Re: 10 months-stopping helmet and head is still flat pros/cons?

[Guest guest]

I am confused a little by your post. You mention he has brachy, but also say he

has had improvements in asymmetry, which would be for plagio. Does he had both?

What band are you using? I'm assuming it's a STAR band or Hanger helmet given

the time you've been in it. Is it possible that the holding points are not

effective enough for treatment any longer? Is the orthotist treating for brachy

specifically now (ie-carving out the middle back of the helmet)?

If he has made no changes in a month and his head really is still that flat, I

would get another opinion from a different helmet provider. My child has both

plagio and brachy and even though Cranial Tech has been treating primarily his

plagio for the past 8 months, his brachy has also gone from 98% to 92%.

[Guest guest]

My daughter had brachy, and graduated at 10 mo. She still had some flattening,

and didn't round post band. However we did a follow up 4 mo later, and she did

still have a lot of growth. If she had been in a band she would have had even

more improvement. Out of her band the growth was all over, so the numbers didn't

change. I'm sure she grew after that too (she's 5 now) but that was the last

time we had her head measured.

If the band if fitting tightly in the prominent areas, the growth should go

where there is lots of room - the back. My daughter had hardly any increase in

width while in her band (her starscan can be seen in Our Plagio Babies S/Sydney

M of the photos section).

-christine

sydney, 5 yrs, starband grad

>

> My son is 10 months old and has been receiving therapy (helmet banding only)

since age 6 months for positional braciocephaly. We have seen stunning

improvements with ear/eye symmetry and alignment. However, the back of his head

(occipital lobe) is still noticeably flat (and I mean flat as a pancake.) He has

made little to no changes over the past month and is still in the upper 90%tile

for severity.

>

> My questions are as follows:

> " Can we expect more rounding with the helmet at this age? "

> " Has anyone stopped helmet therapy and noticed significant rounding following

quitting? "

>

> I feel somewhat disheartened as we have spent months with this process and his

head is still flat. If this is as good as it gets, then it is what it is....but

I sure would love to know any answers/thoughts or experiences you all have on

this!

>

[Guest guest]

We had great results with Cranial Tech but it took 7 months for his head to look

normal. He had it from age 4.5 months to 11 months. Keep going. It can only

help and it def won't hurt, though the process is painful, there is a goal in

sight. My son looks absolutely wonderful now---you can't even tell. I

personally feel that you get the best results with Cranial based on what I've

heard from others who went with Hanger or Starband--but I don't know for sure

since I've only used CT. Good luck!

>

> My son is 10 months old and has been receiving therapy (helmet banding only)

since age 6 months for positional braciocephaly. We have seen stunning

improvements with ear/eye symmetry and alignment. However, the back of his head

(occipital lobe) is still noticeably flat (and I mean flat as a pancake.) He has

made little to no changes over the past month and is still in the upper 90%tile

for severity.

>

> My questions are as follows:

> " Can we expect more rounding with the helmet at this age? "

> " Has anyone stopped helmet therapy and noticed significant rounding following

quitting? "

>

> I feel somewhat disheartened as we have spent months with this process and his

head is still flat. If this is as good as it gets, then it is what it is....but

I sure would love to know any answers/thoughts or experiences you all have on

this!

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks so much for your feedback. We are going to keep going (at least for one

more month). That would be a total of 6 months of " banding. " Hanger keeps

telling us that it is pointless to continue banding after 12 months. I have

heard great things about CT as well. However, the true key is to catch the flat

spot early and treat it ASAP. Time is of the essence.

> >

> > My son is 10 months old and has been receiving therapy (helmet banding

only) since age 6 months for positional braciocephaly. We have seen stunning

improvements with ear/eye symmetry and alignment. However, the back of his head

(occipital lobe) is still noticeably flat (and I mean flat as a pancake.) He has

made little to no changes over the past month and is still in the upper 90%tile

for severity.

> >

> > My questions are as follows:

> > " Can we expect more rounding with the helmet at this age? "

> > " Has anyone stopped helmet therapy and noticed significant rounding

following quitting? "

> >

> > I feel somewhat disheartened as we have spent months with this process and

his head is still flat. If this is as good as it gets, then it is what it

is....but I sure would love to know any answers/thoughts or experiences you all

have on this!

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks! I agree. We had another check up and Hanger said he should

graduate....even though his cranial sutures are still open. I found this highly

alarming that they would so quickly discontinue, so we are seeking another

opinion.

>

> I am confused a little by your post. You mention he has brachy, but also say

he has had improvements in asymmetry, which would be for plagio. Does he had

both?

>

> What band are you using? I'm assuming it's a STAR band or Hanger helmet given

the time you've been in it. Is it possible that the holding points are not

effective enough for treatment any longer? Is the orthotist treating for brachy

specifically now (ie-carving out the middle back of the helmet)?

>

> If he has made no changes in a month and his head really is still that flat, I

would get another opinion from a different helmet provider. My child has both

plagio and brachy and even though Cranial Tech has been treating primarily his

plagio for the past 8 months, his brachy has also gone from 98% to 92%.

>

[Guest guest]

Wow! Great feedback. My husband and I are seeking a second opinion. My son is

now 11 months and Hanger has said that he would no longer benefit.

> >

> > My son is 10 months old and has been receiving therapy (helmet banding

only) since age 6 months for positional braciocephaly. We have seen stunning

improvements with ear/eye symmetry and alignment. However, the back of his head

(occipital lobe) is still noticeably flat (and I mean flat as a pancake.) He has

made little to no changes over the past month and is still in the upper 90%tile

for severity.

> >

> > My questions are as follows:

> > " Can we expect more rounding with the helmet at this age? "

> > " Has anyone stopped helmet therapy and noticed significant rounding

following quitting? "

> >

> > I feel somewhat disheartened as we have spent months with this process and

his head is still flat. If this is as good as it gets, then it is what it

is....but I sure would love to know any answers/thoughts or experiences you all

have on this!

> >

>