Re: Newbie-Debating between Hanger and CT-Please help

[Guest guest]

I have heard successes with Hanger, but I would be concerned that it will be

tough to get a good fit if her tort is really severe. In my opinion I would

probably try the therapy first then go with CT. Tort definitely contributes to

plagio, and I can see how if it was severe and her head was very close to her

shoulder the band might be a problem. It might fit okay, but will she be

comfortable with the bulk of the band in that area? It is a tough call, though.

-christine

sydney, 4.5 yrs, starband grad

>

> My daughter is 6.5 months old and we want to get her banded soon but I went to

Cranial Technologies in Pasadena and they denied her because they said her tort

is still so severe. They said that the helmet would rub and make red spots due

to her shoulder knocking it out of place. They want us to do 3-4 weeks of

aggressive therapy and then come back to be reevaluated. In the meantime I went

to Hanger and they said they will make her a helmet now. When I mentioned the

severe tort they told me that one had nothing to do with the other.

>

> Because time is of the essence with helmets and she is already at 6.5 months,

would I be better off going with Hanger now or try CT again in a couple weeks???

I've heard of success stories from CT but has anybody had success with Hangers

bands??? Thanks for any words of advice

>

[Guest guest]

There are certainly people who have had success with Hanger, so you should go

with whoever you are most confortable with. I do think it's true that you should

do a little PT for the tort first since it's severe. I can see what the

clinician was saying about it hitting the neck because if my son bends his neck

a lot in one direction or back, the band does rub on his neck and get pushed out

of place. I've seen babies with moderate/severe plagio in bands, so it certainly

doesn't mean you can't get a band. I just agree that it would be better to work

on the tort for a short while first. I would worry about the band

rubbing/shifting a lot being uncomfortable and/or less effective.

I'm also surprised someone would tell you tort and plagio aren't related.

Almost 80% of babies with plagio have tort. I and other people on the board have

been told the tort does effect the plagio. If the tort isn't corrected, the

tight neck muscle pulls and can reduce the effectiveness of the band. I heard

this from my CT clinician and an unrelated PT through our local hospital, so I'm

pretty sure it's true. Here's a research study abstract that says that tort

probably leads to plagio. FYI, " SCM imbalance " is tort.

http://www.cranialtech.com/images/stories/Research/sternocleidomastoid_imbalance\

_versus_congenital_%20muscular_torticollis.pdf

In a month, it won't be at all too late for you to get a band still, so don't

feel like you absolutely have to get it now. Good luck!

> >

> > My daughter is 6.5 months old and we want to get her banded soon but I went

to Cranial Technologies in Pasadena and they denied her because they said her

tort is still so severe. They said that the helmet would rub and make red spots

due to her shoulder knocking it out of place. They want us to do 3-4 weeks of

aggressive therapy and then come back to be reevaluated. In the meantime I went

to Hanger and they said they will make her a helmet now. When I mentioned the

severe tort they told me that one had nothing to do with the other.

> >

> > Because time is of the essence with helmets and she is already at 6.5

months, would I be better off going with Hanger now or try CT again in a couple

weeks??? I've heard of success stories from CT but has anybody had success with

Hangers bands??? Thanks for any words of advice

> >

>

[Guest guest]

The fact that Hanger said tort has nothing to do with plagio makes no sense at

all. That alone would push me toward CT. But we did use CT and really loved

them!

>

> My daughter is 6.5 months old and we want to get her banded soon but I went to

Cranial Technologies in Pasadena and they denied her because they said her tort

is still so severe. They said that the helmet would rub and make red spots due

to her shoulder knocking it out of place. They want us to do 3-4 weeks of

aggressive therapy and then come back to be reevaluated. In the meantime I went

to Hanger and they said they will make her a helmet now. When I mentioned the

severe tort they told me that one had nothing to do with the other.

>

> Because time is of the essence with helmets and she is already at 6.5 months,

would I be better off going with Hanger now or try CT again in a couple weeks???

I've heard of success stories from CT but has anybody had success with Hangers

bands??? Thanks for any words of advice

>

[Guest guest]

While I agree that tort and plagio are definately connected, I had interepreted that statement to mean that they said that tort and the helmet have nothing to do with each other. It seems that CT thinks this (based upon a couple of recent posts), but the Hanger and Starband people don't. Maybe it has to do with how they scan the babies for the bands (with CT they sit up) or that the design of the doc band makes it not effective for cases of tort. Or, maybe it is just professional differences of opinion - I don't know.

I guess the answer would come from people whose babies have done bands with severe tort and how well the various bands worked. I know I've read of several babies who have been banded with significant tort. Maybe some of their parents will speak up.

From: natalie <nat.jo.c@...>Plagiocephaly Sent: Mon, June 28, 2010 6:16:14 PMSubject: Re: Newbie-Debating between Hanger and CT-Please help

The fact that Hanger said tort has nothing to do with plagio makes no sense at all. That alone would push me toward CT. But we did use CT and really loved them!>> My daughter is 6.5 months old and we want to get her banded soon but I went to Cranial Technologies in Pasadena and they denied her because they said her tort is still so severe. They said that the helmet would rub and make red spots due to her shoulder knocking it out of place. They want us to do 3-4 weeks of aggressive therapy and then come back to be reevaluated. In the meantime I went to Hanger and they said they will make her a helmet now. When I mentioned the severe tort they told me that one had nothing to do with the other. > >

Because time is of the essence with helmets and she is already at 6.5 months, would I be better off going with Hanger now or try CT again in a couple weeks??? I've heard of success stories from CT but has anybody had success with Hangers bands??? Thanks for any words of advice>