's New Helmet

December 5, 2001

Yeah ! I can relate to the sense of relief your feeling, , the burden of not doing enough to keep them off the back of the head is lifted when you know that the band is doing that for you! Good luck to on his helmet journey and to Mom and Dad too! Keep us all posted!

' Mom (DOC grad)

December 5, 2001

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to send an update on , who just got his helmet/band on

Monday- and is doing so great I can't even believe it!

Quick Background- was born at 35 weeks, on July 6, 2001. He has

moderate Plagio on his back left side. He is VERY busy and we have tried

aggressive repositioning with him with some correction, but I think that

only because I stare at his head all the time now and have convinced myself

it's getting better! After our 4 month check up our doctor referred us to

the neuro, a week later we had the appointment and casting done (same day),

and two weeks later (being Monday, 12/3) he was fitted with a locally made

helmet/band. We have been very lucky to have everyone move so quickly, and

we have not had to argue with our insurance, they covered 80%.

I was SO nervous about Monday and took yesterday off to be with him during

the transition. Within 5 minutes of wearing it he fell fast asleep.

Yesterday- he played and played and played and did not stop smiling and

chatting all day. He slept soundly through the night and really does not

seem to even notice it.

The best advice was to start him wearing a hat all the time about a week

before introducing the helmet. By day 2 of the hat wearing he stopped

fussing and forgot that there was something on his head.

I will send some pictures as soon as I get them back and scan them in.

Thanks for everyone's support!

~

's Mom

December 6, 2001

Congratulations to and - you go boy! If he keeps us

this great work you will have a round noggin' in no time. Thanks for

the update!

Beck mom to brian

Memphis, tn

December 16, 2001

Hi , my name is Alaina on, and I just joined this

group tonight. I wanted to tell you how glad I am to have read your

post. My daughter was born on July 19, 2001 and is getting her

helmet on Thursday. I am a big ball of nerves over it, and just want

to get it over with. I was very glad to hear that your son took to

it so quickly. I have been feeling sorry for Abby that she will have

to wear it, and was worried that she would be miserable. I would

love to hear if he is still doing well and if the helmet is bothering

him at all. Also, I would love to hear how you have personally felt

about this (of course, only if you want to). I selfishly have been

having a hard time getting used to the idea of Abby wearing a helmet,

and she doesn't even have it yet! I'm sure I will get used to it

eventually, I just am nervous and can't really pinpoint why.

Anyways, thanks for listening.

Abby's mom Alaina

> Hi Everyone,

>

> Just wanted to send an update on , who just got his helmet/band

on

> Monday- and is doing so great I can't even believe it!

>

> Quick Background- was born at 35 weeks, on July 6, 2001. He

has

> moderate Plagio on his back left side. He is VERY busy and we have

tried

> aggressive repositioning with him with some correction, but I think

that

> only because I stare at his head all the time now and have

convinced myself

> it's getting better! After our 4 month check up our doctor

referred us to

> the neuro, a week later we had the appointment and casting done

(same day),

> and two weeks later (being Monday, 12/3) he was fitted with a

locally made

> helmet/band. We have been very lucky to have everyone move so

quickly, and

> we have not had to argue with our insurance, they covered 80%.

>

> I was SO nervous about Monday and took yesterday off to be with him

during

> the transition. Within 5 minutes of wearing it he fell fast asleep.

> Yesterday- he played and played and played and did not stop smiling

and

> chatting all day. He slept soundly through the night and really

does not

> seem to even notice it.

>

> The best advice was to start him wearing a hat all the time about a

week

> before introducing the helmet. By day 2 of the hat wearing he

stopped

> fussing and forgot that there was something on his head.

>

> I will send some pictures as soon as I get them back and scan them

in.

> Thanks for everyone's support!

>

> ~

> 's Mom

December 17, 2001

Alaina,

I think everyone has felt the uneasiness about getting the helmet for starters. You really don't want your child to look "different" than other kids, and just the thought of all the questions made me uneasy too. But after I cried the first day, I got so used to it that even my parents thought was cuter WITH the band on. I would remind myself that this is just a short time to help him with his future, and it was all very well worth it. Good luck to you and I hope that you will share more, it helps to talk with other people in your shoes! My relatives at first thought this was overreacting, and this group helped me maintain sanity at times, that I was not being too dramatic! You will start to realize that this will be over in a few short months, and the stares and the comments are really not as bad as your imagination may make them! Wishing you lots of luck!

' Mom (DOC grad)

December 17, 2001

Hi Alaina,

I had a very hard time with the idea of the helmet, and was very nervous

about taking him out with it on. My biggest fear was that he would be so

sad when wearing it. It has now been 2 weeks, he still could not care that

it is there. Already we have seen a great deal of improvement and I cannot

wait to go back on Dec. 26th to find out his new measurements because I know

just from sight that it has alread starting rounding out. I really think

that wearing a hat during the day and through nap times the week before he

got the helmet helped him adjust, simply because he was already used to the

feeling of something on his head.

Going out the first time was hard at the beginning, simply becuase I felt

defensive about it before we even got to where we were going. We took him

with us to a Christmas party and to the mall his first weekend with the

helmet. The Christmas party wasn't too bad because we knew most of the

people there and they were very good about it. The mall actually went

pretty well also. We had another father come up to my husband (who was

carrying in his helmet at the time) and talk about his chiild and how

they went through the helmet therapy as well. That really helped my husband

and I.

I really thought I would be so sad myself everytime I saw him wearing it,

but instead, I feel so much relief and I can't get over how cute he looks in

it. I have taken a zillion pictures (and someday will find someone to scan

them for me!) and he just looks at me with this great big smile and where I

thought I would be crying I find myself smiling and laughing right back at

him.

Plus, seeing 's fast results, and hearing (and seeing pictures of)

's quick progress truly makes me feel like I made the best decision

for him. This is only for a few months and will have a life long benefit to

him- while that sounds a little corny, I really feel that to be true. I

think the time period between the casting and the fitting was the worst

because I just had no idea about so many things. 's quick adjustment to

it has really helped my husband and I to adapt much faster than I imagined!

I think I cried for two straight weeks!

Abby will do great, I know everyone tells you this and you just can't

imagine it, but have faith. When does she go for her fitting? I will be

thinking of you and wishing you all well! Please keep us posted.

~

's mom, 5 months

Massachusetts

Re: 's New Helmet