how do i make my decision??

[Guest guest]

I know you are all parents out there and i know you can realte to how

i feel. I am a first time mom, amd i am so sick to my stomach about

Alyssa, i just dont know what to do anymore!! I started crying to my

husband as he was getting ready for work today, and i was just trying

to get ready for work as well. I am just lost!! I have posted a few

times, but i am still not sure if Alyssa will benefit from a helmet

or not? She is almost 6 months old (10/15/04). When she was about 4

months old, i noticed her head was looking flat, i asked the Dr, he

said yes it was very common, and should hopefully round out. I relaly

do like my ped. and he was even my ped. when i was a child, he has

been in the practice for over 30 + years and i am very confident in

him. So yesterday, I took Alyssa to see him again, since it has been

two more months. I actually started crying to him, and he was very

sincere, he said " he hears what i am saying " and he does see where it

is flat in the back. ( i feel it is flat in the back, and more wide

in the front........the sad thing is that when she was born, everyone

commented on her perfectly round her head looked). So then i asked

him, what can I do to correct this, and he said, well there is no

guarnatee that it will be perfectly round, but i just have to keep

her off of her back, etc. And then he said, some paretns choose to

get helmets to fix it,but insurance wont cover it becuase it is

considered cosmetic. So i just said, okay ( i wish i would have

asked him more, i was just so upset, i didnt). so then i called a

carinal facial place in NJ ( St phs's hosptial) to try to get an

appointment ( they can see me 11/02) but they need to know the name

of the Dr. who referred me ( did he refer me or, do you think he was

just like, you gotta do, what you gotta do??). Should i call back and

see if the nurse would tell me what the next step would be if i did

choose to get a helmet? Or do i not even need one, would he have

pressed it more if i did?

I am really getting myself so worked up about this, i was sick to my

stomach about it today and cant think about anything else So now

i just dont know what to do. Also, we do have the money in our

savings so if we had to pay for it we could, but now am is is just

cosmetic??

Thanks so much!!

(sorry so long)

Donna

[Guest guest]

The way i made my decision about Jenna's band was this. I asked myself if i

could be happy with her current headshape if it didn't change on its own.

The answer for our family was no. Jenna was high moderate to severe

plagio/brachy.

I would definitely call and talk to the nurse. If you have a cranial tech

near by they will give a free evaluation also.

Please keep us posted. Also see if you can get on the Dr.s cancellation

list. I know how frustrating waiting is. It took us almost 3 months to get

into Jenna's specialist.

Angie and Jenna(STAR grad)

how do i make my decision??

>

>

> I know you are all parents out there and i know you can realte to how

> i feel. I am a first time mom, amd i am so sick to my stomach about

> Alyssa, i just dont know what to do anymore!! I started crying to my

> husband as he was getting ready for work today, and i was just trying

> to get ready for work as well. I am just lost!! I have posted a few

> times, but i am still not sure if Alyssa will benefit from a helmet

> or not? She is almost 6 months old (10/15/04). When she was about 4

> months old, i noticed her head was looking flat, i asked the Dr, he

> said yes it was very common, and should hopefully round out. I relaly

> do like my ped. and he was even my ped. when i was a child, he has

> been in the practice for over 30 + years and i am very confident in

> him. So yesterday, I took Alyssa to see him again, since it has been

> two more months. I actually started crying to him, and he was very

> sincere, he said " he hears what i am saying " and he does see where it

> is flat in the back. ( i feel it is flat in the back, and more wide

> in the front........the sad thing is that when she was born, everyone

> commented on her perfectly round her head looked). So then i asked

> him, what can I do to correct this, and he said, well there is no

> guarnatee that it will be perfectly round, but i just have to keep

> her off of her back, etc. And then he said, some paretns choose to

> get helmets to fix it,but insurance wont cover it becuase it is

> considered cosmetic. So i just said, okay ( i wish i would have

> asked him more, i was just so upset, i didnt). so then i called a

> carinal facial place in NJ ( St phs's hosptial) to try to get an

> appointment ( they can see me 11/02) but they need to know the name

> of the Dr. who referred me ( did he refer me or, do you think he was

> just like, you gotta do, what you gotta do??). Should i call back and

> see if the nurse would tell me what the next step would be if i did

> choose to get a helmet? Or do i not even need one, would he have

> pressed it more if i did?

>

> I am really getting myself so worked up about this, i was sick to my

> stomach about it today and cant think about anything else So now

> i just dont know what to do. Also, we do have the money in our

> savings so if we had to pay for it we could, but now am is is just

> cosmetic??

>

> Thanks so much!!

> (sorry so long)

> Donna

>

>

>

>

>

>

> For more plagio info

[Guest guest]

HI Donna,

You need a big (((((HUG))))). We all know how you feel and

you definitly came to the right place. The decision to band a child

is (to me anyways) as big as the decision to have a child. I would

suggest you call the nearest Cranial Tech and ask for a free

evaluation for Alyssa. They will give you an honest opinion about

whether or not Alyssa needs a band and they can help answer all your

questions. You can find the one nearest you by going to the CT

website at www.cranialtech.com . If you do need to band Alyssa then

you will need a referral to go further. I know there are lots of NJ

and NY people here that can help you find a doctor to refer you if

your ped won't. Good Luck with your decision and please keep us

posted on her progress and yours. If you want to just vent or just

need a shoulder to cry on you can e-mail me personally at

docbandbabies@...

I hope your day gets much better :-)

in Texas

Mom to 9/7/03 DOC Grad 7/04

Plagio/Brachy/Tort

Visit 's web page at:

www.babiesonline.com/babies/k/kathryn9703

Make Sure To Sign Her Guestbook :-)

--- In Plagiocephaly , " dperino28 " <dperino28@y...>

wrote:

>

> I know you are all parents out there and i know you can realte to

how

> i feel. I am a first time mom, amd i am so sick to my stomach about

> Alyssa, i just dont know what to do anymore!! I started crying to

my

> husband as he was getting ready for work today, and i was just

trying

> to get ready for work as well. I am just lost!! I have posted a

few

> times, but i am still not sure if Alyssa will benefit from a helmet

> or not? She is almost 6 months old (10/15/04). When she was about

4

> months old, i noticed her head was looking flat, i asked the Dr, he

> said yes it was very common, and should hopefully round out. I

relaly

> do like my ped. and he was even my ped. when i was a child, he has

> been in the practice for over 30 + years and i am very confident in

> him. So yesterday, I took Alyssa to see him again, since it has

been

> two more months. I actually started crying to him, and he was very

> sincere, he said " he hears what i am saying " and he does see where

it

> is flat in the back. ( i feel it is flat in the back, and more wide

> in the front........the sad thing is that when she was born,

everyone

> commented on her perfectly round her head looked). So then i asked

> him, what can I do to correct this, and he said, well there is no

> guarnatee that it will be perfectly round, but i just have to keep

> her off of her back, etc. And then he said, some paretns choose to

> get helmets to fix it,but insurance wont cover it becuase it is

> considered cosmetic. So i just said, okay ( i wish i would have

> asked him more, i was just so upset, i didnt). so then i called a

> carinal facial place in NJ ( St phs's hosptial) to try to get

an

> appointment ( they can see me 11/02) but they need to know the name

> of the Dr. who referred me ( did he refer me or, do you think he

was

> just like, you gotta do, what you gotta do??). Should i call back

and

> see if the nurse would tell me what the next step would be if i did

> choose to get a helmet? Or do i not even need one, would he have

> pressed it more if i did?

>

> I am really getting myself so worked up about this, i was sick to

my

> stomach about it today and cant think about anything else So

now

> i just dont know what to do. Also, we do have the money in our

> savings so if we had to pay for it we could, but now am is is just

> cosmetic??

>

> Thanks so much!!

> (sorry so long)

> Donna

[Guest guest]

Hi Donna,

I totally understand how you feel. I love my son's pediatrician, but

he kept telling me " It'll round out " too. Finally when was 4

months old we pushed for further treatment. He sent us to a pediatric

neurologist. They sent us to Cranial Technologies in Paramus. From

your post it sounds like you are from NJ too. Anyway, got his

band a little over a month ago. He is 6 months old now. He is doing

very well. The casting was fine, and he doesn't mind wearing the band

at all.

has brachycephaly which is what I think Alyssa has. (Flat in

the back of the head, and wider on the sides). 's head is also

higher in the back. It kind of goes up like a coneshape. From what I

have heard from the clinicians at Cranial Technologies, even if you

keep Alyssa off of the flat spot it won't round out. It will keep it

from getting flatter, but will not get round on its own. You have to

actually put pressure on the wider spots on the sides of the head. It

all depends on the severity of Alyssa's head though. If it is not

that bad you can reposition her, but if she is anything like ,

that was not enough. His was too bad. He actually needed pressure

that would be there at all times holding the wide part from growing

out even more.

If I was you I would call the nurse and ask for the actual

referral.Some insurances DO cover the helmets. They don't all

consider it cosmetic. I am waiting to see if my insurance covers it.

I hope they at least cover half. Let me know where you live? Good

luck.

Marcy & (6 1/2 months)

DOC Band baby in NJ

Brachycephaly

--- In Plagiocephaly , " dperino28 " <dperino28@y...>

wrote:

>

> I know you are all parents out there and i know you can realte to

how

> i feel. I am a first time mom, amd i am so sick to my stomach about

> Alyssa, i just dont know what to do anymore!! I started crying to

my

> husband as he was getting ready for work today, and i was just

trying

> to get ready for work as well. I am just lost!! I have posted a

few

> times, but i am still not sure if Alyssa will benefit from a helmet

> or not? She is almost 6 months old (10/15/04). When she was about

4

> months old, i noticed her head was looking flat, i asked the Dr, he

> said yes it was very common, and should hopefully round out. I

relaly

> do like my ped. and he was even my ped. when i was a child, he has

> been in the practice for over 30 + years and i am very confident in

> him. So yesterday, I took Alyssa to see him again, since it has

been

> two more months. I actually started crying to him, and he was very

> sincere, he said " he hears what i am saying " and he does see where

it

> is flat in the back. ( i feel it is flat in the back, and more wide

> in the front........the sad thing is that when she was born,

everyone

> commented on her perfectly round her head looked). So then i asked

> him, what can I do to correct this, and he said, well there is no

> guarnatee that it will be perfectly round, but i just have to keep

> her off of her back, etc. And then he said, some paretns choose to

> get helmets to fix it,but insurance wont cover it becuase it is

> considered cosmetic. So i just said, okay ( i wish i would have

> asked him more, i was just so upset, i didnt). so then i called a

> carinal facial place in NJ ( St phs's hosptial) to try to get

an

> appointment ( they can see me 11/02) but they need to know the name

> of the Dr. who referred me ( did he refer me or, do you think he

was

> just like, you gotta do, what you gotta do??). Should i call back

and

> see if the nurse would tell me what the next step would be if i did

> choose to get a helmet? Or do i not even need one, would he have

> pressed it more if i did?

>

> I am really getting myself so worked up about this, i was sick to

my

> stomach about it today and cant think about anything else So

now

> i just dont know what to do. Also, we do have the money in our

> savings so if we had to pay for it we could, but now am is is just

> cosmetic??

>

> Thanks so much!!

> (sorry so long)

> Donna

[Guest guest]

Hi Donna

I' m sorry you feel so upset- I did too when thinking about getting

a helmet/band for my daughter. I also was a bit tearful and found

the whole thing really difficult. However, once I'd made the

decision to go ahead (after a nerve-wracking visit to the

specialist wondering what they would say) it has been much

easier than I thought. Most babies adjust pretty well to having a

helmet, especially when they are as young as Alyssa- it is not the

big deal to them as it is to us!!! My daughter has continued to be

the same, happy little girl she ever was and she has never

bothered about the helmet at all.

I wouldn't encourage you to go for a helmet unless you thought it

was the right thing to do- it isn't for every parent. But you sound

genuinely and naturally upset about Alyssa's current headshape

which may remain the same or worsen (or get better, no-one

knows!)and I think checking out your options by going to a

helmet provider such as CT might help you clarify if you want to

go ahead. If you get there, take one look at the helmet and think,

no that's not for us, then you just go right back home and forget

about it and enjoy Alyssa the way she is. If you listen to what they

say, think, well, perhaps it would be worth it, then you can go

ahead in your own time. My experience in the UK, as says

about CT, is that providers ten not to recommend bands/helmets

unless they think they are necessary- they won't push you into

anything and you don't have to go ahead if you don' t think it is

right for you just because you asked their opinion.

It is certainly worth repositioning if you can until you make a

decision as it may help. There are loads of tips in the repo file.

However, if Alyssa is anything like my daughter, it can be

incredibly hard to do once they get past 6 months old as they

continually reposition themselves in ways that aren't helpful at

all! That's why I would check out the helmet option if you can.

Good luck with it all- I'm a first time mum too, and it is pretty easy

to beat yourself up about this (why didn' t I do this, that etc). But

you are doing exactly the right thing now by taking action, getting

in touch with this group and finding out about your options.

Take care

Hannah (mum to Lucia, London, UK)

Plagio, Cranio helmet, 4th July '04

> >

> > I know you are all parents out there and i know you can realte

to

> how

> > i feel. I am a first time mom, amd i am so sick to my stomach

about

> > Alyssa, i just dont know what to do anymore!! I started crying

to

> my

> > husband as he was getting ready for work today, and i was

just

> trying

> > to get ready for work as well. I am just lost!! I have posted a

> few

> > times, but i am still not sure if Alyssa will benefit from a

helmet

> > or not? She is almost 6 months old (10/15/04). When she

was about

> 4

> > months old, i noticed her head was looking flat, i asked the

Dr, he

> > said yes it was very common, and should hopefully round

out. I

> relaly

> > do like my ped. and he was even my ped. when i was a child,

he has

> > been in the practice for over 30 + years and i am very

confident in

> > him. So yesterday, I took Alyssa to see him again, since it

has

> been

> > two more months. I actually started crying to him, and he was

very

> > sincere, he said " he hears what i am saying " and he does

see where

> it

> > is flat in the back. ( i feel it is flat in the back, and more wide

> > in the front........the sad thing is that when she was born,

> everyone

> > commented on her perfectly round her head looked). So

then i asked

> > him, what can I do to correct this, and he said, well there is

no

> > guarnatee that it will be perfectly round, but i just have to keep

> > her off of her back, etc. And then he said, some paretns

choose to

> > get helmets to fix it,but insurance wont cover it becuase it is

> > considered cosmetic. So i just said, okay ( i wish i would

have

> > asked him more, i was just so upset, i didnt). so then i

called a

> > carinal facial place in NJ ( St phs's hosptial) to try to get

> an

> > appointment ( they can see me 11/02) but they need to know

the name

> > of the Dr. who referred me ( did he refer me or, do you think

he

> was

> > just like, you gotta do, what you gotta do??). Should i call

back

> and

> > see if the nurse would tell me what the next step would be if i

did

> > choose to get a helmet? Or do i not even need one, would

he have

> > pressed it more if i did?

> >

> > I am really getting myself so worked up about this, i was sick

to

> my

> > stomach about it today and cant think about anything else

So

> now

> > i just dont know what to do. Also, we do have the money in

our

> > savings so if we had to pay for it we could, but now am is is

just

> > cosmetic??

> >

> > Thanks so much!!

> > (sorry so long)

> > Donna