my baby has plagiocephaly

[Guest guest]

I am denei, 23 years old from the Philippines, a first time mom, a single mom

to my 5-month old baby (she turned 5 months last Oct. 30). I gave birth through

Emergency Cesarean Section due to dystoxia. I am proud to say she's beautiful,

active and perfectly fine if not only because of her head. She has developed a

flat head (I think it is what they call Brachycephaly – for it's flat on the

back of her head). For a month I have been solving this problem alone. I have

noticed it when well; she's about 6 weeks old. I was not really worried during

that time because I thought it would go back to its proper shape. I was not also

aware it might cause a problem. One of my cousins told me before that my baby's

head is very big so I asked the pedia about it but she sad it's just fine so I

disregarded what my cousin have told me. Last month I was not able to bring my

baby to her monthly check up.

Day by day I noticed that her head is not really big but FLAT. I researched

online and found out some advices about repositioning the baby so for almost a

month now I have been placing her on her tummy (well I still end up carrying her

because she cries everytime I do that). I try to reposition her on her side

during night time (she's still learning how to roll over). I see limited changes

and I am not contented. I am always hurt everytime my relatives tell me " YOUR

BABY'S HEAD IS SOOOO FLAT! " .(she almost looks like the first baby in the pic

above). Maybe because they don't know how my heart is crying as a mother.

I really wanna help my baby have a perfect round head. I don't want her to blame

me in the future for not doing my best to treat her head but how can I do that

when I don't even know if that " positioning helmet " exists in the Philippines

and if by chance it is, I am sure I would not be able to afford it. There isn't

that much insurance here in the Philippines. I am just a single mom and I can't

even afford to bring her to her monthly check up. Hopefully I could get back to

work next month and seek for a little help from doctors but I am afraid she'd

already be 7 months during that time.. (sigh..)

I am getting worried. I am looking for any support group that can be able to

advise me on what to do, or offer any financial aid. If you could give me

advice, help or any assistance, could you please email me at

fejudinaesabado@...? I would really appreciate any assistance you could

give me.

As of now, I am still doing my best to reposition her, but I know she'll have

self-confidence if she'll have a perfect round head. I believe

positioners/helmets aren't just for cosmetics. I don't want to regret in the

future. Good thing I found this site. I hope you could help me today and if in

time I'd have the chance to help parents with this kind of predicament, I

certainly will. Thank you very much..

[Guest guest]

I would aim to sneak in at a free clinic for kids with cleft lips.

(I was going to do that, before I realized my doctor was simply

ignorant of orthotics.) Those doctors may know something about

plagio; also, if they've reconstructed a skull, they might already

have used the helmet you need. So I suggest redirecting your search

using the key words Free Craniofacial Clinic. " Cranial Remolding

Orthosis " is the term preferred here for what you're looking for, but

I concede there may not be any trade in them where you are.

--

Thad Launderville

Montpelier, VT

Clara age 19.5 months, 3 months in STARband

On Nov 19, 2009, at 3:49 AM, fejudinaesabado wrote:

> [...]I don't even know if that " positioning helmet " exists in the

> Philippines and if by chance it is, I am sure I would not be able

> to afford it. There isn't that much insurance here in the

> Philippines. I am just a single mom and I can't even afford to

> bring her to her monthly check up. Hopefully I could get back to

> work next month and seek for a little help from doctors but I am

> afraid she'd already be 7 months during that time.. (sigh..)

>

> I am getting worried. I am looking for any support group that can

> be able to advise me on what to do, or offer any financial aid.

[snip]