Re: Question re: brachycephaly

[Guest guest]

My daughter had brachy and I would definitely treat. Normal is about 80%, not

90%. There is a range of course and some people consider normal within 2

standard deviations of 80%, but to be honest, I don't know what that number is.

Maybe that is what your doc means. Our specialist was a cranial facial plastic

surgeon, and he recommends banding at 90% or more. My daughter was about 96% so

our decision was easy. My daughter wore a starband for 5 mo. I remember wanting

to quit when she was about 88% and our doctor still encouraged me to keep going

and get the number as low as possible. She graduated at 85.

With brachy the goal is to direct growth to the back so the overall proportion

of the head will be more normal. Very few babies get to 80%, but changing the

number to the extent possible does improve the appearance significantly. My

daughter's head was a bit square before the band. She still has some odd angles

even though she got a lot of correction in her band. I'm very glad we banded,

and also that we kep the band on until she outgrew it. You can see pictures of

her in the photos section under Our Plagio Babies S/Sydney M. Also her is a link

to her scan that shows the before and after head shape.

Plagiocephaly/photos/album/1577428621/pic/10538202\

51/view?picmode=original & mode=tn & order=ordinal & start=41 & dir=asc

Sorry she just woke up, so I have to run now.

-christine

sydney, 3.5 yrs, starband grad

>

> Hi, I'm new here and am in Los Angeles.

>

> So, after rejecting my PCP's judgement that my 13 month old DD's head was just

big and round, I saw a specialist yesterday who said that she has mild

brachycephaly. Her ratio was 92 - 1 degree out of the upper end of normal. She

is also in the 90th percentile for head size (always has been) even though her

weight and height are around 50th.

>

> He said that he would not recommend treating it because:

> 1. She HATES anything on her head...it took 2 of us just to measure her.

> 2. Her numbers are almost normal and she is symetrical except for minor

flattening on the top back (although her hair covers it). He thinks that if she

were younger her ratio would likely have been higher and he would have done the

helmet, though.

> 3. She is so old that results are iffy.

>

> He is a top physician in his field at UCLA so I do trust him mostly, but I

can't help beating myself up. Is she destined to have a wide head because I

trusted my PCP and once I didn't, I let them put me on a 2 month wait list for

this specialist? Should I force the helmet issue to see if we can make any

progress or should I just let it go.

>

> In the grand scheme of things, I have a beautiful healthy daughter, but I feel

like I am failing her somehow by not at least trying.

>

> What would you do?

>

> Thanks!

> JJ

>