Re: Doc Band adjustments and measurements question + followup asymmetry question

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Thank you very much for your reply. It is comforting to know that

many people on this board are getting the results they want--I just

hope that despite the apparent imprecision in the technique, my

daughter will get good results, too! We did have caliper

measurements done at our first visit, but to be honest I didn't take

the measurements very seriously because my daughter was wiggling

around the entire time and I couldn't imagine any measurement being

accurate to a half centimeter, much less a millimeter. So I actually

didn't bother asking for the numbers--CT just told me they put her in

the moderate range. I like Leila's strategy of going to get her

daughter scanned using the Starscanner, just to double check, but

what a hassle! You are right, it is good to see the (scary) head

mold at each visit. What would be even better in my view would be if

CT put the babies back in the DSi photo contraption every few weeks

(or even just once mid-treatment!) and digitally showed us where

growth has been added and what growth is still needed where.

The reason for my current anxiety (and first post) is that I'm

worried mostly about getting good correction for my daughter's facial

asymmetry. She has brachy but with some plagio and one of her eyes

appears smaller. I worry (I worry about a lot of things...) that if

she doesn't get proper, symmetrical correction to the back, how will

her facial asymmetry also properly correct? And lately, I've started

to worry about her band being constantly shifted off center (the

little point on the front of the band always rests just above the

inner edge of one eyebrow rather than in the middle between the

eyebrows). Because of this shift, the sideburn part of the band on

one side is really shifted and smushing the area next to her smaller

eye. And THIS makes me worry that the facial bones next to her

smaller eye will not grow properly and/or that this pressure will

interfere with the asymmetry correction that is supposed to occur.

I've mentioned my facial bone concern to the ortho and was told not

to worry, it would take a lot of pressure to do that, but why more

pressure here than the gentle pressure that dissuades/redirects

growth in the back/side of the head?! And of course when I look at

her now with the helmet off, I swear that her face looks smushed in

between her smaller eye and her ear compared to the other side.

Ackk!! I just worry that I'm going to end up making her asymmetry

worse rather than better and that I'll really regret the decision to

band. Not to pester the group with more questions, but I'd

especially love to hear from anyone who has had these same worries,

who is now finished/nearly finished with treatment and has found

these concerns to be unwarranted.

[[A side note, I know from reading posts that everyone here seems to

experience some band shifting, but doesn't it seem strange that

shifting is supposedly ok although the inside of the band is

precisely constructed to encourage growth in the proper areas?? It

would seem to me that my daughter's band as it fits now is

encouraging growth 1+ centimeter to the right of the proper

place...hmm... puzzling, yes? And what about those holding points

that are supposed to be above the prominent spots on the head, is the

band really holding them now when it is shifted off kilter?? Perhaps

it doesn't matter this early in the treatment (3 weeks) and as time

goes on it will be more important that the band is positioned

correctly??]]

Thanks also to Leila and for their replies. It is good to

know that others have similar concerns (i.e. I'm not totally crazy!!

Yeah!).

PJ

> >

> > Hello,

> > My daughter has been in her DocBand for about 3 weeks and is

seeing

> > some improvement in her brachy. Hurray! My question is this--

does

> > CT ever re-scan their heads during treatment to make sure that

they

> > are growing symmetrically? Also, does CT ever give out

traditional

> > plagio measurements like you get with the StarBand scanner report-

-

> > e.g. 95% brachy, 10mm, etc. I would assume that the DSi computer

> > generated head program would be able to calculate these numbers

but

> I

> > have never been offered any measurements by CT.

> >

> > It seems like a pretty inaccurate process each week when the

ortho

> > looks at the head (which in my daughter's case is covered by hair

> > sticking out every which way) and sort of, as far as I can tell,

> > guesses where to make more room for growth. As it stands now, it

> > appears to me that my daughter's head is growing more where more

> room

> > has been made in the back on one side, but now the other side is

> > being left behind. Is there a method to this?? I guess I

thought

> > the process would be a little more precise and that she'd be

> > rescanned with some regularity to make sure everything is on

> track.

> > I'd appreciate hearing from anyone with a similar experience.

> Thank

> > you!

> >

> > PJ

> >

>

[Guest guest]

On the shifting. We were told it's completly normal especially after they sleep in/on the band. We were also told to correct it. If we notice a shift, we're to shift it back to center and were instructed on when and how to do this. As Elaine grew into her helmet, it shifted less. It would shift more after an adjustment, but less over time until she grew out of it.

Elaine (twin A) CMT & plagio, helmet

On Sun, Jan 4, 2009 at 12:43 PM, bu1l2006 <pj13326@...> wrote:

Hi ,Thank you very much for your reply. It is comforting to know that many people on this board are getting the results they want--I just hope that despite the apparent imprecision in the technique, my

daughter will get good results, too! We did have caliper measurements done at our first visit, but to be honest I didn't take the measurements very seriously because my daughter was wiggling around the entire time and I couldn't imagine any measurement being

accurate to a half centimeter, much less a millimeter. So I actually didn't bother asking for the numbers--CT just told me they put her in the moderate range. I like Leila's strategy of going to get her

daughter scanned using the Starscanner, just to double check, but what a hassle! You are right, it is good to see the (scary) head mold at each visit. What would be even better in my view would be if CT put the babies back in the DSi photo contraption every few weeks

(or even just once mid-treatment!) and digitally showed us where growth has been added and what growth is still needed where.The reason for my current anxiety (and first post) is that I'm worried mostly about getting good correction for my daughter's facial

asymmetry. She has brachy but with some plagio and one of her eyes appears smaller. I worry (I worry about a lot of things...) that if she doesn't get proper, symmetrical correction to the back, how will her facial asymmetry also properly correct? And lately, I've started

to worry about her band being constantly shifted off center (the little point on the front of the band always rests just above the inner edge of one eyebrow rather than in the middle between the eyebrows). Because of this shift, the sideburn part of the band on

one side is really shifted and smushing the area next to her smaller eye. And THIS makes me worry that the facial bones next to her smaller eye will not grow properly and/or that this pressure will interfere with the asymmetry correction that is supposed to occur.

I've mentioned my facial bone concern to the ortho and was told not to worry, it would take a lot of pressure to do that, but why more pressure here than the gentle pressure that dissuades/redirects growth in the back/side of the head?! And of course when I look at

her now with the helmet off, I swear that her face looks smushed in between her smaller eye and her ear compared to the other side. Ackk!! I just worry that I'm going to end up making her asymmetry worse rather than better and that I'll really regret the decision to

band. Not to pester the group with more questions, but I'd especially love to hear from anyone who has had these same worries, who is now finished/nearly finished with treatment and has found these concerns to be unwarranted.

[[A side note, I know from reading posts that everyone here seems to experience some band shifting, but doesn't it seem strange that shifting is supposedly ok although the inside of the band is precisely constructed to encourage growth in the proper areas?? It

would seem to me that my daughter's band as it fits now is encouraging growth 1+ centimeter to the right of the proper place...hmm... puzzling, yes? And what about those holding points that are supposed to be above the prominent spots on the head, is the

band really holding them now when it is shifted off kilter?? Perhaps it doesn't matter this early in the treatment (3 weeks) and as time goes on it will be more important that the band is positioned correctly??]]

Thanks also to Leila and for their replies. It is good to know that others have similar concerns (i.e. I'm not totally crazy!! Yeah!).PJ

> >> > Hello,> > My daughter has been in her DocBand for about 3 weeks and is seeing > > some improvement in her brachy. Hurray! My question is this--does > > CT ever re-scan their heads during treatment to make sure that

they > > are growing symmetrically? Also, does CT ever give out traditional > > plagio measurements like you get with the StarBand scanner report--> > e.g. 95% brachy, 10mm, etc. I would assume that the DSi computer

> > generated head program would be able to calculate these numbers but > I > > have never been offered any measurements by CT.> > > > It seems like a pretty inaccurate process each week when the

ortho > > looks at the head (which in my daughter's case is covered by hair > > sticking out every which way) and sort of, as far as I can tell, > > guesses where to make more room for growth. As it stands now, it

> > appears to me that my daughter's head is growing more where more > room > > has been made in the back on one side, but now the other side is > > being left behind. Is there a method to this?? I guess I

thought > > the process would be a little more precise and that she'd be > > rescanned with some regularity to make sure everything is on > track. > > I'd appreciate hearing from anyone with a similar experience.

> Thank > > you!> > > > PJ> >>

[Guest guest]

I think that it's great that you are asking these questions, I think

that being educated about all of this really helps us to know that we

are doing things right. It just means that you are a good mommy! We

were really lucky to have an ortho that understood both sides of this

issue--the physical and the emotional. So much so that when my

husband took my litte one in for an adjustment, she would say 'okay,

now lets review so that you know what to tell your wife' she got

me .

The shifting of the helmet freaked me out at first as well, but after

hearing from people on the boards and having our ortho explain it, I

understood. The bottom line is that we need them to grow to get

correction and the helmet has to allow for it. Once they start to

grow, you will see it become less shifty and then after an adjustment

it may do it again. It got to the point that I knew before going in

for an adjustment if we had a big growth week or not, depending on

how his helmet was fitting. With that said, though, if you are

concerned, ask your Ortho. Just to give you an idea, when we first

got the band 7 weeks ago, when Merrick laid on his back to kick, the

whole helmet would move forward and back. Now, I can barely get the

thing on right--I have to have that pointy part right between his

eyes to get it on...he has grown as needed.

Also, the facial asymatry was my biggest worry...I really, really

wanted correction. Remember that the ears are usually the last to

shift. Merrick had 5 mm facial asymatry and his eyes look just fine

now, and his ears are only off by a pinch--about one finger the last

time we went into CT--and that may even correct this last week. So,

there is a chance for major improvement.

Good luck and don't ever appologize for questioning, it's our job.

H.

Merrick, 6-months, 11mm plagio, 7-weeks DOC band, tort resolved

> > >

> > > Hello,

> > > My daughter has been in her DocBand for about 3 weeks and is

> seeing

> > > some improvement in her brachy. Hurray! My question is this--

> does

> > > CT ever re-scan their heads during treatment to make sure that

> they

> > > are growing symmetrically? Also, does CT ever give out

> traditional

> > > plagio measurements like you get with the StarBand scanner

report-

> -

> > > e.g. 95% brachy, 10mm, etc. I would assume that the DSi

computer

> > > generated head program would be able to calculate these numbers

> but

> > I

> > > have never been offered any measurements by CT.

> > >

> > > It seems like a pretty inaccurate process each week when the

> ortho

> > > looks at the head (which in my daughter's case is covered by

hair

> > > sticking out every which way) and sort of, as far as I can

tell,

> > > guesses where to make more room for growth. As it stands now,

it

> > > appears to me that my daughter's head is growing more where

more

> > room

> > > has been made in the back on one side, but now the other side

is

> > > being left behind. Is there a method to this?? I guess I

> thought

> > > the process would be a little more precise and that she'd be

> > > rescanned with some regularity to make sure everything is on

> > track.

> > > I'd appreciate hearing from anyone with a similar experience.

> > Thank

> > > you!

> > >

> > > PJ

> > >

> >

>