A Helmet

“Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.”   ~Josh Billings

When Isabella was 4 months old, her pediatrician brought to my attention the shape of her head. She has brachycephaly, which is a flat head. She let me know then that I needed to increase Isabella's tummy time to try and give her head the opportunity to round out more. Isabella was sitting up on her own at 5 months old and even with her increased tummy time, there wasn't enough of an improvement on the brachycephaly. At her 6 month wellness appointment, the pediatrician recomended I consider putting Isabella in a DOC (Dynamic Orthotic Cranioplasty) Band from Cranial Technologies. They are among the leaders in brachycephaly treatment. My first thought was, "A helmet?" She informed me that Isabella's condition was moderate and very treatable. She told me the advantages of having Isabella wear the band and also the disadvantages. The only places in Texas where Cranial Technologies facilites are located are in Austin and Dallas. We would need to make weekly or biweekly trips to the facility we chose. This was going to take some dedication, especially since it would be just Isabella and I making the 12 hour round trip. After a little consideration, I decided that the outcome would be well worth the effort I needed to put forth.

Our first appointment was a consultation on July 6th. I decided that we would make the trip late at night in hopes that Isabella would sleep the entire way. At about 2:00 am, we hit the road. She did really well on the way up there, waking up only once for a bottle and once for a diaper change. About an hour before we arrived, she woke up and was quite cheerful. I kept her occupied with lots of chit-chat in the rear view mirror. Unfortunately, my navigation skills are not what you would exactly call good, and I got a bit turned around in the North Dallas traffic. But, I found my way and we made our appointment right on time.

Isabella's head was photographed from different angles and a therapist evaluated her. She not only has brachycephaly but very mild plagiocephaly as well. Plagiocephaly is when the head is misshapen. This can develop in utero by the way the fetus lays in the womb and after birth, when a baby prefers to sleep on one side of the head more than the other. The therapist said Isabella would most likely have to wear the band for 2-3 months and would have great results.

On our trip home Isabella did not do as well as on the trip up there. She was very fussy and we had to make several stops so we could both get a break from the vehicle. She did not want to be in the dark and I could not drive with the dome light on. I had to keep the small vanity mirror light on for the majority of the way. We finally got home at 6:30 am. It took us an additional 2 hours! We were both very tired from the commute and were ready to rest.

Three weeks and several phone calls later, I was informed that Isabella's insurance approved the DOC band. Our next appointment was on Tuesday, July 26th. We left Monday afternoon after I got off work. Isabella was great the whole way up there. She took two naps and was very happy and talkative the rest of the way. We made great time arriving at 10:30 that evening. Our appointment was set for 9:30 the following day. To my suprise, and with the help of my Iphone and the Google Maps app, I didn't get lost. We even arrived early for our appointment.

                             

We had her in just a diaper and a white stocking was placed over her head. I know it sounds like an unpleasant experience but it was quite the opposite. The therapist was very friendly. She played and talked to Isabella while slowly putting the stocking over her head. Isabella didn't even notice it. The stocking is used to keep the hair close to the head. Then, a machine called a DSI (Digital Surface Imaging) was used to photograph her. This is a laser-free device that uses 15 high-resolution cameras to capture a 360-degree image of the head. It is accurate  to within a fraction of a millimeter of the exact size and shape of the head. The 360-degree image is then used to create a cast of her head and the DOC band is made from the cast.

Her therapist informed me that Isabella has very mild torticollis. The condition is so mild that it was undiagnosed until the she noticed it while taking the DSI images. Indications of torticollis involve favoring one side and as a result, the baby's range of motion is limited and they begin to hold the head at a tilt. It is caused by the shortening of muscles in the neck. Since Isabella's torticollis is so mild, some very simple neck excersizes should remedy the condition. Now, it was time to head back home. Aside from all the construction on I20, we had a smooth trip home. Isabella was in and out of naps and was very cheerful while she was awake. We would be making the trip again in two weeks when her DOC band was ready.



Silly girl

So, Isabella, my love, we have both learned so much about these new lives, as mom and daughter, that we are living. Although there is still so much to discover and still such a long road ahead of us, I think we have been doing a great job. A mom could not ask for a better baby than you. You are my biggest blessing.

Love, Mama