Re: Colin F.'s final STARscan/CLAIRE

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your reply . You are right in that 9 mo. old

children could wear it longer. We made the decision to stop based on

the ped neuro's opinion and our own opinion and I am actually at

peace with that decision. I will still follow Toby's progress

closely ;-)

Sue

Colin F., 1

STARband grad 9/15/04

Buffalo, NY

--- In Plagiocephaly , " Kerr " <claire@c...>

wrote:

> Sue

>

> Colin's correction looks really good to me in the photos. And his

head

> height change is excellent - he doesn't look at all " pointy headed "

now.

>

> But I must say that 11 weeks seems quite a short time to be banded

when he

> started at a " later " age. My orthotist told me Toby would probably

require

> about four months' treatment, and we started at just before ten

months.

>

> Who decided to stop treatment? You or the orthotist? You sound as

if

> you're not sure you should have stopped. If that's the case, then

if it

> were me, I'd go with my instincts and have my son wear the band

longer.

>

> , South Croydon, UK

> Toby, severe brachy, nearly ten months old, day three of his

STARband!

>

>

> Colin F.'s final STARscan

>

>

> OK, this is going to be long!

>

> Colin had his final scan done after wearing a STARband for 11 wks.

> (starting at 9 mos. old). His ortho that made/adjusted the band

has

> left the practice so we saw the owner. Colin was an angel and

stayed

> still so we got it on the first try (merely seconds as you

know). I

> was worried because he obviously (admittedly) has not been doing

> scans in a while. He said that he was " not computer literate " so

I

> was worried that we wouldn't get a report. We did, but it wasn't

the

> same one where there is a column of measurements next to the

outline

> of the head (b & a). He's going to work on that and possibly mail

it

> to me.

>

> We did get a print out with the b & a outlines of his head and

*some*

> measurements (but not all). I will admit, at first glance I was

less

> than impressed. There was hardly a difference at all. But then

at

> home I really sat down and studied it and realized that Colin's

head

> was held exactly where it needed to be held and it grew exactly

where

> it was supposed to grow towards the front left and back right (and

> out!). The helmet prevented him from getting any wider and

flatter

> in the back and ensured that growth was directed properly. The

thing

> is his head only grew 7 mm in circumference where one would hope

for

> 5mm/mo. (I guess that's ave.?) or almost 15 mm. (since y'day was 3

> mos. from the start of wearing the helmet).

>

> I was not expecting the cephalic ratio to be significantly

improved

> as brachy is harder and/or takes longer to correct and his CR was

> only 3% better - from 98% to 94.9% (I just *HAD* to type that " 4 "

in

> there didn't I? LOL) So his head is still not in the " normal "

range

> but IMHO I think it LOOKS much better in person than on paper!

All

> of his growth went to the length of his head (front to back) and

not

> in the width at all (M-L, medial-lateral, is exactly the same so

> that's good).

>

> So overall I am happy that he wore it to prevent it from getting

any

> worse and ensuring the growth in the right spots. If you have any

> questions or comments please let me know as I should probably

attempt

> to get some work done today before I am fired! LOL

>

> Sue

> Colin F., 1

> STARband grad 9/15/04

> Buffalo, NY