Re: Informing new parents

[Guest guest]

Education for new parents is a must! The CT at our DOC band office said they've

seen a 200% increase in " flat heads " since the Back to Sleep campaign in the

1990's. If more new parents were aware, understood the effect of pressure on the

skull, and were consciencous of repositioning, then less babies would need bands

or other corrective measures taken. The education could easily be included in

the videos and other material given at the hoppitals, as well in child birth

education classes. Since we've embarked on the plagiocephly adventure, my

friends with new babies are trying to learn from our experience and doing their

best to keep thier baby's head round!!

Thanks,

Mother of

Jake (11 months)DOC band 4/20/10 and doing awesome!

Brady (4 years old)

>

> Just an interesting fact and let me know if any of you have heard of this

> before. My grandmother told me a story when she found out about my son's

> need for the doc band. She said when her first son was born (he is now 60)

> that they told her his head had a flat spot and during her entire stay in

> the hospital, which at that time for a c-section was quite long, the

> nurses/doctors routinely throughout the day reshaped his head with their

hands.

> They then told her she needed to constantly be turning his head for each nap,

> etc, and alternating which arm she held him in. She said by the time she

> left the hospital it was gone. I have 4 babies and never has anybody

> evaluated their heads in the hospital that I know of for flat spots. Plagio

is

> also more common in twins especially when they are head to head in utero

> which was the placement of my twins. Never once did anybody warn me of the

> increased risk. I think they assumed since they were babies number 3 and 4

> for me I had experienced pretty much everything. I myself worked in the

> medical field, in a family practice office that did pediatrics and OB and in

> all of our patient educating, that was never a topic we presented to

> pregnant women or new moms. I agree, something needs to be done to help

educate

> more on the topic.

> Jen

>

[Guest guest]

My daughter was born in Atlanta 4.5 yrs ago, and I got a packet of info I didn't

read. Sadly (for me) it did include something about plagio that might have

helped me out a little.

-christine

sydney, 4.5 yrs, starband grad

>

> Hi All,

> The more I have learned about plagio, I think more education should be done

for new parents. I have been a nurse for 21 years and was a L & D nurse for 17

years. I left L & D 3 years ago and have never heard of " flat head syndome " until

now. I have a 19 year old in college, a 14yo and a 9yo and I always laid them

on their stomachs to sleep. I was given a huge packet of info to read from the

hospital and felt so guilty that I never sat down to read it. After raising 3

children and being a nurse, I thought I knew it all, but obviously I didn't. I

pulled that packet out of the closet today,went thru about 50 pages of info and

education and there was nothing explaining about why do tummy time or why we

need to rotate their heads when sleeping. I hope the petition we signed 2 weeks

ago will help with more education to new parents. Thanks for letting me vent.

(trevor's Mom)

>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I actually read that stuff, but none of mine said anything about it.

The information I received made a huge deal about back sleeping

though. When my older son developed a flat spot, our pediatrician led

my husband to believe this was normal, and nothing to do anything

about. We think his head did naturally round out a tiny bit and then

his hair covered the plagio. So, for we almost expected him to

develop a flat spot. We tried to rotate him to prevent it, but paid no

attention when he actually got one until he was 11 months. Then my

husband called the pediatrician and the advice nurse told him it could

wait until the next check up.

-Kathy, mom to 24 months and 5.5 years

christineashok wrote:

My daughter was born in Atlanta 4.5 yrs ago, and I got a packet of

info I didn't read. Sadly (for me) it did include something about

plagio that might have helped me out a little.

-christine

sydney, 4.5 yrs, starband grad

>

> Hi All,

> The more I have learned about plagio, I think more education

should be done for new parents. I have been a nurse for 21 years and

was a L & D nurse for 17 years. I left L & D 3 years ago and have

never heard of "flat head syndome" until now. I have a 19 year old in

college, a 14yo and a 9yo and I always laid them on their stomachs to

sleep. I was given a huge packet of info to read from the hospital and

felt so guilty that I never sat down to read it. After raising 3

children and being a nurse, I thought I knew it all, but obviously I

didn't. I pulled that packet out of the closet today,went thru about 50

pages of info and education and there was nothing explaining about why

do tummy time or why we need to rotate their heads when sleeping. I

hope the petition we signed 2 weeks ago will help with more education

to new parents. Thanks for letting me vent. (trevor's Mom)

>

[Guest guest]

I am also a first-time mom & I wasn't informed about this flathead stuff. My son

was born with flatness on the right side of his head. I never noticed it, but my

mother did. And now with the SIDs campaing of " back to sleep " is causing this

more. I learned that if they have flatness since birth there is nothing you can

do when they are here, not even repositioning their heads while sleeping because

they just fall right back to the same spot. I agree that the hospitals should

have more information for ALL parents, (not just first timers) It is always good

to have more information so that we all know what to do. Remember our kids do

not come with instructions.

>

> In my case, My DD has flat head from birth. Her ped or hospital staff never

pointed that to me nor they suggested tummy time. I read online about tummy time

importance for development and started doing it. At her 6 weeks appointment I

asked her ped about her sleeping on her right side all the time then she

explained me about tort and plagio. From then on wards we went to PT and

repositioned my DD all the time. She graduated from PT now at 5 mo but got a

helmet for plagio. I wish there is more information and education to first time

moms like me.

>

> Sammy

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

> From: <watsonmel3@...>

> Plagiocephaly

> Sent: Sat, June 19, 2010 1:24:37 PM

> Subject: Re: Informing new parents

>

>  

> When we left the hospital, back to sleep and tummy to play was emphasized;

however nothing about the risk of getting a flat head was even said. I thought

it was to avoid developmental delays - that was the message from the

pediatrician. So, my experience matches exactly what you said. I am thinking

that the first line of education ought to be with the new parents as they take

the newborns home.

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

> From: crutledge92 <crutledge92>

> Plagiocephaly

> Sent: Sat, June 19, 2010 5:14:05 AM

> Subject: Informing new parents

>

>  

> Hi All,

> The more I have learned about plagio, I think more education should be done

for new parents. I have been a nurse for 21 years and was a L & D nurse for 17

years. I left L & D 3 years ago and have never heard of " flat head syndome " until

now. I have a 19 year old in college, a 14yo and a 9yo and I always laid them on

their stomachs to sleep. I was given a huge packet of info to read from the

hospital and felt so guilty that I never sat down to read it. After raising 3

children and being a nurse, I thought I knew it all, but obviously I didn't. I

pulled that packet out of the closet today,went thru about 50 pages of info and

education and there was nothing explaining about why do tummy time or why we

need to rotate their heads when sleeping. I hope the petition we signed 2 weeks

ago will help with more education to new parents. Thanks for letting me vent.

(trevor's Mom)

>

[Guest guest]

i think it is really hard to see at birth though too b/c a lot of babies have molding of their heads at birth which does reshape itself so that can also cause confusion.  We thought my sons was molding but having had fast deliveries I had never had nmolding before so didnt know it should go away in a week or 2 so we didnt start to worry until it was still there at 2 mo old

On Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 7:41 AM, ILEANA <ilyh68@...> wrote:

 

I am also a first-time mom & I wasn't informed about this flathead stuff. My son was born with flatness on the right side of his head. I never noticed it, but my mother did. And now with the SIDs campaing of " back to sleep " is causing this more. I learned that if they have flatness since birth there is nothing you can do when they are here, not even repositioning their heads while sleeping because they just fall right back to the same spot. I agree that the hospitals should have more information for ALL parents, (not just first timers) It is always good to have more information so that we all know what to do. Remember our kids do not come with instructions. >> In my case, My DD has flat head from birth. Her ped or hospital staff never pointed that to me nor they suggested tummy time. I read online about tummy time importance for development and started doing it. At her 6 weeks appointment I asked her ped about her sleeping on her right side all the time then she explained me about tort and plagio. From then on wards we went to PT and repositioned my DD all the time. She graduated from PT now at 5 mo but got a helmet for plagio. I wish there is more information and education to first time moms like me.

> > Sammy> > > > > ________________________________> From: <watsonmel3@...> > Plagiocephaly > Sent: Sat, June 19, 2010 1:24:37 PM> Subject: Re: Informing new parents

> >  

> When we left the hospital, back to sleep and tummy to play was emphasized; however nothing about the risk of getting a flat head was even said. I thought it was to avoid developmental delays - that was the message from the pediatrician. So, my experience matches exactly what you said. I am thinking that the first line of education ought to be with the new parents as they take the newborns home.

> > > > > > > ________________________________> From: crutledge92 <crutledge92>> Plagiocephaly

> Sent: Sat, June 19, 2010 5:14:05 AM> Subject: Informing new parents> >  

> Hi All,> The more I have learned about plagio, I think more education should be done for new parents. I have been a nurse for 21 years and was a L & D nurse for 17 years. I left L & D 3 years ago and have never heard of " flat head syndome " until now. I have a 19 year old in college, a 14yo and a 9yo and I always laid them on their stomachs to sleep. I was given a huge packet of info to read from the hospital and felt so guilty that I never sat down to read it. After raising 3 children and being a nurse, I thought I knew it all, but obviously I didn't. I pulled that packet out of the closet today,went thru about 50 pages of info and education and there was nothing explaining about why do tummy time or why we need to rotate their heads when sleeping. I hope the petition we signed 2 weeks ago will help with more education to new parents. Thanks for letting me vent. (trevor's Mom)

>

-- -mommy to Emma, Becca, , , , and baby girl no name (yeah I know, nothing new, does ever pick a name in a timely manner?) July 2010

[Guest guest]

I couldn't agree more. I don't usually " spam, " but I sent the petition to

everyone. It's just ridiculous that parents and the medical community haven't

been better educated on this.

>

> Hi All,

> The more I have learned about plagio, I think more education should be done

for new parents. I have been a nurse for 21 years and was a L & D nurse for 17

years. I left L & D 3 years ago and have never heard of " flat head syndome " until

now. I have a 19 year old in college, a 14yo and a 9yo and I always laid them

on their stomachs to sleep. I was given a huge packet of info to read from the

hospital and felt so guilty that I never sat down to read it. After raising 3

children and being a nurse, I thought I knew it all, but obviously I didn't. I

pulled that packet out of the closet today,went thru about 50 pages of info and

education and there was nothing explaining about why do tummy time or why we

need to rotate their heads when sleeping. I hope the petition we signed 2 weeks

ago will help with more education to new parents. Thanks for letting me vent.

(trevor's Mom)

>