Re: The eyes or the mirror??

[Guest guest]

Bobbi,

In my opinion, I would say if you and Kaitlyn's PTs all think that

Kaitlyn's head looks good then that is what you should go by.

Because if you think about it that is what other people will be

seing, I mean how much time really will she be spending looking in

the mirror?? Corrrect me if I am wrong but isn't it still possible

to see some correction even after the band is off?? I thought I had

heard that. Besides wouldn't she have to get an entirly new band

anyway?? See what your ortho says next Tuesday and then do what you

feel is best.

Isabelle 8mos STARband 1/31/06

>

> Which do you all go by when looking at your babys head?? When I

look

> at Kaitlyn with my eyes I think her head looks great but when I

look

> at her in the mirror I'm just not quite happy with it. She went

and

> saw her physical therapist and a pediatric physical therapy

> specialist yesterday and BOTH said how her head looked great, no

> forehead bossing, her flatness in the back right is great, the

> specialist said she can notice a TINY bit of fullness in her right

> cheek that was it. She goes back to see her orthotist on May 2nd

for

> another rescan and I was going to end the helmet then but after

> really " studying " her in the mirror I'm not so sure I want to end

it

> quite yet. So that's why I'm asking for your opinions here, what

> would show " better " by looking at her with your eyes or in the

> mirror?? I'll also talk to her ortho about it when we see him and

> see what he says but thought I'd ask here too! Is the mirror TRUE

as

> to how her head looks or is it an " illusion " , I believe it shows

the

> head in 2D? Is that REALLY how it looks? Looking with my eyes

and

> others (specialists) eyes her head is GREAT! UGH I'm so

confused!!!!

>

> Thanks!

>

> Bobbi, mommy to Kaitlyn , 1 year old!

> Tort (resolved) and plag-banded on 12-15-05

> Michigan

>

[Guest guest]

Bobbi,

What you see in the mirror is her true image. I disagree with ,

being the mother of a teenage daughter I can say she spends a lot of

time in front of the mirror. Think back to when you were a teenager,

remember looking in the mirror all the time? The teen years are hard

ones. Most of the teens today, my daughter being one of them are very

concerned about their looks.

>

> Which do you all go by when looking at your babys head?? When I look

> at Kaitlyn with my eyes I think her head looks great but when I look

> at her in the mirror I'm just not quite happy with it. She went and

> saw her physical therapist and a pediatric physical therapy

> specialist yesterday and BOTH said how her head looked great, no

> forehead bossing, her flatness in the back right is great, the

> specialist said she can notice a TINY bit of fullness in her right

> cheek that was it. She goes back to see her orthotist on May 2nd for

> another rescan and I was going to end the helmet then but after

> really " studying " her in the mirror I'm not so sure I want to end it

> quite yet. So that's why I'm asking for your opinions here, what

> would show " better " by looking at her with your eyes or in the

> mirror?? I'll also talk to her ortho about it when we see him and

> see what he says but thought I'd ask here too! Is the mirror TRUE as

> to how her head looks or is it an " illusion " , I believe it shows the

> head in 2D? Is that REALLY how it looks? Looking with my eyes and

> others (specialists) eyes her head is GREAT! UGH I'm so confused!!!!

>

> Thanks!

>

> Bobbi, mommy to Kaitlyn , 1 year old!

> Tort (resolved) and plag-banded on 12-15-05

> Michigan

>

[Guest guest]

Hello Bobbi. I just wanted to give you my opinion on this. I was

doing some research on Mirror Images and here are some quotes I found

on one site about experiments with mirror images, etc...

" We might think we see ourselves with traditional mirrors, but

although they appear to show us how we look, in fact they reflect

images that are significantly altered by being backwards. "

" From prehistoric times, people have only seen themselves reflected

backwards. As it turns out, the backward images we see and interact

with everyday are profoundly different from what is real. No wonder

we are so often off in our self-evaluations compared with how others

see us! "

" the incorrect view seen in a traditional mirror can be major source

of self-doubt and self-criticism - simply because it is not the " real

you " when your eyes meet in the mirror. How can you understand

yourself, your emotions and your expressions when there is such

distortion? "

The image that you see when you look in the mirror (at yourself or

anyone else) is actually reversed. It isn't what people see when

they look directly at you (or Kaitlyn). True, Kaitlyn will look at

herself in the mirror MANY times as she grows up, but she will grow

accustomed to the image that she sees and won't neccessarily see

anything " wrong " . How often, though do you really think that other

peolpe will look at her in the mirror? When I hold up to a

mirror, I can still see some slight " asymmetries " , but that isn't

what everyone else sees at all... because no one else looks at her

like that. Heck... there are some things I notice in MYSELF in the

mirror image that others don't see... nor do they show up in

pictures.

Go with your gut. You may need to do some soul searching and decide

what to do. Good luck with your decision. You'll do that right

thing!

Jen

(20.5 mo), tort resolved, Hanger Band Grad

(4 years)

>

> Which do you all go by when looking at your babys head?? When I

look

> at Kaitlyn with my eyes I think her head looks great but when I

look

> at her in the mirror I'm just not quite happy with it. She went and

> saw her physical therapist and a pediatric physical therapy

> specialist yesterday and BOTH said how her head looked great, no

> forehead bossing, her flatness in the back right is great, the

> specialist said she can notice a TINY bit of fullness in her right

> cheek that was it. She goes back to see her orthotist on May 2nd

for

> another rescan and I was going to end the helmet then but after

> really " studying " her in the mirror I'm not so sure I want to end

it

> quite yet. So that's why I'm asking for your opinions here, what

> would show " better " by looking at her with your eyes or in the

> mirror?? I'll also talk to her ortho about it when we see him and

> see what he says but thought I'd ask here too! Is the mirror TRUE

as

> to how her head looks or is it an " illusion " , I believe it shows

the

> head in 2D? Is that REALLY how it looks? Looking with my eyes and

> others (specialists) eyes her head is GREAT! UGH I'm so

confused!!!!

>

> Thanks!

>

> Bobbi, mommy to Kaitlyn , 1 year old!

> Tort (resolved) and plag-banded on 12-15-05

> Michigan

>

[Guest guest]

My son's plagio is also much more obvious in the mirror. I don't

know if this is true or not but our son's neurosurgeon said that we

are used to how he looks to our eyes and then when we look in the

mirror we are seeing him how someone who doesn't see him all the

time would see him. He said that our son will get used to how he

looks in the mirror and it will be less obvious to him than it is to

us when we look at him in the mirror. I don't know if I beleive

that but I just thought I'd pass on this perspective.

Haylee

mom to andre doc band grad

>

> Which do you all go by when looking at your babys head?? When I

look

> at Kaitlyn with my eyes I think her head looks great but when I

look

> at her in the mirror I'm just not quite happy with it. She went

and

> saw her physical therapist and a pediatric physical therapy

> specialist yesterday and BOTH said how her head looked great, no

> forehead bossing, her flatness in the back right is great, the

> specialist said she can notice a TINY bit of fullness in her right

> cheek that was it. She goes back to see her orthotist on May 2nd

for

> another rescan and I was going to end the helmet then but after

> really " studying " her in the mirror I'm not so sure I want to end

it

> quite yet. So that's why I'm asking for your opinions here, what

> would show " better " by looking at her with your eyes or in the

> mirror?? I'll also talk to her ortho about it when we see him and

> see what he says but thought I'd ask here too! Is the mirror TRUE

as

> to how her head looks or is it an " illusion " , I believe it shows

the

> head in 2D? Is that REALLY how it looks? Looking with my eyes

and

> others (specialists) eyes her head is GREAT! UGH I'm so

confused!!!!

>

> Thanks!

>

> Bobbi, mommy to Kaitlyn , 1 year old!

> Tort (resolved) and plag-banded on 12-15-05

> Michigan

>

[Guest guest]

Bobbi,

Hello. I have only posted here a couple of times. However, I just

asked my son's therapist the SAME question. When I look at him he

looks perfect but in the mirror he looks warped still. He is in his

second band and it will be off in June, just shy of his 1st birthday.

I think the mirror is a true vision. Nick is a boy and I worry about

when he has a crew cut or short hair. I know we have done all we can.

When i look at him I see a perfect angel. Our journey with all this

plagio stuff is almost over. I guess we just have to let it go!? I

know exactly what your going through!

Lynn

Nick 10 months Plagio\Tort\Mild Hypotonia

Beautiful little boy!

>

> Which do you all go by when looking at your babys head?? When I

look

> at Kaitlyn with my eyes I think her head looks great but when I

look

> at her in the mirror I'm just not quite happy with it. She went and

> saw her physical therapist and a pediatric physical therapy

> specialist yesterday and BOTH said how her head looked great, no

> forehead bossing, her flatness in the back right is great, the

> specialist said she can notice a TINY bit of fullness in her right

> cheek that was it. She goes back to see her orthotist on May 2nd

for

> another rescan and I was going to end the helmet then but after

> really " studying " her in the mirror I'm not so sure I want to end

it

> quite yet. So that's why I'm asking for your opinions here, what

> would show " better " by looking at her with your eyes or in the

> mirror?? I'll also talk to her ortho about it when we see him and

> see what he says but thought I'd ask here too! Is the mirror TRUE

as

> to how her head looks or is it an " illusion " , I believe it shows

the

> head in 2D? Is that REALLY how it looks? Looking with my eyes and

> others (specialists) eyes her head is GREAT! UGH I'm so

confused!!!!

>

> Thanks!

>

> Bobbi, mommy to Kaitlyn , 1 year old!

> Tort (resolved) and plag-banded on 12-15-05

> Michigan

>

[Guest guest]

I can still see Nate's Plagio in the mirror. Even though he has had

two bands, been released from PT, his head and face still

look " off " . My hope is like Haylee's, that Nate will not notice when

he is older and my biggest hope is that it will get better over

time.

I love looking at my son, but I avoid mirrors becasue I get too

upset when I see the plagio that could not be fully corrected.

Jennie

's Mommy

13.5 Months

DOC Band Grad

> >

> > Which do you all go by when looking at your babys head?? When I

> look

> > at Kaitlyn with my eyes I think her head looks great but when I

> look

> > at her in the mirror I'm just not quite happy with it. She went

> and

> > saw her physical therapist and a pediatric physical therapy

> > specialist yesterday and BOTH said how her head looked great, no

> > forehead bossing, her flatness in the back right is great, the

> > specialist said she can notice a TINY bit of fullness in her

right

> > cheek that was it. She goes back to see her orthotist on May 2nd

> for

> > another rescan and I was going to end the helmet then but after

> > really " studying " her in the mirror I'm not so sure I want to

end

> it

> > quite yet. So that's why I'm asking for your opinions here,

what

> > would show " better " by looking at her with your eyes or in the

> > mirror?? I'll also talk to her ortho about it when we see him

and

> > see what he says but thought I'd ask here too! Is the mirror

TRUE

> as

> > to how her head looks or is it an " illusion " , I believe it shows

> the

> > head in 2D? Is that REALLY how it looks? Looking with my eyes

> and

> > others (specialists) eyes her head is GREAT! UGH I'm so

> confused!!!!

> >

> > Thanks!

> >

> > Bobbi, mommy to Kaitlyn , 1 year old!

> > Tort (resolved) and plag-banded on 12-15-05

> > Michigan

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I still see Liliana's plagio from looking at her straight on and in

the mirror and still wish there could have been more correction. Try

not to worry. It's true that most people do have noticeable assymetry.

I'm hopeful that Liliana won't notice or be bothered by it when she's

older. My only concern is when she will look through photo albums and

ask about it. We didn't stop taking pictures of her with the band on

because we didn't want her or anyone to feel that it was something to

be ashamed of. Hopefully we'll instill enough self-esteem so that she

doesn't over-obsess in the mirror.

BTW: Have you seen Couric lately? She seems to be tilting her

face more and more, like she's trying to see with just one eye. Her

jaw appears to be off center. Her success and self-worth haven't been

negatively affected at all!

~

Liliana's mama

19 months

DOC Band grad x2

> > >

> > > Which do you all go by when looking at your babys head?? When I

> > look

> > > at Kaitlyn with my eyes I think her head looks great but when I

> > look

> > > at her in the mirror I'm just not quite happy with it. She went

> > and

> > > saw her physical therapist and a pediatric physical therapy

> > > specialist yesterday and BOTH said how her head looked great, no

> > > forehead bossing, her flatness in the back right is great, the

> > > specialist said she can notice a TINY bit of fullness in her

> right

> > > cheek that was it. She goes back to see her orthotist on May 2nd

> > for

> > > another rescan and I was going to end the helmet then but after

> > > really " studying " her in the mirror I'm not so sure I want to

> end

> > it

> > > quite yet. So that's why I'm asking for your opinions here,

> what

> > > would show " better " by looking at her with your eyes or in the

> > > mirror?? I'll also talk to her ortho about it when we see him

> and

> > > see what he says but thought I'd ask here too! Is the mirror

> TRUE

> > as

> > > to how her head looks or is it an " illusion " , I believe it shows

> > the

> > > head in 2D? Is that REALLY how it looks? Looking with my eyes

> > and

> > > others (specialists) eyes her head is GREAT! UGH I'm so

> > confused!!!!

> > >

> > > Thanks!

> > >

> > > Bobbi, mommy to Kaitlyn , 1 year old!

> > > Tort (resolved) and plag-banded on 12-15-05

> > > Michigan

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

My daughter graduated after 2 bands (1 poor-fitting Starband & 1 DOC Band) with

some

residual facial asymmetry, & I was doing too many mirror checks. (The residual

was subtle

but showed in the mirror.)

It really has gotten better, though, post band. My take is that it has taken

some time for

her face to catch up with her improved skull. I have hopes that the residual

facial

asymmetry will go away, altogether, but am grateful for what we have.

in Atlanta

dd is 17 months

> > >

> > > Which do you all go by when looking at your babys head?? When I

> > look

> > > at Kaitlyn with my eyes I think her head looks great but when I

> > look

> > > at her in the mirror I'm just not quite happy with it. She went

> > and

> > > saw her physical therapist and a pediatric physical therapy

> > > specialist yesterday and BOTH said how her head looked great, no

> > > forehead bossing, her flatness in the back right is great, the

> > > specialist said she can notice a TINY bit of fullness in her

> right

> > > cheek that was it. She goes back to see her orthotist on May 2nd

> > for

> > > another rescan and I was going to end the helmet then but after

> > > really " studying " her in the mirror I'm not so sure I want to

> end

> > it

> > > quite yet. So that's why I'm asking for your opinions here,

> what

> > > would show " better " by looking at her with your eyes or in the

> > > mirror?? I'll also talk to her ortho about it when we see him

> and

> > > see what he says but thought I'd ask here too! Is the mirror

> TRUE

> > as

> > > to how her head looks or is it an " illusion " , I believe it shows

> > the

> > > head in 2D? Is that REALLY how it looks? Looking with my eyes

> > and

> > > others (specialists) eyes her head is GREAT! UGH I'm so

> > confused!!!!

> > >

> > > Thanks!

> > >

> > > Bobbi, mommy to Kaitlyn , 1 year old!

> > > Tort (resolved) and plag-banded on 12-15-05

> > > Michigan

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

My son gets casted on Monday and I hope that when it is done I can

only see it in the mirror. As noone will use a mirror to look him in

the eye hopefully they will notice nothing at all. People mostly

notice his bulging forehead right now and not the ear and eye

asymmetry so much. It is like they know something is wrong, but

cannot put their finger on it until we say things are a bit skewed.

I think if you are looking at your child and it looks great, hooray,

I hope I get that result because right now I look at him and all I

see is asymmetry--no mirror needed. Good luck and hang in there.

> > > >

> > > > Which do you all go by when looking at your babys head??

When I

> > > look

> > > > at Kaitlyn with my eyes I think her head looks great but when

I

> > > look

> > > > at her in the mirror I'm just not quite happy with it. She

went

> > > and

> > > > saw her physical therapist and a pediatric physical therapy

> > > > specialist yesterday and BOTH said how her head looked great,

no

> > > > forehead bossing, her flatness in the back right is great,

the

> > > > specialist said she can notice a TINY bit of fullness in her

> > right

> > > > cheek that was it. She goes back to see her orthotist on May

2nd

> > > for

> > > > another rescan and I was going to end the helmet then but

after

> > > > really " studying " her in the mirror I'm not so sure I want to

> > end

> > > it

> > > > quite yet. So that's why I'm asking for your opinions here,

> > what

> > > > would show " better " by looking at her with your eyes or in

the

> > > > mirror?? I'll also talk to her ortho about it when we see

him

> > and

> > > > see what he says but thought I'd ask here too! Is the mirror

> > TRUE

> > > as

> > > > to how her head looks or is it an " illusion " , I believe it

shows

> > > the

> > > > head in 2D? Is that REALLY how it looks? Looking with my

eyes

> > > and

> > > > others (specialists) eyes her head is GREAT! UGH I'm so

> > > confused!!!!

> > > >

> > > > Thanks!

> > > >

> > > > Bobbi, mommy to Kaitlyn , 1 year old!

> > > > Tort (resolved) and plag-banded on 12-15-05

> > > > Michigan

> > > >

> > >

> >

>