Finally Has Helmet Need Suggestions for Sleeping with It

I dont have suggestions for using it, and my experience with it was the baby I served aa a nanny for had one. (He had no problem adapting)

I was always wondering if "energy medicine" such as Polarity or anything that involves "moving energy" would be beneficial in correcting this problem. If it were my child, that is what I would try. Many avenues presented at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Tempe.

May the universe provide what you need in working with this new experience.

Hi! I wish I could had a suggestion for you but I don't. My son also had to wear the helmet, but he started out wearing it a little younger. He adjusted to it right away. Daddy and I were the ones that had the hard time adjusting to it! Give it some time and hopefully he will just get used to it on his own. It may take a few sleepless nights, but our son didn't even act like it was there after he had worn for several full days and nights. If he doesn't start getting used to it, make sure that it is fitting correctly and that he's not getting any really red irritated spots wear it could be rubbing. We hated that thing at first and we are so glad we did it now! It seems so uncomfortable for us, but kids are so resilient and they adapt so easily. Keep up the good work. It will all be worth it in the end!

A little bit about me: I'm a SAHM of an almost 3yr.old boy who had torticollis and plagiocephaly and I'm pregnant with another boy due in May. I have a wonderful husband who I've been married to for almost 6yrs.

My son also had a helmet and he had no problems with sleeping but I think the reason was he at that point always slept on his belly and I think that was more comfortable then on his back. So if he still sleeps on his back, try putting him on his stomach. Other than that I would just give it time and make sure you keep it on at all times. Good luck

My son wore a helmet for 10 months to correct his head shape, beginning when he was 7 - almost 8 - months old. We started with having it on all of the time and were told, as you probably were, that wearing while sleeping is most important because that is when they do most of their growing. He was used to wearing it for most of the day so napping with it and wearing it to sleep at night weren't that big of a deal. I had expected it to be a harder transition, but he's a pretty easy going kid and I think that worked in our favor. For us, it actually got harder when he was older and only wearing it at night because #1 - he got used to not wearing it and #2 - he figured out how to take it off.

I don't know how many hours per day your son needs his helmet. I started out with my son wearing his almost 24/7 so he could get used to it and that seemed to work. The not sleeping could be because the helmet is uncomfortable when he is lying down. The doctor, or whoever is overseeing this process, can take a look to see if it's adjusted properly. Sometimes after a size adjustment we were going back every few days to make sure it was 'just right.' The rule I was given was that if you take the helmet off and any mark remains that doesn't go away after 5 or 10 minutes, the helmet isn't fitting correctly.

The helmet is just one of those things that they have to get used to. And, in our case, we as parents had to get used to. Our son is now is now 20 months old, has been helmet free for almost two months, and has a beautifully shaped head. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and I know that light is hard to see when you are sleep deprived. I am so sorry that you are losing sleep in the adjustment process. I hope everyone adjusts and gets back to sleep soon. Good luck.

It should only take about a week or so for him to get used to the helmet. My biggest advice and it comes from experience, is DO NOT give in, and take it off if he wants it off. That helmet is there for correction. If you take it off so he can nap, you are defeating the purpose. I know it is easy to think, what is a few hours here and there.... But add up all those hours and him laying on one side flattening out that side. The helmet needs to stay on. We started using a pillow for our son to lay on and that really seemed to work. I am assuming that the helmet is on the 7 month old right? At that age, it will become a part of his body soon enough and wont remember what it was like to not have it, as long as you stay consistant and only take it off when the doc says it is okay. Good luck.

hi- we also had the DOC band helmet- I don't have any suggestions more than he'll get used to it- but I do remmber our Dr saying that it was really important it stayed on during sleep times. Hang in there.

My son got his doc band at 4 months and I was told to leave it on 23 hours from the get go. I was very worried the first night. It was a little harder to get him to sleep but once he was he slept all night and that was very rare at the time. He ended up only needing to ware it for 8 weeks and we had great results he was a little younger but hang in there it will be worth it in the end.