Re: Re: worried about doc banding my 17 month old son

December 8, 2010

The thing that worries me is that it may all for naught. There's a good chance the child will go through life without him or anyone ever noticing a thing. Are we too image-conscious, or is it because of a true rise in incidents of " flat-head " ? Nobody I have asked has noticed anything. But, it may all be a moot point. I just found out that BCBS does not cover the Doc Band because CT is " out of network " . They might have, upon review, but there is another company that is " in-network " that offers similar services, so no dice. This other place, which I've never heard of, uses a more helmet-like device, which I'm not thrilled about. However, they do have an actual orthotist on staff, unlike CT. They also do a laser-scan for evaluation, instead of just photos and calipers. Who knows...

On Wed, Dec 8, 2010 at 12:34 PM, b_carranza12 <b_carranza12@...> wrote:

My son is 6 months old and just got his band, but I totally understand where you are coming from with your wife not supporting the idea. My husband fought me the whole way and now that my son is in his band, he is way more irritable and does not sleep well. Still, as parents we have to look at the big picture. When I start to second guess myself(which trust me...sometimes I do) I always think, if I could have a conversation with my son as a teenager or as an adult and ask him what he would have wanted...I am always sure of what the answer would be. Good luck and best wishes!

>

> Having just gotten back from a very long doctor appointment my child smacked her

> head on the sarp corners of desks/ sinks etc like 3 times.. hard enough ppl

> gasped.. but she kept on trucking cuz she felt nothing thanks to her helmet lol

> I'm starting to think all kids should have a helmet just cuz!

>

> ________________________________

> From: nereyda benitez <nerystars29@...>

> Plagiocephaly

> Sent: Tue, December 7, 2010 11:27:20 AM

> Subject: Re: worried about doc banding my 17 month old son

>

> Hello,

> you can give a the positives on wearing the band to your wife . For example it

> will be safe with not hurting babys head and their cranial growth is good.

> Find more positive things and inform her. My little girl only wore the band for

> 4 months because we did not take it off . HOpefully this helps.

>

> ________________________________

> From: condorjay_73 <jasonkapell@...>

> Plagiocephaly

> Sent: Sat, December 4, 2010 3:32:39 PM

> Subject: worried about doc banding my 17 month old son

>

> I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with an older infant wearing a

> doc band. My concern is that he will simply remove it. He's been evaluated and

> the next step is the scan and then a band. Another problem is that I'm kinda on

> my own. My wife has been against the idea from the first time I suggested it

> over a year ago, so I don't have a ton of support. If the first few days don't

> go well, she's gonna insist it comes off, and I will not win that fight. She's

> all broken up about it. I'm not in love with the idea either. I wish I had

> worked up the courage to just go there ages ago when he was tiny and wouldn't

> have known better (instead of getting a useless 2nd opinion from another pedi

> who said, " it'll round out " .) But I didn't, so this is really the last chance I

> have. I just up and called in sick and took him yesterday because the guilt was

> killing me.

> Please, any advice would be very helpful.

>

------------------------------------

For more plagio info

December 9, 2010

I had your exact situation. CT was out of network so I went with Hanger local b/c cheaper, seemed more convenient and I thought they should have similar results. However, after 4 months in a Hanger helmet we are in a CT band!

Hanger measured 4mm improvement during that period with their scans but CT measure the same cranial assymmetry with NO improvement! How disheartening after a long hot summer with the full helmet! Who knows which measurements to believe!

I am considering contesting my insurance with this information to see if they will reimburse ANY of the $3,500 we paid upfront out of pocket for the CT band. However, I will say the CT band fits SO much better than the Hanger helmet ever did - not slipping in her eyes like the Hanger helmet did in the beginning and at the end the helmet kept rubbing her head bright red - after going back 3-4 times in a row for them to adjust and it wasn't helping that was when we gave up on the Hanger helmet and decided to try a CT band before it is too late (she is now 17 months).

Wish I could tell you CT gave me better results but we will not know for a few more months since we have only had it for a few weeks... good luck with your decision but if I could go back I would have done CT in the beginning.

From: Kapell <jasonkapell@...>Plagiocephaly Sent: Wed, December 8, 2010 1:11:54 PMSubject: Re: Re: worried about doc banding my 17 month old son

The thing that worries me is that it may all for naught. There's a good chance the child will go through life without him or anyone ever noticing a thing. Are we too image-conscious, or is it because of a true rise in incidents of "flat-head"? Nobody I have asked has noticed anything. But, it may all be a moot point. I just found out that BCBS does not cover the Doc Band because CT is "out of network". They might have, upon review, but there is another company that is "in-network" that offers similar services, so no dice. This other place, which I've never heard of, uses a more helmet-like device, which I'm not thrilled about. However, they do have an actual orthotist on staff, unlike CT. They also do a laser-scan for evaluation, instead of just photos and calipers. Who knows...

On Wed, Dec 8, 2010 at 12:34 PM, b_carranza12 <b_carranza12@...> wrote:

My son is 6 months old and just got his band, but I totally understand where you are coming from with your wife not supporting the idea. My husband fought me the whole way and now that my son is in his band, he is way more irritable and does not sleep well. Still, as parents we have to look at the big picture. When I start to second guess myself(which trust me...sometimes I do) I always think, if I could have a conversation with my son as a teenager or as an adult and ask him what he would have wanted...I am always sure of what the answer would be. Good luck and best wishes!

>> Having just gotten back from a very long doctor appointment my child smacked her> head on the sarp corners of desks/ sinks etc like 3 times.. hard enough ppl> gasped.. but she kept on trucking cuz she felt nothing thanks to her helmet lol> I'm starting to think all kids should have a helmet just cuz!>>>>>>>> ________________________________> From: nereyda benitez <nerystars29@...>

> Plagiocephaly > Sent: Tue, December 7, 2010 11:27:20 AM> Subject: Re: worried about doc banding my 17 month old son>>> Hello,> you can give a the positives on wearing the band to your wife . For example it> will be safe with not hurting babys head and their cranial growth is good.> Find more positive things and inform her. My little girl only wore the band for> 4 months because we did not take it off . HOpefully this helps.>>>>>> ________________________________> From: condorjay_73 <jasonkapell@...>

> Plagiocephaly > Sent: Sat, December 4, 2010 3:32:39 PM> Subject: worried about doc banding my 17 month old son>>> I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with an older infant wearing a> doc band. My concern is that he will simply remove it. He's been evaluated and> the next step is the scan and then a band. Another problem is that I'm kinda on> my own. My wife has been against the idea from the first time I suggested it> over a year ago, so I don't have a ton of support. If the first few days don't> go well, she's gonna insist it comes off, and I will not win that fight. She's> all broken up about it. I'm not in love with the idea either. I wish I had> worked up the courage to just go there

ages ago when he was tiny and wouldn't> have known better (instead of getting a useless 2nd opinion from another pedi> who said, "it'll round out".) But I didn't, so this is really the last chance I> have. I just up and called in sick and took him yesterday because the guilt was> killing me.> Please, any advice would be very helpful.>------------------------------------For more plagio info

December 13, 2010

Does she keep the doc band on? $3500 for something my boy is gonna immediately take off and never wear again will be difficult to swallow.

On Thu, Dec 9, 2010 at 1:13 PM, Marissa <marissaevans7@...> wrote:

I had your exact situation. CT was out of network so I went with Hanger local b/c cheaper, seemed more convenient and I thought they should have similar results. However, after 4 months in a Hanger helmet we are in a CT band!

Hanger measured 4mm improvement during that period with their scans but CT measure the same cranial assymmetry with NO improvement! How disheartening after a long hot summer with the full helmet! Who knows which measurements to believe!

I am considering contesting my insurance with this information to see if they will reimburse ANY of the $3,500 we paid upfront out of pocket for the CT band. However, I will say the CT band fits SO much better than the Hanger helmet ever did - not slipping in her eyes like the Hanger helmet did in the beginning and at the end the helmet kept rubbing her head bright red - after going back 3-4 times in a row for them to adjust and it wasn't helping that was when we gave up on the Hanger helmet and decided to try a CT band before it is too late (she is now 17 months).

Wish I could tell you CT gave me better results but we will not know for a few more months since we have only had it for a few weeks... good luck with your decision but if I could go back I would have done CT in the beginning.

From: Kapell <jasonkapell@...>Plagiocephaly

Sent: Wed, December 8, 2010 1:11:54 PMSubject: Re: Re: worried about doc banding my 17 month old son

The thing that worries me is that it may all for naught. There's a good chance the child will go through life without him or anyone ever noticing a thing. Are we too image-conscious, or is it because of a true rise in incidents of " flat-head " ? Nobody I have asked has noticed anything. But, it may all be a moot point. I just found out that BCBS does not cover the Doc Band because CT is " out of network " . They might have, upon review, but there is another company that is " in-network " that offers similar services, so no dice. This other place, which I've never heard of, uses a more helmet-like device, which I'm not thrilled about. However, they do have an actual orthotist on staff, unlike CT. They also do a laser-scan for evaluation, instead of just photos and calipers. Who knows...

On Wed, Dec 8, 2010 at 12:34 PM, b_carranza12 <b_carranza12@...> wrote:

My son is 6 months old and just got his band, but I totally understand where you are coming from with your wife not supporting the idea. My husband fought me the whole way and now that my son is in his band, he is way more irritable and does not sleep well. Still, as parents we have to look at the big picture. When I start to second guess myself(which trust me...sometimes I do) I always think, if I could have a conversation with my son as a teenager or as an adult and ask him what he would have wanted...I am always sure of what the answer would be. Good luck and best wishes!

>> Having just gotten back from a very long doctor appointment my child smacked her

> head on the sarp corners of desks/ sinks etc like 3 times.. hard enough ppl> gasped.. but she kept on trucking cuz she felt nothing thanks to her helmet lol> I'm starting to think all kids should have a helmet just cuz!

>>>>>>>> ________________________________> From: nereyda benitez <nerystars29@...>

> Plagiocephaly > Sent: Tue, December 7, 2010 11:27:20 AM> Subject: Re: worried about doc banding my 17 month old son

>>> Hello,> you can give a the positives on wearing the band to your wife . For example it> will be safe with not hurting babys head and their cranial growth is good.> Find more positive things and inform her. My little girl only wore the band for

> 4 months because we did not take it off . HOpefully this helps.>>>>>> ________________________________> From: condorjay_73 <jasonkapell@...>

> Plagiocephaly > Sent: Sat, December 4, 2010 3:32:39 PM> Subject: worried about doc banding my 17 month old son

>>> I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with an older infant wearing a> doc band. My concern is that he will simply remove it. He's been evaluated and> the next step is the scan and then a band. Another problem is that I'm kinda on

> my own. My wife has been against the idea from the first time I suggested it> over a year ago, so I don't have a ton of support. If the first few days don't> go well, she's gonna insist it comes off, and I will not win that fight. She's

> all broken up about it. I'm not in love with the idea either. I wish I had> worked up the courage to just go there ages ago when he was tiny and wouldn't> have known better (instead of getting a useless 2nd opinion from another pedi

> who said, " it'll round out " .) But I didn't, so this is really the last chance I> have. I just up and called in sick and took him yesterday because the guilt was> killing me.> Please, any advice would be very helpful.

>------------------------------------For more plagio info

December 15, 2010

Yes - she does really well with it. She does take it off every once in a while but the other morning she did and then brought it to me immediately to put it back on.

From: Kapell <jasonkapell@...>Plagiocephaly Sent: Mon, December 13, 2010 6:57:54 PMSubject: Re: Re: worried about doc banding my 17 month old son