Re: Re: Significance of band

[Guest guest]

Every time I hear the "cosmetic" argument in regards to banding, it just makes me cringe. That's the same thing my daughter's ped told me over the phone after our PT brought up the helmet issue. If banding was just merely cosmetic, no insurance company would ever cover it- period. The fact that many do, shows that that is not the case. An example of a cosmetic issue: nose job--I hate my nose, but it is a perfectly NORMAL nose, just not to my liking. I'm going to get a new one. Banding, while preventing future medical problems, such as TMJ, vision, in my opinion, should be viewed more like reconstruction. The head is being returned to normal measurements, the way it should have been had the deformation not occurred. No one would ever tell a breast cancer survivor that her reconstructive breast surgery

after a double mastectomy was just "cosmetic." Keep in mind that initially, insurance companies didn't pay for reconstructive breast surgeries until they were forced to do so. I think that some physicians are using the term "cosmetic" to convey that the actual brain and its development are not affected by the deformation. I think this is very misleading to the average parent and that they should find a better way of conveying this which is very different from indicating that banding is simply a cosmetic procedure.Sorry for the venting--it just burns me up! Good luck to you and your daughter. I'm sure you will do what's best for her.-AmyFrom: christineashok <christineashok@...>Plagiocephaly Sent: Wed, October 6, 2010 2:49:20 AMSubject: Re: Significance of band

Our specialist (cranio facial plastic surgeon recommended banding at 10mm or more). Some people band at lower numbers. There are some side effects associate with plagio, but some people/doctors insist it is entirely cosmetic. In my mind it doesn't matter which is true, I think correcting your child to be cosmetically normal is fine. You're fixing a part of the body which is deformed. At 10 mm it depends a lot on what your child looks like. If you're not happy with her head now, this is the time you can do something to improve it. Without a band it might improve some on her own, but it may not.

-christine

sydney, 4.5 yrs, starband grad

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> My daughter has a head difference of 10mm. She was measured at 2 months and again at 6 months-with no change. We are going to have her evaluated to see what the Dr. says about possibly banding her. What are the implications of not banding? Is 10mm significant? Is it just cosmetic? Are there internal complications that can happen? Any help would be appreciated.

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