Helmet for Baby

Our second daughter wore a helmet for 2 months - it was supposed to be for 6-9 months but we caught a growth spurt and were done much sooner. It was much harder on us, and didn't seem to bother her much at all. We used the cranial place in Pasadena (behind Houston's restaurant, I don't remember the name) and they were great. We'd gone to one in Toluca Lake and they said they would have to dump goo on her head to make a model to make her helmet, but the Pasadena place used digital equipment, which seemed like a much more humane way to do it. Yes, the helmet does smell, especially in warm weather, but we washed it every day with alcohol and used a dry shampoo on our daughter's head. We also did physical therapy for her tortocolis, which she absolutely hated. We were told that this all needed to be done before she was 14 months old, or it could be too late by then. Her problems weren't from sleep positioning but from being breech and how she was positioned in utero. Oh, and we also had an artist decorate it. We got her info from the cranial office and she did an amazing job. It was so long ago that I can't remember her name, but she's in Redondo Beach. Good luck to your friend!

Hi C.:
Yes The helmet is used,when the baby's head is formed a little more on one side. Its a result of favoring laying on one side,or another. I heard the helmet is a pain in the butt.If I was your friend,I'd opt to take care of it myself.Her babies head will even out in a short time but if she wants to speed things up, she can reajust his little head. When she sees him with his head on the same side just turn it for him.if hes on his back, put him on his tummy for a little while.When you hold him up right of course he has no pressure on his head at all.His little head will have a perfect shape in no time.This happens with alot of babies. Not to worry. The best to your friend and her darlin son.

I should preface this by saying I am not sure if my comment is relevant, as I'm not sure it is due to the same problem. I have a friend whose baby boy had asymmetrical features. (One ear was higher than the other). Just cosmetic, but noticeable. He had to wear a helmet for something like 9 months. There wasn't anything to worry about, but my girlfriend said it was a pain to have to remove the helmet and wash it every day. Apparently, it would smell unpleasant due to sweating and not breathing. People asked about it often, but there wasn't any lasting difficult. Hope this helps.

Some children get a weird shape to their head from always sleeping on one side. She can try to get him to sleep in other positions by propping him into position with wedge pillows and see if that does the trick. There is a condition where a child doesn't have full range of motion in the neck which is called Toritcollis. If you cannot gently move his head from side to side (don't force it) there is a good chance that he is Toritcollis. It's not a big deal because it's treatable with Physical Therapy and the younger they start the therapy the easier it is to treat. She should contact her son's pediatrician to inquire but she really doesn't need to be terrified.

I've had a few friends who's babies had to get helmets. While it is kind of initially traumatic for the mom-- I promise it is much less traumatic than the kid being made fun of or insecure about his head shape for the rest of his life.

Depending on how bad it is---- she can try a few things like making him sleep on the other side (the neurologist recommended saftey pinning the pajamas to the crib mattress), using memory foam or a body bath sponge in the swing, carrier and carseat(only little bits in the carseat near where his head would lay to kind of prevent it-- not to interfere with the functionality of the car seat). She should also be careful how she holds him so additional pressure isn't made on that area to make it more out of shape.

If she is really careful it may correct itself. By doing the above, my twins did. BUT if it doesn't, the helmet is not the worst thing in the world.

My daughter wore a helmet for 2 months, and we have had it off now for 3 weeks. With all of the heat she got a really bad rash that turned into a yeast infection, but don't wait on the helmet. The 5-6 month range is a good time. I was very diligent with taking it off and steralizing it 2xs a day with alcohol, but she has very sensitive skin. There is nothing to worry about, it will take a few weeks for her baby to sleep good again (my daughter took about 1 1/2 weeks to sleep good once she had her helmet on), but once she got used to it, it was fine. The appts are a bit of a pain, as you need to go every week, and the appts take as long as an hour, but totally worth it. We will hopefully be putting back on the helmet in a few weeks to try to finish the reshaping. Her head needed a little time off from the rash!

we have been through this - twice!! my son was born with tort and plagio - he had 2 helmets and we have been in o/t, p/t, s/t among other things for a while!!!! i HIGHLY recommend cranial tech!! we went when they were in toluca lake - but they are now in pasadena. here's their info...
their website is http://www.cranialtech.com/

Cranial Technologies, Inc.
200 East Del Mar, Suite 104
Pasadena, CA 91105
Phone: ###-###-####
Toll Free: 866-923-1044
Fax: ###-###-####

Clinician: Karin Sung, PT

Consults and Treatment Available:
Monday thru Friday: 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM

please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. i remember i freaked out about this and had so much to learn (my son had tort too which makes it dif't - does your frined's?) i have been fighting the insurance company every step of the way and at 4 years old we are still in s/t and see an osteopath. no one else would ever know oliver had to deal with this - but i am a big believer in early intervention. is your friend in p/t? regional center is a great resource where they will evaluate and provide treatment for FREE!!

check out these websites - they were a great resource for me and support!!

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Plagiocephaly/?yguid....

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Torticolliskids/?ygu....

again - please don't hesitate to contact me anytime! and i cannot stress enough how much i recommend cranial tech.

good luck!
J.
_______________________
not sure where your friend lives - but i cut and pasted from a letter i wrote to another mom below - includes info about the people/specialists we saw as well as regional center.
hope this helps!
J.

Pediatric Neurologist: J. Gordon McComb, M.D.
University Children's Medical Group
Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery
1300 North Vermont Avenue #1006
Los Angeles, CA 90027
###-###-####

Pediatric Neurologist for 2nd opinion:
Dr. Nancy A Niparko
8733 Beverly Boulevard, Ste 200,
Los Angeles, CA

Osteopath: Dr. Tseyli Mantooth, D.O.
1448 Fifteenth Street, Suite 207
Santa Monica, CA 90404
###-###-####

Physical Therapist: Evelina Ricci, RPT
PT `N PLAY
###-###-####

Occupational Therapist: Kid Skills
Ellen Lenok OTR/L
11110 Ohio Ave # 206
Los Angeles, CA 90025
###-###-####

Cranial Technologies, Inc.
200 East Del Mar, Suite 104
Pasadena, CA 91105
Phone: ###-###-####
Toll Free: 866-923-1044
Fax: ###-###-####

we also go to an amazing speech therapist -
Nicole Archambault Besson
1218 Sixth St. Suite #2
Santa Monica, CA 90401
###-###-####

another thing that was really helpful was to contact the early intervention - regional center for your area. if you are on the westside that would be the westside regional center. when we lived in west hollywood it was the lanterman regional center. they did assessments and provided us with services - all for free as we qualified due to oliver's
condition not financial reasons. they even paid for us to go to fit for kids as the o/t assessment recommended it. we were actually already going and paying for it ourselves. oliver loved it! we also did swimming lessons which helped with balancing his motor skills. i don't have the regional center on hand either - but i will find it. you can also just call information.

my biggest suggestion is to get on it now!!! don't wait and do as much now as possible as it makes a difference. at 2 1/2 we are still dealing with things - although not bad - it is still going on. i have found the osteopathic appts to be really helpful for more than just his head! also - as for insurance - we fought them and they paid for most everything!!! i can send you some letters if you would like - and make sure you keep track of everyone you talk to - including the date and name of the person on the phone. i sometimes have to submit claims 3 times!!!! and it is only b/c i had a 'system' that i could keep track of it all! well worth it though as almost no one was in network and we wanted the best people that had been recommended.

i'm sorry if this email rambles and brings up more questions than answers. please ask me any questions.

During my 5 years in child care I knew four babies who needed helmets, and there is absoulutely nothing to be afraid of, it just helps their heads grow into the proper shape. It's not the most comfortable thing in the world I would imagine, but they were all troopers about it. And it looks a little funny, but it's really common. Tell her to do some research online but that there is nothing to be afraid of except maybe some rude stares from strangers.