Re: Anyone chosen NOT to helmet? GABY

[Guest guest]

> debbie --

> i'm curious -- why was your daughter graduated if the back of her

head was

> still flat? does CT just sort of stop at 16 mos? my ortho (for

STARband)

> has not mentioned adam graduating (he's 16 mos now and has been in

his helmet

> for almost 4 mos - of course, we've had some problems with a second

helmet

> and have gone back to the first) and i'm just wondering what the

criteria for

> 'graduation' is. adam was moderate/severe (due to age) and we've

seen some

> correction but our ortho hasn't given us a percentage (eg., 50% or

> something). is the ortho supposed to tell us at every appt how

things are

> going? she just says, " it's really coming along well, " which makes

us happy

> and we _have_ seen some progress (friends and family have noticed

too), but

> i'm just wondering who determines when the band is no longer needed

and if

> there's still correction needed, why they would.

> thanks,

> gaby, adam's mom in nj

Hi Gaby:

We decided to graduate Abby when we did, even w/o 100% correction.

Abby's growth significantly slowed down at that point.

Also, I hate to say this and sound selfish, but I was sick of the

band, travel, expenses, etc.........don't know if you know Abby's

story, but prior to the DOCband, Abby wore a STARband unsuccessfully

for nearly 3 mos. (age 8-11 mos), Abby's STARband caused more harm to

her head than good by denting in what was the good side of her head,

a result of incorrect pressures being applied.

After that we switched her to the DOCband. We traveled bi weekly an

avg of 4 hrs one way. Abby was an absolute bear on almost every trip

and hated being stuck in the car for 8 hrs., it was very tough on her

and us.

Cranial Tech didn't really feel she'd benefit from a 2nd band, even

if they would, I probably wouldn't have done a 2nd DOCband. I was/am

VERY happy with her results, even though her head isn't fully round

today, it's so much better than it was, and is no longer noticeable

to others.

AS for the percentage figure, I asked CT what the correction

percentage was that they thought Abby rec'd. That's simply an

estimate they gave us which I fully agreed with.

Also, Cranial Tech won't keep a baby in their original band for

longer than an average of 4.5 mos.. After that time, they feel the

band loses it's effectiveness and will no longer improve the child's

headshape. The pressure points in the band no longer work, according

to their studies which makes perfect sense.

Orthomerica does not have that policy though.

Hope this helps. How has Adam's 1st band been working this time

around? Hope he's doing well

Debbie Abby's mom 3/1/00 STARband 11/7/00-1/26/01 DOCgrad 2/16/01-

6/22/01

MI