Sign me up for Orthotist school......Oh Dear......

July 1, 2004

I have been really busy today so I haven't been able to reply to the

posts for me from yesterday - I am so sorry....

I made some more calls today. Here are my options:

1. DOC band - Phoenix or San Diego. Some of my relatives are in

the process of moving down to Phoenix. They are questioning my

sanity about flying Alyssa there every 2 weeks. Before when I first

mentioned it, their arms were wide open. Last night they were

trying to discourage me and when I suggested staying at the

Mc house they encouraged me to look into it. I was a little

more impressed with the people I spoke with at the San Diego office -

both are good I am sure but San Diego would not be as hot.

2. Hanger band A - The man was very professional yesterday and when

I talked to him today he said that he has not been making helmets

that long - he has been an orthotist for 6 years and the number of

helmets he has made is in the dozens which probably really means 10

helmets. He has 2 kids out there wearing his helmets right now. He

did say that he took a class from someone who has made over a

thousand helmets. The orthotist's own son is almost 5 and they

decided to let the plagio resolve on its own. It didn't. He said

the hair covers his son's flat spot but when he bends down his ears

are totally misaligned. RED FLAG: If Dad is an orthotist and makes

helmets for a living, why didn't SON get a helmet? He sends his

casts to AZ to be made. Takes 2 weeks to get back. Fittings are as

needed, it is up to me to determine when needed. Said that he has

seen facial asymmetry improve. He said he has alot of freedom to do

things his way.

3. Hanger band B - The man has been making helmets for 2-3 years and

has made about 30 total. He said that all helmets have pressure in

them. Adjustment schedule - come back after a month of initial

fitting and every 4 weeks after that. Believes that plagio mostly

resolves on its own. Said with a child my age, the success rate is

about 60/40 and that parents " weren't like, WOW " about the changes

the helmet made. This man comes recommended from a nurse at a

hospital because he used to make the helmets for their patients. He

sends his his casts to Florida. They take about a week to get back

but I don't think that he called to find out that info. Since being

with Hanger, he has not used the Florida facility. He said if the

helmet came back and he didn't like it, he would " P*S* " on it.

Exact words. He also said that after the casting is done, he would

make changes to the cast if needed because he is very picky. He

said that casts are better than laser scans.

4. Hanger Band C - They have that laser scan -can't remember what

it is called. The guy said that they have done 30 helmets so far

this year. His voice kind of sounded like a young surfer

dude...lol. He said that Alyssa would need to be seen every 4

weeks. He said that pressure in a helmet is illegal. He offered to

send me a hanger brochure in the mail. He told me that the prices

would be going up soon. I asked if I could see him more than once

every 4 weeks and he said no problem. He sends his helmets to AZ

and he said it takes about 2 weeks to get back. I later found out

that orthotist at Hanger B trained Hanger Orthotist C - didn't use

the word " trained " but I think it was an apprentice type of thing.

He said that orthotist C is a " good guy. "

5. Starband - Price of this is $1000 more than Hanger B or C.

Independent orthotist. She sent me info. in the mail about the

Starband along with her business card that lists 3 separate

addresses/phone numbers. I am assuming she works out of 3 clinics

in 3 separate cities. The Starband paperwork has information about

how it is to be used. It says not to wait more than 2 weeks after

casting for the fitting. In her paperwork, she says that it takes 3

weeks to get the helmet back. She makes adjustments every 4 weeks

and the paperwork for Starband suggests every 2 weeks for atleast

the first month. She is the one who said that they do make the

helmets but that they will probably stop because their is too much

paperwork involved. She was also discouraging me due to Alyssa's

age and because of the hot weather. Tried to call her back today to

ask about the paperwork discrepancies but couldn't reach her. Will

try back tomorrow.

I have decided that I should check into orthotist school because I

am less than thrilled today about the options in my state and I

would probably make a lot of money as an orthotist here. I had

pretty much ruled out DOC because of the travel time/cost,

disruption to the family. This morning I thought I would just pick

one of the 4 local people. I wanted to talk to everyone again.

With the Hanger people, I got different answers at all 3 locations.

Am I being too harsh and judgemental here or are there some red

flags?

The casting appt. I made yesterday with Hanger A is supposed to be

for tomorrow. He said that he wouldn't be able to send the cast out

until Tuesday, possibly Wed. or Thursday though because he is taking

some vacation days. To reschedule the appt. would be next Thurs. or

Fri. Hanger B can get us in next Wed. Hanger C could have

scheduled me today. Not sure about Starband or DOC.

Opinions?

Diane

Alyssa

WA State - the helmet deprived state!

July 2, 2004

Oh Dear Diane!

I don't blame you for being a little judgemental about them! I would

be the exact same way. Nice use of words!! I want to say more but I

better not. :-)

I am so sorry about your dilemma. I think you or someone needs to go

to orthotist school there! There is a real need in every area.

I think you are doing a great job at researching your options and

will come to the best conclusion for Alyssa. Try not to let well-

meaning relatives negative words get in the way of your decision. I

hope that your dh stands behind you 100%. GL and let us know...

Sue

Colin F. 9 mos. brachy, rt plag, STARband 6/29/04

Buffalo, NY

> I have been really busy today so I haven't been able to reply to

the

> posts for me from yesterday - I am so sorry....

> I made some more calls today. Here are my options:

>

> 1. DOC band - Phoenix or San Diego. Some of my relatives are in

> the process of moving down to Phoenix. They are questioning my

> sanity about flying Alyssa there every 2 weeks. Before when I

first

> mentioned it, their arms were wide open. Last night they were

> trying to discourage me and when I suggested staying at the

> Mc house they encouraged me to look into it. I was a little

> more impressed with the people I spoke with at the San Diego

office -

> both are good I am sure but San Diego would not be as hot.

>

> 2. Hanger band A - The man was very professional yesterday and

when

> I talked to him today he said that he has not been making helmets

> that long - he has been an orthotist for 6 years and the number of

> helmets he has made is in the dozens which probably really means 10

> helmets. He has 2 kids out there wearing his helmets right now.

He

> did say that he took a class from someone who has made over a

> thousand helmets. The orthotist's own son is almost 5 and they

> decided to let the plagio resolve on its own. It didn't. He said

> the hair covers his son's flat spot but when he bends down his ears

> are totally misaligned. RED FLAG: If Dad is an orthotist and

makes

> helmets for a living, why didn't SON get a helmet? He sends his

> casts to AZ to be made. Takes 2 weeks to get back. Fittings are

as

> needed, it is up to me to determine when needed. Said that he has

> seen facial asymmetry improve. He said he has alot of freedom to

do

> things his way.

>

> 3. Hanger band B - The man has been making helmets for 2-3 years

and

> has made about 30 total. He said that all helmets have pressure in

> them. Adjustment schedule - come back after a month of initial

> fitting and every 4 weeks after that. Believes that plagio mostly

> resolves on its own. Said with a child my age, the success rate is

> about 60/40 and that parents " weren't like, WOW " about the changes

> the helmet made. This man comes recommended from a nurse at a

> hospital because he used to make the helmets for their patients. He

> sends his his casts to Florida. They take about a week to get back

> but I don't think that he called to find out that info. Since

being

> with Hanger, he has not used the Florida facility. He said if the

> helmet came back and he didn't like it, he would " P*S* " on it.

> Exact words. He also said that after the casting is done, he would

> make changes to the cast if needed because he is very picky. He

> said that casts are better than laser scans.

>

> 4. Hanger Band C - They have that laser scan -can't remember what

> it is called. The guy said that they have done 30 helmets so far

> this year. His voice kind of sounded like a young surfer

> dude...lol. He said that Alyssa would need to be seen every 4

> weeks. He said that pressure in a helmet is illegal. He offered

to

> send me a hanger brochure in the mail. He told me that the prices

> would be going up soon. I asked if I could see him more than once

> every 4 weeks and he said no problem. He sends his helmets to AZ

> and he said it takes about 2 weeks to get back. I later found out

> that orthotist at Hanger B trained Hanger Orthotist C - didn't use

> the word " trained " but I think it was an apprentice type of thing.

> He said that orthotist C is a " good guy. "

>

> 5. Starband - Price of this is $1000 more than Hanger B or C.

> Independent orthotist. She sent me info. in the mail about the

> Starband along with her business card that lists 3 separate

> addresses/phone numbers. I am assuming she works out of 3 clinics

> in 3 separate cities. The Starband paperwork has information about

> how it is to be used. It says not to wait more than 2 weeks after

> casting for the fitting. In her paperwork, she says that it takes

3

> weeks to get the helmet back. She makes adjustments every 4 weeks

> and the paperwork for Starband suggests every 2 weeks for atleast

> the first month. She is the one who said that they do make the

> helmets but that they will probably stop because their is too much

> paperwork involved. She was also discouraging me due to Alyssa's

> age and because of the hot weather. Tried to call her back today

to

> ask about the paperwork discrepancies but couldn't reach her. Will

> try back tomorrow.

>

> I have decided that I should check into orthotist school because I

> am less than thrilled today about the options in my state and I

> would probably make a lot of money as an orthotist here. I had

> pretty much ruled out DOC because of the travel time/cost,

> disruption to the family. This morning I thought I would just pick

> one of the 4 local people. I wanted to talk to everyone again.

> With the Hanger people, I got different answers at all 3

locations.

> Am I being too harsh and judgemental here or are there some red

> flags?

> The casting appt. I made yesterday with Hanger A is supposed to be

> for tomorrow. He said that he wouldn't be able to send the cast

out

> until Tuesday, possibly Wed. or Thursday though because he is

taking

> some vacation days. To reschedule the appt. would be next Thurs. or

> Fri. Hanger B can get us in next Wed. Hanger C could have

> scheduled me today. Not sure about Starband or DOC.

>

> Opinions?

>

> Diane

> Alyssa

> WA State - the helmet deprived state!

July 2, 2004

Of the Hanger stories you tell, Hanger C sounds like the most

professional and accomodating as well as direct and honest about the

practice. Just because he trained with someone else you talked to

does not mean he is not very talented. it is an art sort of thing.

Scanning was wondefully east, but I have experience casting(feet) and

appreciate the art to it and how someone prefers that in his/her

practice.

Tough choice. I forget how old Alyssa exactly is, but I reviewed her

pictures and I cannot see how a band would not help at least the

symmetry of her posterior head(at her age), and I think she is

*adorable* anyway in her face pictures! Colin also has facial

asymmetry, yet is a very handsome baby if I do say so, hee, hee. I

was told by my Hanger ortho, the face is not directly addressed, but

will do better growing on a rounder base once the post. skull is

corrected. The best progress is in Colin's forehead! Really, the

band did hold his bump down by nature of the contact and he has grown

so that the % of the difference changes to less, if that makes

sense.

I agonized over the choices and I had much easier distance decisions

to make than you do. I have had to go in much more frequently than

expected(My guy is only 6 months on the 6th), and it has been a huge

plus that the facility and staff have been extremely respectful of my

thoughts on the fit, accomodating me and spending alot of time

working on it when we are there. Now, I do think maybe part of it is

a learning orthotist(esp new to scanning, not helmets) but he is very

willing to hear my feedback with respect and work on the fit

repeatedly with great patience.

So, it sounds like all of the choices for you have similar

experience, and the C makes the most on a regular basis so gets the

most practice. Just my opinion, and I hope it is helpful. Good luck

with your choice. mish