new member here with questions!

Posted March 7, 2010 · March 7, 2010

hi everyone,

my husband and i just adopted two infant boys from ethiopia, they have been home

with us for just a month. while the older boy (12 mos) is doing just fine, we

have had some concerns with our younger baby boy. a friend who is a pediatric

PT came over this evening to 'evaluate' eli. he is behind developmentally and

she says that he has plagiocephaly (i had never even heard of this!!). he was

an abandoned baby so he came to the orphanage very very small and unfortunately,

had very little stimulation other than laying on his back in his crib. the back

of his head is flat, and his forehead on that side is protruding. i had noticed

his forehead looked different, mentioned it to his pediatrician and she said

that ethiopian foreheads were often big....which can be true. so, my

question....who to evaluate him now? do i find a pediatric neurologist? does

the pediatrician recommend what to do? like i said, this is all new to me. eli

is approximately 7 months old. and we live in michigan - if anyone has any

recommendations of where to go for the best help! thank you all!! :-)

becky

Posted March 8, 2010 · March 8, 2010

Hi Becky,

welcome to the group. Congratulations on the adoptions. It is very normal for

kids adopted internationally to be behind, and many catch up very quickly.

Hopefully you have an adoption support network to help with that stress in your

life. As for his head, I would recommend seeing a cranio facial plastic surgeon

if possible. If not then a neurosurgeon. Both can prescribe bands, but neuros

aren't always as concerned about the appearance. Even your ped can give you a

prescription, but some like to refer you to a specialist. here are the locations

for the starscanner: http://orthomerica.com/technology/scan_locations.htm. This

is one of the bands of helmets/brands and some will do an evaluation of your

child's head then you can provide the info to your ped (I think they generally

charge for this).

At 7 mo he is at a good age to receive correction from a cranial band. Good luck

with everything.

-christine

sydney, 4 yrs, starband grad

>

> hi everyone,

> my husband and i just adopted two infant boys from ethiopia, they have been

home with us for just a month. while the older boy (12 mos) is doing just fine,

we have had some concerns with our younger baby boy. a friend who is a

pediatric PT came over this evening to 'evaluate' eli. he is behind

developmentally and she says that he has plagiocephaly (i had never even heard

of this!!). he was an abandoned baby so he came to the orphanage very very

small and unfortunately, had very little stimulation other than laying on his

back in his crib. the back of his head is flat, and his forehead on that side

is protruding. i had noticed his forehead looked different, mentioned it to his

pediatrician and she said that ethiopian foreheads were often big....which can

be true. so, my question....who to evaluate him now? do i find a pediatric

neurologist? does the pediatrician recommend what to do? like i said, this is

all new to me. eli is approximately 7 months old. and we live in michigan - if

anyone has any recommendations of where to go for the best help! thank you

all!! :-)

> becky

>

Posted March 8, 2010 · March 8, 2010

Hey, I'm in MI too! I'm in the Flint area.

My ped gave me a prescription to the Ortho. We just got scanned last Wednesday

at the Livonia office of Mich Orthopedic Services and are waiting for our helmet

to arrive.

Congratulations on the additions to your family!