Plagiocephaly--I need your help. Has anyone's DC had a helmet?

I have posted before about my DS. He has torticollis and received PT for it for 3 months. That is all cleared up, but he still has moderate plagiocephaly. We have an appointment with and orthotist but we never went to a neurologist/neurosurgeon. We just got info from the pediatrician about the helmet and I called them directly.

Am I going about this the right way? Should he go to a neurologist first? The PT and ped. have both diagnosed moderate plagiocephaly. Will he need a CT, MRI or xray first?


I am making myself sick over this. DS is almost 7 months and I want to begin something soon.

Thanks!

Re: Plagiocephaly--I need your help. Has anyone's DC had a helmet?

I am fairly certain that our pediatrician would want us to see a neurologist first. I have read that the helmets can make a big difference but I would want to talk to a specialist.

Re: Plagiocephaly--I need your help. Has anyone's DC had a helmet?

Re: Plagiocephaly--I need your help. Has anyone's DC had a helmet?

Steven went to the neurosurgeon because the pediatrition was confident that he would need the helmet. Turned out he didn't need it after all.

We went to Dr. Middler (or Mittler sorry dont' remember) with Long Island Jewish. I highly recommend him!

Don't go straight for the helmet. Lots of times the plagio is not bad enough for the helmet and it is all cosmetic. Steven still has a flat side on his head, but you can never tell unless I tell you about it.

Good luck!

ETS: i want to add that I would go straight to the neurosurgeon. The Neurologist will send you anyway since they don't prescribe the helmets if there is a need for one.

Message edited 10/29/2008 10:09:43 AM.

Re: Plagiocephaly--I need your help. Has anyone's DC had a helmet?

Our ped sent us for a cat scan and then we went to a nuerosurgeon who specialized in plagiocephaly. The cat scan was able to tell us that there was no swelling of the brain or anything more serious.

The neurolsurgean gave us our options as far as dealing with the plagiocephaly. We decided against the helmet. DS would have had to wear it 23 hours a day for 18 months or more. A lot of the flatness had already started to work itself out so we asked the doctor if he would put his child, if he was similar to ours, in one and he said no. He said our son will never have a perfect head and never be able to shave his head bald but he didn't feel that the helmet was necessary in his case.