Re: Re: Does Early Intervention Programs cover helmets/bands?

[Guest guest]

Thanks for all of your advice. The neurosurgeon still recommend that our daughter needed the helmet, and he was surprised to hear that our insurance wouldn't cover it. That is when he wrote the order for Early Intervention and on the script he wrote for a "construction helmet". However, when we met with the intake worker from EI she didn't even want to see the order. I think maybe the NS thought they did helmets and that maybe this way it would be covered. That is partly why I was confused as to whether or not they ever do them.

Re: Does Early Intervention Programs cover helmets/bands?

As far as I know, EI doesn't cover banding. I think it's strictly for therapy as far as all the literature I've read. You should ask your service coordinator.

Our experience with EI was the same as yours. Appointments were slow to get and we had to do a lot of follow up phone calls. I think it's mostly because there is a ton of protocol that EI has to adhere to and states have tightened their belts with qualifying children for therapy. Your office might also have some problems finding therapists or evaluators.

My best advice would be to keep calling your service coordinator within a reasonable amount of time between meetings/phone calls (I usually wait about 2-3 days). There's probably a lot of cases passing through their office and you want to be at the top of them.

I think there have been cases where CT may warn that 2 bands might be necessary and the child ends up having great growth spurts and finishes with one band. The age of your child sometimes is a determinant on whether 1 or 2 bands are used (younger children usually grow so fast, they need 2 bands).

Also, YOU decide if you want a second band and if you are satisfied with the results of the first band, you might not want to go ahead with the second one. I wouldn't worry about it until you have to cross that bridge.

Just curious, why did your pediatric neurosurgeon recommend EI?

Luke, 23 months, brachy & plagio

STARband & DOCband grad '09

NYC

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> Does anyone know if Early Intervention programs are for therapy only - or do they ever do/refer out for helmets. Just wondering about this; as we had gotten a second opinion for our daughter from a pediatric neurosurgeon. He recommended EI. We decided to try it, but became frustrated with the slowness of the process. As we understand the sooner you get your child started with a helmet the better/quicker the results. We had to wait about 2 weeks to meet with the intake person from EI, who basically explained the program, but couldn't tell us whether or not they've ever sent someone to get banded. We decided to go ahead and have a developmental and physical (or I can't remember occupational) therapist come out to the house to do their evals and give recommendations on treatment. We waited a week and a half and still hadn't heard from either therapist to call us just to schedule their meeting. When we called to follow up, it was going to be another week and a half before th ey could come out. At this point we decided to just go with Cranial Technologies and get the Doc-Band. We didn't want to waste anymore time, as our daughter was at this point nearly six months old. She has since gotten her helmet, and has had it for about 2 and 1/2 weeks. We have seen a few slight changes already. We are worried that she may need a second one, as that is what one of the therapists at CT was kind of inferring at our last visit. Can they really tell that this early on? Anyways, I was just wondering if anyone has had experience with Early Intervention, and if they just do therapy/exercises - or if anyone has had a helmet/band covered through them? Thank You.

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