Re: Long term impacts of banding - Cheryl

[Guest guest]

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