New here--what would you do?

April 3, 2010

I'm new to this board and I'm so glad I found it. My youngest son has plagio and brachycephaly due to torticollis. We just finished up PT last week. Our pediatrician didn't even take it seriously until his 4 month appt. (he was almost 5 months by then) and we couldn't get in to the pediatric neurosurgeon (Dr. in town, WV) until DS was almost 7 months. They have refered us to Hanger in town, WV (a 1.5 hour drive from our home). I read some of the archived messages on them, but the orthotist referred to isn't the one who is listed on their website. The orthotist there is Tom Pacak. I intend to call them tomorrow to get more info on his credentials. Everything I've read seems to point to DOC as superior, but our closest CT is over a 3 hour drive (one way) in ndale, VA. Dr. said that in his opinion he would helmet if our insurance will cover it, but he wouldn't pay out of pocket as it will get better on its own. I'm just not so sure how good his opinion is. I've gone over and over whether it will be more worthwhile to drive farther to CT or not. Here are some pics of his natural progress. Any advice is welcome. (The first pics he was 4 months, 3 weeks. The second are from yesterday at 7 months, 3 weeks.)

April 4, 2010

Sorry, I didn;t realize the pictures wouldn't work.

Thanks in advance for any responses,

Angie

>

> I'm new to this board and I'm so glad I found it. My youngest son has

> plagio and brachycephaly due to torticollis. We just finished up PT

> last week. Our pediatrician didn't even take it seriously until his 4

> month appt. (he was almost 5 months by then) and we couldn't get in to

> the pediatric neurosurgeon (Dr. in town, WV) until DS was

> almost 7 months. They have refered us to Hanger in town, WV (a

> 1.5 hour drive from our home). I read some of the archived messages on

> them, but the orthotist referred to isn't the one who is listed on their

> website. The orthotist there is Tom Pacak. I intend to call them

> tomorrow to get more info on his credentials. Everything I've read

> seems to point to DOC as superior, but our closest CT is over a 3 hour

> drive (one way) in ndale, VA. Dr. said that in his opinion

> he would helmet if our insurance will cover it, but he wouldn't pay out

> of pocket as it will get better on its own. I'm just not so sure how

> good his opinion is. I've gone over and over whether it will be more

> worthwhile to drive farther to CT or not. Here are some pics of his

> natural progress. Any advice is welcome. (The first pics he was 4

> months, 3 weeks. The second are from yesterday at 7 months, 3 weeks.)

>

> [http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs238.snc3/22531_1046475595\

> 53222_100000239344850_114807_1785775_n.jpg]

>

> [http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs426.ash1/23615_1117135688\

> 46621_100000239344850_197081_3638616_n.jpg]

>

> [http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs238.snc3/22531_104647602886551_10000023\

> 9344850_114809_1415922_n.jpg]

> [http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs386.snc3/23615_111713858846592_10000023\

> 9344850_197083_4006892_n.jpg]

>

> [http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs218.snc3/22531_1046475862\

> 19886_100000239344850_114808_7862415_n.jpg]

> [http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs426.ash1/23615_1117137288\

> 46605_100000239344850_197082_2133815_n.jpg]

>

April 4, 2010

I personally would go to Cranial Tech. If Hanger is already a 1 1/2 hr drive, I

would drive twice the distance to go to Cranial Tech because they are worth it.

If you go with CT, you will have the peace of mind that you are getting the best

treatment possible for your son. Unless the ortho at Hanger is very good and

sees several plagio cases as week, I would be worried. It's a risk in my

opinion to go with anyone other than Cranial Tech. I have been around a little

while, my son is about to graduate from his 3rd DOC Band, and I've heard some

horror stories along the way. At least you can be confident in CT because they

have the best reputation, and banding babies is all that they do, unlike other

orthotic companies. My son has had amazing results with the DOC Band, you would

never know that he once had severe brachy.