Did I miss my window of opportunity?

[Guest guest]

When my son Evan was born he always turned his head to the right. He was about

4 months old when I noticed that his right side of his forehead was bossed and

his right cheekbone was pushed forward as well. After talking to the

pediatrician he was finally referred for x-rays, and then a CT. After all this

he was about 5 months old. I still wanted to see if it would round out on its

own since by this time he wasn't favoring his right side anymore. But by the

time he was 6 1/2 months old I noticed it hasn't gotten better on its own. At

least it did not get worse either. We got him a cranial helmet at 6 1/2 months.

He's been wearing it for about 3 1/2 months now. The back of his head looks

better, but I'm more worried about his facial structure. The right side of his

forehead is still bossed and his whole right side of his face is still pushed

forward. I think it has improved a little, but I'm so worried that I waited too

long to get his helmet. He is in a cranial helmet from Restorative Health

Services in Nashville, Tn. It is a passive band, which I do not like. It seems

to take too long. They are the only ones in the area that offers cranial

helmets. So I'm kind of stuck with them. I would just like some reassurance

that starting passive helmet therapy at 6 1/2 months isn't too late. And do the

helmets produce good results in facial asymmetry? I just want him to look

normal, and I want to stop feeling so guilty about not keeping an eye on his

head shape earlier and getting the band so late.

[Guest guest]

http://www.rhs-tn.com/pediatric_helmets.htm

I don't recognize the brand, but at first glance this seems like it

would work the same as helmets marketed as " active. " Instead of the

foam being integral and carved out with a router, it comes out as

layers, like a topographical map?

Probably half of us eventually have to have pads stuck into our

STARbands anyway. Unless you find your practitioners are

incompetent, unable to make the helmet fit in a productive fashion, I

wouldn't be tempted to jump ship unless you have the means/

opportunity to use Cranial Tech (DOC band).

6 1/2 months isn't " late. " You did very well for your son, I think.

--

Thad Launderville

Montpelier, VT

Clara age 22 1/2 months, in STARband ~6 1/2 months

On Feb 28, 2010, at 11:42 PM, sparkyroc72 wrote:

> When my son Evan was born he always turned his head to the right.

> He was about 4 months old when I noticed that his right side of his

> forehead was bossed and his right cheekbone was pushed forward as

> well. After talking to the pediatrician he was finally referred

> for x-rays, and then a CT. After all this he was about 5 months

> old. I still wanted to see if it would round out on its own since

> by this time he wasn't favoring his right side anymore. But by the

> time he was 6 1/2 months old I noticed it hasn't gotten better on

> its own. At least it did not get worse either. We got him a

> cranial helmet at 6 1/2 months. He's been wearing it for about 3

> 1/2 months now. The back of his head looks better, but I'm more

> worried about his facial structure. The right side of his forehead

> is still bossed and his whole right side of his face is still

> pushed forward. I think it has improved a little, but I'm so

> worried that I waited too long to get his helmet. He is in a

> cranial helmet from Restorative Health Services in Nashville, Tn.

> It is a passive band, which I do not like. It seems to take too

> long. They are the only ones in the area that offers cranial

> helmets. So I'm kind of stuck with them. I would just like some

> reassurance that starting passive helmet therapy at 6 1/2 months

> isn't too late. And do the helmets produce good results in facial

> asymmetry? I just want him to look normal, and I want to stop

> feeling so guilty about not keeping an eye on his head shape

> earlier and getting the band so late.

[Guest guest]

Yes, my son's helmet is made up of inner layers of foam that are either peeled away or sometimes sanded down.  I have done tons of research and I'm pretty sure I'm stuck with this helmet.  Cranial Tech is not in my area or even close enough to drive.  Thanks for your input.  Since your daughter started at 6 1/2 months, did you notice slow improvement?  And how long did she wear the helmet?

On Mon, Mar 1, 2010 at 10:49 AM, Thad Launderville <p38thadl@...> wrote:

 

http://www.rhs-tn.com/pediatric_helmets.htm

I don't recognize the brand, but at first glance this seems like it

would work the same as helmets marketed as " active. " Instead of the

foam being integral and carved out with a router, it comes out as

layers, like a topographical map?

Probably half of us eventually have to have pads stuck into our

STARbands anyway. Unless you find your practitioners are

incompetent, unable to make the helmet fit in a productive fashion, I

wouldn't be tempted to jump ship unless you have the means/

opportunity to use Cranial Tech (DOC band).

6 1/2 months isn't " late. " You did very well for your son, I think.

--

Thad Launderville

Montpelier, VT

Clara age 22 1/2 months, in STARband ~6 1/2 months

On Feb 28, 2010, at 11:42 PM, sparkyroc72 wrote:

> When my son Evan was born he always turned his head to the right.

> He was about 4 months old when I noticed that his right side of his

> forehead was bossed and his right cheekbone was pushed forward as

> well. After talking to the pediatrician he was finally referred

> for x-rays, and then a CT. After all this he was about 5 months

> old. I still wanted to see if it would round out on its own since

> by this time he wasn't favoring his right side anymore. But by the

> time he was 6 1/2 months old I noticed it hasn't gotten better on

> its own. At least it did not get worse either. We got him a

> cranial helmet at 6 1/2 months. He's been wearing it for about 3

> 1/2 months now. The back of his head looks better, but I'm more

> worried about his facial structure. The right side of his forehead

> is still bossed and his whole right side of his face is still

> pushed forward. I think it has improved a little, but I'm so

> worried that I waited too long to get his helmet. He is in a

> cranial helmet from Restorative Health Services in Nashville, Tn.

> It is a passive band, which I do not like. It seems to take too

> long. They are the only ones in the area that offers cranial

> helmets. So I'm kind of stuck with them. I would just like some

> reassurance that starting passive helmet therapy at 6 1/2 months

> isn't too late. And do the helmets produce good results in facial

> asymmetry? I just want him to look normal, and I want to stop

> feeling so guilty about not keeping an eye on his head shape

> earlier and getting the band so late.

[Guest guest]

Have you checked to see if there is a STARband provider near

you? The Orthomerica website only lists those providers with the

STARscanner but there are others out there that still do the band.

Perhaps you can call Orthomerica and they can let you know if there is a

provider near you.

Molly

Novato, California

Nicolas, 4, tort & plagio,

STARband (CIRS Oakland) 4/24/06-9/12/06, Graduate!

, 7

, 10

From: Plagiocephaly

[mailto:Plagiocephaly ] On Behalf Of Rapp

Sent: 1 March 2010 2:19 PM

Plagiocephaly

Subject: Re: Did I miss my window of opportunity?

Yes, my son's helmet is made up of inner layers of foam that are either peeled

away or sometimes sanded down. I have done tons of research and I'm

pretty sure I'm stuck with this helmet. Cranial Tech is not in my area or

even close enough to drive. Thanks for your input. Since your

daughter started at 6 1/2 months, did you notice slow improvement? And

how long did she wear the helmet?

On Mon, Mar 1, 2010 at 10:49 AM, Thad Launderville <p38thadl@...>

wrote:

http://www.rhs-tn.com/pediatric_helmets.htm

I don't recognize the brand, but at first glance this seems like it

would work the same as helmets marketed as " active. " Instead of the

foam being integral and carved out with a router, it comes out as

layers, like a topographical map?

Probably half of us eventually have to have pads stuck into our

STARbands anyway. Unless you find your practitioners are

incompetent, unable to make the helmet fit in a productive fashion, I

wouldn't be tempted to jump ship unless you have the means/

opportunity to use Cranial Tech (DOC band).

6 1/2 months isn't " late. " You did very well for your son, I think.

--

Thad Launderville

Montpelier, VT

Clara age 22 1/2 months, in STARband ~6 1/2 months

On Feb 28, 2010, at 11:42 PM, sparkyroc72 wrote:

> When my son Evan was born he always turned his head to the right.

> He was about 4 months old when I noticed that his right side of his

> forehead was bossed and his right cheekbone was pushed forward as

> well. After talking to the pediatrician he was finally referred

> for x-rays, and then a CT. After all this he was about 5 months

> old. I still wanted to see if it would round out on its own since

> by this time he wasn't favoring his right side anymore. But by the

> time he was 6 1/2 months old I noticed it hasn't gotten better on

> its own. At least it did not get worse either. We got him a

> cranial helmet at 6 1/2 months. He's been wearing it for about 3

> 1/2 months now. The back of his head looks better, but I'm more

> worried about his facial structure. The right side of his forehead

> is still bossed and his whole right side of his face is still

> pushed forward. I think it has improved a little, but I'm so

> worried that I waited too long to get his helmet. He is in a

> cranial helmet from Restorative Health Services in Nashville, Tn.

> It is a passive band, which I do not like. It seems to take too

> long. They are the only ones in the area that offers cranial

> helmets. So I'm kind of stuck with them. I would just like some

> reassurance that starting passive helmet therapy at 6 1/2 months

> isn't too late. And do the helmets produce good results in facial

> asymmetry? I just want him to look normal, and I want to stop

> feeling so guilty about not keeping an eye on his head shape

> earlier and getting the band so late.

[Guest guest]

On Mar 1, 2010, at 5:19 PM, Rapp wrote:

> Since your daughter started at 6 1/2 months, did you notice slow

> improvement? And how long did she wear the helmet?

Yeah, I WISH we had started that early! ) 16 months is when we

started, and we've seen slow and incomplete correction of moderate

left-sided plagiocephaly since then, partly also because we had a bad-

fitting helmet initially. But we got it replaced for free by the

same orthotist and Orthomerica and just kept on trucking.

Our goals were pretty modest, not so much cosmetic as preventative,

so we don't find it overly difficult to accept unfortunate

circumstances. Still, we're a little jealous of your relatively

timely medical care. Hillbillies 1, Rednecks 0. (Or is it the other

way around?)

--

Thad Launderville

Montpelier, VT

> On Mon, Mar 1, 2010 at 10:49 AM, Thad Launderville

> <p38thadl@...> wrote:

> Clara age 22 1/2 months, in STARband ~6 1/2 months

>