Re: HELP! Still not sure which band...going nuts!

[Guest guest]

I already replied, so I'm sort of repeating myself... My daughter wore

a starband for brachy, but I would easily choose a docband if I had

that option. I don't think there is any reason star is better, I think

Dr V. is just trying to market his product. I have seen excellent

results from docband/brachy in this group over the past year or so.

-christine

sydney 2 yrs starband grad

>

> Hi,

> I still dont know what to do for which band to put in. I was

> convinced I was going to do the DOCband, until we saw Dr Vicari at

> Childrens and he told me that the STARband is better because it comes

> down further in the back to help the Brachy, and has more foam to cut

> away. I love Cranial Tech, but now I am wondering if we wont get as

> good results with the DOCband for the Bracy in back. He is only mild-

> moderate, but thats the part that bugs me most about his head, the

> flat in back. He is flat on side and square above the ears and stuff,

> but the flat is so noticeable to me. SO what do I do now?? We have an

> appointment set for Friday to see Cranial Tech again and possibly

> scan that day. But if I want the STARband I have to speak with Dr

> Vicaris office again cause we left it with we would let them know. I

> really like the DOCband look better, but what if the DOCband wont

> help the Brachy as much??? I cant even tell by most pics how far the

> DOCband does come down in back...

> I know I am a pest on this board, but if anyone knows which is really

> better for brachy maybe even from personal experience, please let me

> know!! I have until Thursday to decide and I am going to drive myself

> crazy!

> Thanks a bunch!

>

>

[Guest guest]

We went with Star, and after seeing so many moms here talking about 2 and 3 DOC bands, I would do it again. The thicker foam is a bit heavier on the Starband, but if it means just one band instead of 2, then that is a good enough reason for me.

-Pam

On 2/20/08, christineashok <christineashok@...> wrote:

I already replied, so I'm sort of repeating myself... My daughter worea starband for brachy, but I would easily choose a docband if I hadthat option. I don't think there is any reason star is better, I think

Dr V. is just trying to market his product. I have seen excellentresults from docband/brachy in this group over the past year or so.-christinesydney 2 yrs starband grad

>> Hi, > I still dont know what to do for which band to put in. I was > convinced I was going to do the DOCband, until we saw Dr Vicari at > Childrens and he told me that the STARband is better because it comes

> down further in the back to help the Brachy, and has more foam to cut > away. I love Cranial Tech, but now I am wondering if we wont get as > good results with the DOCband for the Bracy in back. He is only mild-

> moderate, but thats the part that bugs me most about his head, the > flat in back. He is flat on side and square above the ears and stuff, > but the flat is so noticeable to me. SO what do I do now?? We have an

> appointment set for Friday to see Cranial Tech again and possibly > scan that day. But if I want the STARband I have to speak with Dr > Vicaris office again cause we left it with we would let them know. I

> really like the DOCband look better, but what if the DOCband wont > help the Brachy as much??? I cant even tell by most pics how far the > DOCband does come down in back...> I know I am a pest on this board, but if anyone knows which is really

> better for brachy maybe even from personal experience, please let me > know!! I have until Thursday to decide and I am going to drive myself > crazy! > Thanks a bunch!> >

[Guest guest]

As another mom posted, DOC bands are made specifically for brachy,

plagio, and Scaphocephaly. I would venture to guess that most of

the DOC bands you see on babies in the photo section are for plagio

as that is by far the most common mis-shappened head to fix. I

think you would still get excellent results with the DOC band being

that your child would have a custom made band for HIS brachy. It

should cover what it needs to.

> >

> > Hi,

> > I still dont know what to do for which band to put in. I

was

> > convinced I was going to do the DOCband, until we saw Dr Vicari

at

> > Childrens and he told me that the STARband is better because it

comes

> > down further in the back to help the Brachy, and has more foam

to cut

> > away. I love Cranial Tech, but now I am wondering if we wont get

as

> > good results with the DOCband for the Bracy in back. He is only

mild-

> > moderate, but thats the part that bugs me most about his head,

the

> > flat in back. He is flat on side and square above the ears and

stuff,

> > but the flat is so noticeable to me. SO what do I do now?? We

have an

> > appointment set for Friday to see Cranial Tech again and

possibly

> > scan that day. But if I want the STARband I have to speak with

Dr

> > Vicaris office again cause we left it with we would let them

know. I

> > really like the DOCband look better, but what if the DOCband

wont

> > help the Brachy as much??? I cant even tell by most pics how

far the

> > DOCband does come down in back...

> > I know I am a pest on this board, but if anyone knows which is

really

> > better for brachy maybe even from personal experience, please

let me

> > know!! I have until Thursday to decide and I am going to drive

myself

> > crazy!

> > Thanks a bunch!

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

The ortho we talked to at CT (in Annendale, VA) said that they recommend a second band in 25-30% of cases, but that fewer than that actually follow up with a second band. (Perhaps that is the 15%?) Our ortho at Star said that they almost never recommend a second band except in very severe cases. I didn't think much about it at the time, and we chose Star because it was so much closer to our house, and we felt completely comfortable with the orthotists at our Starband facility. But now I am pretty shocked to hear moms here talking about their kiddos outgrowing DOC bands after only 6 or 8 weeks! It seems like most babies would need more time than that to correct. Then again, if the babies grew enough to grow out of them, maybe they got a ton of correction in those 8 weeks.

I'm not trying to push for the Starband. I know there are advantages to the DOC over the Star, in terms of flexibility and comfort, as well as moms just seeming to love the folks at CT. I just threw the " outgrowing " tidbit out there because someone else had said that there was no advantage to the Starband over the DOC band, and it seems like the thicker foam could possibly be an advantage in some cases. (Particularly when one is paying out of pocket, like we are).

-Pam

On 2/21/08, lka_236 <lka_236@...> wrote:

Multiple bands supposedly only happens in 15% of DOC patients.> > >> > > Hi,

> > > I still dont know what to do for which band to put in. I was> > > convinced I was going to do the DOCband, until we saw Dr Vicari at> > > Childrens and he told me that the STARband is better because

it comes> > > down further in the back to help the Brachy, and has more foam to cut> > > away. I love Cranial Tech, but now I am wondering if we wont get as> > > good results with the DOCband for the Bracy in back. He is

only mild-> > > moderate, but thats the part that bugs me most about his head, the> > > flat in back. He is flat on side and square above the ears and stuff,> > > but the flat is so noticeable to me. SO what do I do now?? We

have an> > > appointment set for Friday to see Cranial Tech again and possibly> > > scan that day. But if I want the STARband I have to speak with Dr> > > Vicaris office again cause we left it with we would let them

know. I> > > really like the DOCband look better, but what if the DOCband wont> > > help the Brachy as much??? I cant even tell by most pics how far the> > > DOCband does come down in back...

> > > I know I am a pest on this board, but if anyone knows which is really> > > better for brachy maybe even from personal experience, please let me> > > know!! I have until Thursday to decide and I am going to drive

myself> > > crazy!> > > Thanks a bunch!> > > > > >> >> > > >>

[Guest guest]

you know i was very leary from the getgo w/ my docbabd b/c he had a flat spot the top (looking at him) right side of his head and the the left side of his head was flat, pretty much the whole side but only the side bulged at the top then he had a minor flat spot the left back of his head. then his left forehead was the side that protruded. at the get go i was leary b/c the cutouts on the top of the head that hold it in place were only 1 big one on the left front side which was great but there was only a nub on the back to hold it in place on the opposite back and I though he needed a full cutout there, i even asked the therapist about it and she could explain why but said the professionals that make them knew what they were doing and were specialists in this so she is sure it was right. Then at his 1st adjustment I got even more leary b/c she only scraped out the front of the left of his band from the middle of his forehead to the break to put it on and I thought for sure he needed it scraped out furthur back too b/c all that was flat.

Yes after all that leariness they got even more correction than they told us to expect (went from 15,15 and 17 to 4, 5 and 6 they only expected him to get to an 8) so I am quite confident they know what they are doing now.

is the full helmet the one for scapho? jc as i thought it was for surgery, the only ones I had seen were the plagio ones than the brachio ones (which a friends son had) and then towards the end I saw a child that had a full helmet, I mean the whole head so it needed 2 side opening sto get it on

On Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 12:47 AM, lka_236 <lka_236@...> wrote:

As another mom posted, DOC bands are made specifically for brachy, plagio, and Scaphocephaly. I would venture to guess that most of the DOC bands you see on babies in the photo section are for plagio as that is by far the most common mis-shappened head to fix. I

think you would still get excellent results with the DOC band being that your child would have a custom made band for HIS brachy. It should cover what it needs to. > >> > Hi, > > I still dont know what to do for which band to put in. I was > > convinced I was going to do the DOCband, until we saw Dr Vicari at > > Childrens and he told me that the STARband is better because it

comes > > down further in the back to help the Brachy, and has more foam to cut > > away. I love Cranial Tech, but now I am wondering if we wont get as > > good results with the DOCband for the Bracy in back. He is only

mild-> > moderate, but thats the part that bugs me most about his head, the > > flat in back. He is flat on side and square above the ears and stuff, > > but the flat is so noticeable to me. SO what do I do now?? We

have an > > appointment set for Friday to see Cranial Tech again and possibly > > scan that day. But if I want the STARband I have to speak with Dr > > Vicaris office again cause we left it with we would let them

know. I > > really like the DOCband look better, but what if the DOCband wont > > help the Brachy as much??? I cant even tell by most pics how far the > > DOCband does come down in back...

> > I know I am a pest on this board, but if anyone knows which is really > > better for brachy maybe even from personal experience, please let me > > know!! I have until Thursday to decide and I am going to drive

myself > > crazy! > > Thanks a bunch!> > > >>

-- SC SAHM to , , and

" A large family " , the Pope remarked, " constitutes a witness of faith, courage, and optimism. " Moreover, large families provide wealth to society, " because without children there is no future! "

[Guest guest]

i think it goes both ways as i think the thicker, heavier, larger band is why they can wear it longer but also why it seems more kids have issues w/ adjustment in a starband over doc. not trying to push doc here (since if they were closer and competant we would have gone with them but they were just as far as CT so we didnt even visit them and hanger wasnt competant) but point it out from both ways

On Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 1:10 AM, Pam Schraedley Desmond <pam@...> wrote:

The ortho we talked to at CT (in Annendale, VA) said that they recommend a second band in 25-30% of cases, but that fewer than that actually follow up with a second band. (Perhaps that is the 15%?) Our ortho at Star said that they almost never recommend a second band except in very severe cases. I didn't think much about it at the time, and we chose Star because it was so much closer to our house, and we felt completely comfortable with the orthotists at our Starband facility. But now I am pretty shocked to hear moms here talking about their kiddos outgrowing DOC bands after only 6 or 8 weeks! It seems like most babies would need more time than that to correct. Then again, if the babies grew enough to grow out of them, maybe they got a ton of correction in those 8 weeks.

I'm not trying to push for the Starband. I know there are advantages to the DOC over the Star, in terms of flexibility and comfort, as well as moms just seeming to love the folks at CT. I just threw the " outgrowing " tidbit out there because someone else had said that there was no advantage to the Starband over the DOC band, and it seems like the thicker foam could possibly be an advantage in some cases. (Particularly when one is paying out of pocket, like we are).

-Pam

On 2/21/08, lka_236 <lka_236@...> wrote:

Multiple bands supposedly only happens in 15% of DOC patients.> > >> > > Hi,> > > I still dont know what to do for which band to put in.

I was> > > convinced I was going to do the DOCband, until we saw Dr Vicari at> > > Childrens and he told me that the STARband is better because it comes> > > down further in the back to help the Brachy, and has more foam

to cut> > > away. I love Cranial Tech, but now I am wondering if we wont get as> > > good results with the DOCband for the Bracy in back. He is only mild-> > > moderate, but thats the part that bugs me most about his head,

the> > > flat in back. He is flat on side and square above the ears and stuff,> > > but the flat is so noticeable to me. SO what do I do now?? We have an> > > appointment set for Friday to see Cranial Tech again and

possibly> > > scan that day. But if I want the STARband I have to speak with Dr> > > Vicaris office again cause we left it with we would let them know. I> > > really like the DOCband look better, but what if the DOCband

wont> > > help the Brachy as much??? I cant even tell by most pics how far the> > > DOCband does come down in back...> > > I know I am a pest on this board, but if anyone knows which is

really> > > better for brachy maybe even from personal experience, please let me> > > know!! I have until Thursday to decide and I am going to drive myself> > > crazy!> > > Thanks a bunch!

> > > > > >> >> > > >>

-- SC SAHM to , , and

" A large family " , the Pope remarked, " constitutes a witness of faith, courage, and optimism. " Moreover, large families provide wealth to society, " because without children there is no future! "

[Guest guest]

Hi -- my son had a DOCband for scaphocephaly (no fused sutures -- just a very long head from breech positioning...). The Scaphocephalic band is more "helmet" like -- only the top of the head actually shows. It has two side openings -- two metal pins on each side which go into two plastic holes, and a rubber band to provide resistance for each side. And it was still, very, very light. His head went straight back, and he couldn't lay on his back without his chin being pushed into his chest, even at 5-6 months. It worked great! and we did achieve a "slope," as well as getting more width and filling in his "dents" on his temples.Regards.mom to Quinn, born 11/99, DOCband grad 10/00------- Original Message -------From : Durocher[mailto:funwith4@...]Sent : 2/21/2008 8:25:14 AMTo : Plagiocephaly

Cc : Subject : RE: Re: Re: HELP! Still not sure which band...going nuts!

you know i was very leary from the getgo w/ my docbabd b/c he had a flat spot the top (looking at him) right side of his head and the the left side of his head was flat, pretty much the whole side but only the side bulged at the top then he had a minor flat spot the left back of his head. then his left forehead was the side that protruded. at the get go i was leary b/c the cutouts on the top of the head that hold it in place were only 1 big one on the left front side which was great but there was only a nub on the back to hold it in place on the opposite back and I though he needed a full cutout there, i even asked the therapist about it and she could explain why but said the professionals that make them knew what they were doing and were specialists in this so she is sure it was right. Then at his 1st adjustment I got even more leary b/c she only scraped out the front of the left of his band from the middle of his forehead to the break to put it on and I thought for sure he needed it scraped out furthur back too b/c all that was flat.

Yes after all that leariness they got even more correction than they told us to expect (went from 15,15 and 17 to 4, 5 and 6 they only expected him to get to an 8) so I am quite confident they know what they are doing now.

is the full helmet the one for scapho? jc as i thought it was for surgery, the only ones I had seen were the plagio ones than the brachio ones (which a friends son had) and then towards the end I saw a child that had a full helmet, I mean the whole head so it needed 2 side opening sto get it on

On Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 12:47 AM, lka_236 <lka_236@...> wrote:

As another mom posted, DOC bands are made specifically for brachy, plagio, and Scaphocephaly. I would venture to guess that most of the DOC bands you see on babies in the photo section are for plagio as that is by far the most common mis-shappened head to fix. I think you would still get excellent results with the DOC band being that your child would have a custom made band for HIS brachy. It should cover what it needs to. > >> > Hi, > > I still dont know what to do for which band to put in. I was > > convinced I was going to do the DOCband, until we saw Dr Vicari at > > Childrens and he told me that the STARband is better because it comes > > down further in the back to help the Brachy, and has more foam to cut > > away. I love Cranial Tech, but now I am wondering if we wont get as > > good results with the DOCband for the Bracy in back. He is only mild-> > moderate, but thats the part that bugs me most about his head, the > > flat in back. He is flat on side and square above the ears and stuff, > > but the flat is so noticeable to me. SO what do I do now?? We have an > > appointment set for Friday to see Cranial Tech again and possibly > > scan that day. But if I want the STARband I have to speak with Dr > > Vicaris office again cause we left it with we would let them know. I > > really like the DOCband look better, but what if the DOCband wont > > help the Brachy as much??? I cant even tell by most pics how far the > > DOCband does come down in back...> > I know I a

m a pest on this board, but if anyone knows which is really > > better for brachy maybe even from personal experience, please let me > > know!! I have until Thursday to decide and I am going to drive myself > > crazy! > > Thanks a bunch!> > > >>

-- SC SAHM to , , and "A large family", the Pope remarked, "constitutes a witness of faith, courage, and optimism." Moreover, large families provide wealth to society, "because without children there is no future!"