Guest guest Posted December 30, 2004 Report Share Posted December 30, 2004 While Cranial Tech is probably not an option for me, Hanger has an office right near my house. I just spoke with the tech who handles plagio for about 10-15 minutes and was *very* impressed. 1) He said the doc we are using is " one of the best " in my area for plagio and that this doc sees a " ton " of plagio cases. 2) He said that many cases " self-correct " with time, even without helmets. Didn't in any way push for us getting a helmet. I told him I may want one anyway to be " safe " , but won't decide for another month or two. 3) Offered to make me a copy of all of the plagio research he has in his files for free to pick up next week if I want to. 4) If I decide I do want a helmet and get a script, they will do the scan the same day (no casting is required), and the helmet will be ready in 7 days. 5) Said they are having more success getting insurance to pay, but if not, it's $1500. Overall, I felt really good about our talk. The tech seemed very knowledgeable, and it sounds like we would get a helmet very quickly if we need it. Now I feel I have a realistic local option if we do go the helmet route. He said they usually use the Hanger Cranial Band, but have started using " a few others. " (I didn't ask him about the details for the others). I feel *much* better that if we do need a helmet, I'll have a decent local option. Rick Hi Rick The worst that I think could be said about banding is that for milder cases it may be unnecessary, or simply achieve the same result in a quicker time frame. The best is that is prevents continuing plagio as the child gets older. On this basis, it seems to me that it does not have really major disadvantages (there are some minor ones such as sweating), so it may be a low-risk option worth taking! For more severe cases, I personally don' t think there is much debate about the benefits of a helmet (they would probably be the remaining 3 or 12% depending which version of the analysis you prefer to go with) Funnily enough, although I am sceptical about industry sponsored and produced research, I still recommend NRT myself as a clinician, having studied as much as I can in my area. Although you may not want to accept the recommendation of a company about the use of their own products, their products may yet be very effective! Good luck with it all Hannah (mum to Lucia, London UK) Cranio grad > > > > > From: " hannah_farrimond " <hannah_farrimond@y...> > > Date: 2004/12/30 Thu AM 09:46:33 EST > > Plagiocephaly > > Subject: Re: Comforting Article > > > > >Hi Rick > > >One of the problems is in this area that most of the work > >published in peer-reviewed journals nevertheless represents >a > >vested interest, as few genuinely neutral academic > >establishments actually make helmets themselves, therefore > >most of the research into the effectiveness of helmets is > >published by the orthotics industry. For example, the last >paper > >in the recent journal Prosthetics and Orthotics you have >been > >discussing with Christie on the way forward for plagio is >written > >by Tim Littlefield of Cranial Technologies. Now, he is >probably an > >expert in the field having worked in this area for so long, >but he > >cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, be said to be a >neutral > >academic and his recommendations will clearly be pro-band as > >well pro-repo and education. > > Excellent points, Hannah. Working in an academic medical center, I'm well aware of these sorts of problems. It's very similar to pharmaceutical research when drug companies fund research on their own medications and have significant input into the content of manuscripts eventually submitted for publication. I've always had scientific " issues " with that approach. I don't think the FDA in the U.S. should allow it, but that's another issue. > > > >However, up until now I think the standard of research >papers is > >poor, given their origins. > > One of the other articles from the October issue of the journal of prosthetics and orthotics reviewed and graded all of the outcome research in this area based on scientific rigor. The majority of the studies were graded " C " with a smattering of " B " grades. There was nothing higher than a " B. " > > >This might seem unfair to those > >beavering away within orthotics companies doing very >excellent > >research, but personally I would always be sceptical about > >industry produced research full stop, whether it be plagio >studies > >produced by orthotic companies or, in my area, NRT or Zyban > >studies produced by pharmaceutical companies. > > Exactly. > > >I haven' t read the posts about your decisions about your >son yet, > >so I hope you are working your way successfully through this > >minefield! > > > I'm still in the obsessive-compulsive information gathering phase. Unfortunately - and as you indicated in a previous post - I'm quickly learning that I'm simply not going to find good scientific evidence to make the kind of decision I would feel comfortable with one way or the other. That being the case, I'll most likely wait another month or two at the most, and then request a helmet from the plastic surgeon if I'm not happy with his head shape at that time. It seems to me if I have to " gamble " , getting a helmet might be a safer gamble. It sounds like parents of children 10 years from now will have much more information available to them to make a decision they are comfortable with. > > Rick For more plagio info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 30, 2004 Report Share Posted December 30, 2004 Oh - I also moved my son's follow up appt. up two weeks, so if we do get a helmet, he would have before he turns 7 months old. While Cranial Tech is probably not an option for me, Hanger has an office right near my house. I just spoke with the tech who handles plagio for about 10-15 minutes and was *very* impressed. 1) He said the doc we are using is " one of the best " in my area for plagio and that this doc sees a " ton " of plagio cases. 2) He said that many cases " self-correct " with time, even without helmets. Didn't in any way push for us getting a helmet. I told him I may want one anyway to be " safe " , but won't decide for another month or two. 3) Offered to make me a copy of all of the plagio research he has in his files for free to pick up next week if I want to. 4) If I decide I do want a helmet and get a script, they will do the scan the same day (no casting is required), and the helmet will be ready in 7 days. 5) Said they are having more success getting insurance to pay, but if not, it's $1500. Overall, I felt really good about our talk. The tech seemed very knowledgeable, and it sounds like we would get a helmet very quickly if we need it. Now I feel I have a realistic local option if we do go the helmet route. He said they usually use the Hanger Cranial Band, but have started using " a few others. " (I didn't ask him about the details for the others). I feel *much* better that if we do need a helmet, I'll have a decent local option. Rick For more plagio info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 30, 2004 Report Share Posted December 30, 2004 That is great news, Rick! I hope all goes well for you and your wee one!! Christy - mom to Kennedy DOC band 11/23/04 Tulsa, OKrhandel@... wrote: While Cranial Tech is probably not an option for me, Hanger has an office right near my house. I just spoke with the tech who handles plagio for about 10-15 minutes and was *very* impressed. 1) He said the doc we are using is "one of the best" in my area for plagio and that this doc sees a "ton" of plagio cases. 2) He said that many cases "self-correct" with time, even without helmets. Didn't in any way push for us getting a helmet. I told him I may want one anyway to be "safe", but won't decide for another month or two. 3) Offered to make me a copy of all of the plagio research he has in his files for free to pick up next week if I want to. 4) If I decide I do want a helmet and get a script, they will do the scan the same day (no casting is required), and the helmet will be ready in 7 days.5) Said they are having more success getting insurance to pay, but if not, it's $1500. Overall, I felt really good about our talk. The tech seemed very knowledgeable, and it sounds like we would get a helmet very quickly if we need it. Now I feel I have a realistic local option if we do go the helmet route. He said they usually use the Hanger Cranial Band, but have started using "a few others." (I didn't ask him about the details for the others). I feel *much* better that if we do need a helmet, I'll have a decent local option.RickFor more plagio info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 7, 2005 Report Share Posted June 7, 2005 I just emailed my Orthotist. He and I still talk on occasion and he is actually working on something with me as far as making " gifts " for anger Band Graduates. Anyway, I'll let you know what he says about the training they go through. Jen > > > > I talked to Hanger today, and The man I talked to was very > nice > > and > > > he > > > > new his info. He knows about the docband and several other > bands. > > I > > > > felt more comfortable talking to him than I did with CT. He > > actually > > > > made me feel that he was concerned about Briley and wanted to > > help. > > > > Hanger has new technology. They don't use the plaster, they > > actually > > > > have a laser that makes a 3-D image of the child's head; it > has > > less > > > > room for error. I was also able to get Briley in their today > to > > see > > > > him. I think I am going to try them. I definately feel that > > Docbands > > > > are great, but maybe it's kinda like namebrand clothes, but > there > > are > > > > comparable items out their that work just as well. I don't > know, I > > > > just want Briley's head to get better, that's all I want. > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 7, 2005 Report Share Posted June 7, 2005 Thanks Jen, please let us know what he says. > > > > > I talked to Hanger today, and The man I talked to was very > > nice > > > and > > > > he > > > > > new his info. He knows about the docband and several other > > bands. > > > I > > > > > felt more comfortable talking to him than I did with CT. He > > > actually > > > > > made me feel that he was concerned about Briley and wanted to > > > help. > > > > > Hanger has new technology. They don't use the plaster, they > > > actually > > > > > have a laser that makes a 3-D image of the child's head; it > > has > > > less > > > > > room for error. I was also able to get Briley in their today > > to > > > see > > > > > him. I think I am going to try them. I definately feel that > > > Docbands > > > > > are great, but maybe it's kinda like namebrand clothes, but > > there > > > are > > > > > comparable items out their that work just as well. I don't > > know, I > > > > > just want Briley's head to get better, that's all I want. > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 7, 2005 Report Share Posted June 7, 2005 Jen, That would be great. Maybe he could e-mail you something from Hanger so we could update the files with the company protocol as far as training goes if they have started requiring it. I know they require the training for the scanner, but if we could have something from them about working with the babies and the bands that would be great. We need to keep our database as current as possible to help everyone, CAROLG > > > > > I talked to Hanger today, and The man I talked to was very > > nice > > > and > > > > he > > > > > new his info. He knows about the docband and several other > > bands. > > > I > > > > > felt more comfortable talking to him than I did with CT. He > > > actually > > > > > made me feel that he was concerned about Briley and wanted to > > > help. > > > > > Hanger has new technology. They don't use the plaster, they > > > actually > > > > > have a laser that makes a 3-D image of the child's head; it > > has > > > less > > > > > room for error. I was also able to get Briley in their today > > to > > > see > > > > > him. I think I am going to try them. I definately feel that > > > Docbands > > > > > are great, but maybe it's kinda like namebrand clothes, but > > there > > > are > > > > > comparable items out their that work just as well. I don't > > know, I > > > > > just want Briley's head to get better, that's all I want. > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 7, 2005 Report Share Posted June 7, 2005 He has had training for plagio and he never ever put docband down. He said they are very good at what they do and he has read the studies of the founder for CT. He also felt that his band was comparable and that he could do a very good job as well. --- " Carol G. " <GATTVA@...> wrote: > Kely, > I am glad you felt comfortable with the ortho you > spoke with. Some > people feel more comfotable with the scanner rather > than the casting, > although my Dom has been through casting twice and > it's no big deal > (15min). Did you remember to ask all your > questions??? How many babies > has he done? Can you talk with other parents who > have used him? What > specific training for the Hanger band has he had?? > Did you post on > here to see if others have used this facility? I > hope all goes well > for you and Briley. We have seen some great results > with a Hanger Band > and experienced OT. Alot of OT's are very quick to > put CT down or > discourage thier use because it interferes with > thier business. It is > definitely not like name brand clothes though. CT is > the leader in > this technology because they are who did all the > studies and research > and had new FDA guidelines set up, every other band > out there simply > followed thier FDA guideline for the maufacturing of > the band, but do > not follow thier training protocol. Just remember to > do your homework > and check the files for getting a good fit before > your helmet is in. > CAROLG > > > > > > > > > > > I talked to Hanger today, and The man I talked to > was very nice and > he > > new his info. He knows about the docband and > several other bands. I > > felt more comfortable talking to him than I did > with CT. He actually > > made me feel that he was concerned about Briley > and wanted to help. > > Hanger has new technology. They don't use the > plaster, they actually > > have a laser that makes a 3-D image of the child's > head; it has less > > room for error. I was also able to get Briley in > their today to see > > him. I think I am going to try them. I definately > feel that Docbands > > are great, but maybe it's kinda like namebrand > clothes, but there are > > comparable items out their that work just as well. > I don't know, I > > just want Briley's head to get better, that's all > I want. > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 7, 2005 Report Share Posted June 7, 2005 Yes, people want to hear the facts, but maybe think about how you present them and how you might make other people feel if they were reading it. I'm sorry to have started this whole thing, but I just wanted some support and I felt from reading your posts, that I was making the wrong decision. Now reading all these other posts, I feel much better and I DID do my homework and I have a great ortho who is willing and wants to help my daughter and thats what is important. He knows what he is doing and I have no doubt that Briley will have a great helmet that will help her. --- <sarahhollis@...> wrote: > All I said in my post was the facts, you can take it > however you > want, but I've seen enough bad stories that it is > important to me > that the facts are laid out there. If you're > feeling as though you > should be guilty of being " inadequate " than that's > your take on the > facts. People come on this board for information > and if I didn't > explain the difference in requirements of orthotists > treating babies > w/different types of helmets than I wouldn't feel > like I was doing > any good here. I'll support any informed decision, > but I'm not > going to flower up the facts. You did the research, > you know you > picked an experienced ortho and I'm happy for > you--so what is the > problem? > > > > > -- In Plagiocephaly , " > Poindexter " > > <stacypoindexter@s...> wrote: > > > While I appreciate that the majority of the > mother's who post to > > this board > > > are HUGE DOCband supporters, I am also starting > to feel that > some > > of you > > > think it is unwise to even try any other band. > I have my son in > a > > STARband, > > > and due to all of the posts about Hanger, I feel > as though I > should > > be > > > guilty of being an " inadequate " mother for not > putting my child > in a > > > DOCband. This is a support group, and I > honestly do not feel > the > > support > > > that I should be getting. We should all be > proud that we are > doing > > > something for our children, no matter what type > of media we are > > choosing, be > > > it the DOCband, Hanger band or repo'ing. > > > > > > > > > > > > - Please do not be discouraged about your > choice in Orthos > or > > banding. > > > You are the parent. You know what is best for > your child and if > > you are > > > comfortable with your decision, Hooray for you. > CT has a great > > reputation, > > > but so does Hanger. Don't let anyone tell you > otherwise or make > > you feel > > > that you might be making the wrong decision. > > > > > > > > > > > > , Mom to Hunter, Hannah and Chase (STARband > and Proud of > it!) > > > > > > > > > > > > _____ > > > > > > From: Plagiocephaly > > [mailto:Plagiocephaly ] > > > On Behalf Of > > > Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 9:21 AM > > > Plagiocephaly > > > Subject: Re: Hanger > > > > > > > > > > > > Hi , > > > Thats great you were happy w/your phone call > w/Hanger. Any > ortho > > > should be familiar with the types of helmets out > there for > sure. > > > However, comparing a DOCband to name brand > clothers definitely > > isn't > > > the case. After you've been around this board > for awhile you'll > > see > > > why. Cranial Tech is the only company that > requires extensive > > special > > > training and experience from their orthos. This > is not the case > > with > > > Hanger, STARbands, and many local bands. This > is why you read > the > > > horror stories about ill fitting bands making > heads worse in all > > these > > > other bands, but never a DOCband. The DOCband > has the > reputation > > it > > > does for just that reason! Like you, we all > just want our kids > > heads > > > to get better, and you are right that in the > right hands there > are > > > comparable helmets out there. Actually, all the > other bands out > > there > > > that are FDA approved got their approval by > modeling themselves > > after > > > the DOCband's approval. A helmet can only be as > good as the > ortho > > > though. Hanger has been using a scanner for > awhile now, and > > > Orthomerica uses them as well at some locations. > CT has one > that > > is > > > still in clinical trials which take away the no > movement > > requirement > > > of the other scanners. As long as casting is > done correctly > though > > it > > > is as exact as you can get. Please let us know > how the appt > goes > > > today at Hanger. > > > , mom to Hannah, DOCgrad > > > Cape Cod, Ma > > > http://hannahsnoggin.typepad.com > > > > > > > > > > I talked to Hanger today, and The man I talked > to was very > nice > > and > > > he > > > > new his info. He knows about the docband and > several other > bands. > > I > > > > felt more comfortable talking to him than I > did with CT. He > > actually > > > > made me feel that he was concerned about > Briley and wanted to > > help. > > > > Hanger has new technology. They don't use the > plaster, they > > actually > > > > have a laser that makes a 3-D image of the > child's head; it > has > > less > > > > room for error. I was also able to get Briley > in their today > to > > see > > > > him. I think I am going to try them. I > definately feel that > > Docbands > > > > are great, but maybe it's kinda like namebrand > clothes, but > there > > are > > > > comparable items out their that work just as > well. I don't > know, I > > > > just want Briley's head to get better, that's > all I want. > > > > > > > > > === message truncated === __________________________________ Discover Find restaurants, movies, travel and more fun for the weekend. Check it out! http://discover./weekend.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 7, 2005 Report Share Posted June 7, 2005 It's really no big deal and I don't want to argue with you, nor do I feel anyone else does. Yes you presented the facts. Thank you and lets leave it at that. --- <sarahhollis@...> wrote: > I'd love if you could point out to me how my initial > response to you > was presented badly? I congratulated you on finding > a good ortho > and gave you a little background on what makes the > DOCband different > (training, experience), b/c you were saying it was > different only > b/c of the label basically. I said that " in the > right hands there > are compareable helmets out there " and that " a > helmet can only be as > good as the ortho. " I'm fully supportive of you and > am thrilled > that you found a good ortho. That's half the > battle! > > > > > > > > While I appreciate that the majority of the > > > mother's who post to > > > > this board > > > > > are HUGE DOCband supporters, I am also > starting > > > to feel that > > > some > > > > of you > > > > > think it is unwise to even try any other > band. > > > I have my son in > > > a > > > > STARband, > > > > > and due to all of the posts about Hanger, I > feel > > > as though I > > > should > > > > be > > > > > guilty of being an " inadequate " mother for > not > > > putting my child > > > in a > > > > > DOCband. This is a support group, and I > > > honestly do not feel > > > the > > > > support > > > > > that I should be getting. We should all be > > > proud that we are > > > doing > > > > > something for our children, no matter what > type > > > of media we are > > > > choosing, be > > > > > it the DOCband, Hanger band or repo'ing. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > - Please do not be discouraged about > your > > > choice in Orthos > > > or > > > > banding. > > > > > You are the parent. You know what is best > for > > > your child and if > > > > you are > > > > > comfortable with your decision, Hooray for > you. > > > CT has a great > > > > reputation, > > > > > but so does Hanger. Don't let anyone tell > you > > > otherwise or make > > > > you feel > > > > > that you might be making the wrong decision. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > , Mom to Hunter, Hannah and Chase > (STARband > > > and Proud of > > > it!) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _____ > > > > > > > > > > From: Plagiocephaly > > > > [mailto:Plagiocephaly ] > > > > > On Behalf Of > > > > > Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 9:21 AM > > > > > Plagiocephaly > > > > > Subject: Re: Hanger > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hi , > > > > > Thats great you were happy w/your phone call > > > w/Hanger. Any > > > ortho > > > > > should be familiar with the types of helmets > out > > > there for > > > sure. > > > > > However, comparing a DOCband to name brand > > > clothers definitely > > > > isn't > > > > > the case. After you've been around this > board > > > for awhile you'll > > > > see > > > > > why. Cranial Tech is the only company that > > > requires extensive > > > > special > > > > > training and experience from their orthos. > This > > > is not the case > > > > with > > > > > Hanger, STARbands, and many local bands. > This > > > is why you read > > > the > > > > > horror stories about ill fitting bands > making > > > heads worse in all > > > > these > > > > > other bands, but never a DOCband. The > DOCband > > > has the > > > reputation > > > > it > > > > > does for just that reason! Like you, we all > > > just want our kids > > > > heads > > > > > to get better, and you are right that in the > > > right hands there > > > are > > > > > comparable helmets out there. Actually, all > the > > > other bands out > > > > there > > > > > that are FDA approved got their approval by > > > modeling themselves > === message truncated === __________________________________ Discover Find restaurants, movies, travel and more fun for the weekend. Check it out! http://discover./weekend.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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