Re: Anything else I need to learn about brachy /

[Guest guest]

,

I am going to request confirmation from Cranial Tech, but I am

almost positive that brachy is treatable up to the 18 month or 24

month mark, just as with plagio or scaphy. I belive that Valeria's

doctor is in error with the brachy correction assumption of a 12

months deadline, and would hate for incorrect information to get

out. Although I have read that correction slows down in the " older "

infant, usually described at 12 months plus, Cranial Tech conducted

a study that correction CAN take place - it doesn't specify that one

headshape can't be treated at that older age.

My biggest learning over time and as the Repo Moderator is that is

is so critical for brachy babies to prevent any further widening of

the head to achieve the best correction of the cephalic ratio

possible. This is a unique concern with brachy babies, and should

be taken into consideration when evaluating whether repositioning

will help, and when deciding on what repo techniques to use, you are

so right! My own daughter was a brachy/plagio combo, and, although

I didn't realize it then, we took every opportunity for placing her

head on it's side to help passively hold the side of the head while

allowing the flattened back to grow outward... we chose this

technique over just keeping her head off of any surface and up in

the air, where her head would continue to grow outward all over,

including the sides!

Take care,

Christie (Mom to Repo'd Remy)

> > > Lucia is 8 mo. old, DOC banded on 5/12/04, six weeks ago,

plagio

> > and

> > > brachy. According to her orthotist last Friday, she still has

3,

> > max

> > > 4 weeks in this band. Today we went to her pediatric plastic

> > surgeon

> > > for a check up. While her plagio has considerably improved,

with

> > an

> > > asymmetry = to 4 or 5 (depending on who measured it), her

> > > brachycephaly is just as bad as it was, (92.2 for CT, 96.3 for

> the

> > > surgeon). So here is what new I learned today. During these

last

> > six

> > > weeks, the DOC band has been adjusted to treat the plagio,

which

> > is

> > > indeed improved. Chances are, it will improve even further in

> the

> > > next 3-4 weeks of life of this band. BUT, the band was not

> > adjusted

> > > to treat brachy, as it was not possible to treat both. First

> comes

> > > plagio, and I agree completely with it. BUT, this means that,

if

> > we

> > > want to improve brachy, we need another band, which would be

> > > adjusted to address that problem. How comes we have never

> learned

> > > this over the last 4 months we have been going back and forth

to

> > the

> > > doctor and CT? Also, brachy can only be treated until 12

months.

> > > Therefore, if we decide to go for a brachy-band, which will

not

> be

> > > ready for another 1.5 months or 2 (we need to complete the

> > treatment

> > > for plagio), then Lucia really has only 2 months to hope for

any

> > > improvement with a second band. The doctor, who treats all

kinds

> > of

> > > facial deformities and therefore sees Lucia's head as almost

> > > perfect, has nonetheless given us a prescription for a brachy-

> > band.

> > > Now we are left with the question again: to band or not to

band?

> > > Lucia head's looks much better than before, her asymmetry will

> be

> > > likely almost completely taken care of by the end of the first

> > band.

> > > So what we really want from a second band is to make her head

> > looked

> > > narrower by allowing growth on the back. Do we do it? Do we

put

> > her

> > > through 2-3 additional months in the band? Do we spend another

> > > $3000, since BCBS of FL is the worst possible insurance we

could

> > > possibly have in this situation? My hysband wants to wait for

> the

> > > end of the first band to make a decision. Of course it appears

> to

> > be

> > > quite rational to wait. But I am devastated.....I though when

we

> > > decided to band Lucia that we would end up with a perfect

baby,

> > that

> > > the sacrifices we and she were to make would pay off. But what

> is

> > > satisfaction in this case? Is it me who wants a perfect baby?

> > Should

> > > I tone down my expectations? I wish someone had an answer to

my

> > > questions, but some support may be just as appreciated.

> > >

> > > Valeria

>

>

>

> For more plagio info