Re: styles of bands/helmets

[Guest guest]

Hi Sandy,

The different type bands have to do with both brand and headshape.

If you go to our files section and click on " Helmet and Band Brand

Photo " you can see what they all look like. You can see the DOCband

alone has numerous different shapes for certain headshapes.

, mom to Hannah, DOCgrad

Cape Cod, Ma

--- In Plagiocephaly , " Sandy " <sandymom1994@y...>

wrote:

> Hello to all!! I had a question... is soon to be

casted

> for his band, and I have looked at almost every sweet child in the

> photo section and I see so many diffrent bands...some closed, some

> open, some open on one side, some with a strap under the

chin...boy,

> I kinda thought there was only one style. Is it the brand or is

it

> your childs unique situation? is 4 months an has been

dx

> with torticollis, plagiocephaly and cerebral hypotinia (?spelling?)

> therefor his head is in a shape, let me tell ya. That's another

> question does anyone elses child have cerebral hypotiona (?

spelling?)

> This is all just so new, I'm learning all I can. I read the post

> about the stares at home depot and that bothers me. In my heart I

> know that I'm about to do a very inportant thing for my child, and

> I'm not sure how I will react to the looks---we'll see--but I will

be

> strong for my son-- anyone with any info, please post it, Thank

you

> in advance, Sandy

[Guest guest]

Sandy,

Isn't it amazing how many different bands and helmets there are?

Before I joined this group myself almost 2 years ago, I would never

have known that there was that kind of variety.

The reason there are so many, is that there are different companies

and facilities that manufacture their own particular brand of band.

In fact, there are over 20 unique FDA approved helmets and bands so

far.

All of the bands and helmets are not available everywhere. In

general terms, there are basically two business models for band

companies. Some are only manufacturers, who ship out their product

to different orthos who order them, and some are facilities that

manufacture their own bands at their own facilities and use their

own orthos.

In Kentucky, for example, we have the COPC option in New Albany, IN,

who manufactures their own band at their own office. The COPC band

is the only band they offer there. At Hanger in Louisville, they do

something similar in that they offer their own Hanger Cranial Band

that they manufacture. In addition, however, Hanger can also order

the Starband from the Starband manufacturer (Orthomerica) and treat

babies with that product.

Another general difference between the different bands and helmets

is that some are of an active design and some of are of a passive

design. How they work also affects how the band or helmet is

designed. Passive helmets and bands rely on the baby's head growth

alone to fill out into the round shell of the helmet. Passive

helmets work best on younger babies who have lots of growth spurts

ahead of them. Active bands rely not only on growth, but also on

applying gentle, immediate pressure to redirect growth to the

flattened areas. Because of their active design, active bands can

work well on younger as well as older babies, including babies with

severe or complex headshape issues that may mean requiring wearing

two bands in succession.

The COPC band that is getting is a passive helmet - he

is a younger baby and should do fine with correction in that style

helmet.

The Hanger Cranial Band available from Hanger in Louisville has an

open top, and is of active design.

Thanks for the great question; I know I wondered the same thing when

I first started our plagio journey.

Take care,

Christie (Mom to Repo'd Remy)

-- In Plagiocephaly , " Sandy " <sandymom1994@y...>

wrote:

> Hello to all!! I had a question... is soon to be

casted

> for his band, and I have looked at almost every sweet child in the

> photo section and I see so many diffrent bands...some closed, some

> open, some open on one side, some with a strap under the

chin...boy,

> I kinda thought there was only one style. Is it the brand or is

it

> your childs unique situation? is 4 months an has been

dx

> with torticollis, plagiocephaly and cerebral hypotinia (?spelling?)

> therefor his head is in a shape, let me tell ya. That's another

> question does anyone elses child have cerebral hypotiona (?

spelling?)

> This is all just so new, I'm learning all I can. I read the post

> about the stares at home depot and that bothers me. In my heart I

> know that I'm about to do a very inportant thing for my child, and

> I'm not sure how I will react to the looks---we'll see--but I will

be

> strong for my son-- anyone with any info, please post it, Thank

you

> in advance, Sandy

[Guest guest]

Hello Sandy

Welcome to the group. I meant to post to you earier, but I got real

busy this weekend.

I meant to ask if they did an MRI on . Who diagnosed him

with cerebral hypotonia? Willow my daughter had torticollis /

plagiocephaly, and low muscletone (hypotonia), but with months of

therapy (physical, and occupational, and home streching) it is mostly

resolved now. Willow is a bit on the slower side, and used to be in

the developmental delay classification, but is catching up. She was

also premature. Was on time? Did you gys have a hard

delivery? You can get tons of info on the torticollis board as

well. They are great over there, and have helped Willow and I get

through some tough times. Do you see a neurologist with

? I'm just really curious, b/c the term " cerebral "

hypotonia would suggest that it's neurological, and I was wondering

how they diagnosed this.

Sandy Willow's Mom

Torticollis resolved

Cranio Germany Grad

--- In Plagiocephaly , " Sandy " <sandymom1994@y...>

wrote:

> Hello to all!! I had a question... is soon to be casted

> for his band, and I have looked at almost every sweet child in the

> photo section and I see so many diffrent bands...some closed, some

> open, some open on one side, some with a strap under the

chin...boy,

> I kinda thought there was only one style. Is it the brand or is it

> your childs unique situation? is 4 months an has been

dx

> with torticollis, plagiocephaly and cerebral hypotinia (?spelling?)

> therefor his head is in a shape, let me tell ya. That's another

> question does anyone elses child have cerebral hypotiona (?

spelling?)

> This is all just so new, I'm learning all I can. I read the post

> about the stares at home depot and that bothers me. In my heart I

> know that I'm about to do a very inportant thing for my child, and

> I'm not sure how I will react to the looks---we'll see--but I will

be

> strong for my son-- anyone with any info, please post it, Thank

you

> in advance, Sandy

[Guest guest]

Hi Sandy-

I felt exactly like you and now that my Mackenzie has been in the

helmet for two months I barely notice she has it on. You will get

some looks but in my experience people are just curious and most of

them smile.... You have options to get a band or helmet, I would ask

your doctor which one they recommend then do a little research to

decide which one you prefer. There is a wealth of information in

this group... My sanity depended on the support I received. Keep the

questions coming, someone out there has had the same question.

Good luck-

Lana

Atlanta, GA

--- In Plagiocephaly , " Sandy " <sandymom1994@y...>

wrote:

> Hello to all!! I had a question... is soon to be casted

> for his band, and I have looked at almost every sweet child in the

> photo section and I see so many diffrent bands...some closed, some

> open, some open on one side, some with a strap under the

chin...boy,

> I kinda thought there was only one style. Is it the brand or is it

> your childs unique situation? is 4 months an has been

dx

> with torticollis, plagiocephaly and cerebral hypotinia (?spelling?)

> therefor his head is in a shape, let me tell ya. That's another

> question does anyone elses child have cerebral hypotiona (?

spelling?)

> This is all just so new, I'm learning all I can. I read the post

> about the stares at home depot and that bothers me. In my heart I

> know that I'm about to do a very inportant thing for my child, and

> I'm not sure how I will react to the looks---we'll see--but I will

be

> strong for my son-- anyone with any info, please post it, Thank

you

> in advance, Sandy