Re: passive helmet - Off-the-Shelf Helmet? Repo Helmet?

[Guest guest]

Tricia,

I'm so glad that you posted to my reply!

I thought that the product you are describing might be a new Danmar

product, so it was interesting to hear that it was indeed a Danmar.

The Danmar product that we are familiar with is a passive helmet

that is custom-sized after a casting, and does require the normal

passive helmet adjustments in the usual schedule of every 4 to 6

weeks (according to Danmar's information packet.) It is the helmet

pictured on their website.

I don't think we have had anyone in the group yet who has been

offered this new type of cranial helmet.

Some immediate differences I notice are definitely in price - the

custom helmets and bands can cost from $1000 to $4000, and also the

correction mechanism. What you have described concerning this new

type of helmet sounds to me as if it's more of a repositioning

device on the head. In other words, the foam on the outside of the

helmet will provide a cushioned surface and also deter the baby from

turning his/her head onto the flat area. It sounds as if there is

no helmet/shell of a harder material surrounding the head to help re-

shape the head 3-dimensionally with growth spurts. I am also

assuming that the soft helmet does not redirect growth on any areas

of the head.... Am I understanding correctly how they described

this helmet correcting your baby's plagio? I saw where you

mentioned that foam inserts would be removed as needed every 8

weeks, far less frequency than we have ever heard of. Is that so

that the soft foam helmet will not be too snug, but, again, the soft

foam over-helmet is not reshaping the head in any way, right?

Another difference is also the adjustment schedule. With custom

helmets, active bands can have an adjustment schedule of every week

for a baby as young as yours, and passive helmets every 3-4 weeks.

Your adjustment schedule tells me that the helmet you are describing

must have almost no reshaping properties of the whole head, or very

little, to only be seen every 8 weeks in a baby as young as yours.

Unlike the product you are describing, passive custom helmets fit

onto the head with static, holding pressure to secure the fit, and

provide a round shape for the head to grow into, relying on growth

spurts alone to fill the headshape into the round shape. The round

shape of the helmet, when abutted against by a growing head, will

redirect growth the the areas of the helmet that DO have space (the

flat area.)

Part of the reason that I am so interested in the product you are

describing is that we used aggressive repositioning only to treat

our daughter Remy's plagio. The helmet you are describing sounds to

me to be more of a repositioning helmet, rather than a custom

passive or active band/helmet that can use holding points 3-

dimensionally all over the head to reshape the entire head. I would

have loved to have a snug, soft cap with a foam piece on the outside

for Remy to sleep in at night to keep her off of the flat area. I

have heard via email from a doctor in New Zealand that he uses a

similar design frequently, basically a repositioning cap. Your cap

might have additional reshaping properties - maybe this is something

you could ask about if you have time; I would be very interested!

If this is so, then if I were you, I would approach this helmet as a

repo device, and evaluate it as if I were repositioning my baby, not

helmet or banding in the usual, custom-made sense, with all of the

results that implies. Are there areas of your baby's head besides

the flat area that concern you, such as ear misalignment, forehead

bossing, facial asymmetry, or excessive width?

I would love to hear more information, or be of help in any way,

Christie (Mom to Repo'd Remy)

> > > My son was diagnosed w/ Plagiocephaly at 3.5 months. The

doctor

> > we

> > > were refered to suggested a " passive helmet " - no molding or

> > > casting. It is a soft " standard " sized helmet with a foam

block

> > > attached to the back of the head (over the flat spot).

> > >

> > > Has anyone else used this type of therapy and if so, what were

> the

> > > results?

> > > Thanks,

> > > TYP

[Guest guest]

Hi Tricia & welcome!

Thanks for your information on this product.

I've been w/the group 3+ yrs and it was killing me trying to

remember who else used a product similar to your son's. I was happy

when I went into our group's FILES

Plagiocephaly/files/

section, then " helmet & band brand photos " to find " Fergus in

Ireland " picture, he wore something that sounds similar to your

son. If I remember correctly, there were no other options for them

in Ireland besides this product that you'll see in the picture.

Does it resemble your son's?

I don't remember hearing if that product proved successful or not

for Fergus.

Please do keep us posted on this. I hope it works for your little

guy and hope it'll benefit future plagio babies as well!!!

Debbie Abby's mom DOCGrad

MI

>

> > > > My son was diagnosed w/ Plagiocephaly at 3.5 months. The

> doctor

> > > we

> > > > were refered to suggested a " passive helmet " - no molding or

> > > > casting. It is a soft " standard " sized helmet with a foam

> block

> > > > attached to the back of the head (over the flat spot).

> > > >

> > > > Has anyone else used this type of therapy and if so, what

were

> > the

> > > > results?

> > > > Thanks,

> > > > TYP

[Guest guest]

Debbie -

That helmet is exactly like the one my son is in. I will keep you

posted to my son's progress.

Thanks,

Tricia

> > > > > My son was diagnosed w/ Plagiocephaly at 3.5 months. The

> > doctor

> > > > we

> > > > > were refered to suggested a " passive helmet " - no molding

or

> > > > > casting. It is a soft " standard " sized helmet with a foam

> > block

> > > > > attached to the back of the head (over the flat spot).

> > > > >

> > > > > Has anyone else used this type of therapy and if so, what

> were

> > > the

> > > > > results?

> > > > > Thanks,

> > > > > TYP

[Guest guest]

Tricia,

Please do let us know how your son is coming along in his helmet! I

thought perhaps one of the other moderators would know something

about this style, and would be able to help. I would love to learn

about this treatment option.

Please post when he has his progress scans done, and take care,

Christie (Mom to Repo'd Remy)

> > > > > > My son was diagnosed w/ Plagiocephaly at 3.5 months.

The

> > > doctor

> > > > > we

> > > > > > were refered to suggested a " passive helmet " - no

molding

> or

> > > > > > casting. It is a soft " standard " sized helmet with a

foam

> > > block

> > > > > > attached to the back of the head (over the flat spot).

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Has anyone else used this type of therapy and if so,

what

> > were

> > > > the

> > > > > > results?

> > > > > > Thanks,

> > > > > > TYP