Discouraged & Frustrated after 2 mos

January 9, 2001

Debbie - I agree. You need a good growth spurt. Don't get discouraged.

I also encourage you to look back at pictures or take picture periodically to compare. Hard to look at that little head day in and day out and not see the changes.

STAR Band didn't, but think they are starting, make a head mold of your child's head when casted. The DOC Band people do. This is so beneficial to the parents and persons adjusting the band. You can compare side buy side. Ask, may be your orthotics person did make a mold of your child's head for reference. Each one does it a little different I think.

Hang in there. Those growth spurts are key!

Tammy & 12/8/99

January 9, 2001

I have a 10 mo old daughter, Abby who rec'd her STAR band on 11/4/00

at the age of 8 mos.. She has moderate-severe plagio on the right

side of her head, and her ears are slightly asymmetrical. I figured

she'd been in the band anywhere from 4-6 mos., maybe a little longer,

which is the same as her orthotist told us. Well she's now been in

this band over 2 mos., and I can see only VERY slight improvement. I

am sooooo discouraged. Abby was 20 lbs by 4 mos so her growth has

slown quite a bit after age 6 mos.. The orthotist keeps telling me

we'll see improvement after she hits a " growth spurt " . I know she's

growing, slowly anyhow, but can see NO improvement. I didn't expect

her head to be round already, but I can barely see ANY improvement at

all. Has anyone else had a similar experience?? Even if her head

doesn't round out, I'm still glad we chose to get the band, at least

I can say we did our best as parents! Any input would be so

appreciated! Thanks!

Debbie ( Abby's mom, 3/1/00 - band 11/4/00)

January 10, 2001

Debbie,

Hang in there. I'm sure Abby will have another growth spurt soon.

and Sam

> I have a 10 mo old daughter, Abby who rec'd her STAR band on

11/4/00

> at the age of 8 mos.. She has moderate-severe plagio on the right

> side of her head, and her ears are slightly asymmetrical. I

figured

> she'd been in the band anywhere from 4-6 mos., maybe a little

longer,

> which is the same as her orthotist told us. Well she's now been in

> this band over 2 mos., and I can see only VERY slight improvement.

I

> am sooooo discouraged. Abby was 20 lbs by 4 mos so her growth has

> slown quite a bit after age 6 mos.. The orthotist keeps telling me

> we'll see improvement after she hits a " growth spurt " . I know

she's

> growing, slowly anyhow, but can see NO improvement. I didn't

expect

> her head to be round already, but I can barely see ANY improvement

at

> all. Has anyone else had a similar experience?? Even if her head

> doesn't round out, I'm still glad we chose to get the band, at

least

> I can say we did our best as parents! Any input would be so

> appreciated! Thanks!

> Debbie ( Abby's mom, 3/1/00 - band 11/4/00)

January 10, 2001

Debbie:

Our son, Quinn, was almost 9 lbs when he was born, (breech, c-section) and we started his band at an "optimum" time of about 6 months -- he had just started eating solids, (and liking them!), never had any sleep problems with the band, or feeding problems.... but in the 4 months he was in the band, he only gained 2 lbs. (from 6months to 10 1/2 months). (He's not even 20 lbs and he's 13 months old). Just never did the growth spurt we expected, though, his head DID change (slowly), and we saw improvement. Maybe not what we would have gotten if he had taken a spurt, but enough to change the areas we were most concerned with. Pediatrician thinks his body is just catching up to itself, that it wasn't really "programmed" to be that big (his head was in the 98+ percentile at birth, now it's in the 40th percentile).

Take monthly pictures -- that will help you chart some of the changes you can't see looking at her 24 hours a day...(especially with her wearing the Band 23 hours a day).... from the top if possible, too. Keep them in the envelope after you look at them once or twice, label the envelope, and the back of the pix with the date, and then wait until the next month -- taking the same poses. Then maybe venture to compare a little...

Starting a molding device after 8 months will slow things down a bit.....and visible effects might not happen for another month or so... but know that little noggin' of hers IS growing.... just not in a way that you can visually track at this time.

Good luck.

H.

Mom to Quinn (11/19/99) DOC Graduate 10/00

-----Original Message-----From: dj2kirby@... [mailto:dj2kirby@...]Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 6:53 PMPlagiocephalyegroupsSubject: Discouraged & Frustrated after 2 mosI have a 10 mo old daughter, Abby who rec'd her STAR band on 11/4/00 at the age of 8 mos.. She has moderate-severe plagio on the right side of her head, and her ears are slightly asymmetrical. I figured she'd been in the band anywhere from 4-6 mos., maybe a little longer, which is the same as her orthotist told us. Well she's now been in this band over 2 mos., and I can see only VERY slight improvement. I am sooooo discouraged. Abby was 20 lbs by 4 mos so her growth has slown quite a bit after age 6 mos.. The orthotist keeps telling me we'll see improvement after she hits a "growth spurt". I know she's growing, slowly anyhow, but can see NO improvement. I didn't expect her head to be round already, but I can barely see ANY improvement at all. Has anyone else had a similar experience?? Even if her head doesn't round out, I'm still glad we chose to get the band, at least I can say we did our best as parents! Any input would be so appreciated! Thanks!Debbie ( Abby's mom, 3/1/00 - band 11/4/00)

January 10, 2001

Debbie,

Are you looking at a mold of her head to determine the amount of improvement? If not, it may be that because you see her head everyday that it is harder to see the changes! I know it's hard but try to think positively. Because the change in the head shape depends on growth, you are liable to see 10X the improvement in the next 2 months than you have in the past 2 months! Then again if her growth continues to be more gradual and not in spurts the improvement will be gradual and I would think that would make it harder for you to see.

Good luck!

(Hunter's mom)

Baton Rouge, LA

-----Original Message-----

From: dj2kirby@... [sMTP:dj2kirby@...]

Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 5:53 PM

Plagiocephalyegroups

Subject: Discouraged & Frustrated after 2 mos