Re: Star Band vs. DOC Band

April 24, 2001

Adrien,

I know exactly how you feel! I have had the same feelings as you have now. I

noticed you already have had some good responses on STAR vs.DOC. The concept

of how they work is similar. They both apply pressure to some areas to

restrict growth and thereby encourage growth in the flat areas. Realigning

the skull will help to realign facial features and sometimes ears as well.

One is not NECESSARILY better than the other. The DOC is made by people

trained to make that one product and that is all that they do. STARbands can

be made by any ortho who has had training from Orthoamerica and this orthos

often make lots of other devices as well. The key to success with the

STARband is to get an ortho who has had lots of experience with the STARband

and who has made lots of them. Your ortho will make all the difference. We

have people in this group who have had GREAT experiences with both devices as

well as the locally made helmets. The people with bad experiences can usually

trace it back to an inexperienced or unprofessional ortho!

It is great that you have started the process of correction so early. You

will have a VERY good shot at some really great correction. I hope you will

stick with us and share your progress with us.

Marci (Mom to - helmet grad)

Oklahoma

April 24, 2001

Adrien:

Welcome to the group. You will find a lot of good information and

experience here.

I understand what you say about looking at that head each day and wondering

if you are seeing things, or if it really changes that fast. I believe that

because we parents look so closely at it, we see everything, and sometimes

nothing. It does play tricks. Also, when a family member says " there is

nothing wrong that I can see...why would you put that on her head? " you

really start to wonder about your judgment (I sure did!). I found that

pictures were the best evidence (if you can get your child to sit still!!).

They don't lie or change their minds!!!

There are two moms here who have had both the Starband and the DOC band

(each with different opinions) and I am sure they will tell you their

stories - again, this group has seen about everything now. It is great.

Overall, the most important thing to find out about anyone who is doing the

band/helmet is HOW MUCH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE DO THEY HAVE WITH THE PRODUCT?

How many have they made, what type of results have they seen, etc.

The DOC band people are very heavily trained in one thing and that is all

they do. They do it well. The Starband orthodists seem to have varied

levels of training (some none, some a lot) and that makes all of the

difference. Both products work under the same premise (apply active

pressure to some areas and allow the recessed areas to fillout) and both can

work very well.

I understand also the strain it can place on your family. At the time we

were banded I had 4 under the age of 4 ( is a twin) and we were 6

hours away from the closest clinic. We chose to fly and I would do it all

over again in a minute. It was money and time well spent.

Hope you hear lots of opinions...glad you found the group.

Sue Luck

mom to 4 including (DOC band graduate)

Cleveland, OH

----- Original Message -----

From: <SimpsonLawnboy@...>

Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2001 1:54 PM

Subject: Star Band vs. DOC Band

> HI! My name is Adrien and I am new here. My 6 mos. old daughter has

> flattening on the left side of her head. We have been repositioning

> her for a few months as well as taking her to physical therapy and

> the chiropractor. We have seen some results with the lessoning of

> the bulge on her right side and the bossing on her forhead is barely

> noticable if at all anymore, but she still had the flatness on the

> left side. I am driving myself crazy checking her head constantly.

> I would really like to do the DOC band, (Which was recommended to us

> by her ped. and a neurosurgeon.) before she gets too old for it to

> work. It will be a five hour drive for us (one way) and quite a

> strain on the family (I have 2 other children), not to mention the

> budget. CT has not recieved approval from our insurance co. yet, and

> they think it is possible the insurance co. will approve the STAR

> BAND instead. This, we are told LOOKS like the DOC BAND, but is not

> the same. It could be done locally. Has any one out there had

> experience with the STAR band, good or bad?

> Also, am I the only one out there that looks at their childs

> head one moment and thinks ... What am I making such a big deal over

> this for it is hardly noticeable? and the next minute I catch a

> glimpse of my daughters head and think I have got to fix this? I

> feel I am going crazy and driving my husband crazy as well.

> Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

>

April 25, 2001

I know how you feel. My son was dx with tort at 8 weeks, now we are seeing signs of flatness on his right back of the head, and slight bulge, slight puffy cheek, one eye slightly smaller....but it seems to get better (especially his eye, I think working the tort muscle is helping) and then all of a sudden we're like, ok, we are definitely doing the band. is now 3 months, I have gone to Cranial Tech in Miami and they say he is a candidate (did this without a referral because ped said wait to 4 months with repositioning). The Cranial place said it is not mild, and yet the ped says it is. Ped says they see fantastic results with repositioning and this is something that will round out,,,,,however, because he has tort and will constantly revert back to his favorite side, no matter how on top of repositioning I try (not to mention, he is in daycare and they can't monitor as well), does see the benefit for this. She did say that the Cranial people want to sell bands too....but I do see misalignment of the ears, and some days I feel it is dramatic and others not so bad. The daycare teacher noticed it, but my parents think I'm blowing this out of proportion. My husband was on the fence for a while, but I think we're going to get the band, what can it hurt? And what if, it doesn't round out like so many moms here have had the experience with! As far as getting the stares, I don't care. I had to wear a brace in 9th grade for my back, because I had something similar to scoliosis....well, long story short, I felt so different, and so ugly, that I never let anyone know, I tried to hide it, I felt embarrassed, and I just stopped wearing it! I regret having let society intimidate me into not doing what was best for me, so I will not do that to my son. I will bear the comments with a smile and know that it is for the best! At this age, he'll never know what's going on! But later, someone might make fun of his crooked ears if we don't get this resolved! I guess I'm talking myself into the band, and venting here, thank you everyone for enduring!

Just a question to all those reading, have you seen the article that seems to say that those with just plagio seem to have the same results with repositioning as with the band? Or am I reading that wrong. I attached it for those who want to check it out.

Thanks plagio/tort

April 25, 2001

,

Usually if a baby has facial assymetry or misaligned ears it is diagnosed as

moderate rather than mild. Is your child going to PT for the tort? If not you

will definately need some PT to resolve that. Resolving the tort will help

with resolving the plagio. I agree that no amount of repositioning is going

to work if the tort is still an issue!!! I think you are making the right

decision to band. I do not think that you will regret it. Thank you for

sharing your own personal story - this hits alot closer to home for you than

it does for some of us based on past experience!

Please keep us posted on your progress. Good luck!

Marci (Mom to - helmet grad)

Oklahoma

April 25, 2001

Marci,

Yes, is going to PT 2x a week and we do stretching and making him look to his left (toys, distractions, etc.) as much as possible. We also have an exercise ball that we sit him on to bounce, tummy time to roll on...as well as some tummy time on the mat. He's doing pretty good and the ball is a great way for him to have fun and work that muscle. I just got an appt. for a chiro next week, I've heard moms online say that they thought it worked wonders...we'll try it. The chiro says they do stretching and massage, no bone popping for my 3.5 month old! My insurance covers it and no referral necessary, so why not? Plus I'm so tired and stressed, overworked that it would be nice to have someone do some stretching for so I can take a break sometimes!

' eyes match up, but one is slightly smaller, which I think I understand is from the tort pulling down the face. We massage the lump and his neck, face, around the ears (everything I wish I could have done to me) to stimulate his entire face. My husband noticed that his left ribcage seemed a little more raised, and PT does do myofacial release, pulling gently downwards his entire body as she says everything is shifting upwards....except his face is being pulled downwards. My husband massaged his lump in an upwards motion and pretty soon it seemed to turn to jello....next day back to stiffness....with work and the support from this group, hopefully we can resolve this. Do you think I should wait until his 4 month for the referral (2 weeks)? I, like many here, want to run with this, but peds are really smoothing it over....but with concern.

April 25, 2001

,

Keep with the PT and the chiro stuff should really help too! Have you joined

torticolliskids? It is a group like this one that discusses

torticollis. With the issues you are facing I think you would get a lot out

of that group as well.

It would not hurt to wait until his 4 month check, but I would push for it at

that check-up. In fact, I would not leave without a referral. Then it might

be up to you to keep pushing everything forward. Hopefully your ped and

specialist will be on the ball, but if not a little pusing from the mommy

usually gets things moving faster. Your baby is young enough that you have

time to work with without having to worry about passing the prime time for

treatment. I would shoot for having the treatment (if you decide to go for

it) in place by the time he is 6 months old!

Sounds like you are really on top of things - good for you. Your baby should

make a full and speedy recovery! Keep us posted and best of luck to you!

Marci (Mom to - helmet grad)

Oklahoma

April 25, 2001

Thanks Marci, I'm trying..yes, I am a member of both Plagio and tort on , can't thank everyone on these boards enough....it is only through you guys that I am on top of this with exercises and the repositioning...the info out there is null. Even at the library, nothing on tort. Everything I know is due to my reviewing everyone else's experiences....hope I can help some moms too! If he is moderate, and I get him banded at 4 months, can anyone tell me an approx. time frame of wearing the band? I live in Homestead, Fl and it will be so hot when poor has to do this!

April 25, 2001

have you seen the article that seems to say that those with just plagio seem to have the same results with repositioning as with the band?

:

Some doctors and some studies show that repositioning works as well as helmets do. For many babies, I think this is true. It all depends on each child's situation. Many things need to be considered, such as severity, age, other conditions (such as torticollis), etc.

To share a bit of our story with you, my daughter was born with her squished noggin. We started getting concerned at about it at 1 month of age, and started to casually reposition her head. At 2 months, the public health nurse suggested we see a neurosurgeon. At that point, we realized it was more of an issue than we thought. We saw a nurse at the craniofacial clinic, who gave us many helpful repositioning tips, and sent Hanna for physio (2 sessions, no tort). We repositioned AGGRESSIVELY until she saw the neuro at 5 months of age. We saw no improvements ( There was no question by the time we saw the neuro, and went for the band right away.

I think that in many mild cases, repositioning can definitely help in young babies, but as they grow older, they become more active, making it harder to keep them in the position you put them.

Good luck with your decision, and make sure you get that tort cleared up! ) Are you going to physio?

Kendra in CanadaFor more plagio info, go towww.plagiocephaly.org/support

----- Original Message -----

From: rella1234@...

Plagiocephaly

Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2001 6:30 AM

Subject: Re: Star Band vs. DOC Band

I know how you feel. My son was dx with tort at 8 weeks, now we are seeing signs of flatness on his right back of the head, and slight bulge, slight puffy cheek, one eye slightly smaller....but it seems to get better (especially his eye, I think working the tort muscle is helping) and then all of a sudden we're like, ok, we are definitely doing the band. is now 3 months, I have gone to Cranial Tech in Miami and they say he is a candidate (did this without a referral because ped said wait to 4 months with repositioning). The Cranial place said it is not mild, and yet the ped says it is. Ped says they see fantastic results with repositioning and this is something that will round out,,,,,however, because he has tort and will constantly revert back to his favorite side, no matter how on top of repositioning I try (not to mention, he is in daycare and they can't monitor as well), does see the benefit for this. She did say that the Cranial people want to sell bands too....but I do see misalignment of the ears, and some days I feel it is dramatic and others not so bad. The daycare teacher noticed it, but my parents think I'm blowing this out of proportion. My husband was on the fence for a while, but I think we're going to get the band, what can it hurt? And what if, it doesn't round out like so many moms here have had the experience with! As far as getting the stares, I don't care. I had to wear a brace in 9th grade for my back, because I had something similar to scoliosis....well, long story short, I felt so different, and so ugly, that I never let anyone know, I tried to hide it, I felt embarrassed, and I just stopped wearing it! I regret having let society intimidate me into not doing what was best for me, so I will not do that to my son. I will bear the comments with a smile and know that it is for the best! At this age, he'll never know what's going on! But later, someone might make fun of his crooked ears if we don't get this resolved! I guess I'm talking myself into the band, and venting here, thank you everyone for enduring! Just a question to all those reading, have you seen the article that seems to say that those with just plagio seem to have the same results with repositioning as with the band? Or am I reading that wrong. I attached it for those who want to check it out. Thanks plagio/tort

April 26, 2001

Hi Adrien. I cannot help you compare the Starband to the DOC (DOC is local to me

and the first I learned about), my 10 month old was just

casted last Friday. however, I am here to validate your emotions! I think

everyone has gone back and forth with the decision to band or

not to. She's your daughter and you want to do what's best for her and it's

difficult to figure out when it's a condition that most people

have never heard of. I'm sure you hear this from friends " she's a beautiful

baby, what are you talking about doing? " I noticed Corey's

flattening at 6 weeks and to this day people think I am overreacting. This is a

great sight to gather information and feedback. Rest

assured that the decision you make will be the best for your daughter; I know it

is difficult not to second guess ourselves when it comes

to the well being of our little ones.

Good luck. Hope to hear from youagain.

(Corey's mommy)

SimpsonLawnboy@... wrote: