Re: can babies be too young for the helmet?

[Guest guest]

Hi , Thank you so much for this information. Knowing that

repositioning at home can be somewhat successful on it's own is a

relief because I haven't yet been given a PT referral (I'll be

following up on that today). It's funny you mention that you have

been OCD about it. I joke with friends on how obsessed I am with

keeping her off that side. But then again, without having seen a PT,

I wonder if I am doing it right!

As far as her Tort, I almost think she appreciates when I help her

turn her head for her because once she's turned she likes to stay

there and seems content. Does that mean that she may not have it too

bad, or do you think that is typical for Tort? And now that I have

been making up my own exercises to help with the muscle tension, she

cries less and even sleeps longer!!

Dis you have a back or side sleep positioner? I have a back one that

is still in the package, but I would assume I should have her sleep

on her side now, right?

Thank you again. This group is wonderful!! I'm so glad I found

it. )

- Michele

> >

> > I really don't know much about this yet, and am freaking out a

> little

> > to be honest. I noticed only a few weeks after Delaney was born

> that

> > her head seemed flatter than normal, but I didn't think anything

> was

> > medically wrong. By about 6 weeks old, I realized that she

always

> > tilts her head to one side. She is now 9 weeks, and her pedi

just

> > referred me to Cranial Tech.

> >

> > Now that I know what to look for, it's obvious that she has both

> > Plagiocephaly and torticollis. She has a really hard time

turning

> her

> > head to the less-preferred side, and her ears are already

starting

> to

> > misalign. Cranial Tech can't see us for a couple of more weeks,

> but I

> > haven't been told what I can do in the meantime (positioning??)

and

> I

> > am afraid it will get worse.

> >

> > Can 3 month old babies get helmets (I assume that is how old she

> will

> > be after consult, molding, etc)?

> >

> > Can anyone give me an idea of what to expect when she gets a

> helmet?

> > Like will it take some time and frustration for her to get used

to

> it?

> > Are they worn 24/7?

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Michele--

So there are two things that they are looking at with tort. There is

the tendency to look towards the tight shoulder side and then there

is a tilt, which is when their head tilts down to one side instead of

sitting up evenly on their shoulders. It is hard to tell the tilt at

your daughter's age, our son's didn't really become aparent until he

was about a month or so older...when he was really holding his head

up more. There are two great stretches for tort, which I'm sure CT

will inform you about. The first would be to do ear to shoulder

towards the tight shoulder and the second is to turn the head away

from that tight shoulder. I will take a look and see if I still have

the directions for those stretches and will email them to you, if

not, you can ask them for it at CT.

Regarding a repositioner, we bought the one at Target that has

two 'sides' two it, they are kind of triangular. We then laid him in

it so that his shoulders were just out of it and then propped him on

his left side (his plagio was on the back right) and so that his hip

was actually up. We checked with our pediatricans office first to

make sure it was okay--you could do the same.

Oh the stretches, we were told to do three of each of the two, five

times a day, which we did for a month. By the time we went for our PT

assessment, he actually had a tendancy to look to the left (vs. the

right). The PT said that you can tell the parents that do

their 'homework' because that can happen. She then told us to work

towards symmatry with play, and now we are doing strength exercises.

Merrick had mild tort and tilt though, so with more sever cases, at-

home work may not be enough, and regular PT may be appropriate. If

your LO is seems to be responding with the stretches, I say keep

stretching while you wait for the PT and CT appts. For me it felt

empowering to be able to do work at home while waiting for appts.

You can check out the 'before' and 'after' repo pics of Merrick in

the 'M' folder, and there is also a pic of him in his band. While we

felt happy about our repo work, it was nothing compared to the quick

change that we saw in the band.

H.

> > >

> > > I really don't know much about this yet, and am freaking out a

> > little

> > > to be honest. I noticed only a few weeks after Delaney was

born

> > that

> > > her head seemed flatter than normal, but I didn't think

anything

> > was

> > > medically wrong. By about 6 weeks old, I realized that she

> always

> > > tilts her head to one side. She is now 9 weeks, and her pedi

> just

> > > referred me to Cranial Tech.

> > >

> > > Now that I know what to look for, it's obvious that she has

both

> > > Plagiocephaly and torticollis. She has a really hard time

> turning

> > her

> > > head to the less-preferred side, and her ears are already

> starting

> > to

> > > misalign. Cranial Tech can't see us for a couple of more

weeks,

> > but I

> > > haven't been told what I can do in the meantime (positioning??)

> and

> > I

> > > am afraid it will get worse.

> > >

> > > Can 3 month old babies get helmets (I assume that is how old

she

> > will

> > > be after consult, molding, etc)?

> > >

> > > Can anyone give me an idea of what to expect when she gets a

> > helmet?

> > > Like will it take some time and frustration for her to get used

> to

> > it?

> > > Are they worn 24/7?

> > >

> >

>