Plagiocephaly - An update!

Max had a follow-up appointment this morning at Children's Hospital for his cranial band. We received terrific news - the helmet is working! We met with the clinical nurse specialist and her measurements showed over a 50% improvement. According to her records, Max started at an 8 mm difference (I thought it was 7), and he now measures a 3 mm difference - and his goal was to be between 0 and 3! She stated that she can really tell he has been wearing the helmet - both by looking at his head and the helmet (the inside of the helmet has some area of discoloration, where his head has contact with the helmet). She stated if this had been his first appointment, that a cranial band would not have been her recommendation! However, there is a second set of measurements - length and width - that we can still try to improve. Max originally had a very round head, and a 'normal' head is more oval. Max started at a 96% (100% is perfectly round) and he is now at a 92%. Originally the goal was to be below 90%, but since Max has made such great improvements so fast, we have decided to continue to wear the helmet and see if Max can get down to an 87%. We no longer need to go to Children's Hospital, we will just now continue our appointments with the orthotist at a local office here in town, and she will decide when we should discontinue use - maybe just a month or so. We also learned that when we do decide to discontinue wearing the helmet, that Max will need to wean the wear time. The helmet is not so much a 'cranial band' but a 'crash helmet', as the nurse put it! Max will have to learn how to protect his head. Right now, Max falls, bangs his head on his crib and doesn't seem to notice since he has some protection. The wean time is to only be about a week. We were so happy with the news, that we took Max out to breakfast! And one final picture - I think Max is thinking - Mom, knock it off with the camera!