Guest guest Posted June 6, 2004 Report Share Posted June 6, 2004 Hi , Those pictures of Hannah are adorable! It's like she has her own little support group there! Thursday we had a really good appointment with cranial facial surgeon, Dr. s; he was terrific. Have you heard of him at any of the moderators' conferences? Anyway, he agreed a second DOC Band would benefit Meredith. She just turned 15 months old and has been in her band for 15 weeks now. Dr. s also diagnosed slight torticollis and slight head tilt; until we saw him, we were told Mer just had a little neck tightness, but not torticollis. We will continue with the neck exercises CT recommended and try some other things Dr. s suggested. He also said he thinks older babies that can benefit from two bands, do better if they don't go the full 4 months in the first one before moving into the next one. He said perhaps wearing the band for 3 months and then getting another band can be more effective than wearing one for 4 months and then starting again with another. I think it has to do with keeping those holding points really holding and because bands lose some of that gentle pressure after awhile. For older babies whose head growth rate is slowing down as they approach that 24 month mark, two rounds of shorter treatment may be better. Have you heard other specialists talk about this at any of the seminars or conferences you've attended? It makes sense to me, just wanted to know if you've heard that also. Thanks , from SC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2004 Report Share Posted June 6, 2004 Hi , Sounds like things are going great for you guys! I haven't heard of Dr. s, but we didn't do too much talking about specific docs at the conference. Thats interesting that Meredith was diagnosed with tort just now at 15 mos. We had Hannah evaluated for tort too and it was ruled out, but she does still have a tilt. We also had her eyes checked at the request of Cranial Tech to make sure the tilt wasn't caused from anything visual. As far as getting a new band before a baby has offically grown out of the previous one, I have also heard that. Even with Hannah's first band (she started at only 4.5 mos) it was recommended to us to have her casted again weeks before she had grown out of her band. Her head was severe to begin with and had changed so much and they wanted to give her fresh pressure points to work with better suited to her " new " rounder head. It didn't actually end up working out that way b/c we had to wait for a specialist appt, were denied a script at that time, then had ins issues, so she ended up having a three week gap between the first two. I do think it's common though and makes absolute sense to me as well. Some babies will actually have different shaped helmets the second time around with a change in the holding spots for instance b/c as their head shape changes, the places that need correction change, and that can end up with needing a diffent shaped helmet. I think if you know you're going to do a second band, you might as well do it now as well. Hannah got this band at 15 mos old too. I hope our girls have some good growth spurts! --- In Plagiocephaly , " from SC " <geodmj@s...> wrote: > Hi , > > Those pictures of Hannah are adorable! It's like she has her own > little support group there! > > Thursday we had a really good appointment with cranial facial surgeon, > Dr. s; he was terrific. Have you heard of him at any of > the moderators' conferences? Anyway, he agreed a second DOC Band would > benefit Meredith. She just turned 15 months old and has been in her > band for 15 weeks now. Dr. s also diagnosed slight torticollis > and slight head tilt; until we saw him, we were told Mer just had a > little neck tightness, but not torticollis. We will continue with the > neck exercises CT recommended and try some other things Dr. s > suggested. > > He also said he thinks older babies that can benefit from two bands, > do better if they don't go the full 4 months in the first one before > moving into the next one. He said perhaps wearing the band for 3 > months and then getting another band can be more effective than > wearing one for 4 months and then starting again with another. I think > it has to do with keeping those holding points really holding and > because bands lose some of that gentle pressure after awhile. For > older babies whose head growth rate is slowing down as they approach > that 24 month mark, two rounds of shorter treatment may be better. > Have you heard other specialists talk about this at any of the > seminars or conferences you've attended? It makes sense to me, just > wanted to know if you've heard that also. > > Thanks , > from SC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2004 Report Share Posted June 6, 2004 Hi , Thanks for your response. Meredith's torticollis is considered slight. Up until Dr. s evaluated her, we had been told she had SCM tightness, not tort. Her neck rom is good except she can turn her head a little further to the right than to the left. This explains why it was easier for me to breastfeed her on my right (football hold style) than on my left. It must have been very uncomfortable for her to turn her head to her left (the tight side). We hadn't noticed the tilt, except now, looking at some pictures past and present, we do see there is a little bit. I'm going to read an article someone gave me that talks about the differences between torticollis and SCM imbalance and what differentiates them. Best wishes on Hannah's progess, as well! I'll keep you posted on when we have a date for casting. I hope it's by this Friday and we get her new band before end of June. Take care, J. from SC Olivia (4) Meredith (15 months old, in DOC Band for 15 weeks) > > Hi , > > > > Those pictures of Hannah are adorable! It's like she has her own > > little support group there! > > > > Thursday we had a really good appointment with cranial facial > surgeon, > > Dr. s; he was terrific. Have you heard of him at any > of > > the moderators' conferences? Anyway, he agreed a second DOC Band > would > > benefit Meredith. She just turned 15 months old and has been in her > > band for 15 weeks now. Dr. s also diagnosed slight > torticollis > > and slight head tilt; until we saw him, we were told Mer just had a > > little neck tightness, but not torticollis. We will continue with > the > > neck exercises CT recommended and try some other things Dr. > s > > suggested. > > > > He also said he thinks older babies that can benefit from two > bands, > > do better if they don't go the full 4 months in the first one > before > > moving into the next one. He said perhaps wearing the band for 3 > > months and then getting another band can be more effective than > > wearing one for 4 months and then starting again with another. I > think > > it has to do with keeping those holding points really holding and > > because bands lose some of that gentle pressure after awhile. For > > older babies whose head growth rate is slowing down as they > approach > > that 24 month mark, two rounds of shorter treatment may be better. > > Have you heard other specialists talk about this at any of the > > seminars or conferences you've attended? It makes sense to me, just > > wanted to know if you've heard that also. > > > > Thanks , > > from SC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 Hi , Thanks for your recent reply about the article added to the files' folder. Just wanted to give you a quick update and ask you a question. We found out this morning that even if BCBS could give their yea or nay on the 2nd band this week, CT can not get us in for casting until after June 23rd. I was really hoping to get in by this Friday or sometime next week at the latest. It's something I suppose can not be helped - since they are quite booked and our OT (who is very good at casting will be out of the office). Even if CT got us in right after the 23rd, that makes 18 weeks Mer will have been in this band, and 20 weeks before her 2nd one arrives. If she's outgrown the first one and is bandless for a couple of weeks, and has a growth spurt during that time - will it be a growth spurt in the right direction? I know of one mother whose son's head improved 1mm on its own while he was bandless and were waiting for their 2nd band. I did ask CT to keep us in mind if they have a cancellation, though a cancellation is probably unlikely. I know you said Hannah had to go without her band for 3 weeks. Did she have a growth spurt? Any change? Did she adjust to her next band as easily as she did with her previous one(s)? Should we try to get Meredith casted at the Atlanta CT if they can get her in sooner - and have her band sent to Charlotte when it's ready? Charlotte CT said Atlanta may be in the same situation, busy. Thanks for your help, J. from SC Olivia (4) Meredith (15 months, going on 16 weeks in DOC Band, second one July! > > Hi , > > > > Those pictures of Hannah are adorable! It's like she has her own > > little support group there! > > > > Thursday we had a really good appointment with cranial facial > surgeon, > > Dr. s; he was terrific. Have you heard of him at any > of > > the moderators' conferences? Anyway, he agreed a second DOC Band > would > > benefit Meredith. She just turned 15 months old and has been in her > > band for 15 weeks now. Dr. s also diagnosed slight > torticollis > > and slight head tilt; until we saw him, we were told Mer just had a > > little neck tightness, but not torticollis. We will continue with > the > > neck exercises CT recommended and try some other things Dr. > s > > suggested. > > > > He also said he thinks older babies that can benefit from two > bands, > > do better if they don't go the full 4 months in the first one > before > > moving into the next one. He said perhaps wearing the band for 3 > > months and then getting another band can be more effective than > > wearing one for 4 months and then starting again with another. I > think > > it has to do with keeping those holding points really holding and > > because bands lose some of that gentle pressure after awhile. For > > older babies whose head growth rate is slowing down as they > approach > > that 24 month mark, two rounds of shorter treatment may be better. > > Have you heard other specialists talk about this at any of the > > seminars or conferences you've attended? It makes sense to me, just > > wanted to know if you've heard that also. > > > > Thanks , > > from SC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 Hi , Thats a bummer about not having a sooner casting appt! I hope BCBS gives you an answer soon (keep harassing them!) and that CT has a cancellation for you. Of course you'd rather not have her bandless for any period of time, but if you have to, I think you just have to try and not think about her having a growth spurt! Just try to enjoy the little break with a naked head! I don't think anyone can really tell you for sure which way her head would grow if she were to have a growth spurt. She's old enough now that she's obviously not spending much time on her flat spot, so that should be encouraging. I'm not sure of any change Hannah had between bands, b/c we didn't have her measured. I personally think she did regress some between the second and third, but we didn't do an exit cast so we can't know for sure. She was out of bands between #1 and #2 for three weeks and between #2 and #3 for four months and she luckily readjusted fine each time. Hannah is very " spirited " and I thought for sure going into band #3 at 15 mos would be a nightmare. I was quite wrong! She actually loves her band and brings it to me to put on when it's off. She won't keep anthing in her hair (barrettes, elastics, nothing!) but she loves that helmet! I'm not sure how much farther Atlanta is for you, but if it's not much farther and they can fit you in it may be worth it to not risk a bad readjusment. I think she'll do fine though. If anyone was going to protest, it would have been Hannah! > > > Hi , > > > > > > Those pictures of Hannah are adorable! It's like she has her own > > > little support group there! > > > > > > Thursday we had a really good appointment with cranial facial > > surgeon, > > > Dr. s; he was terrific. Have you heard of him at any > > of > > > the moderators' conferences? Anyway, he agreed a second DOC Band > > would > > > benefit Meredith. She just turned 15 months old and has been in her > > > band for 15 weeks now. Dr. s also diagnosed slight > > torticollis > > > and slight head tilt; until we saw him, we were told Mer just had a > > > little neck tightness, but not torticollis. We will continue with > > the > > > neck exercises CT recommended and try some other things Dr. > > s > > > suggested. > > > > > > He also said he thinks older babies that can benefit from two > > bands, > > > do better if they don't go the full 4 months in the first one > > before > > > moving into the next one. He said perhaps wearing the band for 3 > > > months and then getting another band can be more effective than > > > wearing one for 4 months and then starting again with another. I > > think > > > it has to do with keeping those holding points really holding and > > > because bands lose some of that gentle pressure after awhile. For > > > older babies whose head growth rate is slowing down as they > > approach > > > that 24 month mark, two rounds of shorter treatment may be better. > > > Have you heard other specialists talk about this at any of the > > > seminars or conferences you've attended? It makes sense to me, just > > > wanted to know if you've heard that also. > > > > > > Thanks , > > > from SC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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