Reagan's journey to a round head!

Reagan has always been a really great sleeper, since she was born.  She started sleeping through the night at 2 months and we have not skipped a beat on this schedule...(knock on wood).  When we go on road trips she just sleeps her little heart out.  Keep in mind this is all putting pressure on the back of her head, which at the time was no big deal.

At Reagan's two-month checkup, our pediatrician had some concerns about her developing a flat spot on the back of her head but told us to just increase tummy time and we will just check on it at her 4 month checkup. Over the next 2 months, we increased tummy time, slept her on her side and emphasized that they do the same at daycare.  Zach and I started noticing it more and more and it was not getting any better. At her 4 month checkup on August 7th, our pediatrician recommended us to make an appointment with the Star Cranial Center of Excellence to get an assessment.  I immediately begin to cry when she told me this because all I could think was my poor baby will need to wear a helmet and how could I have done a better job at preventing this!  Our pediatrician immediately consoled me by telling me about her own daughter that had to be treated with a STARband (helmet) at the same age.  Although it was very hard to make the call, as soon as I left the pediatricians office I immediately got on the phone with the star center to set up an appointment for an assessment - I thought if this is what needs to be done, I want answers soon before she got any older.  They were able to get us in the following week.

On August 16, 2012, we met with an orthotist at the Cranial Center of Excellence, where they measured Reagan's head and performed the scan.  The clinician evaluated the scans and said that there were 3 levels and Reagan was not quite one of their severe cases but was in the middle (moderate - meaning proceed with treatment).  She had plagiocephaly (flat head).  The scans showed that Reagan favored her left side more, so in turn it was flatter on that one side.  Her thought was to contact insurance because this type of treatment has to be authorized prior to starting and once they gave the ok we should come back in to get new measurements and unless by some miracle Reagan's numbers reflected a tremendous improvement then she would be fitted for a StarBand (helmet), the cranial remolding orthoses.  After research, I decided to not wait on the insurance and get Reagan back in for treatment.  Reason being, the insurance can sometimes take up to 30 days and if treatment is what she needed I wanted to start it when she turned 5 months and not wait any longer, I mean we are going to do it if the insurance pays for it or not. 

This was not an easy decision and I have had very mixed emotions about it.  We went in on August 27th and the center performed more scans and measurements to see if there was any progress.  There was indeed some progress but not enough to make a difference in proceeding with treatment.  The orthotist told us that Reagan would be fitted for her helmet on September 5th and she would have to wear it anywhere from 3 to 5 months depending on her growth and us following the wearing schedule.  The helmet will be worn 23 hours a day and taken off for 1 hour each day for bathing, cleaning the helmet and our head kisses and snuggling.  Being a Mom, my first thought was how she was going to adjust to having this thing on her head that long each day for months!  Although they told me the babies adjust to it very quickly, I am still worried and sad about it.  So, now we wait....until we receive our helmet on September 5th, Reagan's 5 month birthday, we are just loving on our little girl and giving lots of kisses on her sweet little head.  I feel confident that we are doing the right thing and I know that in just a few months she will have a perfect little round melon!

With this blog, I will attempt to chronicle Reagan's process with her STARband, in hopes to help other teary-eyed Mom's that want to know more about this process.

Before pictures to come....

XOXO,
Julie