Re: Re: Molly from Novato, California

March 30, 2006

Molly- I just wanted to email you to say, you are going to be so happy with your decision. My son Braden had severe brachy and some plagio. He also had mild tort. He received his Starband (after much deliberation) on February 17th. As of today, his assymetry has gone from 5.7mm to 2.2mm and he is only 1 deviation above the standard. His head looks wonderful and we are set to graduate in 1 month. This was a huge decision and the two weeks before we received the helmet were filled with much anxiety - but this was the best decision we ever made and Braden had NO adjustment problems. I have attached a few pictures for you. There are 2 that we took at the beginning of March (at the time banded less than 1 month) and then 3 we took around the 21st of March (banded a little over a month). You can see a real difference between the pictures and his head looks even better today. Someone sent me pictures like this and it really

helped with my anxiety. If you have questions or anything, you are welcome to email me thru or off the board. Good luck to you and Nicolas! Heidi Mom to Bradenemilybeth27 <emilybeth27@...> wrote: Molly...I bet you're glad the "decision" part is over! My son was alsoa mild/mod plagio(no tort), and he's been in his DOCband almost2months and what amazing correction!! The ortho said that he probablyonly has one more months! I was very strict about him wearing it 23hrsa day and I think it paid off....I'm only saying this b/c I read thatyou hoped it would only be 4months b/c Nicolas is mild/mod. I hopeeverything goes well and he adjusts easily! Thanks for sharing! (Max DOCbanded 2/7)P.S. I'm in Texas now, but my husband and I lived in

Walnut Creek, CAfor 3.5years!!! How are things in the Bay area?!! I miss it!>> To band or not to band? That is the question that we have beengrappling> with over the last month.> > My son, Nicolas, was diagnosed with torticollis at 2 months old. Wewere> immediately referred for physical therapy. Unfortunately ourpaediatrician> and physical therapist never said anything about repositioning him; they> just offered suggestions on how to get him to turn his head more and> recommended exercises to help with it. It wasn't until my son was 4months> old that the paediatrician and physical therapist noticed that he was> developing a flat spot on the back, right side of his head. Fortunately our> paediatrician has been very good about getting us the referrals thatwe need> and referred us to a plastic

surgeon for an evaluation. We saw aplastic> surgeon but all he said was that there was a flat spot; he didn't go into> detail as to how severe or how mild it was, didn't take anymeasurements and> suggested repositioning.> > For better results and to get baseline measurements I took my son to the> nearest STARscanner location to get a head scan done (we had aprescription> from the plastic surgeon even though he didn't think we needed aband). The> STARscan results showed that Nicolas had mild-to-moderate plagio(10.8 mm> asymmetry). My plan was to try another 5 weeks of aggressiverepositioning> and then go back for another scan to see if it was making anydifference.> > During that five week period I decided to see another plasticsurgeon to get> a second opinion. The doctor was great, much better than the firstone that> we saw. He took

measurements of Nicolas' head and reviewed the STARscan> report that I had taken a few weeks earlier. He said that Nicolas'> measurements were borderline mild/moderate but that given historticollis he> recommended that we go ahead with getting the STARband for him. I know> someone else who saw the same doctor for an evaluation and in hercase he> recommended not to get the band. (I think part of the reason why Iwanted> to see this particular doctor was that I was hoping he would saythat my son> didn't need a band either) This makes me feel confident that he doesn't> automatically recommend banding a child with plagio.> > So, after much consideration, we scraped our plans to get anotherSTARscan> evaluation and decided that we are going to go ahead and get Nicolas the> STARband. We will get it through Center for Independent Rehabilitative> Services (CIRS) which is in located

in Oakland, CA. We are veryfortunate> that we have a facility located so close to us (30 miles from home). We> also found out that our insurance (Kaiser-Northern California) willcover> 80% of the cost of the band. I would love to get him in the band assoon as> possible but if we get scanned this week it will arrive just a few days> before we leave on vacation and I don't want to worry about having any> problems with it while we are out of town. So Nicolas is going infor his> scan April 13 and the band will be ready for him when we return from our> trip and we will pick it up April 25.> > The orthotist thought that Nicolas would need to use it for 4-6months. I'm> hoping that it will be closer to 4 months given that his case is> mild/moderate and he is getting the band at a young age (6.5 months).> > I'm sure that as the time comes closer I will have many

questionsfor all> the experienced parents on this board. Everything that I have readso far> has been so helpful. It's nice knowing that we aren't going throughthis> journey alone :>)> > Molly> Novato, California> Nicolas, 5.5 months, tort & plagio, getting STARband in April> , 3> , 6>For more plagio info

March 30, 2006

Molly- I just wanted to email you to say, you are going to be so happy with your decision. My son Braden had severe brachy and some plagio. He also had mild tort. He received his Starband (after much deliberation) on February 17th. As of today, his assymetry has gone from 5.7mm to 2.2mm and he is only 1 deviation above the standard. His head looks wonderful and we are set to graduate in 1 month. This was a huge decision and the two weeks before we received the helmet were filled with much anxiety - but this was the best decision we ever made and Braden had NO adjustment problems. I have attached a few pictures for you. There are 2 that we took at the beginning of March (at the time banded less than 1 month) and then 3 we took around the 21st of March (banded a little over a month). You can see a real difference between the pictures and his head looks even better today. Someone sent me pictures like this and it really

helped with my anxiety. If you have questions or anything, you are welcome to email me thru or off the board. Good luck to you and Nicolas! Heidi Mom to Bradenemilybeth27 <emilybeth27@...> wrote: Molly...I bet you're glad the "decision" part is over! My son was alsoa mild/mod plagio(no tort), and he's been in his DOCband almost2months and what amazing correction!! The ortho said that he probablyonly has one more months! I was very strict about him wearing it 23hrsa day and I think it paid off....I'm only saying this b/c I read thatyou hoped it would only be 4months b/c Nicolas is mild/mod. I hopeeverything goes well and he adjusts easily! Thanks for sharing! (Max DOCbanded 2/7)P.S. I'm in Texas now, but my husband and I lived in

Walnut Creek, CAfor 3.5years!!! How are things in the Bay area?!! I miss it!>> To band or not to band? That is the question that we have beengrappling> with over the last month.> > My son, Nicolas, was diagnosed with torticollis at 2 months old. Wewere> immediately referred for physical therapy. Unfortunately ourpaediatrician> and physical therapist never said anything about repositioning him; they> just offered suggestions on how to get him to turn his head more and> recommended exercises to help with it. It wasn't until my son was 4months> old that the paediatrician and physical therapist noticed that he was> developing a flat spot on the back, right side of his head. Fortunately our> paediatrician has been very good about getting us the referrals thatwe need> and referred us to a plastic

surgeon for an evaluation. We saw aplastic> surgeon but all he said was that there was a flat spot; he didn't go into> detail as to how severe or how mild it was, didn't take anymeasurements and> suggested repositioning.> > For better results and to get baseline measurements I took my son to the> nearest STARscanner location to get a head scan done (we had aprescription> from the plastic surgeon even though he didn't think we needed aband). The> STARscan results showed that Nicolas had mild-to-moderate plagio(10.8 mm> asymmetry). My plan was to try another 5 weeks of aggressiverepositioning> and then go back for another scan to see if it was making anydifference.> > During that five week period I decided to see another plasticsurgeon to get> a second opinion. The doctor was great, much better than the firstone that> we saw. He took

measurements of Nicolas' head and reviewed the STARscan> report that I had taken a few weeks earlier. He said that Nicolas'> measurements were borderline mild/moderate but that given historticollis he> recommended that we go ahead with getting the STARband for him. I know> someone else who saw the same doctor for an evaluation and in hercase he> recommended not to get the band. (I think part of the reason why Iwanted> to see this particular doctor was that I was hoping he would saythat my son> didn't need a band either) This makes me feel confident that he doesn't> automatically recommend banding a child with plagio.> > So, after much consideration, we scraped our plans to get anotherSTARscan> evaluation and decided that we are going to go ahead and get Nicolas the> STARband. We will get it through Center for Independent Rehabilitative> Services (CIRS) which is in located

in Oakland, CA. We are veryfortunate> that we have a facility located so close to us (30 miles from home). We> also found out that our insurance (Kaiser-Northern California) willcover> 80% of the cost of the band. I would love to get him in the band assoon as> possible but if we get scanned this week it will arrive just a few days> before we leave on vacation and I don't want to worry about having any> problems with it while we are out of town. So Nicolas is going infor his> scan April 13 and the band will be ready for him when we return from our> trip and we will pick it up April 25.> > The orthotist thought that Nicolas would need to use it for 4-6months. I'm> hoping that it will be closer to 4 months given that his case is> mild/moderate and he is getting the band at a young age (6.5 months).> > I'm sure that as the time comes closer I will have many

questionsfor all> the experienced parents on this board. Everything that I have readso far> has been so helpful. It's nice knowing that we aren't going throughthis> journey alone :>)> > Molly> Novato, California> Nicolas, 5.5 months, tort & plagio, getting STARband in April> , 3> , 6>For more plagio info

March 30, 2006

While I'm not Molly, I just have to say thank you for sharing those pictures. Sure makes me feel better about our son going for casting next week! Thank you!

Amy

On 3/30/06, Heidi Bailes <bailesfam05@...> wrote:

Molly-

I just wanted to email you to say, you are going to be so happy with your decision. My son Braden had severe brachy and some plagio. He also had mild tort. He received his Starband (after much deliberation) on February 17th. As of today, his assymetry has gone from 5.7mm to 2.2mm and he is only 1 deviation above the standard. His head looks wonderful and we are set to graduate in 1 month. This was a huge decision and the two weeks before we received the helmet were filled with much anxiety - but this was the best decision we ever made and Braden had NO adjustment problems.

I have attached a few pictures for you. There are 2 that we took at the beginning of March (at the time banded less than 1 month) and then 3 we took around the 21st of March (banded a little over a month). You can see a real difference between the pictures and his head looks even better today. Someone sent me pictures like this and it really helped with my anxiety.

If you have questions or anything, you are welcome to email me thru or off the board. Good luck to you and Nicolas!

Heidi

Mom to Bradenemilybeth27 <emilybeth27@...> wrote:

Molly...I bet you're glad the " decision " part is over! My son was alsoa mild/mod plagio(no tort), and he's been in his DOCband almost

2months and what amazing correction!! The ortho said that he probablyonly has one more months! I was very strict about him wearing it 23hrsa day and I think it paid off....I'm only saying this b/c I read that

you hoped it would only be 4months b/c Nicolas is mild/mod. I hopeeverything goes well and he adjusts easily! Thanks for sharing! (Max DOCbanded 2/7)P.S. I'm in Texas now, but my husband and I lived in Walnut Creek, CA

for 3.5years!!! How are things in the Bay area?!! I miss it!>> To band or not to band? That is the question that we have beengrappling> with over the last month.> > My son, Nicolas, was diagnosed with torticollis at 2 months old. We

were> immediately referred for physical therapy. Unfortunately ourpaediatrician> and physical therapist never said anything about repositioning him; they> just offered suggestions on how to get him to turn his head more and

> recommended exercises to help with it. It wasn't until my son was 4months> old that the paediatrician and physical therapist noticed that he was> developing a flat spot on the back, right side of his head. Fortunately our> paediatrician has been very good about getting us the referrals thatwe need> and referred us to a plastic surgeon for an evaluation. We saw aplastic> surgeon but all he said was that there was a fl

at spot; he didn't go into> detail as to how severe or how mild it was, didn't take anymeasurements and> suggested repositioning.> > For better results and to get baseline measurements I took my son to the

> nearest STARscanner location to get a head scan done (we had aprescription> from the plastic surgeon even though he didn't think we needed aband). The> STARscan results showed that Nicolas had mild-to-moderate plagio

(10.8 mm> asymmetry). My plan was to try another 5 weeks of aggressiverepositioning> and then go back for another scan to see if it was making anydifference.> > During that five week period I decided to see another plastic

surgeon to get> a second opinion. The doctor was great, much better than the firstone that> we saw. He took measurements of Nicolas' head and reviewed the STARscan> report that I had taken a few weeks earlier. He said that Nicolas'

> measurements were borderline mild/moderate but that given historticollis he> recommended that we go ahead with getting the STARband for him. I know> someone else who saw the same doctor for an evaluation and in her

case he> recommended not to get the band. (I think part of the reason why Iwanted> to see this particular doctor was that I was hoping he would saythat my son> didn't need a band either) This makes me feel confident that he doesn't

> automatically recommend banding a child with plagio.> > So, after much consideration, we scraped our plans to get anotherSTARscan> evaluation and decided that we are going to go ahead and get Nicolas the

> STARband. We will get it through Center for Independent Rehabilitative> Services (CIRS) which is in located in Oakland, CA. We are veryfortunate> that we have a facility located so close to us (30 miles from home). We

> also found out that our insurance (Kaiser-Northern California) willcover> 80% of the cost of the band. I would love to get him in the band assoon as> possible but if we get scanned this week it will arrive just a few days

> before we leave on vacation and I don't want to worry about having any> problems with it while we are out of town. So Nicolas is going infor his> scan April 13 and the band will be ready for him when we return from our

> trip and we will pick it up April 25.> > The orthotist thought that Nicolas would need to use it for 4-6months. I'm> hoping that it will be closer to 4 months given that his case is> mild/moderate and he is getting the band at a young age (

6.5 months).> > I'm sure that as the time comes closer I will have many questionsfor all> the experienced parents on this board. Everything that I have readso far> has been so helpful. It's nice knowing that we aren't going through

this> journey alone :>)> > Molly> Novato, California> Nicolas, 5.5 months, tort & plagio, getting STARband in April> , 3> , 6>

For more plagio info

March 30, 2006