Re: PLEASE HELP! Possible cheek bone asymmetry after four+ months of helmet use?

[Guest guest]

Did she have a CT scan of her skull before being put in the helmet to rule out

craniostinosis? If the flattening had been caused by premature fusion on the

suture on one side and she were placed in a helmet, I imagine correction of the

flattening would cause assymetry in other places. It would be surprising if that

were the cause... But thought it was worth mentioning.

>

> My daughter Alyssa is in her second helmet. She wore a Hanger helmet for about

4 months and is now in a STAR band.

>

> The Cranial Vault Asymmentry has gone from 15mm to about 6mm and is looking

much better but I have noticed her face becoming more asymmetrical. The top of

her head is higher on her left which makes it look worse, and then her left

cheek-bone and cheek is less full then the right making it look indented.

>

> She sleeps on her face and seems to favor her left cheek (so she can suck her

right thumb). I had never noticed this before - she tosses and turns when she

first goes to bed and when I check on her but I have noticed if I go in later

she seems to have settled onto her right cheek.

>

> Has anyone else had this? Do you think it could be a deformation of the bones

or could it be a muscular thing? I am so freaked out - it would be terrible to

go from one deformation to another....

>

> Any advice? How can I stop her sleep on that cheek? She is almost a year old

and SO mobile these days!!

>

> I posted a pic of Alyssa in 'Our Plagio Babies A' called " Alyssa Asymmetrical

cheek " taken before Christmas.

>

> Thanks for taking the time to look at this!! :-)

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for everyone's messages! It was great to hear all your stories and thanks

to for the pics of Elaine (she looks so wonderful in her latest

photo!!)

I managed to get in to see the Cranial Facial Surgeon yesterday (Dr Toth

- Oakland Children's Hospital) He was extremely happy with the progress Alyssa

has made in the last few weeks - her ear asymmetry has improved and her overall

head-shape is much better. He looked at her face and said that he could see the

issue and said it will correct itself when she gets older and is out of the

helmet. He said in conclusion that he had no concerns at all about it and to

continue to use the helmet until she grows out of it and come back in 2 months.

The photo I posted is the one where you can see the problem most clearly but it

is harder to notice generally - you have to have just the right angle.

We're going to continue on with the helmet and encourage her to sleep on the

other side as much as possible. Thanks for the suggestions on this - if anyone

else has any ideas let me know!!

Thanks everyone!!

[Guest guest]

Thanks - yes she did have a CT scan before treatment and it all looked normal.

> >

> > My daughter Alyssa is in her second helmet. She wore a Hanger helmet for

about 4 months and is now in a STAR band.

> >

> > The Cranial Vault Asymmentry has gone from 15mm to about 6mm and is looking

much better but I have noticed her face becoming more asymmetrical. The top of

her head is higher on her left which makes it look worse, and then her left

cheek-bone and cheek is less full then the right making it look indented.

> >

> > She sleeps on her face and seems to favor her left cheek (so she can suck

her right thumb). I had never noticed this before - she tosses and turns when

she first goes to bed and when I check on her but I have noticed if I go in

later she seems to have settled onto her right cheek.

> >

> > Has anyone else had this? Do you think it could be a deformation of the

bones or could it be a muscular thing? I am so freaked out - it would be

terrible to go from one deformation to another....

> >

> > Any advice? How can I stop her sleep on that cheek? She is almost a year old

and SO mobile these days!!

> >

> > I posted a pic of Alyssa in 'Our Plagio Babies A' called " Alyssa

Asymmetrical cheek " taken before Christmas.

> >

> > Thanks for taking the time to look at this!! :-)

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I just wanted to let you know that I see the exact same curve (right check bone out and left check bone in) with my son. Just today I went through all his pictures and I would ay that he had it before we started the helmet, but for some reason it got more obvious. I was also getting very upset that the helmet might have caused it, we had a Danmar helmet, not Starband, so most likely it is not due to a helmet. What I have also noticed is that this sort of curve became more visible once his forehead started evening out, I don't know maybe it is the way it is getting corrected, at least it is my hope. We had our last appointment back in December, but after talking with ortho we decided to keep the helmet for couple more weeks and now we are down to a night wear only.

So I am thinking whether we should just stop it all together or let on for some more time...From: scrparker <scrparker@...>Plagiocephaly Sent: Wed, January 27, 2010 12:12:11 PMSubject: Re: PLEASE HELP! Possible cheek bone asymmetry after four+ months of helmet use?

Thanks - yes she did have a CT scan before treatment and it all looked normal.

> >

> > My daughter Alyssa is in her second helmet. She wore a Hanger helmet for about 4 months and is now in a STAR band.

> >

> > The Cranial Vault Asymmentry has gone from 15mm to about 6mm and is looking much better but I have noticed her face becoming more asymmetrical. The top of her head is higher on her left which makes it look worse, and then her left cheek-bone and cheek is less full then the right making it look indented.

> >

> > She sleeps on her face and seems to favor her left cheek (so she can suck her right thumb). I had never noticed this before - she tosses and turns when she first goes to bed and when I check on her but I have noticed if I go in later she seems to have settled onto her right cheek.

> >

> > Has anyone else had this? Do you think it could be a deformation of the bones or could it be a muscular thing? I am so freaked out - it would be terrible to go from one deformation to another....

> >

> > Any advice? How can I stop her sleep on that cheek? She is almost a year old and SO mobile these days!!

> >

> > I posted a pic of Alyssa in 'Our Plagio Babies A' called "Alyssa Asymmetrical cheek" taken before Christmas.

> >

> > Thanks for taking the time to look at this!! :-)

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi!

I was just wondering if your daughter has tort. My son's head looks the same

way(when you have the right angle) and our Cranial Facial Surgeon told us that

it's because of the tort. He said that it's called C-type head because it looks

like the letter C. He told us that the helmet will help us with the flat spots,

but the asymmetry will improve only with PT.

Best Regards,

Margarita

>

>

> Thanks for everyone's messages! It was great to hear all your stories and

thanks to for the pics of Elaine (she looks so wonderful in her latest

photo!!)

>

> I managed to get in to see the Cranial Facial Surgeon yesterday (Dr

Toth - Oakland Children's Hospital) He was extremely happy with the progress

Alyssa has made in the last few weeks - her ear asymmetry has improved and her

overall head-shape is much better. He looked at her face and said that he could

see the issue and said it will correct itself when she gets older and is out of

the helmet. He said in conclusion that he had no concerns at all about it and to

continue to use the helmet until she grows out of it and come back in 2 months.

>

> The photo I posted is the one where you can see the problem most clearly but

it is harder to notice generally - you have to have just the right angle.

>

> We're going to continue on with the helmet and encourage her to sleep on the

other side as much as possible. Thanks for the suggestions on this - if anyone

else has any ideas let me know!!

>

> Thanks everyone!!

>