours to eat and went back to bed (not altogether

out of character for him since he has never been a great sleeper, but

every three hours is a little worse than usual). But as of this

morning I thought we were doing MUCH better and on the upswing...he

was mildly fussy in the morning, but not out of control and seemed

generally happier than he'd been in the helmet prior to this, and

napped for an hour and 10 minutes, which was great, but then fussed

the whole rest of the day (except when he napped in the afternoon, for

a decent nap again), and after his afternoon nap was a real mess the

rest of the day. I finally took off his helmet from 5-6:30 to see if

that helped, but only mildly....so now I don't know if he is just

fussy because of his top teeth which are coming in, or whether he's

getting sick, or if the helmet is still uncomfortable....uugh!!! I

just feel so bad for him if it is uncomfortable and unhappy in it. I

don't think that is worth the cosmetic improvements (he's at 9 mm) for

months if he is unhappy. I gave him Motrin for his teeth before bed,

and he's sleeping now (called out once but went back to sleep

himself), which is a good sign. Will see what happens tomorrow, but if

it doesn't improve fast, I'm thinking I may not continue....

This is not what you were looking for when you asked for

encouragement, I know, but it just reminds me of my little guy, and I

can't bear the thought of supressing his sunny disposition and having

an unhappy cranky little guy that has to be held the whole time he's

in this helmet. He's so sweet, and he's barely smiled the last week,

which is totally out of character for him!!!!

>

> Well, Noah got his helmet yday. Our break in period is three hours

> on...taking off until red marks fade...three more hours on...repeat.

>

> Noah was supposed to sleep in it last night, but I was at a meeting

> and my DH had to put Noah to bed. He was so fussy that my DH took

> the helmet off and he slept wihtout it.

>

> Today I've noticed that Noah is MUCH fussier...I'm not sure if it's

> his two first teeth that have just broken through...a red ear that

> the Dr noticed earlier in the week...or his helmet. Regardless, poor

> Noah is screaming/shreaking like I've never hear him before.

>

> He hasn't napped more than 30 minutes today with the helmet on...he's

> SO tired and cranky. Oh, I'm dreading tonight. I have a feeling I'm

> going to be up a million times. And, since I'm the only one who can

> calm Noah down, I'll pretty much be on my own. I feel like I have a

> newborn again. It's sooooo hard to see him upset like this...esp

> since I don't know if he's hurting or not.

>

> I plan on giving him Tylenol and teething tablets before bed. Other

> than that, I don't know what I can do for him. I know he's supposed

> to be in this helmet 23 hours a day, but what if we can't do that. I

> can see me giving up mid-way through the night and taking it off. I

> know we'll eventually get to 23 hours, but I can't stand to see him

> shreak like this.

>

> Hopefully the longer he wears it the more used to it he will get. I

> know we're only on day two, so I'm trying not to make any decisions

> about how the next three months are going to be right now.

>

> Any encouragement or advice would be greatly appreciated. Better

> go...He's screaming again now.

>

>

> Mom to Noah 6 mo. Plagio/Bracy 13mm. Day two in Doc Band

>

[Guest guest]

Hello,

As you can see below, I have two boys that are 20.5 months

apart. My youngest is 6 months and has had his DOC band for 2

weeks. Here are some thoughts:

Always rule out an earache or teething. If your

child screams whenever (s)he lays down, or is constantly playing with one

ear, there’s a good chance they have an ear infection. If they

are teething, this can easily cause mood swings and lack of sleep.

Don’t worry – these are both very normal. With our first

son, my doctor told us that most kids get ear infections and all have teething

issues. We used Hyland’s Alll-Natural teething tablets to help

and on a rare occasion would give him a dose of Tylenol if it was really

bad.

The DOC band, STAR band or whatever product you choose

has been tested on thousands of children. They should not cause any

pain but will probably be a little irritating while the kids adjust.

(If you do think it’s causing pain or you notice dark red marks,

follow their instructions!)

YOU help control your child’s reaction to

anything in life. This is a hard one to deal with because you want

everything to be happy and easy for them. Try your hardest not to be

upset or down as your child is trying to adjust. The saying “Fake

it till you make it” is one of my favorites! Seriously, try

for a couple of hours to just be happy and play with your child. Try

to pretend that the helmet is not on when it is and just be SILLY.

When my little guy gets irritated, I just try to switch things up to

distract him. We play “airplane” and I kiss him or try

to rub noses often and it cracks him up. He goes from cranky to

giggles in no time.

The more times you take your child in and out of the

helmet, the more confusing it will be. If they get used to wearing

it 23 hours per day, they will adjust and it will become their version of “normal”

– even if it may not be yours. This is perhaps one of the most

important points. It was hard for me to leave Tyler in his

helmet for the full 23 hours starting the 2 night, but I did it and he

learned to adjust.

I know things are easier said than done and I am NOT trying to

minimize your situation. When your child is unhappy it can feel like your

world is covered by a dark cloud. When we go through very stressful times

with our children and we can’t help but have it affect us. (Last

week we spent an entire day between two Hospitals/Chldren’s ER with my

older son. It was excruciating but I had to do my best to stay positive

so he would not be so scared.) Sometimes I find when I am able to stay

positive for my kids that all of us feel better at the end!

I hope that things go smoothly soon. It’s great

that you have so many parents to reach out to on this site. You should

continue to post if you need support. I, too, have experienced a

wonderful support when I posted before my son received his band. I’m

sure that there is someone who can give you advice that helps. So long as

you do what works best for you and your family, you can’t go wrong!

Best wishes,

Jenna

[Guest guest]

Good email. Very inspirational. Thanks for sending! - /Cole is 8.5 months and been in DOCband since 12/1/08From: Jenna & Stein <jjstein@...>Plagiocephaly Sent: Sunday, February 8, 2009 10:06:43 AMSubject: Re: Second day with helmet - TOUGH - help,

suggestions for adjusting

Hello,

As you can see below, I have two boys that are 20.5 months

apart. My youngest is 6 months and has had his DOC band for 2

weeks. Here are some thoughts:

Always rule out an earache or teething. If your

child screams whenever (s)he lays down, or is constantly playing with one

ear, there’s a good chance they have an ear infection. If they

are teething, this can easily cause mood swings and lack of sleep.

Don’t worry – these are both very normal. With our first

son, my doctor told us that most kids get ear infections and all have teething

issues. We used Hyland’s Alll-Natural teething tablets to help

and on a rare occasion would give him a dose of Tylenol if it was really

bad.

The DOC band, STAR band or whatever product you choose

has been tested on thousands of children. They should not cause any

pain but will probably be a little irritating while the kids adjust.

(If you do think it’s causing pain or you notice dark red marks,

follow their instructions! )

YOU help control your child’s reaction to

anything in life. This is a hard one to deal with because you want

everything to be happy and easy for them. Try your hardest not to be

upset or down as your child is trying to adjust. The saying “Fake

it till you make it” is one of my favorites! Seriously, try

for a couple of hours to just be happy and play with your child. Try

to pretend that the helmet is not on when it is and just be SILLY.

When my little guy gets irritated, I just try to switch things up to

distract him. We play “airplane” and I kiss him or try

to rub noses often and it cracks him up. He goes from cranky to

giggles in no time.

The more times you take your child in and out of the

helmet, the more confusing it will be. If they get used to wearing

it 23 hours per day, they will adjust and it will become their version of “normal”

– even if it may not be yours. This is perhaps one of the most

important points. It was hard for me to leave Tyler in his

helmet for the full 23 hours starting the 2 night, but I did it and he

learned to adjust.

I know things are easier said than done and I am NOT trying to

minimize your situation. When your child is unhappy it can feel like your

world is covered by a dark cloud. When we go through very stressful times

with our children and we can’t help but have it affect us. (Last

week we spent an entire day between two Hospitals/Chldren’s ER with my

older son. It was excruciating but I had to do my best to stay positive

so he would not be so scared.) Sometimes I find when I am able to stay

positive for my kids that all of us feel better at the end!

I hope that things go smoothly soon. It’s great

that you have so many parents to reach out to on this site. You should

continue to post if you need support. I, too, have experienced a

wonderful support when I posted before my son received his band. I’m

sure that there is someone who can give you advice that helps. So long as

you do what works best for you and your family, you can’t go wrong!

Best wishes,

Jenna

[Guest guest]

Jenna,

Thanks for all the words of encouragement. Last night went much

better, and today is going well. The helmet adjustment on Friday

must've made a big difference, and yesterday's crankiness was probably

due to teething as you suggested. But I'm glad I brought him back for

an adjustment on Friday since the first week he just couldn't get

comfortable and something was clearly wrong...it wasn't just that he

wasn't used to it. Now I think it is fitting properly, though, and he

seems himself again. He is my third child and remarkably easygoing,

but while he wasn't screaming in pain, he was just so obviously not

himself last week. I'm hoping this continues and we've turned a

corner. He wore it last night all night and has been napping great in

it today!

Thanks for the support!

>

> Hello,

>

>

>

> As you can see below, I have two boys that are 20.5 months apart. My

> youngest is 6 months and has had his DOC band for 2 weeks. Here are

> some thoughts:

>

> 1. Always rule out an earache or teething. If your child screams

> whenever (s)he lays down, or is constantly playing with one ear, there's

> a good chance they have an ear infection. If they are teething, this

> can easily cause mood swings and lack of sleep. Don't worry - these are

> both very normal. With our first son, my doctor told us that most kids

> get ear infections and all have teething issues. We used Hyland's

> Alll-Natural teething tablets to help and on a rare occasion would give

> him a dose of Tylenol if it was really bad.

> 2. The DOC band, STAR band or whatever product you choose has been

> tested on thousands of children. They should not cause any pain but

> will probably be a little irritating while the kids adjust. (If you do

> think it's causing pain or you notice dark red marks, follow their

> instructions!)

> 3. YOU help control your child's reaction to anything in life.

> This is a hard one to deal with because you want everything to be happy

> and easy for them. Try your hardest not to be upset or down as your

> child is trying to adjust. The saying " Fake it till you make it " is one

> of my favorites! Seriously, try for a couple of hours to just be happy

> and play with your child. Try to pretend that the helmet is not on when

> it is and just be SILLY. When my little guy gets irritated, I just try

> to switch things up to distract him. We play " airplane " and I kiss him

> or try to rub noses often and it cracks him up. He goes from cranky to

> giggles in no time.

> 4. The more times you take your child in and out of the helmet, the

> more confusing it will be. If they get used to wearing it 23 hours per

> day, they will adjust and it will become their version of " normal " -

> even if it may not be yours. This is perhaps one of the most important

> points. It was hard for me to leave Tyler in his helmet for the full 23

> hours starting the 2 night, but I did it and he learned to adjust.

>

> I know things are easier said than done and I am NOT trying to minimize

> your situation. When your child is unhappy it can feel like your world

> is covered by a dark cloud. When we go through very stressful times

> with our children and we can't help but have it affect us. (Last week

> we spent an entire day between two Hospitals/Chldren's ER with my older

> son. It was excruciating but I had to do my best to stay positive so he

> would not be so scared.) Sometimes I find when I am able to stay

> positive for my kids that all of us feel better at the end!

>

> I hope that things go smoothly soon. It's great that you have so many

> parents to reach out to on this site. You should continue to post if

> you need support. I, too, have experienced a wonderful support when I

> posted before my son received his band. I'm sure that there is someone

> who can give you advice that helps. So long as you do what works best

> for you and your family, you can't go wrong!

>

>

>

> Best wishes,

>

> Jenna

>

> <http://lilypie.com> Lilypie 1st Birthday Ticker <http://lilypie.com>

> Lilypie 2nd Birthday Ticker

>

[Guest guest]

SOOOO glad things are going a bit better for you...I think they are

for us too. Noah did well in the church nursery this morning...and

again this evening. I'm SO grateful to see that little smile and

personality coming through. The paint job turned out ok too. Check

out our newest pictures listed under Noah P 4-8.

Here's hoping we all get a good night of sleep! Heaven knows I need

one!!

> >

> > Hello,

> >

> >

> >

> > As you can see below, I have two boys that are 20.5 months

apart. My

> > youngest is 6 months and has had his DOC band for 2 weeks. Here

are

> > some thoughts:

> >

> > 1. Always rule out an earache or teething. If your child screams

> > whenever (s)he lays down, or is constantly playing with one ear,

there's

> > a good chance they have an ear infection. If they are teething,

this

> > can easily cause mood swings and lack of sleep. Don't worry -

these are

> > both very normal. With our first son, my doctor told us that

most kids

> > get ear infections and all have teething issues. We used Hyland's

> > Alll-Natural teething tablets to help and on a rare occasion

would give

> > him a dose of Tylenol if it was really bad.

> > 2. The DOC band, STAR band or whatever product you choose has

been

> > tested on thousands of children. They should not cause any pain

but

> > will probably be a little irritating while the kids adjust. (If

you do

> > think it's causing pain or you notice dark red marks, follow their

> > instructions!)

> > 3. YOU help control your child's reaction to anything in life.

> > This is a hard one to deal with because you want everything to be

happy

> > and easy for them. Try your hardest not to be upset or down as

your

> > child is trying to adjust. The saying " Fake it till you make it "

is one

> > of my favorites! Seriously, try for a couple of hours to just be

happy

> > and play with your child. Try to pretend that the helmet is not

on when

> > it is and just be SILLY. When my little guy gets irritated, I

just try

> > to switch things up to distract him. We play " airplane " and I

kiss him

> > or try to rub noses often and it cracks him up. He goes from

cranky to

> > giggles in no time.

> > 4. The more times you take your child in and out of the helmet,

the

> > more confusing it will be. If they get used to wearing it 23

hours per

> > day, they will adjust and it will become their version

of " normal " -

> > even if it may not be yours. This is perhaps one of the most

important

> > points. It was hard for me to leave Tyler in his helmet for the

full 23

> > hours starting the 2 night, but I did it and he learned to adjust.

> >

> > I know things are easier said than done and I am NOT trying to

minimize

> > your situation. When your child is unhappy it can feel like your

world

> > is covered by a dark cloud. When we go through very stressful

times

> > with our children and we can't help but have it affect us. (Last

week

> > we spent an entire day between two Hospitals/Chldren's ER with my

older

> > son. It was excruciating but I had to do my best to stay

positive so he

> > would not be so scared.) Sometimes I find when I am able to stay

> > positive for my kids that all of us feel better at the end!

> >

> > I hope that things go smoothly soon. It's great that you have so

many

> > parents to reach out to on this site. You should continue to

post if

> > you need support. I, too, have experienced a wonderful support

when I

> > posted before my son received his band. I'm sure that there is

someone

> > who can give you advice that helps. So long as you do what works

best

> > for you and your family, you can't go wrong!

> >

> >

> >

> > Best wishes,

> >

> > Jenna

> >

> > <http://lilypie.com> Lilypie 1st Birthday Ticker

<http://lilypie.com>

> > Lilypie 2nd Birthday Ticker

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I agree 100%. #3 (have fun) and #4 (more time on is good) are VERY important.

Elaine did not adjust well at first. Our planned break in period was a week, but it took us more than two to get up to full time wear. Like has been said before, it's OK. The goal is to get into it and if it takes an extra week, no harm done. The biggest thing is to make it fun. We sing songs and clap our hands and tell her how silly her hat was, etc. If you think it's the best thing ever and tell them that, they will agree. Once we were over the hump so to speak, it's been smooth sailing. She still hates taking it on and off, and anyone messing with her head in general, but once it's on, she doesn't pay it any mind.

Elaine (twin A) plagio & tort, 81/2 mos, 2nd helmet since 1/5/09

On Sun, Feb 8, 2009 at 12:06 PM, Jenna & Stein <jjstein@...> wrote:

Hello,

As you can see below, I have two boys that are 20.5 months apart. My youngest is 6 months and has had his DOC band for 2 weeks. Here are some thoughts:

Always rule out an earache or teething. If your child screams whenever (s)he lays down, or is constantly playing with one ear, there's a good chance they have an ear infection. If they are teething, this can easily cause mood swings and lack of sleep. Don't worry – these are both very normal. With our first son, my doctor told us that most kids get ear infections and all have teething issues. We used Hyland's Alll-Natural teething tablets to help and on a rare occasion would give him a dose of Tylenol if it was really bad.

The DOC band, STAR band or whatever product you choose has been tested on thousands of children. They should not cause any pain but will probably be a little irritating while the kids adjust. (If you do think it's causing pain or you notice dark red marks, follow their instructions!)

YOU help control your child's reaction to anything in life. This is a hard one to deal with because you want everything to be happy and easy for them. Try your hardest not to be upset or down as your child is trying to adjust. The saying "Fake it till you make it" is one of my favorites! Seriously, try for a couple of hours to just be happy and play with your child. Try to pretend that the helmet is not on when it is and just be SILLY. When my little guy gets irritated, I just try to switch things up to distract him. We play "airplane" and I kiss him or try to rub noses often and it cracks him up. He goes from cranky to giggles in no time.

The more times you take your child in and out of the helmet, the more confusing it will be. If they get used to wearing it 23 hours per day, they will adjust and it will become their version of "normal" – even if it may not be yours. This is perhaps one of the most important points. It was hard for me to leave Tyler in his helmet for the full 23 hours starting the 2 night, but I did it and he learned to adjust.

I know things are easier said than done and I am NOT trying to minimize your situation. When your child is unhappy it can feel like your world is covered by a dark cloud. When we go through very stressful times with our children and we can't help but have it affect us. (Last week we spent an entire day between two Hospitals/Chldren's ER with my older son. It was excruciating but I had to do my best to stay positive so he would not be so scared.) Sometimes I find when I am able to stay positive for my kids that all of us feel better at the end!

I hope that things go smoothly soon. It's great that you have so many parents to reach out to on this site. You should continue to post if you need support. I, too, have experienced a wonderful support when I posted before my son received his band. I'm sure that there is someone who can give you advice that helps. So long as you do what works best for you and your family, you can't go wrong!

Best wishes,

Jenna

[Guest guest]

UPDATE - SUCCESS!!! We had a GREAT night of sleep!! This was Noah's

third day in the helmet (second night.) He slept from 8pm to 7am and

only woke up once, which is his normal routine. YEAH!! I feel SO

good and am so happy this morning.

I wanted to post and update everyone so that my cries over the past

couple of days are tempered with some good news. I also want to

encourage all the other mamas out there who are about to go through

this process.

Also, I wanted to say that everyone in public has been really nice.

Yes, some of them stare, but it's not a mean, cruel, nasty

stare...it's more curiosity and sweet sympathy. I can't wait until I

catch someone's eye and can politely tell them about plagiocephaly.

I figure I might as well use this experience as an opportunity to

educate.

Mom to Noah...6 1/2 months...plagio 13mm, mild bracy & tort.

> >

> > Well, Noah got his helmet yday. Our break in period is three

hours

> > on...taking off until red marks fade...three more hours

on...repeat.

> >

> > Noah was supposed to sleep in it last night, but I was at a

meeting

> > and my DH had to put Noah to bed. He was so fussy that my DH

took

> > the helmet off and he slept wihtout it.

> >

> > Today I've noticed that Noah is MUCH fussier...I'm not sure if

it's

> > his two first teeth that have just broken through...a red ear

that

> > the Dr noticed earlier in the week...or his helmet. Regardless,

poor

> > Noah is screaming/shreaking like I've never hear him before.

> >

> > He hasn't napped more than 30 minutes today with the helmet

on...he's

> > SO tired and cranky. Oh, I'm dreading tonight. I have a feeling

I'm

> > going to be up a million times. And, since I'm the only one who

can

> > calm Noah down, I'll pretty much be on my own. I feel like I

have a

> > newborn again. It's sooooo hard to see him upset like this...esp

> > since I don't know if he's hurting or not.

> >

> > I plan on giving him Tylenol and teething tablets before bed.

Other

> > than that, I don't know what I can do for him. I know he's

supposed

> > to be in this helmet 23 hours a day, but what if we can't do

that. I

> > can see me giving up mid-way through the night and taking it

off. I

> > know we'll eventually get to 23 hours, but I can't stand to see

him

> > shreak like this.

> >

> > Hopefully the longer he wears it the more used to it he will

get. I

> > know we're only on day two, so I'm trying not to make any

decisions

> > about how the next three months are going to be right now.

> >

> > Any encouragement or advice would be greatly appreciated. Better

> > go...He's screaming again now.

> >

> >

> > Mom to Noah 6 mo. Plagio/Bracy 13mm. Day two in Doc Band

> >

>

[Guest guest]

We're doing much better, too. My son is napping well and sleeping OK

at night (not super, but he never was a super sleeper; we're back

where we were, not much backsliding on any sleep progress we'd made).

During the day, he's mostly back to his own cheery disposition other

than some teething troubles! But trust your instincts; if you think

your child isn't comfortable, call the orthotist. It was only after

going back for an adjustment that we made these strides...before that,

something clearly wasn't right beyond just the " getting used to it "

phase!!!

> > >

> > > Well, Noah got his helmet yday. Our break in period is three

> hours

> > > on...taking off until red marks fade...three more hours

> on...repeat.

> > >

> > > Noah was supposed to sleep in it last night, but I was at a

> meeting

> > > and my DH had to put Noah to bed. He was so fussy that my DH

> took

> > > the helmet off and he slept wihtout it.

> > >

> > > Today I've noticed that Noah is MUCH fussier...I'm not sure if

> it's

> > > his two first teeth that have just broken through...a red ear

> that

> > > the Dr noticed earlier in the week...or his helmet. Regardless,

> poor

> > > Noah is screaming/shreaking like I've never hear him before.

> > >

> > > He hasn't napped more than 30 minutes today with the helmet

> on...he's

> > > SO tired and cranky. Oh, I'm dreading tonight. I have a feeling

> I'm

> > > going to be up a million times. And, since I'm the only one who

> can

> > > calm Noah down, I'll pretty much be on my own. I feel like I

> have a

> > > newborn again. It's sooooo hard to see him upset like this...esp

> > > since I don't know if he's hurting or not.

> > >

> > > I plan on giving him Tylenol and teething tablets before bed.

> Other

> > > than that, I don't know what I can do for him. I know he's

> supposed

> > > to be in this helmet 23 hours a day, but what if we can't do

> that. I

> > > can see me giving up mid-way through the night and taking it

> off. I

> > > know we'll eventually get to 23 hours, but I can't stand to see

> him

> > > shreak like this.

> > >

> > > Hopefully the longer he wears it the more used to it he will

> get. I

> > > know we're only on day two, so I'm trying not to make any

> decisions

> > > about how the next three months are going to be right now.

> > >

> > > Any encouragement or advice would be greatly appreciated. Better

> > > go...He's screaming again now.

> > >

> > >

> > > Mom to Noah 6 mo. Plagio/Bracy 13mm. Day two in Doc Band

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I am so happy to hear that Noah had a good night sleep last night. It does get better and time does fly by, you'll see.

I like your line about trying to educate others about plagiocephaly. I recently got a DOC band calendar from the CT office that Maysa goes to and put it on the wall next to my desk. I've had people look at it and ask "what's that?. Oh babies who've sustained brain injury...". That's when I jump in and do my part. Half of them tell me how they know somebody who either has plagio or torticollis and now understand what the band is for...

Leila

Maysa, 1 year old, 1 week in DOC band 2 + CST

http://mymaysa.wordpress.com/ --- On Mon, 2/9/09, melaniecpadron <melaniepadron@...> wrote:

From: melaniecpadron <melaniepadron@...>Subject: Re: Second day with helmet - TOUGH - help, suggestions for adjustingPlagiocephaly Date: Monday, February 9, 2009, 9:28 AM

UPDATE - SUCCESS!!! We had a GREAT night of sleep!! This was Noah's third day in the helmet (second night.) He slept from 8pm to 7am and only woke up once, which is his normal routine. YEAH!! I feel SO good and am so happy this morning. I wanted to post and update everyone so that my cries over the past couple of days are tempered with some good news. I also want to encourage all the other mamas out there who are about to go through this process. Also, I wanted to say that everyone in public has been really nice. Yes, some of them stare, but it's not a mean, cruel, nasty stare...it's more curiosity and sweet sympathy. I can't wait until I catch someone's eye and can politely tell them about plagiocephaly. I figure I might as well use this experience as an opportunity to educate. Mom to Noah...6 1/2 months...plagio 13mm, mild bracy & tort.> >> > Well, Noah got his helmet yday. Our break in period is three hours > > on...taking off until red marks fade...three more hours on...repeat. > > > > Noah was supposed to sleep in it last night, but I was at a meeting > > and my DH had to put Noah to bed. He was so fussy that my DH took > > the helmet off and he slept wihtout it. > > > > Today I've noticed that Noah is MUCH fussier...I' m not sure if it's > > his two first teeth that have just broken through...a red ear that > > the Dr noticed earlier in the week...or his helmet. Regardless, poor > > Noah is screaming/shreaking like I've never hear him before. > > > > He hasn't napped more than 30 minutes today with the helmet on...he's > > SO tired and cranky. Oh,

I'm dreading tonight. I have a feeling I'm > > going to be up a million times. And, since I'm the only one who can > > calm Noah down, I'll pretty much be on my own. I feel like I have a > > newborn again. It's sooooo hard to see him upset like this...esp > > since I don't know if he's hurting or not. > > > > I plan on giving him Tylenol and teething tablets before bed. Other > > than that, I don't know what I can do for him. I know he's supposed > > to be in this helmet 23 hours a day, but what if we can't do that. I > > can see me giving up mid-way through the night and taking it off. I > > know we'll eventually get to 23 hours, but I can't stand to see him > > shreak like this. > > > > Hopefully the longer he wears it the more used to it he will get. I > > know we're only on

day two, so I'm trying not to make any decisions > > about how the next three months are going to be right now. > > > > Any encouragement or advice would be greatly appreciated. Better > > go...He's screaming again now. > > > > > > Mom to Noah 6 mo. Plagio/Bracy 13mm. Day two in Doc Band> >>