Guest guest Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 Hi Gail. My son was in an HMO who wouldn't treat my son. He was nearly 18 mos by the time I managed to get him treatment, so he was too old for anything BUT a DOC Band. Darcy at Children's told me there was no way they would band him because of his age, so I didn't even bother waiting for an appt with craniofacial. I don't know if this Mom I met saw Darcy. I do know that that degree of plagio would be hard to miss even for a layperson. My friend's son Ty also has significant asymmetry and that was dismissed, too. I also don't know whom she saw. I have talked to two other moms who got helmets right away on young babies with plagio milder than my son's. I don't know what is going on over there. I wonder if some docs are poorly trained at seeing asymmetry. However, the kid I met yesterday-- there's no training needed. Thanks for sharing your story, and I am so glad you got treatment right away! Where are you located? , 20 mos, tort, DOC Band 5/7 --- In Plagiocephaly , " gailee11 " <gailee11@y...> wrote: > Wow, that upsets and shocks me. My son has had such wonderful > results from the Clarren, but he was diagnosed at 4 mos. and had to > wait until 6 mos. to start. His plagio wasn't considered severe, > but no one questioned the referral from my pediatrician when we had > our appointment there. I never felt like I had to convince anyone > that needed the treatment (feel free to check out his before > pictures under in Our Plagio Kids). They left it up to me > to choose between repo and helmet treatment. I actually had a > harder time getting started on PT for his toricollis in a timely > manner. But obviously my experience hasn't been the case for > everyone. Do you know who this mother spoke with at Children's? > The other moms I know all spoke with Darcy, who was the same person > who initally diagnosed . > > has a docband, right? Where are you located? If you are in > Seattle, you must have had to travel pretty far. Was it because you > couldn't get an appointment right away at Childrens, or didn't want > to wait until 6 mos to start? I'm just curious. Good for you for > taking the initiative to do what's best for your baby! > > Gail > 11 mos, - 5 mos. in Clarren (almost done!) > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 Hi , It is so frustrating that in the Seattle area there is nothing available that can treat older babies. I felt very fortunate that we caught 's plagio early - in fact, I was kicking myself that we didn't figure out something was wrong until 4 months - since 2 months we had actually been joking about how he never wanted to look at anything on his right(duh - we had never even heard of plagio or torticollis). It helped once I started talking w/ other parents on the boards and realized I wasn't the only mom who had missed it. I just needed to do what I could with the time that remained. I would have liked to have had the option of a STARband or DOCband for , as he had facial and ear asymmetry, which are not necessarily corrected by the Clarren. It seems like the STARband should be available here, since the Clarren is made by the same company and both use the STARscan. I considered taking to CT in Phoenix, which is where my family lives, but since my husband and I are both full-time teachers, it was very difficult to get enough time off to take him for regular adjustments, and of course the cost of the trips was prohibitive. But we have been lucky in that responded very well to the Clarren treatment. We live in Port Orchard, so we take a ferry ride downtown whenever he needs an adjustment, which has only been once so far. Where did you end up taking ? Was it San Diego? Do you live in Seattle? Are you happy with his progress so far? We just got back from a trip to visit my family in Phoenix and I was surprised at how many people came up to me to share that their child or a child they knew had gone through helmet therapy, and to comment on how wonderful it was. That NEVER happens here. I don't think the word is out about helmets here, and maybe it's because not enough people are being referred! Surprisingly enough, my HMO (Group Health) actually suggested it to me. I had never even heard of it before. Which HMO do you have? I imagine that you have been appealing...? I hope so. It looks like so many people have had success after several appeals. BTW, is that your with the Caesar decorated band? Too cute! Gail 11 mos, - 5 mos. in Clarren (almost done!) > > Wow, that upsets and shocks me. My son has had such wonderful > > results from the Clarren, but he was diagnosed at 4 mos. and had to > > wait until 6 mos. to start. His plagio wasn't considered severe, > > but no one questioned the referral from my pediatrician when we had > > our appointment there. I never felt like I had to convince anyone > > that needed the treatment (feel free to check out his > before > > pictures under in Our Plagio Kids). They left it up to me > > to choose between repo and helmet treatment. I actually had a > > harder time getting started on PT for his toricollis in a timely > > manner. But obviously my experience hasn't been the case for > > everyone. Do you know who this mother spoke with at Children's? > > The other moms I know all spoke with Darcy, who was the same person > > who initally diagnosed . > > > > has a docband, right? Where are you located? If you are in > > Seattle, you must have had to travel pretty far. Was it because > you > > couldn't get an appointment right away at Childrens, or didn't want > > to wait until 6 mos to start? I'm just curious. Good for you for > > taking the initiative to do what's best for your baby! > > > > Gail > > 11 mos, - 5 mos. in Clarren (almost done!) > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 WEIRD! Group Health said they wouldn't recommend a band because they didn't want to pay for it! Now I know I'm going to win our appeal, if they paid for your Clarren. Yes, we go to San Diego to Cranial Tech. I am VERY happy with the results he has gotten from his DOC Band. I only wish he could get a second band, but really that's just fine tuning. His hairline is still totally wonky but his face and eyes look much better and he won't be doomed to a lifetime of special order sports helmets because of that flat spot! He will be asymmetrical but he will look normal and will have to find another reason to get beat up in school. I'm so glad your child got treated. Oh, yep, that's my little emperor! parker, 20 mos > > > Wow, that upsets and shocks me. My son has had such wonderful > > > results from the Clarren, but he was diagnosed at 4 mos. and had > to > > > wait until 6 mos. to start. His plagio wasn't considered > severe, > > > but no one questioned the referral from my pediatrician when we > had > > > our appointment there. I never felt like I had to convince > anyone > > > that needed the treatment (feel free to check out his > > before > > > pictures under in Our Plagio Kids). They left it up to > me > > > to choose between repo and helmet treatment. I actually had a > > > harder time getting started on PT for his toricollis in a timely > > > manner. But obviously my experience hasn't been the case for > > > everyone. Do you know who this mother spoke with at > Children's? > > > The other moms I know all spoke with Darcy, who was the same > person > > > who initally diagnosed . > > > > > > has a docband, right? Where are you located? If you are > in > > > Seattle, you must have had to travel pretty far. Was it because > > you > > > couldn't get an appointment right away at Childrens, or didn't > want > > > to wait until 6 mos to start? I'm just curious. Good for you > for > > > taking the initiative to do what's best for your baby! > > > > > > Gail > > > 11 mos, - 5 mos. in Clarren (almost done!) > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 How strange that you had a different experience with GHC. Maybe because of his age, and the fact that there are no local band providers? Not sure. But either way, I think the fact that they cover a Clarren should help in your appeal. Let me know if I can provide any other info on our coverage if it will help in your appeal. I can't see any facial assymetry from 's photos, but it's hard to tell. He's adorable! Let me know if you upload any pictures of him w/out his band on. Gotta run - 2 needy children climbing on me! Gail - 11 mos > > > > Wow, that upsets and shocks me. My son has had such wonderful > > > > results from the Clarren, but he was diagnosed at 4 mos. and > had > > to > > > > wait until 6 mos. to start. His plagio wasn't considered > > severe, > > > > but no one questioned the referral from my pediatrician when we > > had > > > > our appointment there. I never felt like I had to convince > > anyone > > > > that needed the treatment (feel free to check out his > > > before > > > > pictures under in Our Plagio Kids). They left it up to > > me > > > > to choose between repo and helmet treatment. I actually had a > > > > harder time getting started on PT for his toricollis in a > timely > > > > manner. But obviously my experience hasn't been the case for > > > > everyone. Do you know who this mother spoke with at > > Children's? > > > > The other moms I know all spoke with Darcy, who was the same > > person > > > > who initally diagnosed . > > > > > > > > has a docband, right? Where are you located? If you > are > > in > > > > Seattle, you must have had to travel pretty far. Was it > because > > > you > > > > couldn't get an appointment right away at Childrens, or didn't > > want > > > > to wait until 6 mos to start? I'm just curious. Good for you > > for > > > > taking the initiative to do what's best for your baby! > > > > > > > > Gail > > > > 11 mos, - 5 mos. in Clarren (almost done!) > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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