Re: Has anyone ever negotiated a better price on a 2nd band with CT?

[Guest guest]

, the difference is that CT only uses the DSi at the beginning and the

end. They do not use it every appointment to take accurate measurements the way

that many real orthotists do with the Star scanner. They don't even take hand

measurements at every appt. except for the head circ. and then they don't decide

about how to adjust the band based on that. The helmet is adjusted based on the

whim of the tech.

I call them techs because the clinicians who work with you at CT are essentially

serving as technicians. Most are PTs or nurses, some are not. Yes, they are all

trained, but honestly everyone is 'trained' at their job including the girl

working the fryer at Mcs. That's the good and bad about CT. They are the

Mcs of helmets. You get consistent service and quality across locations.

That's the model. Whereas anyone reading this group knows that with Starband

there are better and worse locations depending on the skill of the orthotist.

Surely, no parent would choose their local CT tech/clinician to do adjustments

if they could have the home office orthotist do them in person instead. Wouldn't

we all prefer they use the DSI every check-up and give us actual measurements?

I know someone is going to respond that they'd rather just go by the head shape

that they see and bully for you. That sounds snarkier than I mean it to be. I

don't doubt that CT has provided great results for so many children. I just know

that there are problems for many of us and that some of these problems come from

the way the techs make subjective decisions about adjustments and fit. Without

measurements any conversation with them just goes in circles. It was the

circular conversations I was having with the first clinician that made it clear

to me that her training wasn't terribly extensive. At this point many people on

these boards have looked at just as many photos of babies heads and probably

read far more extensively about related conditions like torticollis. We've all

read about more case studies than a newish employee at CT.

My main concern is the tone I hear on these boards. So many have had great

results from using the DOCband. There are more or more active people discussing

problems with other helmets. I think that often leads us to talk about CT as if

they can do no wrong. People keep writing that they are 'the best in the

business' or 'the best at what they do'. I cringe when I read that parents with

doubts along the way are advised to trust the process. When parents of children

in other helmets express concerns I hear a lot more people asking them if there

is a CT location or another helmet provider nearby. I just want to make it clear

that if any parent with a child in a DOCband has concerns they should not just

trust that all is well. CT makes mistakes and sometimes the fries get burnt.

Wishing us all happy, healthy, symmetrical babies,

ED

> >

> > Hello all-

> >

> > I am wondering if anyone has ever successfully negotiated a better price on

a 2nd band from CT before.

> >

> > My son was banded at 3 months because the technician felt that his tort. was

to severe for repositioning.(it was) She was very optomistic about treatment

because of his age and said that once he was done, even if he laid on that side

still, it would not shift back.

> >

> > At that time, I was told that treatment should be 10-12 weeks and that a 2nd

helmet usually only occurs 15% of the time. Again, totally optomistic. Our

insurance is not covering any portion of the DOC band but we went ahead

immediately because it seemed the best option.

> >

> > Well, at his 5 week adjustment, we were told that he would outgrow his

helmet in 3 weeks and that they recommended another. WHAT??? That was never even

a scenario that played out in my head.

> > After leaving extremely upset, my husband and I decided to wait and see what

3 weeks could do. That is a lot of time considering they only thought it would

take 12 weeks total.

> >

> > Fastforward 2 weeks and the tech said that he actually made such good

improvement that they would not push us to continue treatment but it was an

option. I was fairly happy with the results although not " perfect " .

> >

> > To my horror, after just a couple days, my sons ears seemed to shift right

back to where they were at 3 months.???!!!

> >

> > Maybe his ears would not have shifted back if he were still being treated up

until he was 6 months like we expected. With better information, we could have

waited a bit longer to start treatment so that there would not have been so much

head growth.?

> >

> > I am calling CT this week to get evaluated again and I'm looking for any

advice. I really fee that we should not have to pay for the 2nd helmet since we

were given such bad information in the first place.

> >

> > Thank you!

> >

> >

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