Re: new here and concerned

[Guest guest]

Kate-

My 6 mos. old son is the EXACT same. I also noticed it around 3 mos.

and addressed it with the ped at 4 mos...wish I would've noticed

sooner! Our pt told us to place a rolled up towel or head positioner

pillow under his neck while in the carseat or swing to keep him off the

"wrong" side. Caden ( my son) is doing so much better with the tort,

but unfortunately we have to go next week to meet with the STAR band

specialists. The pt feels that even the the tort has worked itself out

for the most part, it won't fully stop until his head is no longer

flat. Hopefully your son's head will shape up on its own!!! Good luck!

Hope this helped a little!

From: Kate <rtkate@...>Subject: new here and concernedPlagiocephaly Date: Friday, August 29, 2008, 10:50 AM

Hi, glad I found this group.

My son is almost 3 months old and the doctor confirmed yesterday that

he has mild torticollis. He always turns his head to the left and it

usually has a tilt as well. From looking at his pictures from birth,

he's always favored the left but I never thought anyting of it, just

thought it was becuase he didn't have full neck control yet.

Well, the left side of his head is getting a pretty bad flat spot and

his ears are missaligned, and even different sizes now. I will be

getting physical therapy set up soon for him for the torticollis which

I hope helps.

I have tried repositioning him which once he's in a deep sleep I can

get him to turn the other way, but what makes it very difficult is he

sucks his left thumb and immediately goes to that for comfort whenever

he wakes up, making him turn back to the left. The doctor doens't seem

too concerned yet about his head shape but I am sick with worry!

Anyone have any advice that may help? I've already tried putting toys

on the "good" side etc.

Thanks,

Kate

[Guest guest]

Yes, I am hoping the physical therapy helps. I've started just

gently doing some stretches and he will turn to the right sometimes,

so I know he can do it! It bothers me that the doctor isn't more

concerned, they just say it should probably correct itself once the

tort is corrected but from looking at pics online of plagiocephaly,

my son's looks pretty bad. I placed another call into the docs to

see if they ever send kids for the helmets and such, so if they don't

I may have to look for another doctor for this concern!! I'm just

such a worried new mom, and I'm glad I've found others that are

dealing with this that I can talk to. Everyone around me thinks I'm

overreacting and it's frustrating.

Kate

> From: Kate <rtkate@...>

> Subject: new here and concerned

> Plagiocephaly

> Date: Friday, August 29, 2008, 10:50 AM

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Hi, glad I found this group.

>

> My son is almost 3 months old and the doctor confirmed yesterday

that

>

> he has mild torticollis. He always turns his head to the left and

it

>

> usually has a tilt as well. From looking at his pictures from

birth,

>

> he's always favored the left but I never thought anyting of it,

just

>

> thought it was becuase he didn't have full neck control yet.

>

> Well, the left side of his head is getting a pretty bad flat spot

and

>

> his ears are missaligned, and even different sizes now. I will be

>

> getting physical therapy set up soon for him for the torticollis

which

>

> I hope helps.

>

> I have tried repositioning him which once he's in a deep sleep I

can

>

> get him to turn the other way, but what makes it very difficult is

he

>

> sucks his left thumb and immediately goes to that for comfort

whenever

>

> he wakes up, making him turn back to the left. The doctor doens't

seem

>

> too concerned yet about his head shape but I am sick with worry!

>

> Anyone have any advice that may help? I've already tried putting

toys

>

> on the " good " side etc.

>

>

>

> Thanks,

>

> Kate

>

[Guest guest]

Kate-

My daughter has both the plagio and the tort. She has gotten drastically better with her tort thank goodness! The things that I have found that worked with her was to keep her off her back as much as possible. I work with ECI alot. They come in every month and I meet with a OT that is super sweet. She has shown me streaches to do with my daughter as well as offered me non stop support. Every child seems to develop in different ways so what worked for my daughter may not work for your little one, but rest assured that you providing support to your little one will carry on and help him get better. Now as far as things that have worked with my little one.

1. Keep things that interest him on the side that he doesn't prefer. (sounds like with you that would be his right side)

2. When you hold him to eat or even just to talk to him and play with him make him look to his right even though he doesn't want to to see you or to eat.

3. My OT showed me a streatch to do with little ones where you gently push down on their shoulder and gently push away their head (on the side that the prefer, left for you) kind of like we would all do in gym class when you would reach your had over your head and pull on your head and then push down on the air towards the floor. I dont know if that makes since, hopefully it does. She also showed me to run my pointer finger and my middle finger dow either side of her spin. She said that this causes them to sit up straighter and in turn pulls the muscles and streatches them out.

I know its alot and its really hard. My baby used to scream bloody murder anytime we would make her turn her head to the left. She always prefers the right side. But hang in there and keep pitching and he will eventually be able to hit the ball! You have many prayers and support backing you.

Keep us informed!

From: Kate <rtkate@...>Subject: Re: new here and concernedPlagiocephaly Date: Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 10:25 AM

Yes, I am hoping the physical therapy helps. I've started just gently doing some stretches and he will turn to the right sometimes, so I know he can do it! It bothers me that the doctor isn't more concerned, they just say it should probably correct itself once the tort is corrected but from looking at pics online of plagiocephaly, my son's looks pretty bad. I placed another call into the docs to see if they ever send kids for the helmets and such, so if they don't I may have to look for another doctor for this concern!! I'm just such a worried new mom, and I'm glad I've found others that are dealing with this that I can talk to. Everyone around me thinks I'm overreacting and it's frustrating. Kate> From: Kate <rtkate@...>> Subject: new here and concerned> Plagiocephaly> Date: Friday, August 29, 2008, 10:50 AM> > > > > > > > > > > > Hi, glad I found this group.> > My son is almost 3 months old and the doctor confirmed yesterday that > > he has mild torticollis. He always turns his head to the left and it > > usually has a tilt as well. From looking at his pictures from birth, > > he's always favored the left but I never thought anyting of it, just > > thought it was becuase he didn't have full neck control yet.> > Well, the left side of his head is getting a pretty bad flat spot and > > his ears are missaligned, and even different sizes now. I will be > > getting physical therapy set up soon

for him for the torticollis which > > I hope helps. > > I have tried repositioning him which once he's in a deep sleep I can > > get him to turn the other way, but what makes it very difficult is he > > sucks his left thumb and immediately goes to that for comfort whenever > > he wakes up, making him turn back to the left. The doctor doens't seem > > too concerned yet about his head shape but I am sick with worry! > > Anyone have any advice that may help? I've already tried putting toys > > on the "good" side etc. > > > > Thanks,> > Kate>

[Guest guest]

Hi Kate-

My son had tort, diagnosed at his 2month well visit, and was in PT

for about 2.5 months with great results, so you're starting at a

great time with your son and all should go well. Just try to keep

him up off his head as much as possible during the day. Whenever

possible, position him so that he has to look to his right to see

the action (in his crib to look to the door, on the changing table

to look at you, etc.). I would also suggest taking progress photos

and setting a deadline for yourself regarding repo. If you take

weekly photos of his head, you should be able to see if the repo is

working, but don't let time get too far away from you (like I did)

and maybe look into banding around the 6 month mark if you don't see

the improvement in his head shape that you were hoping for. My son't

plagio was at it's worst around 4 months old, did slightly improve

but not by much (mostly just the flat spot a little, but not the

ears or forhead bossing) and stayed consistently the same until he

was 16 months old when I finally pushed for a band. So I would say

that if you don't see significant improvement in the next 3 months,

banding would be a great option.

Good luck with repo! Please keep us posted.

Jake-2 on Friday! (tort resolved/rt plagio/DOCBand #2 13 weeks)

Jordan-4

> > From: Kate <rtkate@>

> > Subject: new here and concerned

> > Plagiocephaly

> > Date: Friday, August 29, 2008, 10:50 AM

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Hi, glad I found this group.

> >

> > My son is almost 3 months old and the doctor confirmed yesterday

> that

> >

> > he has mild torticollis. He always turns his head to the left

and

> it

> >

> > usually has a tilt as well. From looking at his pictures from

> birth,

> >

> > he's always favored the left but I never thought anyting of it,

> just

> >

> > thought it was becuase he didn't have full neck control yet.

> >

> > Well, the left side of his head is getting a pretty bad flat

spot

> and

> >

> > his ears are missaligned, and even different sizes now. I will

be

> >

> > getting physical therapy set up soon for him for the torticollis

> which

> >

> > I hope helps.

> >

> > I have tried repositioning him which once he's in a deep sleep I

> can

> >

> > get him to turn the other way, but what makes it very difficult

is

> he

> >

> > sucks his left thumb and immediately goes to that for comfort

> whenever

> >

> > he wakes up, making him turn back to the left. The doctor

doens't

> seem

> >

> > too concerned yet about his head shape but I am sick with

worry!

> >

> > Anyone have any advice that may help? I've already tried

putting

> toys

> >

> > on the " good " side etc.

> >

> >

> >

> > Thanks,

> >

> > Kate

> >

>