1st time in 4 months no growth :( Need some advice please!

[Guest guest]

got banded back in March at 11 mos. He has been doing

really well and we have been seeing growth (whether big or small)

everytime we went. This is the first time he did not grow at all. He

is 15 mos. now. We will go back in 3 weeks. If he does not have any

growth at that time should we stop treatment? My husband can't wait

until the helment is off, neither can I but, I am willing to go as long

as we have to if we are seeing results. Since was so much

older when he got the helment I want to get the best correction

possible. Is it reasonable at his age to stop treatment if he has not

have growth in another 3 weeks (6 wks total then)? Thanks in advance

for your advice?

Kim

mom to

Starband 3.14.07

NJ

[Guest guest]

Hi,

this sounds like a very hard decision. I guess it depends on how

severe his head is at present. I hope he'll grow in the next 3 weeks,

so you won't have to decide this! My dd was younger (started at 5 mo)

and had severe brachy. she wore her band for 5 mo, so I know how sick

of the band you must be. I was ready to quit at 4 mo and my ortho and

doc convinced me to keep trying. She got more correction and outgrew

her band. I was so happy I waiting, and felt like I had done what I

could. If you stop now, you'll really wonder " what if... therefore I

would really try to keep going as long as you can.

-christine

sydney 18 mo starband grad

>

> got banded back in March at 11 mos. He has been doing

> really well and we have been seeing growth (whether big or small)

> everytime we went. This is the first time he did not grow at all. He

> is 15 mos. now. We will go back in 3 weeks. If he does not have any

> growth at that time should we stop treatment? My husband can't wait

> until the helment is off, neither can I but, I am willing to go as long

> as we have to if we are seeing results. Since was so much

> older when he got the helment I want to get the best correction

> possible. Is it reasonable at his age to stop treatment if he has not

> have growth in another 3 weeks (6 wks total then)? Thanks in advance

> for your advice?

>

> Kim

> mom to

> Starband 3.14.07

> NJ

>

[Guest guest]

IMO, I would wear it until it doesn't fit anymore. My son was in his band for about 4 1/2 mths and only had major growth the first two weeks and the very last month.....it's more have it on when they hit that good growth spurt. It may take a month, it may take 2....in our case it was almost 3 1/2!!! It's a personal choice, will you be happy with his head if you remove the band and have no more correction? It's a personal choice. Mother to , Starbanded 1/11/07-5/23/07 "In the depths of winter, I finally found there was in me an invincible

summer."

[Guest guest]

I would have to agree. It depends on how it looks and the numbers.

Where did he start, where is he now? Is it noticable by looks or only

feeling it? Also how are his eyes and ears, do they look symmetrical?

> >

> > got banded back in March at 11 mos. He has been doing

> > really well and we have been seeing growth (whether big or small)

> > everytime we went. This is the first time he did not grow at

all. He

> > is 15 mos. now. We will go back in 3 weeks. If he does not have

any

> > growth at that time should we stop treatment? My husband can't

wait

> > until the helment is off, neither can I but, I am willing to go

as long

> > as we have to if we are seeing results. Since was so

much

> > older when he got the helment I want to get the best correction

> > possible. Is it reasonable at his age to stop treatment if he

has not

> > have growth in another 3 weeks (6 wks total then)? Thanks in

advance

> > for your advice?

> >

> > Kim

> > mom to

> > Starband 3.14.07

> > NJ

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Also, let me add that never had any facial asymmetry.

His ortho said he is a moderate to mild case. I can still tell that

his head not symmetrical and could definitely use some more

corrections. As far as the numbers go, I don't really know what they

mean. He had a scan 3 weeks ago, here is the comparison. Please let

me know if they are good or bad.

Standard Measurements

Level 3

3/2/07 6/20/2007

HT: 37.5 37.2

AP: 161.9 165.6

ML: 150.6 149.3

CR: .930 .902

CIRC: 489.1 495.6

RSI:38.5 40.7

Oblique Measurements

Diag1: 154.2 157.2 at -30.0

Diag2: 163.6 168.1 at 30.0

MIN: 146.9 146.1 at -63.6

MAX: 165.1 16935 at 19.9

>

> got banded back in March at 11 mos. He has been doing

> really well and we have been seeing growth (whether big or small)

> everytime we went. This is the first time he did not grow at all.

He

> is 15 mos. now. We will go back in 3 weeks. If he does not have

any

> growth at that time should we stop treatment? My husband can't

wait

> until the helment is off, neither can I but, I am willing to go as

long

> as we have to if we are seeing results. Since was so

much

> older when he got the helment I want to get the best correction

> possible. Is it reasonable at his age to stop treatment if he has

not

> have growth in another 3 weeks (6 wks total then)? Thanks in

advance

> for your advice?

>

> Kim

> mom to

> Starband 3.14.07

> NJ

>

[Guest guest]

HI Kim,

I looked at your numbers and if I interpreted them correctly the

improvement doesn't look great to me.

It seems like his brachy went from 93% to 90% which is improvement but

not huge.

As for the plagio (asymmetry) it went from 9.4 to 10.9, which is

actually slightly worse than when you started. Depending on the

accuracy of the measurements there may be a slight error, but the

number should be improving in the 3+ months. To get the plagio number

take (diag1 - diag2).

Is your ortho experienced? is older than my daughter so I

don't know what is normal at this age, but I would expect the plagio

to improve. Maybe other mom's with older babies can comment. In any

case I wouldn't stop treatment with these numbers. Our specialist

recommends banding at 10mm of asymmetry or 90% for brachy. since your

son meets both these criteria I would say he should definitely be

banded for a while longer. Also I would ask your ortho why the plagio

number isn't improving.

HTH. -christine

sydney 18 mo starband grad.

> >

> > got banded back in March at 11 mos. He has been doing

> > really well and we have been seeing growth (whether big or small)

> > everytime we went. This is the first time he did not grow at all.

> He

> > is 15 mos. now. We will go back in 3 weeks. If he does not have

> any

> > growth at that time should we stop treatment? My husband can't

> wait

> > until the helment is off, neither can I but, I am willing to go as

> long

> > as we have to if we are seeing results. Since was so

> much

> > older when he got the helment I want to get the best correction

> > possible. Is it reasonable at his age to stop treatment if he has

> not

> > have growth in another 3 weeks (6 wks total then)? Thanks in

> advance

> > for your advice?

> >

> > Kim

> > mom to

> > Starband 3.14.07

> > NJ

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Kim can you double check those numbers? I read them to show a

worsening in plagio. I have never had a scan only a caliper

measurement so I surely could be reading it wrong. Hopefully someone

who is experienced at interpreting starscans will chime in.

> >

> > got banded back in March at 11 mos. He has been doing

> > really well and we have been seeing growth (whether big or small)

> > everytime we went. This is the first time he did not grow at

all.

> He

> > is 15 mos. now. We will go back in 3 weeks. If he does not have

> any

> > growth at that time should we stop treatment? My husband can't

> wait

> > until the helment is off, neither can I but, I am willing to go

as

> long

> > as we have to if we are seeing results. Since was so

> much

> > older when he got the helment I want to get the best correction

> > possible. Is it reasonable at his age to stop treatment if he

has

> not

> > have growth in another 3 weeks (6 wks total then)? Thanks in

> advance

> > for your advice?

> >

> > Kim

> > mom to

> > Starband 3.14.07

> > NJ

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I agree with that the numbers don't show a big sign of

improvement.

Here is an explanation of the STARscanner Report:

(Level 3 measurements)

• Cephalic Ratio (CR) = Cranial Breadth/Cranial Length. An ideal

ratio would be 0.78 or 78%. Brachycephaly Severity - normal - 73-83%;

moderate - 83.1% to 87.9%; severe - 88% and higher.

• Radial Symmetry Index (RSI) = from the front of the head, 15°

segments are measured and added. The addition of the right side segments is

subtracted to the addition of the left side segments. An ideal ratio would

be left side – right side = 0 (<30 mm normal)

• Oblique Cranial Maximum and Minimum = Ideally one is looking to have

the maximum line vertical and the minimum line horizontal.

• Oblique at 30 deg (US1 and US2) = Length of diagonal taken at 30° on

each side (30° corresponds to the corner of the eye). The subtraction of

US1 and US2 gives an indication of the asymmetry of the head. An asymmetry

between 0-3 mm is normal; <6 mm is very mild; 6-10 mm is mild; 10-15 mm is

moderate; 15+ mm is severe

• Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 volumes: Draws vertical and horizontal lines centered

on middle point of head. Measures volume of each corner starting front

left, then front right, back right and back left.

• Anterior Symmetry Ratio: looks at front of head and divides front

left volume with front right volume. An ideal ratio would be 1

• Posterior Symmetry Ratio: looks at back of head and divides back

right volume with back left volume. An ideal ration would be 1

• Overall Symmetry Ratio: Divides left side with right side. An ideal

ratio would be 1

• Upper facial left and upper facial right: Measures the length

between the centre of the front to each left and right ear. This

corresponds to a cranial bone and determines the position of the ear.

• Upper Facial Symmetry Ratio: Divides Upper Facial Right with Upper

Facial Left. An ideal ratio would be 1

• Cranial Vault Asymmetry Index (CVAI): the percentage difference in

plagio, (100%-(US1/US2)). 0-3 mm normal

• Ear Offset - this number seems to be very subjective because the

ortho places stickers near the ears that the machine picks up to take this

measurement. If they are placed differently each time the number will come

out differently.

Molly

California

Nicolas, 21 months, tort & plagio, STARband 4/25/06-9/12/06, Graduate!

, 4

, 7.5

Re: 1st time in 4 months no growth Need some advice

please!

HI Kim,

I looked at your numbers and if I interpreted them correctly the improvement

doesn't look great to me.

It seems like his brachy went from 93% to 90% which is improvement but not

huge.

As for the plagio (asymmetry) it went from 9.4 to 10.9, which is actually

slightly worse than when you started. Depending on the accuracy of the

measurements there may be a slight error, but the number should be improving

in the 3+ months. To get the plagio number take (diag1 - diag2).

Is your ortho experienced? is older than my daughter so I don't

know what is normal at this age, but I would expect the plagio to improve.

Maybe other mom's with older babies can comment. In any case I wouldn't stop

treatment with these numbers. Our specialist recommends banding at 10mm of

asymmetry or 90% for brachy. since your son meets both these criteria I

would say he should definitely be banded for a while longer. Also I would

ask your ortho why the plagio number isn't improving.

HTH. -christine

sydney 18 mo starband grad.

> >

> > got banded back in March at 11 mos. He has been doing

> > really well and we have been seeing growth (whether big or small)

> > everytime we went. This is the first time he did not grow at all.

> He

> > is 15 mos. now. We will go back in 3 weeks. If he does not have

> any

> > growth at that time should we stop treatment? My husband can't

> wait

> > until the helment is off, neither can I but, I am willing to go as

> long

> > as we have to if we are seeing results. Since was so

> much

> > older when he got the helment I want to get the best correction

> > possible. Is it reasonable at his age to stop treatment if he has

> not

> > have growth in another 3 weeks (6 wks total then)? Thanks in

> advance

> > for your advice?

> >

> > Kim

> > mom to

> > Starband 3.14.07

> > NJ

> >

>

For more plagio info

[Guest guest]

OK, which numbers are bracy & which is plagio? Is brachy the CR #?

Kim

> > >

> > > got banded back in March at 11 mos. He has been

doing

> > > really well and we have been seeing growth (whether big or

small)

> > > everytime we went. This is the first time he did not grow at

> all.

> > He

> > > is 15 mos. now. We will go back in 3 weeks. If he does not

have

> > any

> > > growth at that time should we stop treatment? My husband can't

> > wait

> > > until the helment is off, neither can I but, I am willing to go

> as

> > long

> > > as we have to if we are seeing results. Since was

so

> > much

> > > older when he got the helment I want to get the best correction

> > > possible. Is it reasonable at his age to stop treatment if he

> has

> > not

> > > have growth in another 3 weeks (6 wks total then)? Thanks in

> > advance

> > > for your advice?

> > >

> > > Kim

> > > mom to

> > > Starband 3.14.07

> > > NJ

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

yes, CR (cranial ratio ) is the brachy number. Either .90 or you can

make it 90% (they I think it is called cephalic index). it is measured

by width/length of the head.

the plagio is the difference between the diagonals.

christine

sydney 18 mo starband grad

> > > >

> > > > got banded back in March at 11 mos. He has been

> doing

> > > > really well and we have been seeing growth (whether big or

> small)

> > > > everytime we went. This is the first time he did not grow at

> > all.

> > > He

> > > > is 15 mos. now. We will go back in 3 weeks. If he does not

> have

> > > any

> > > > growth at that time should we stop treatment? My husband can't

> > > wait

> > > > until the helment is off, neither can I but, I am willing to go

> > as

> > > long

> > > > as we have to if we are seeing results. Since was

> so

> > > much

> > > > older when he got the helment I want to get the best correction

> > > > possible. Is it reasonable at his age to stop treatment if he

> > has

> > > not

> > > > have growth in another 3 weeks (6 wks total then)? Thanks in

> > > advance

> > > > for your advice?

> > > >

> > > > Kim

> > > > mom to

> > > > Starband 3.14.07

> > > > NJ

> > > >

> > >

> >

>