Re: Hannah---question of the cranial osteopath?

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Subject: Re: Re: Hannah---question of the cranial osteopath?

> Hi Hannah or anyone with input-

> While we are on the topic of questions about long term impacts of

> banding...............I see you mentioned your involvement with a cranial

> osteopath, I'm assuming someone who specializes in Cranial Sacral therapy?

> I too, have a chiropractor who specializes in cranial sacral therapy and

we

> have been going for my little guy, Cameron, 9 months with DOC band since

end

> of August 2004. I am in the middle of the road with medicine and

> alternative means, using both equally. Although I use a cranial sacral

> therapist, I have difficulty embracing it's methods entirely, as it seems

> very abstract to me. Can you tell me the benefits you receive from

seeing

> such a person? The difference it is making with your child? And how do

> they feel about the helmet therapy? My chiropractor and I do not discuss

> the helmet, as we both know we would not agree on the benefits or use of

it.

> I would imagine this is due in part with her cranial sacral background.

Can

> you give me an idea why they (cranial sacral therapists) would not support

> it? I do know some people have found therapists that complement the

helmet

> therapy.

> I also agonized about my decision to band Cameron. I wanted to believe

his

> head would reshape on it's own. And it was. But, in the end, I knew I

> would never forgive myself if it didn't and I could have done something

> about it. And something non-intrusive and something he will probably

never

> remember. I thought of it as " having braces on his teeth, " and the

decision

> seemed easier to me. The financial strain, well, that's a different

story.

> But, I know I would work 5 jobs if I had to. Luckily, I don't need to do

> that.

> Although I am settled with my decision now to band Cameron, there is not

one

> day that goes by that I don't wonder: Could it have reshaped on it's own?

> It will always be unanswered. But, I'm ok with that.

> I have been very happy with his success so far.

> I feel for anyone having to make that decision.

> Thank goodness for this group................

> Joanne

> Re: Long term impacts of banding - Cheryl

>

>

> >

> >

> > Hi Cheryl

> >

> > A few thoughs came to me when reading the posts on your dilemma:

> >

> > 1. I also wanted research on the long-term effects of banding before

> > putting Lucia my daughter in a helmet. I am a researcher myself and

> > have read a lot of the studies in this area, and the lack of good

> > research in this area is criminal! There is one study- probably in

> > the research links section- which suggests skull growth is not

> > compromised at all by banding. In other words, the skull grows

> > normally during this period, it is just shaped in similar manner to

> > the force that misshaped it in the first place (usually flat

> > surfaces). Hopkins are doing a long-term study comparing

> > outcomes of untreated, repo'ed and banded babies, but nothing is

> > published as yet.

> >

> > 2. Secondly, although I am myself suspicious of the profit-making

> > aspect of the orthotics industry, I don't think the fact that CT

> > didn't mention repoing counts against them (I don't use them by the

> > way). Repoing a seven and a half month old would be a thankless task

> > indeed, as over the age of six months, children reposition

> > themselves during sleep, thus undoing your efforts. I did start

> > repoing my daughter at 5 1/2 months, and would have continued the

> > best I could had this been the only option, but I have to confess I

> > found it more or less impossible to repo her during sleep. It's not

> > impossible I'm sure, but I think there is agreement that repoing

> > works best when started from birth to 5 months. You could also see

> > the fact that they didn't hit you with a load of possible medical

> > complications of plagio positively- that really could have been seen

> > as scare tactics!

> >

> > 3. Most people have vested interests. Often alternative therapists

> > also have their own agenda, just as orthotics companies do, and they

> > also usually charge money for their services and rightly so. That

> > doesn't make their advice invalid in any way, and I for one often

> > visit complementary therapists alongside seeing the doctor- just to

> > point out that there are a lot of different opinions in medicine and

> > it is almost possible to get this 'unbiased' opinion we all seek. I

> > would look through some of the research papers and weigh up the

> > evidence in your own mind.

> >

> >

> > 4. I went ahead with a band in the end primarily for cosmetic

> > reasons for my daughter. Personally I felt that having an asymmetric

> > face or misaligned ears is not an ideal way to start out in life

> > (just as I would correct crooked teeth). It was primarily due to

> > lack of medical professionalism, from both mainstream (the NHS in

> > the UK) and alternative practitioners (I visited a cranial osteopath

> > who didn't even mention the emerging plagio) that I remained

> > ignorant about this condition until it was too late. If it has

> > medical benefits in the future, and instinctively I feel there might

> > have been problems ahead, great!

> >

> >

> > I'm not sure if my rambling help you at all- this is a dfficult one

> > and it is a shame you have received so much perhaps conflicting

> > advice. I would sort through it, read a bit more, then go with your

> > gut, There won't be any certainties, as with any treatment,

> > alternative or mainstream, but you will know you have made the best

> > decision at the time with the information possible.

> >

> > Take care

> >

> > Hannah (mum to Lucia, London, UK)

> > Plagio, Cranio helmet, 4th July '04

> >

> >

> > > > >

> > > > > We are considering getting a band or helmet for our 7 1/2

> > month

> > > old

> > > > > to correct plagio. However, before we get one, I have been

> > > trying

> > > > to

> > > > > investigate any research or studies done on the long-term

> > impacts

> > > > > (especially any complications) of using the helmet or band.

> > So

> > > > far,

> > > > > no luck in finding anything about long-term impacts (other

> > than

> > > > that

> > > > > the changes coming from banding seem to " stick " over time)!

> > I've

> > > > > been told by some professionals that it can cause issues with

> > her

> > > > > neurologic system and immune system. However, the orthotists

> > > (from

> > > > 2

> > > > > different places) assure me that this isn't the case. Who do

> > I

> > > > > believe? I know that the orthotists have something to gain by

> > > our

> > > > > baby buying a helmet or band (the revenues for this industry

> > are

> > > > > staggering). They say that they don't know of any studies

> > about

> > > > long-

> > > > > term impacts. But I won't consider the helmet/banding option

> > > > without

> > > > > checking into any long-term ramifications. Has anyone else

> > > checked

> > > > > into it? Where can I turn for more information? I'm not just

> > > > > looking for a quick fix for now. I want to be certain that

> > this

> > > > > won't create issues years from now for our baby. Thanks for

> > > > helping

> > > > > us!

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > For more plagio info