Re: Band is coming off after 7 weeks...and I wish it wasn

[Guest guest]

I REALLY wish I had some advice for you, but I just wanted to say

that I'm afraid I'll be in the same boat in a few weeks! My son was

banded at 4.5 months, he's been in it almost 4 weeks now and he's

growing like crazy... He's definitely making progress but his head

shape is nowhere near where I'd like it to be, and if he outgrows the

band in another three or four weeks - ugh! I don't even want to

think about it! He's not rolling from back to tummy yet, either

(close, but not quite there), and I can completely understand how you

feel about being on " head patrol. " My LO is totally content in his

band, too - it's never bothered him one bit, and at this point I'd

rather just keep it on as long as possible so that he can get good

correction and I won't be worried about him regressing. They say

regression is rare (supposedly less than 1%), but still - when

they're so young it's hard NOT to be worried that they'll regress.

I HAVE read a few posts where parents have gotten a memory foam

mattress topper and cut it down to the size of the crib... not sure

how effective that is, but it's probably better than nothing till

they're rolling and sleeping on their tummy.

Did they give you the option of a second band? The worst is the

thought of having to pay for it! Please keep me posted - I'll be

anxious to hear how things go for you - and good luck!

Jess

Mom to Luke - 5 months old - DOC Band 3.5 weeks

>

> He started at 5 months and will have a total of 7 weeks of therapy.

This may sound

> strange, but I'm not thrilled about my son's band coming off so

soon. I love the progress

> he's made but I was hoping for better aesthetic results at the end.

That isn't my real

> concern though. I am worried about his head reverting back after

the band comes off

> since so far he still sleeps on his back and doesn't yet roll or

sit up and doesn't stay on his

> tummy voluntarily. I was hoping he'd be in it a few months and

would have better motor

> skills once it came off (he is in PT for delay).

>

> I know most people can't wait for it to be off but I don't mind the

bad. He's happy in it,

> and I don't care about stares (he had serious health issues so

getting banded didn't give

> me a moments bit of concern, it felt great to be able to *do*

something for him even if it

> wasn't about one of the bigger problems). I was able to stop

worrying about his head on

> the mattress, changing table, playing on the play gym, riding in

the car seat and stroller. I

> didn't have to reposition at night or keep a noggin nest under his

head or strain my back

> with a baby carrier all day anymore. At six months babies skull's

are still malleable so I

> feel like when it comes off I have to go back to head patrol duty.

I don't want to end up

> with him needing another band.

>

>

> Any advice from people who have finished banding with a young baby

who isn't mobile

> yet?

>

[Guest guest]

I have a mattress toppper from England called Sleepcurve that has a built in dip

for the

baby's head. I didn't think it helped much before the band but maybe it will

keep him from

regressing. I asked about him wearing it just at night since he hasn't outgrown

it yet...it's

still very loose. They said that would deform his head. Not sure why since I

think his head

needs improvement and if there is room in the band why not keep going.

I think the real problem is that with a DocBand you can only treat plagio or

brachy, not

both since the bands differ so much. He was given the plagio helmet (he actually

developed plagio from me trying to sleep position him to get rid of sever

brachycephaly).

With the plagio band his cranial vaulting (high head) and forehead bossing

hasn't been

helped at all and the back is still pretty flat. The slant from the plagio is

completely gone

though but his head looks like a before pic though for brachy. They never told

me that

they wouldn't be fixing all his problems. For some reason they think his head

looks great.

Sigh.

> >

> > He started at 5 months and will have a total of 7 weeks of therapy.

> This may sound

> > strange, but I'm not thrilled about my son's band coming off so

> soon. I love the progress

> > he's made but I was hoping for better aesthetic results at the end.

> That isn't my real

> > concern though. I am worried about his head reverting back after

> the band comes off

> > since so far he still sleeps on his back and doesn't yet roll or

> sit up and doesn't stay on his

> > tummy voluntarily. I was hoping he'd be in it a few months and

> would have better motor

> > skills once it came off (he is in PT for delay).

> >

> > I know most people can't wait for it to be off but I don't mind the

> bad. He's happy in it,

> > and I don't care about stares (he had serious health issues so

> getting banded didn't give

> > me a moments bit of concern, it felt great to be able to *do*

> something for him even if it

> > wasn't about one of the bigger problems). I was able to stop

> worrying about his head on

> > the mattress, changing table, playing on the play gym, riding in

> the car seat and stroller. I

> > didn't have to reposition at night or keep a noggin nest under his

> head or strain my back

> > with a baby carrier all day anymore. At six months babies skull's

> are still malleable so I

> > feel like when it comes off I have to go back to head patrol duty.

> I don't want to end up

> > with him needing another band.

> >

> >

> > Any advice from people who have finished banding with a young baby

> who isn't mobile

> > yet?

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I'm a little confused. I think you may be mistaken about the DOCBand

only treating one or the other, not both. Were you told that

verbally by your therapist? If so, I would find that very odd. Each

design is custom made for that specific baby, there's no one way it

should look versus another way for plagio and brachy (I'm not sure

if you're going by the design of it or if you were told that

specifically). A lot of babies that go to CT have a combination of

plagio and brachy and they treat both simultaneously with the same

band (I've never heard of them treating one over the other). Also,

you mention that the forehead bossing hasn't improved with

the " plagio helmet " but forehead bossing is one of the main

attributes of plagio and should definitely improve. I guess I'm just

a little concerned that maybe you're not getting all the necessary

information. You also mention there is space in the band, so why

does your therapist want to graduate so soon? And also, just to

verify, are you actually dealing with the trademarked DOCBand from

Cranial Tech? And if so, which location are you going to? I'm just

really curious about your situation. Typically if a baby is done

with a band in 7 weeks, it's because they grew so fast that they

grew out if it (and would not have extra space or be loose). In

which case, they either received great correction really fast, or if

more correction is needed, a second band might be recommended. (Did

they give you an option for second band?) So I am hoping maybe you

can share a little more information so that we can better help and

give advice on your situation.

Thanks!

Jake-2 (DOCBand Grad 9/19/08)

Jordna-4.5

> > >

> > > He started at 5 months and will have a total of 7 weeks of

therapy.

> > This may sound

> > > strange, but I'm not thrilled about my son's band coming off

so

> > soon. I love the progress

> > > he's made but I was hoping for better aesthetic results at the

end.

> > That isn't my real

> > > concern though. I am worried about his head reverting back

after

> > the band comes off

> > > since so far he still sleeps on his back and doesn't yet roll

or

> > sit up and doesn't stay on his

> > > tummy voluntarily. I was hoping he'd be in it a few months and

> > would have better motor

> > > skills once it came off (he is in PT for delay).

> > >

> > > I know most people can't wait for it to be off but I don't

mind the

> > bad. He's happy in it,

> > > and I don't care about stares (he had serious health issues so

> > getting banded didn't give

> > > me a moments bit of concern, it felt great to be able to *do*

> > something for him even if it

> > > wasn't about one of the bigger problems). I was able to stop

> > worrying about his head on

> > > the mattress, changing table, playing on the play gym, riding

in

> > the car seat and stroller. I

> > > didn't have to reposition at night or keep a noggin nest under

his

> > head or strain my back

> > > with a baby carrier all day anymore. At six months babies

skull's

> > are still malleable so I

> > > feel like when it comes off I have to go back to head patrol

duty.

> > I don't want to end up

> > > with him needing another band.

> > >

> > >

> > > Any advice from people who have finished banding with a young

baby

> > who isn't mobile

> > > yet?

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Here is a pic of his before and after: http://aidansnoggin.blogspot.com/

I just got back from his last appointment and treatment is now over at

6 weeks. We had a DOCband from Cranial Tech. He was being treated for

both plagio and brachy but had the band with the wavy front, not the

one that covers the cranial vault. Our therapist was very nice and

knowledgable but I was still left unsure of why the treatment was

stopped and why a second band isn't recommended. They gave me the

impression that his head has been corrected as much as it can be. The

therapist said his soft spot makes his head look flat and the band

can't help that. He does look a lot better but it's still pretty

shallow from ear to back of head. He went from a CI of 98% to 95% and

graduated with a 2 deviation. From what I've read, 95% is pretty bad.

They never said he outgrew the band but that might be the case and

would make the most sense. It didn't seem tight and it still shifted

from side to side. His head grew a lot but I was under the assumption

the foam can be shaved out to accommodate it.

I will call them back and ask them about it again.

> > > >

> > > > He started at 5 months and will have a total of 7 weeks of

> therapy.

> > > This may sound

> > > > strange, but I'm not thrilled about my son's band coming off

> so

> > > soon. I love the progress

> > > > he's made but I was hoping for better aesthetic results at the

> end.

> > > That isn't my real

> > > > concern though. I am worried about his head reverting back

> after

> > > the band comes off

> > > > since so far he still sleeps on his back and doesn't yet roll

> or

> > > sit up and doesn't stay on his

> > > > tummy voluntarily. I was hoping he'd be in it a few months and

> > > would have better motor

> > > > skills once it came off (he is in PT for delay).

> > > >

> > > > I know most people can't wait for it to be off but I don't

> mind the

> > > bad. He's happy in it,

> > > > and I don't care about stares (he had serious health issues so

> > > getting banded didn't give

> > > > me a moments bit of concern, it felt great to be able to *do*

> > > something for him even if it

> > > > wasn't about one of the bigger problems). I was able to stop

> > > worrying about his head on

> > > > the mattress, changing table, playing on the play gym, riding

> in

> > > the car seat and stroller. I

> > > > didn't have to reposition at night or keep a noggin nest under

> his

> > > head or strain my back

> > > > with a baby carrier all day anymore. At six months babies

> skull's

> > > are still malleable so I

> > > > feel like when it comes off I have to go back to head patrol

> duty.

> > > I don't want to end up

> > > > with him needing another band.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Any advice from people who have finished banding with a young

> baby

> > > who isn't mobile

> > > > yet?

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I think he looks really good, the top angle is rounded really nice

and from the side, I do see a mild flat spot still, but the top of

his head is rounder. Which CT office did you go to? Did they scrape

the foam down to the plastic in any area? If so, that would indicate

he grew out of it. They only scrape the foam out of the areas that

they want the head to grow into. The remainder stays it's original

thickness and cannot be adjusted further to accomodate growth. Also,

I know many brachy babies who have the band that looks like yours,

and doesn't just cover the cranial vault but works to correct both

plagio and brachy, so I would not be concerned about the shape of

the band itself. I would definitely call and ask more questions if

you are not satified.

Jake-2 (DOCBand Grad 9/19/08)

Jordan-4.5

> > > > >

> > > > > He started at 5 months and will have a total of 7 weeks of

> > therapy.

> > > > This may sound

> > > > > strange, but I'm not thrilled about my son's band coming

off

> > so

> > > > soon. I love the progress

> > > > > he's made but I was hoping for better aesthetic results at

the

> > end.

> > > > That isn't my real

> > > > > concern though. I am worried about his head reverting

back

> > after

> > > > the band comes off

> > > > > since so far he still sleeps on his back and doesn't yet

roll

> > or

> > > > sit up and doesn't stay on his

> > > > > tummy voluntarily. I was hoping he'd be in it a few months

and

> > > > would have better motor

> > > > > skills once it came off (he is in PT for delay).

> > > > >

> > > > > I know most people can't wait for it to be off but I don't

> > mind the

> > > > bad. He's happy in it,

> > > > > and I don't care about stares (he had serious health

issues so

> > > > getting banded didn't give

> > > > > me a moments bit of concern, it felt great to be able to

*do*

> > > > something for him even if it

> > > > > wasn't about one of the bigger problems). I was able to

stop

> > > > worrying about his head on

> > > > > the mattress, changing table, playing on the play gym,

riding

> > in

> > > > the car seat and stroller. I

> > > > > didn't have to reposition at night or keep a noggin nest

under

> > his

> > > > head or strain my back

> > > > > with a baby carrier all day anymore. At six months babies

> > skull's

> > > > are still malleable so I

> > > > > feel like when it comes off I have to go back to head

patrol

> > duty.

> > > > I don't want to end up

> > > > > with him needing another band.

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > > Any advice from people who have finished banding with a

young

> > baby

> > > > who isn't mobile

> > > > > yet?

> > > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

>