Jameson was Fitted for His New Helmet the Other Day.
On Friday Jameson went in to be evaluated and measured for his new cranial helmet. Our appointment was at Children’s Orthopedics and Prosthetics here in Las Vegas. The technician Alicia who is also the owner was so helpful, she explained every aspect of the helmet and what the process is while he has to wear it. She explained to us that helmets became her passion when she found out when her own children needed helmets as well. The staff made us feel comfortable and were so amazing with us being military, and offering help to get information on various grants, knowing that Tricare doesn’t cover the costs of the helmet.
Alicia also explained to us that what the doctor told us he thought Jameson had was not the case. See the doctor told us he believed Jameson not only had Flat Head Syndrome but also had Craniosynostosis. This condition is a birth defect that causes the premature hardening of the growth plates on a baby’s skull. This causes misshapen skulls while also possibly affecting brain development and eating. She explained to us, that this would be easy to spot as it would create a visible ridge in the skull, and Jameson did not have this. But he did have moderate to severe Flat Head Syndrome. He measured at a 10mm shift on his left side, and if not corrected could cause inner ear issues, balance issues, along with migraines as he got older. As the ears shift, so does the ear canal and this is what can cause issues later on.
Jameson’s Flat Head Syndrome is most likely the result of his muscular torticollis, which caused him to favor his right side, causing a shift of his head and ears to the right. With the helmet, which he will wear for four to six months, his head will grow and shape to the helmet. The helmet should have a 100% recovery rate, meaning that everything should start going back to its natural position in time. And Alicia puts a little extra foam inside of the helmet so she can adjust it a little bit more than just the strap would allow, this will help with any pressure points that the helmet may have as he grows into it.
As you are reading this you may be wondering what Flat Head Syndrome is exactly. There are several different theories as to what is causing the rise in this, but most of these theories all point towards the safe sleep campaign that started in 1994. This campaign was started to help curve sudden infant death or SIDs. If you aren’t familiar with this, it is when an infant ends up on their stomach and suffocates because they can not breathe. So it was suggested that babies should sleep on their backs until they can roll themselves over and back over again. Since a baby’s skull is so soft, when they lay on the same spot over and over that is what creates that flat spot. Now some babies are worse than others, and not all babies need a helmet. We chose to get Jameson a helmet because of the likely hood of the issues it may cause later on in life. And if you think your child may need one, I suggest doing your research and finding a specialist to answer any questions you may have.
And stay tuned and follow the blog for continuous updates on the whole process from the first day to the last day of the helmet.