Re: Update on Marissa & metopic suture ridge

January 14, 2006

Zofia,

Dane had that ridge around his first bday. He is four now. It's

not really noticeable. He never developed a ridge along the back of

his skull.

If I were you and still would like more correction I would get her

casted this month so she could get another DOC Band. Call me

conservative but I would not want to be one of the first people to

use the new type of helmet. I like studies and proof that it

works.

I know this is a difficult decision. We didn't do an exit cast for

Cece because I knew she'd pitch such a fit at her age. But if she

had needed another band I don't think I would have let the casting

interfere with my decision. It really is just 10 minutes out of

their lives and it's not painful.

--- In Plagiocephaly , " zofia_2005 " <zofia_2005@y...>

wrote:

>

> Hi there,

>

> We finally had our appointment with the surgeon again. Marissa has

> been wearing a doc-band for almost 2 months. Her head shape is

> improving somewhat but now she has a raised ridge along her

metopic

> suture (the one that separates the two front halves of her skull).

I

> thank those who wrote back saying their children had the same

thing.

>

> The surgeon told us this was normal for her and it wasn't caused

by

> the doc-band. I'm so sceptical about his diagnosis. He said it

might

> get worse and form along the back of her skull as well but

hopefully

> won't travel down to her forehead and nose. After doing some

> research I found out the ridge could have formed because her head

> hasn't been growing very much over the past 4 months. She still

has

> a large fontanel and I wonder if I take the doc-band off whether

it

> will flatten out the ridge somewhat.

>

> I was also asked if we would consider a second band for her.

Reason

> being our clinic will not be using the doc-band after January and

> will be making their own version. I'm struggling with that

decision

> as she's now almost 13 months old and I feel I don't want to put

her

> through casting again. If she wears the doc-band for another 2

> months and her head shape doesn't improve much more, I always have

> the option of using their own version. What should I do? Get her

> recasted for a doc-band before it's too late or take my chances

and

> have her try to get more correction in the next two months?

>

> Also, does anyone agree with the surgeons diagnosis? I'm tending

to

> think the ridge was caused by us tightening the band too much as

it

> came to us quite large. Am I wrong?

>

> I'd love some advice because I'm struggling so much with trying to

> do the right thing. I get to the point where I'd like to remove

the

> doc-band for good. Other people have commented her head looks much

> better. I guess I should post some pictures to have you all

decide.

> I know it could improve more but what are the chances if I take

off

> the band the flat spot will round out more. She's now crawling and

> is close to walking (hopefully)

>

> Thanks for your help,

> Zofia

>

> Marissa (13 mths old) doc-band 17Nov05

>

January 14, 2006

Zofia,

Dane had that ridge around his first bday. He is four now. It's

not really noticeable. He never developed a ridge along the back of

his skull.

If I were you and still would like more correction I would get her

casted this month so she could get another DOC Band. Call me

conservative but I would not want to be one of the first people to

use the new type of helmet. I like studies and proof that it

works.

I know this is a difficult decision. We didn't do an exit cast for

Cece because I knew she'd pitch such a fit at her age. But if she

had needed another band I don't think I would have let the casting

interfere with my decision. It really is just 10 minutes out of

their lives and it's not painful.

--- In Plagiocephaly , " zofia_2005 " <zofia_2005@y...>

wrote:

>

> Hi there,

>

> We finally had our appointment with the surgeon again. Marissa has

> been wearing a doc-band for almost 2 months. Her head shape is

> improving somewhat but now she has a raised ridge along her

metopic

> suture (the one that separates the two front halves of her skull).

I

> thank those who wrote back saying their children had the same

thing.

>

> The surgeon told us this was normal for her and it wasn't caused

by

> the doc-band. I'm so sceptical about his diagnosis. He said it

might

> get worse and form along the back of her skull as well but

hopefully

> won't travel down to her forehead and nose. After doing some

> research I found out the ridge could have formed because her head

> hasn't been growing very much over the past 4 months. She still

has

> a large fontanel and I wonder if I take the doc-band off whether

it

> will flatten out the ridge somewhat.

>

> I was also asked if we would consider a second band for her.

Reason

> being our clinic will not be using the doc-band after January and

> will be making their own version. I'm struggling with that

decision

> as she's now almost 13 months old and I feel I don't want to put

her

> through casting again. If she wears the doc-band for another 2

> months and her head shape doesn't improve much more, I always have

> the option of using their own version. What should I do? Get her

> recasted for a doc-band before it's too late or take my chances

and

> have her try to get more correction in the next two months?

>

> Also, does anyone agree with the surgeons diagnosis? I'm tending

to

> think the ridge was caused by us tightening the band too much as

it

> came to us quite large. Am I wrong?

>

> I'd love some advice because I'm struggling so much with trying to

> do the right thing. I get to the point where I'd like to remove

the

> doc-band for good. Other people have commented her head looks much

> better. I guess I should post some pictures to have you all

decide.

> I know it could improve more but what are the chances if I take

off

> the band the flat spot will round out more. She's now crawling and

> is close to walking (hopefully)

>

> Thanks for your help,

> Zofia

>

> Marissa (13 mths old) doc-band 17Nov05

>

January 14, 2006

,

Thanks for your advice. I just hope the ridge doesn't get any bigger

or longer. I still have almost two weeks to decide on the second

casting. It will probably take me that long to decide. It's so hard

deciding what's best and I know I want her head to look more normal.

Zofia

> >

> > Hi there,

> >

> > We finally had our appointment with the surgeon again. Marissa

has

> > been wearing a doc-band for almost 2 months. Her head shape is

> > improving somewhat but now she has a raised ridge along her

> metopic

> > suture (the one that separates the two front halves of her

skull).

> I

> > thank those who wrote back saying their children had the same

> thing.

> >

> > The surgeon told us this was normal for her and it wasn't caused

> by

> > the doc-band. I'm so sceptical about his diagnosis. He said it

> might

> > get worse and form along the back of her skull as well but

> hopefully

> > won't travel down to her forehead and nose. After doing some

> > research I found out the ridge could have formed because her

head

> > hasn't been growing very much over the past 4 months. She still

> has

> > a large fontanel and I wonder if I take the doc-band off whether

> it

> > will flatten out the ridge somewhat.

> >

> > I was also asked if we would consider a second band for her.

> Reason

> > being our clinic will not be using the doc-band after January

and

> > will be making their own version. I'm struggling with that

> decision

> > as she's now almost 13 months old and I feel I don't want to put

> her

> > through casting again. If she wears the doc-band for another 2

> > months and her head shape doesn't improve much more, I always

have

> > the option of using their own version. What should I do? Get

her

> > recasted for a doc-band before it's too late or take my chances

> and

> > have her try to get more correction in the next two months?

> >

> > Also, does anyone agree with the surgeons diagnosis? I'm tending

> to

> > think the ridge was caused by us tightening the band too much as

> it

> > came to us quite large. Am I wrong?

> >

> > I'd love some advice because I'm struggling so much with trying

to

> > do the right thing. I get to the point where I'd like to remove

> the

> > doc-band for good. Other people have commented her head looks

much

> > better. I guess I should post some pictures to have you all

> decide.

> > I know it could improve more but what are the chances if I take

> off

> > the band the flat spot will round out more. She's now crawling

and

> > is close to walking (hopefully)

> >

> > Thanks for your help,

> > Zofia

> >

> > Marissa (13 mths old) doc-band 17Nov05

> >

>

January 14, 2006

,

Thanks for your advice. I just hope the ridge doesn't get any bigger

or longer. I still have almost two weeks to decide on the second

casting. It will probably take me that long to decide. It's so hard

deciding what's best and I know I want her head to look more normal.

Zofia

> >

> > Hi there,

> >

> > We finally had our appointment with the surgeon again. Marissa

has

> > been wearing a doc-band for almost 2 months. Her head shape is

> > improving somewhat but now she has a raised ridge along her

> metopic

> > suture (the one that separates the two front halves of her

skull).

> I

> > thank those who wrote back saying their children had the same

> thing.

> >

> > The surgeon told us this was normal for her and it wasn't caused

> by

> > the doc-band. I'm so sceptical about his diagnosis. He said it

> might

> > get worse and form along the back of her skull as well but

> hopefully

> > won't travel down to her forehead and nose. After doing some

> > research I found out the ridge could have formed because her

head

> > hasn't been growing very much over the past 4 months. She still

> has

> > a large fontanel and I wonder if I take the doc-band off whether

> it

> > will flatten out the ridge somewhat.

> >

> > I was also asked if we would consider a second band for her.

> Reason

> > being our clinic will not be using the doc-band after January

and

> > will be making their own version. I'm struggling with that

> decision

> > as she's now almost 13 months old and I feel I don't want to put

> her

> > through casting again. If she wears the doc-band for another 2

> > months and her head shape doesn't improve much more, I always

have

> > the option of using their own version. What should I do? Get

her

> > recasted for a doc-band before it's too late or take my chances

> and

> > have her try to get more correction in the next two months?

> >

> > Also, does anyone agree with the surgeons diagnosis? I'm tending

> to

> > think the ridge was caused by us tightening the band too much as

> it

> > came to us quite large. Am I wrong?

> >

> > I'd love some advice because I'm struggling so much with trying

to

> > do the right thing. I get to the point where I'd like to remove

> the

> > doc-band for good. Other people have commented her head looks

much

> > better. I guess I should post some pictures to have you all

> decide.

> > I know it could improve more but what are the chances if I take

> off

> > the band the flat spot will round out more. She's now crawling

and

> > is close to walking (hopefully)

> >

> > Thanks for your help,

> > Zofia

> >

> > Marissa (13 mths old) doc-band 17Nov05

> >

>

January 14, 2006

Hi Zofia,

I just want to second everything has already told you. Let us

know what you decide to do.

--- In Plagiocephaly , " zofia_2005 " <zofia_2005@y...>

wrote:

>

> Hi there,

>

> We finally had our appointment with the surgeon again. Marissa has

> been wearing a doc-band for almost 2 months. Her head shape is

> improving somewhat but now she has a raised ridge along her metopic

> suture (the one that separates the two front halves of her skull). I

> thank those who wrote back saying their children had the same thing.

>

> The surgeon told us this was normal for her and it wasn't caused by

> the doc-band. I'm so sceptical about his diagnosis. He said it might

> get worse and form along the back of her skull as well but hopefully

> won't travel down to her forehead and nose. After doing some

> research I found out the ridge could have formed because her head

> hasn't been growing very much over the past 4 months. She still has

> a large fontanel and I wonder if I take the doc-band off whether it

> will flatten out the ridge somewhat.

>

> I was also asked if we would consider a second band for her. Reason

> being our clinic will not be using the doc-band after January and

> will be making their own version. I'm struggling with that decision

> as she's now almost 13 months old and I feel I don't want to put her

> through casting again. If she wears the doc-band for another 2

> months and her head shape doesn't improve much more, I always have

> the option of using their own version. What should I do? Get her

> recasted for a doc-band before it's too late or take my chances and

> have her try to get more correction in the next two months?

>

> Also, does anyone agree with the surgeons diagnosis? I'm tending to

> think the ridge was caused by us tightening the band too much as it

> came to us quite large. Am I wrong?

>

> I'd love some advice because I'm struggling so much with trying to

> do the right thing. I get to the point where I'd like to remove the

> doc-band for good. Other people have commented her head looks much

> better. I guess I should post some pictures to have you all decide.

> I know it could improve more but what are the chances if I take off

> the band the flat spot will round out more. She's now crawling and

> is close to walking (hopefully)

>

> Thanks for your help,

> Zofia

>

> Marissa (13 mths old) doc-band 17Nov05

>

January 14, 2006