Re: Question about being done with the DOC band

[Guest guest]

I just went through this with my son Jack who is 13 months old next week. He

had his first band at 8 months (a little late) and wore it for 3 months. We had

to remove it because he outgrew it. He received excellent correction,

although he still could use more. Others do not notice the flatness, but my

husband and I do. We couldn't decide to get a 2nd band so we left it up to

the insurance company. This took a long time (6 weeks) and we got used to

seeing Jack's head and enjoying the band-free time. The insurance company

then denied the band and I realized how much I was hoping to get the

second Docband. I was in turmoil and was deciding to pay for the band

anyway and heard from the insurance company (2 days later) that the denial

was overturned. Jack got his 2nd band 2 days ago and I am happy we have

continued treatment. It is a pain to have to explain the helmet to strangers

on a daily basis but I am excited about seeing more correction. Jack's

measurements didn't change at all between 10.5 months and 1 year so I am

hoping he will have a growth spurt now that he has another Docband. I just

want to make sure we do everything we can so that there is no regret in the

future. Jack's pediatrician has always been against the helmet but recently

said that it doesn't matter if the helmet provided the correction or if time

resolved the problem as long as his head is rounder. Good luck with your

decision.

(Jack's mom - 2nd Docband at 13 months)

> >>

> >> Hi-

> >> I just got mailed my before and after headsicles. They are sure

> >> fascinating. We got really good correction but after seeing the

> >> after headsicle it is haunting me because I see that there is more

> >> room for correction. The OT said that a second band would probably

> >> not be worthwhile because of the good correction that we did get

> > and

> >> because the plagio was due to in utero positioning and those areas

> >> are very difficult to correct. Most of the additional correction

> >> that would benefit Alyssa would involve growth on the sides of her

> >> head - just behind her left temple and the area behind her right

> >> ear. The OT could not say whether or not it would even be possible

> >> for those areas to correct with band #2.

> >> I can see that if it would be possible for those areas to fill in,

> >> it would really improve the overall outcome.

> >> My question for those of you whose kids graduated from the DOC

> >> band....did you graduate because it was " time " - the 4 months had

> >> passed or did you graduate because the band just didn't fit anymore.

> >> We graduated because it was " time. " Alyssa was in the band for 4

> >> months and I was told that the pressure points just were not as

> >> affective as they were in the beginnin g.

> >> Alyssa had a lot of room left for growth in the band though. I

> > knew

> >> it then and I definitely know it now after trying the band on

> >> the " after " headsicle and seeing how much more room she had left in

> >> the band.

> >> I wanted to keep Alyssa in as long as possible even if the pressure

> >> points were no longer affective. Even if the DOC was to turn into

> > a

> >> passive band and I just waited out the growth, it would have been

> >> fine because I see what " could have been " had she filled in those

> >> areas.

> >> I know the band isn't designed to be used as a passive band but

> > what

> >> would it have hurt if we had not removed the band after the 4

> > months

> >> and tried to get another 4-8 weeks out of it even if the pressure

> >> points were not as effective? I tried to get them to let Alyssa

> >> wear it longer but they didn't go for that, maybe because they

> >> wanted to save me travel time/expense. There was still quite a bit

> >> of room left for growth and a little more growth in the band would

> >> have made a big difference.

> >> I am really curious if the majority of your kids graduated from the

> >> DOC because of the maximum time element or because of there not

> >> being room left in the band.

> >> Thanks for any info./insight. I am really happy with the results.

> >> But, it is kind of hard to come this far and then see just 1-2

> > small

> >> areas that if given more time to fill in a little bit more, the

> >> results would have been that much better. I wish Alyssa could have

> >> gone another 4-6 weeks in the band.

> >>

> >>

> >> Diane

> >> Alyssa - DOC band graduate 11/04

> >> WA state

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > For more plagio info