Guest guest Posted February 24, 2003 Report Share Posted February 24, 2003 This is a post from myself to any parent considering Orthotic Management Treatment: We as parents do the " best " we can for our children. There is nothing else we can do. I hope the following analogy will help in your decision process. We can decide not to put braces on our children's teeth. However, as an adult the child can always decide to wear braces to correct alignment of their teeth. That being said, A child is unable to get treatment for plagiocephaly once they reach adulthood. My family was not willing or able to gamble on the most likely outcome of not treating our son. We have been in a helmet for 5 months and have received 80 percent correction. I seriously doubt that we would have been able to say the same without the helmet. We are just into our new parenting career. I can say without a doubt that getting the helmet was the best decision, both for us and our son. See Ben S. in the photos....... Is Orthotic Management Treatment for Plagiocephaly a cakewalk? Absolutely not. However, I can say it gets easier everyday..... In closing, Children are cruel. I doubt very much as a teen that a child will be " made-fun of " because they wore a helmet for 4-5 months as a baby. The same, I am afraid, will not be true for untreated plagiocephaly. This was one of my major concerns. This concern is getting less and less because of my son's helmet. These are my opinions only. I welcome yours. Jeff, Sandy and Ben Sponagle New Brunswick , Canada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 24, 2003 Report Share Posted February 24, 2003 Jeff- I agree banding Dane was the best decision we have made as parents. My son's asymmetries didn't respond to respositioning as we hoped. I would like to add that many parents do also get great progress from aggressive repositioning. They just often don't hang around as much as us banders! Beck, one of our mods, successfully repo'd her daughter . After banding her oldest, , she was aware of the need to reposition from day one! Hooray to all of us however we correct the problem! BTW- Ben is a cutie Dane's mom DOC Grad > This is a post from myself to any parent considering Orthotic > Management Treatment: > > We as parents do the " best " we can for our children. There is > nothing else we can do. > > I hope the following analogy will help in your decision process. > > We can decide not to put braces on our children's teeth. However, as > an adult the child can always decide to wear braces to correct > alignment of their teeth. That being said, A child is unable to get > treatment for plagiocephaly once they reach adulthood. > > My family was not willing or able to gamble on the most likely > outcome of not treating our son. We have been in a helmet for 5 > months and have received 80 percent correction. I seriously doubt > that we would have been able to say the same without the helmet. > > We are just into our new parenting career. I can say without a doubt > that getting the helmet was the best decision, both for us and our > son. > > See Ben S. in the photos....... > > Is Orthotic Management Treatment for Plagiocephaly a cakewalk? > Absolutely not. However, I can say it gets easier everyday..... > > In closing, Children are cruel. I doubt very much as a teen that a > child will be " made-fun of " because they wore a helmet for 4-5 > months as a baby. The same, I am afraid, will not be true for > untreated plagiocephaly. This was one of my major concerns. This > concern is getting less and less because of my son's helmet. > > These are my opinions only. I welcome yours. > > Jeff, Sandy and Ben Sponagle > New Brunswick , Canada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 25, 2003 Report Share Posted February 25, 2003 Team, I can say for sure that if we have another kid we'll know better next time to repo from the start. Of course <g> this is true for most things, such as how to deal with morning sickness, breastfeeding, what to do about that darn eczema, etc., etc., etc. Ok, maybe not so funny, depends on my mood. We're still discussing banding daily, even though we're having our daughter fitted on Thursday. I know we'll go through with it, but it's a tough decision. BTW: I love the analogy to having braces. Is crooked teeth something to be embarrassed about? I hope not--I had braces for 5.5 years as a teen, and it didn't dawn on me to be embarrassed. Maybe _this_ is the ultimate point: a baby/toddler doesn't know enough to be embarrassed-- it's we as adults who bring our prejudices with us. I am ashamed in a way that I am battling my own embarrassment, even knowing that I shouldn't be. I'm proud, proud, proud to be a mom to a beautiful, smart, outgoing little girl, and I'm not going to e.g., not take photos (mother-in-law's dumb idea) or not explain to people what the deal is just because I'M uncomfortable. Any thoughts? Thanks for letting me sound off. concord > > This is a post from myself to any parent considering Orthotic > > Management Treatment: > > > > We as parents do the " best " we can for our children. There is > > nothing else we can do. > > > > I hope the following analogy will help in your decision process. > > > > We can decide not to put braces on our children's teeth. However, > as > > an adult the child can always decide to wear braces to correct > > alignment of their teeth. That being said, A child is unable to > get > > treatment for plagiocephaly once they reach adulthood. > > > > My family was not willing or able to gamble on the most likely > > outcome of not treating our son. We have been in a helmet for 5 > > months and have received 80 percent correction. I seriously doubt > > that we would have been able to say the same without the helmet. > > > > We are just into our new parenting career. I can say without a > doubt > > that getting the helmet was the best decision, both for us and our > > son. > > > > See Ben S. in the photos....... > > > > Is Orthotic Management Treatment for Plagiocephaly a cakewalk? > > Absolutely not. However, I can say it gets easier everyday..... > > > > In closing, Children are cruel. I doubt very much as a teen that a > > child will be " made-fun of " because they wore a helmet for 4-5 > > months as a baby. The same, I am afraid, will not be true for > > untreated plagiocephaly. This was one of my major concerns. This > > concern is getting less and less because of my son's helmet. > > > > These are my opinions only. I welcome yours. > > > > Jeff, Sandy and Ben Sponagle > > New Brunswick , Canada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 25, 2003 Report Share Posted February 25, 2003 I think banding is perfectly acceptable. Decorate the band so it stands for something important for your child and make it special. Look at the band as a means for you to help you child grow into the best they can be. You wouldn't feel bad about getting a tutor to help a struggling child in school, so don't feel bad about the band. Also, the band provides protection from the bumps and falls our little ones experience. Use it as a means to spread the word about plagio to new moms and the importance of repostioning. Turn it into your personal crusade if you want to. Banding is not purely cosmetic, you are preventing eye, ear, and jaw problems that could develop. The bands can be really cute and a work of art if you look at them that way. Maybe send in a picture to Cranial Tech for their calendar or send her pic to your webmates. We are all going through or have gone through similar experiences. My daughter is going to be casted on Thursday. My husband is still pretty reluctant though. Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 27, 2003 Report Share Posted February 27, 2003 I, too, have been struggling with the embarrassment. I also realized it's my embarrassment and I still try to take pictures of them when their helmets are off, but I'm sure I will still take them with them on, too. You're right, it's us who feel embarrassed, the girls continue to smile and play away, saying who cares to us! Being a mom of twins, you are approached A LOT more in public and I have noticed that people have backed off a little now that they have helmets. That is both a good and bad thing. It seems I may just need to get over it and know that my daughters will thank me in the end! Kirsten & Jocelyn 6 months today! > > > This is a post from myself to any parent considering Orthotic > > > Management Treatment: > > > > > > We as parents do the " best " we can for our children. There is > > > nothing else we can do. > > > > > > I hope the following analogy will help in your decision process. > > > > > > We can decide not to put braces on our children's teeth. However, > > as > > > an adult the child can always decide to wear braces to correct > > > alignment of their teeth. That being said, A child is unable to > > get > > > treatment for plagiocephaly once they reach adulthood. > > > > > > My family was not willing or able to gamble on the most likely > > > outcome of not treating our son. We have been in a helmet for 5 > > > months and have received 80 percent correction. I seriously doubt > > > that we would have been able to say the same without the helmet. > > > > > > We are just into our new parenting career. I can say without a > > doubt > > > that getting the helmet was the best decision, both for us and > our > > > son. > > > > > > See Ben S. in the photos....... > > > > > > Is Orthotic Management Treatment for Plagiocephaly a cakewalk? > > > Absolutely not. However, I can say it gets easier everyday..... > > > > > > In closing, Children are cruel. I doubt very much as a teen that > a > > > child will be " made-fun of " because they wore a helmet for 4-5 > > > months as a baby. The same, I am afraid, will not be true for > > > untreated plagiocephaly. This was one of my major concerns. This > > > concern is getting less and less because of my son's helmet. > > > > > > These are my opinions only. I welcome yours. > > > > > > Jeff, Sandy and Ben Sponagle > > > New Brunswick , Canada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 27, 2003 Report Share Posted February 27, 2003 It seems I may just need to get > over it and know that my daughters will thank me in the end! - Yes! They will thank you for taking care of this! And as my dad always says " Some day this will seem like a long time ago. " The time in the bands goes so quickly! Most people looked at Dane simply out of curiousity. He loved the attention! Dane's mom DOC Grad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 2, 2003 Report Share Posted March 2, 2003 just keep in mind that people fear the unknown and do not want to offend. they have no idea why your children are wearing bands. for all they know, you could be having a bad day and your child has some terrible disease or something. everyone loves babies, and no one wants to get depresed or depress the mother by asking questions that might bring out some devastating story that your child might be dying or something. i know this didnt come out eloquently, but they dont know how insignificant it is (not to belittle it either, because to us, this whole process is a huge ordeal). people just dont talk openly because they are afraid of upseting you. i once, as a 9 year old, or so, asked a woman about her baby. i cant remember what was different about it, to me that baby was cute. but, she bit my head off. she got really defensive and started yelling at me. she was really sensitive about it, and i hav enever asked about that kind of stuff again. jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2004 Report Share Posted July 30, 2004 Hi , Can you post some pics of 's head? What were the measurements? Are his ears aligned? Can you see any assymetry in his face? Sometimes both twins are banded and sometimes only one baby needs the band. I know there was a set of triplets at the Charlotte office and only baby A needed the band. If his head looks the same when he is 13 will anyone really notice? My instinct would say if I wasn't happy with his head shape now I wouldn't be happy with it at 13. My dd had moderate plagio (11 mm cranial vault and 9 mm ear). Everyone thought she was absolutly beautiful (including me) and saw nothing worng. However, everytime I looked at the top of her head I saw that it just wasn't right. It took my parents awhile to see what I was talking about, now they say I made the right decision. She is now within the normal population range (cranial vault 3 mm, ears 4 mm). Sometimes you have to go with your mommy instinct. HTH mom to na DOC Gradroguem22 <MICHELLE@...> wrote: Hi all,I haven't been online in awhile, but some of you may remember and I. He received a Starband on 05/11/04 and is doing great. My question is actually concerning his twin brother . Whereas had left tort and some assemetry with severe (more than +2) brachy, has nothing wrong except mild to mod left plagio on the top part of his head (the bottom popped out with repo). All three of my children have very wide heads (they get it from my husbands side of the family). The PT told me it was the wideness of 's head that made his measurements go into the moderate category, not the difference from the actual flatness. The PT said she would right a med necessity letter if i if i wanted to pursue it so the insurance co would pay , but she said she would not have him banded if it was her child. She said with no assemetry there would be no adverse effects of not fixing it. Also because it isn't very noticeable that hair would cover it.They will be 9 mo on the fifth so i know i need to make a decision. Everyone is against getting one, and i know that his plagio is in no way as bad as 's brachy, but i still worry that he will grow up and think i did something for his brother and not him. He also suffers with exczema on his head and face so i worry if he would even be a canidate for a band. Has anyone banded one child and not the other. i know 's isn't that bad, but I am really wrestling with this.Thanks,, 05/11/04 Starband, 8 3/4 mo, brachy, left tortColumbus, GAFor more plagio info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 1, 2004 Report Share Posted August 1, 2004 Hello Can you post some pictures? I hope that I do not step on your toes with my coment, but to me it seems as if you are " already " feeling guilty about just thinking of not banding. If you feel deep down that you should do this, then you need to not listen to the ones saying that everything is ok, and that it can be hidden behind hair. That comment used to set me off. Maybe if you take to get measurements it might be easier. Willow my daughter was mod plagio (12mm), and I never had a second thought about doing this for her. I have never had regreat for putting her into her band. She is not perfect, but now atleast she can have a short haircut and not have to worry about being stared down. I'm sorry I can't give you a different kind of answer, but you need to do what you feel is right. Good luck, and let us know how you decide. Sandy Willow's Mom Torticollis resolved Cranio Germany Grad --- In Plagiocephaly , " roguem22 " <MICHELLE@C...> wrote: > Hi all, > > I haven't been online in awhile, but some of you may remember > and I. He received a Starband on 05/11/04 and is doing > great. My question is actually concerning his twin brother > . Whereas had left tort and some assemetry with > severe (more than +2) brachy, has nothing wrong except mild > to mod left plagio on the top part of his head (the bottom popped > out with repo). All three of my children have very wide heads (they > get it from my husbands side of the family). The PT told me it was > the wideness of 's head that made his measurements go into > the moderate category, not the difference from the actual flatness. > The PT said she would right a med necessity letter if i if i wanted > to pursue it so the insurance co would pay , but she said she would > not have him banded if it was her child. She said with no assemetry > there would be no adverse effects of not fixing it. Also because it > isn't very noticeable that hair would cover it. > > They will be 9 mo on the fifth so i know i need to make a decision. > Everyone is against getting one, and i know that his plagio > is in no way as bad as 's brachy, but i still worry that he > will grow up and think i did something for his brother and not him. > He also suffers with exczema on his head and face so i worry if he > would even be a canidate for a band. Has anyone banded one child > and not the other. i know 's isn't that bad, but I am > really wrestling with this. > > Thanks, > > > , 05/11/04 Starband, 8 3/4 mo, brachy, left tort > Columbus, GA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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