AAP Question

[Guest guest]

Can someone tell me what is going on with the petition we signed?

Is it doing anything? Not really expecting a turn around crusade or a

big commercial from them explaining the dangers, but I was hoping for

at least something since plagio is becoming more and more relevant.

All I can think is that the AAP is scared to death to mention " flat

head " or " plagiocephaly " when they tout their back to sleep campaign.

People will tend to ignore it if they feel their infant has a remote

chance of developing a mishappen head.

I'm not saying that back sleeping is unhealthy. I do believe it

prevents SIDS, but I know I would have thought twice about it if I

had only known what could have happen.

Just wondering what was up, if anything.

Crista (Mom to 7 1/2 mo-DOC 5/13)

[Guest guest]

Cristi,

I copied and pasted part of this document from the AAP's Clinical

Report that this database here has a link to. Just click on Files,

then the top one " Plagio PDF " . This first paragraph is an outgrage

to me, and hopefully I was able to get the text that really frosts

my cupcake in BOLD print below. Hope it works. If not, it'll

say " bold before and after the sentance that ticks me off. My pede

really dropped the ball and most pedes are not using this as a

quideline as preventative measures. I am in the process of

conductiong a letter to our area hsptls and clinics to encourage

plagio/tort checks at birth, that information is available to all

new moms at birth in their going home packets, and that the pede's

and general practioners provide plagio/tort checks at every wellness

exam during the first year. I believe Kim in MN is also getting the

pamplets, in which I'll hopefully get the same ones and between the

both of us we maybe can cover close to 200 miles.

As for the petition, I can't answer that. But this document on file

from the AAP, and the petition I copied off and I will be throwing

that in the clinicians faces asking " WHY did you drop the ball w/ my

son? " and demanding they step up to the plate to start plagio/tort

checks and get the new parents familiarized w/ this and to encourage

repo'ing new infants. The AAP says they should be educating us, but

they are NOT. I'm ticked.

Here's the beginning of the document for you to read:

ABSTRACT. Cranial asymmetry may be present at

birth or may develop during the first few months of life.

Over the past several years, pediatricians have seen an

increase in the number of children with cranial asymmetry,

particularly unilateral flattening of the occiput. This

increase likely is attributable to parents following the

American Academy of Pediatrics " Back to Sleep " positioning

recommendations aimed at decreasing the risk of

sudden infant death syndrome. Although associated with

some risk of deformational plagiocephaly, healthy young

infants should be placed down for sleep on their backs.

This practice has been associated with a dramatic decrease

in the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome.

<bold>Pediatricians need to be able to properly diagnose skull

deformities, educate parents on methods to proactively

decrease the likelihood of the development of occipital

flattening, initiate appropriate management, and make

referrals when necessary. </bold> This report provides guidelines

for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of positional

skull deformity in an otherwise normal infant

without evidence of associated anomalies, syndromes, or

spinal disease.

~Amy, mommy to Jaden MN, plagio/mild tort, started CranioCap 4/23/04

> Can someone tell me what is going on with the petition we signed?

> Is it doing anything? Not really expecting a turn around crusade

or a

> big commercial from them explaining the dangers, but I was hoping

for

> at least something since plagio is becoming more and more

relevant.

> All I can think is that the AAP is scared to death to

mention " flat

> head " or " plagiocephaly " when they tout their back to sleep

campaign.

> People will tend to ignore it if they feel their infant has a

remote

> chance of developing a mishappen head.

> I'm not saying that back sleeping is unhealthy. I do believe it

> prevents SIDS, but I know I would have thought twice about it if I

> had only known what could have happen.

>

> Just wondering what was up, if anything.

>

> Crista (Mom to 7 1/2 mo-DOC 5/13)