Guest guest Posted January 5, 2005 Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 Hey , I was asking if there was a link to the interview somewhere, but, is it okay with you if I just now copied an pasted it onto a plain text file in the Files/Plagio in the News folder? I think it's a great addition to the site, and it's nice to have a media story with information for Canada mentioned. Would you let me know if it's okay that it is saved on our group site? Christie (Mom to Repo'd Remy) > > > > We were interviewed last month regarding Lina's plagio and I think > > Platt did a good job with the article, what do you guys > > think?? In the magazine, BScN used my idea and also > > wrote about " your baby's headshape. " See www.islandparent.ca to > read > > about that one. > > > > Blacklaws, mommy to Angelina 15 mos tort,local helmet > grad > > Dec 02/04 after 5 mos and mommy to 2, Abbey 4 and Sam 12 > > > > Here's the article on Angelina... > > > > A Healthy Decision > > Trusting your instincts and doing the research > > by Platt > > > > Blacklaws wasn't the first one to notice the flat spot on > > her > > four-month-old daughter Angelina's head. It was her neighbour, > > something she says is quite common. " It's often someone else > > who > > notices small asymmetries or abnormalities; when you're so close > > to > > someone, they're easy to overlook. " and her husband Ken > > had > > been busy dealing with Angelina's torticollis, a condition in > > which > > the muscles on one side of the neck are tight, causing the neck to > > twist or bend toward that side. By the time Angelina was three > months > > old, she couldn't spend any time on her tummy because the > > position > > was too uncomfortable. " She cried all the time, right from the > > beginning, " says . > > > > Due to the shortened muscles, Angelina was only able to turn her > head > > to the left, causing discomfort and, ultimately, the flat spot on > the > > left side of her head that the neighbour pointed out. This spot, > > known as a deformational (or positional) plagiocephaly, is often > seen > > in children with congenital torticollis, but has also become more > > common in recent years with the " Back To Sleep " campaign that > > encourages parents to place babies on their backs to sleep in > order > > to help prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Another > > contributing factor is the extended use of car seats, infant > carriers > > and infant swings that can all cause constant pressure in one > place > > on a baby's developing skull. The Blacklaws began a series of > > stretching and repositioning exercises to treat Angelina's > > torticollis but after four months saw little effect on the > > plagiocephaly. > > > > Angelina was developing what is known as a facial asymmetry. Her > left > > eye and cheek appeared larger, her left ear was forward and higher > > and her forehead looked bulbous. " Basically, everything was > > moving > > forward and up. " According to , the best way to see the > > changes > > was in a mirror and when Angelina's hair was wet. > > > > The family travelled to Children's Hospital in Vancouver and had > > Angelina's head measured. Her plagiocephaly initially measured in > > the > > mild-to-moderate range. " Many doctors think the head will round > > out > > on its own and sometimes it does. My first doctor told me not to > > worry, but it just wasn't sitting right with me. I had to trust > > my `mommy gut', " says . " I got on the internet > > and connected > > with lots of other parents. I read everything and asked lots of > > questions. " The decision the Blacklaws made to get Angelina into > > a > > cranial remolding helmet was really due to the potential > consequences > > of not treating the condition. > > > > " The doctors all said the decision was up to us and we wrestled > > with > > it but when Angelina was remeasured a few weeks after the initial > > appointment, the assessment was upgraded to moderate. Untreated > > plagio can lead to all kinds of consequences, from migraines to > > visual impairment, and we weren't going to take the chance with > > Angelina. Once we made the decision, we never looked back, " > > says. " Angelina has worn the helmet 23 hours a day for about five > > months. It should come off in a few weeks. It's a short period in > > life to wear a little helmet and she's had no problem with it. > > I've > > taken pictures every week and we can see big changes. " > > > > Currently, Valley Orthocare in Surrey is the only place in B.C. > that > > makes cranial remolding helmets. The Blacklaws have travelled to > > Surrey every three weeks for helmet adjustments. The cost of the > > helmet, follow-up visits and travel were covered by MSP, Fair > > Pharmacare and the family's extended medical plan. is > > currently > > advocating to have Cranial Technologies, the main manufacturer of > > remolding helmets, open an office in B.C. > > > > refers to herself as the " plagio police. " She has made > > herself > > a resource for parents and the medical community, sending recent > > research, letters and photos of Angelina to physicians in > Vancouver > > and . She is emphatic about tummy time. " `Back to sleep, > > tummy to play' is important for parents to remember, " she > > says. She > > encourages parents who are concerned that their child may have > > plagiocephaly not to accept one opinion, to ask lots of questions > and > > to use the internet as a resource (www.plagiocephaly.org). > > > > also cautions parents that there is a time factor involved > in > > the use of a helmet. The skull fuses by approximately two years of > > age, making the treatment ineffective after that. Children can > start > > wearing a helmet as late as 18 months but generally, the younger > the > > child the shorter the time it takes to correct an asymmetry. It > makes > > sense to get babies into a helmet when they are quite young. > Between > > three to six months of age seems to be the ideal time, according > to > > research. > > > > Right now, Angelina is the only child on Vancouver Island to have > a > > cranial remolding helmet. " I want other parents to know that > > there is > > something non-invasive they can do to help treat babies with > > plagiocephaly, " says . " It's one of the best > > decisions I've ever > > made. " > > > > You can reach at kblacklaws@t... > > To learn more about baby's head shape, plagiocephaly and > > torticollis, > > refer to 's column on page 44 of this issue of Island > > Parent. Remember to consult your doctor if you have any concerns > > around the health and development of your baby. > > Platt > > > > > > For more plagio info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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