Post Helmet Questions

nycmomma · 11-05-2009, 05:50 PM

Hi, my son has had a cranial helmet for a mild case of plagiocephaly and in 8 weeks has gone from 10mm asymmetry to 4mm (within normal range), but his head is still lumpy. It's like his head "popped" above (where they take the measurement) and below the ear, but there is still an indentation. It's been like this for almost 3 weeks now but we've kept the helmet on to see if this last spot will pop too.

When your LO got his/her helmet off, was their head perfect or was there still some asymmetry and/or lumpiness? Should I leave it on longer to see if we can get even better results?

Also, he wasn't mobile when the helmet went on. Now he can crawl and pull up and he seems sorta careless about falling and hitting his head. It's like he's learned that bumping his head doesn't hurt. I'm afraid of what's going to happen once it comes off. Did any of you experience this?

mrs_sid31517 · 11-05-2009, 11:41 PM

Hi.. we havent started helmet therapy yet, we pick Parkers up nov 18. The chief orthotics/prosthetics guy told us that Parker would definitely get used to bangin his head around.. and then when it was time to be done with it, he wouldnt realize that it would hurt! He said it would be just like a normal baby bumping his head... and after he did it intentionally the first few times, he would learn lol.. I hope we see results as well as you did! Our lil man is plagio too!

AuburnLocks · 11-06-2009, 05:59 PM

That's a big difference in a short time. Congrats.

Patrick's head was definitely still lumpy and a bit asymmetrical after finishing the helmet. The asymmetry is still there and didn't improve further, but he has a lot moreh air now so it isn't noticeable except in the shower. the lumpiness improved a lot as he grew however. It's much more rounded now.

I would think that as long as the helmet still fits him, it can't hurt to keep going. My son outgrew his first one in about 10 weeks and we still had a ways to go so we got a second one. I'd keep it on until he's too big for further adjustments, just to make sure you get as far as you can with it and don't end up with regrets.

And yes, we also experienced the lack of fear to head bumps. He figured it out pretty quickly though.

melissag · 11-12-2009, 10:15 AM

We actually liked that the helmet protected Mark from bumping his head all the time. It protected him from many injuries. Once it was off he quickly learned not to bash his head and to be more careful.

When Mark got his helmet off (after 6 months) it definitely wasn't perfect. He still has some assymetry and a flat spot at the back. Our dr felt that it was within the normal range and that he would not see much of a benefit from wearing the helmet any longer. Our ortho felt that there was still room for improvement and wanted us to buy a second helmet and use it for another year. We felt that the tiny amount of improvement we would see was not worth another year of the helmet.

So in the end, his little head is not perfect but I really doubt that it is visible to anyone but me.

Good luck!

Leighasmom · 11-20-2009, 12:32 AM

Same thing happened to us as Melissa. We still had some lumps and bumps but if you feel your own head who doesn't have lumps and small flat spots? Leigha's concern for me has always been her forehead. It is a little indented in the middle where the surgeon joined her newly molded forehead(We are bicoronal so Leigha didn't have a forehead and her ocipital bones had to be built up.) and the helmet did wonders for shapimg things more and more round. We saw improvement. The few things I still notice so far it doesn't bother her and she never says anything about it. No one has ever teased her (in fact she has a couple of boys that tell her poems in class ). The helmet won't get you to perfect but I believe you'll be happy with its outcome. I know I wouldn't have been happy without the helmet shaping her more.

11-05-2009, 05:50 PM	#1
nycmomma Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 13	Post Helmet Questions Hi, my son has had a cranial helmet for a mild case of plagiocephaly and in 8 weeks has gone from 10mm asymmetry to 4mm (within normal range), but his head is still lumpy. It's like his head "popped" above (where they take the measurement) and below the ear, but there is still an indentation. It's been like this for almost 3 weeks now but we've kept the helmet on to see if this last spot will pop too. When your LO got his/her helmet off, was their head perfect or was there still some asymmetry and/or lumpiness? Should I leave it on longer to see if we can get even better results? Also, he wasn't mobile when the helmet went on. Now he can crawl and pull up and he seems sorta careless about falling and hitting his head. It's like he's learned that bumping his head doesn't hurt. I'm afraid of what's going to happen once it comes off. Did any of you experience this?

11-06-2009, 05:59 PM	#3
AuburnLocks Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 804	That's a big difference in a short time. Congrats. Patrick's head was definitely still lumpy and a bit asymmetrical after finishing the helmet. The asymmetry is still there and didn't improve further, but he has a lot moreh air now so it isn't noticeable except in the shower. the lumpiness improved a lot as he grew however. It's much more rounded now. I would think that as long as the helmet still fits him, it can't hurt to keep going. My son outgrew his first one in about 10 weeks and we still had a ways to go so we got a second one. I'd keep it on until he's too big for further adjustments, just to make sure you get as far as you can with it and don't end up with regrets. And yes, we also experienced the lack of fear to head bumps. He figured it out pretty quickly though. __________________ Patrick - 12/28/07 Briefly misdiagnosed with Craniosynostosis Final diagnosis of plagiocephaly with 12mm of cranial vault asymmetry and a scaphocephalic head shape, probably from in-utero molding. Helmet Therapy Graduate! 10/08

11-12-2009, 10:15 AM	#4
melissag Join Date: May 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 73	We actually liked that the helmet protected Mark from bumping his head all the time. It protected him from many injuries. Once it was off he quickly learned not to bash his head and to be more careful. When Mark got his helmet off (after 6 months) it definitely wasn't perfect. He still has some assymetry and a flat spot at the back. Our dr felt that it was within the normal range and that he would not see much of a benefit from wearing the helmet any longer. Our ortho felt that there was still room for improvement and wanted us to buy a second helmet and use it for another year. We felt that the tiny amount of improvement we would see was not worth another year of the helmet. So in the end, his little head is not perfect but I really doubt that it is visible to anyone but me. Good luck! __________________ Melissa Mom to Quinn (April 8, 2009) Sagittal CVR surgery performed December 2, 2009 Mark (Jan 5, 2007) Plagiocephaly (helmet) and torticollis....doing great now! Jackson (October 9, 2002) Forever missing Olivia (October 14, 2000 - July 16, 2005) Forever missing Matthew (March 18, 1999 - July 17, 2005)

11-20-2009, 12:32 AM	#5
Leighasmom Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Omaha, NE Age: 33 Posts: 1,106	Same thing happened to us as Melissa. We still had some lumps and bumps but if you feel your own head who doesn't have lumps and small flat spots? Leigha's concern for me has always been her forehead. It is a little indented in the middle where the surgeon joined her newly molded forehead(We are bicoronal so Leigha didn't have a forehead and her ocipital bones had to be built up.) and the helmet did wonders for shapimg things more and more round. We saw improvement. The few things I still notice so far it doesn't bother her and she never says anything about it. No one has ever teased her (in fact she has a couple of boys that tell her poems in class ). The helmet won't get you to perfect but I believe you'll be happy with its outcome. I know I wouldn't have been happy without the helmet shaping her more. __________________ Mel ~ Beyond A Glimpse Mommy of Austen 12/21/96: ADHD~normocephaly Leigha 7/22/00: Bicoronal Cranio~CVR with FOA May 2001~DOC band graduate Sept. 2001 Fought insurance & won on 4th appeal~2nd reconstruction summer 2011 w/Dr. Fearon Colton 3/24/09 normocephaly OUR Story

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

11-05-2009, 11:41 PM	#2
mrs_sid31517 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Arkansas Posts: 77	Hi.. we havent started helmet therapy yet, we pick Parkers up nov 18. The chief orthotics/prosthetics guy told us that Parker would definitely get used to bangin his head around.. and then when it was time to be done with it, he wouldnt realize that it would hurt! He said it would be just like a normal baby bumping his head... and after he did it intentionally the first few times, he would learn lol.. I hope we see results as well as you did! Our lil man is plagio too!