Guest blogger Phil here. As part of the 365 days of bloggery, I will be chiming in on Wednesdays. My first installment is a report from the front lines of phrenology.
Today we took Amos to have his head examined. Not in the psychiatric sense, although he does seem almost unnaturally jolly, which may be indicative of some personality disorder that has yet to disclose itself, but rather to have the actual shape of his noggin checked to determine if he should be outfitted with a helmet for the next few months or left to his own devices to grow out his cranium as nature sees fit.
What was the expert’s advice, after giving our boy a thorough going over? Amos’ head will probably grow from its current flat-on-the-back-bulgy-on-one-side look into something more symmetrical on its own, or it might not. He would be helped by a helmet, but he might not really need it. The orthotics specialist was certainly a helpful guy, but since Amos is in the mild-to-moderate range of misshapenness, it basically falls to us to make the decision. Which we have to do in the next month or two; otherwise, we’ve missed the window of opportunity when his skull is most easily reshaped. No pressure. We just need to make a decision that will affect him for the rest of his life.
It’s 2008. Wasn’t the government supposed to have taken over raising the children by now?
22 beautiful people muttered something back:
Indeed, the orthotist was the most helpful/unhelpful person we've discussed this with.
To let folks know, Amos has a form of plagiocephaly called brachycephaly, or a flatness of the back of his head. It was caused by laying on his back too much (because we took the advice that babies should lay on their backs to prevent SIDS), using the bouncer chair too much, using the swing too much, caring too much, and a slight case of torticollis (a tightening of the neck muscles on the right side of his neck). Despite almost three months of "aggressive" repositioning, it has not improved as much as we would like. Although, the last two weeks of his brand-new sitting up maneuver has improved things even more. So, who knows. We're just sitting on the fence right now.
We've seen a physical therapist for the torticollis. So far, everyone's answer as to whether Amos should get a helmet: Yes. No? Maybe? Maybe yes?
We are seeing another orthotist on Friday for a second opinion. Yay for us.
Also, three cheers for Phil, the celebrity guest blogger you will get to yell at and cheer at every Wednesday!
I have a good friend whose son had this same thing. I believe that they used a helmet but I don't think they needed it very long. Hayden's head is perfectly perfect now.
Best of luck with your second opinion. I'm sure ya'll will pick the right answer, whatever it is!
myvocabulary - Thanks for stopping by! Because of the way that Amos' head is flattened, he would need to wear the helmet for about 6 months, maybe more, maybe less. It has an incredible rate of success. If we choose not to get the helmet and just stick with "aggressive" repositioning, then the recovery will probably take until he is 18-months-old. There is no guarantee that it will work.
It's only a difference of $1,500, continued loss of sleep on my part to continue the repositioning, and the guilt that we should have gotten the helmet if it doesn't work itself out. Like Phil said, no pressure. Heheh.
I think you'll make the right decision, whatever that is!
At least the orthotist thinks it's mild enough to be self-corrective. I think little Amos will be okay!
Yay for Phil's first blogger blog!
Given the circumstances, making the decision does not have the potential to affect the rest of his life, it is NOT making the decision that could affect the rest of his life.
I have three sons; two grown and one mostly. The one that is 'mostly' grown has ADD and Asberger's Syndrome. My wife and I have had to make many life changing, life affecting decisions for and about our son. It is never easy to make those decisions, especially as they are usually longer term decisions whose results and/or effects aren't immediately obvious. Be that as it may, we are comfortable with the decisions we've made so far, because we have always taken those decisions with an eye to what gives him the greatest chance at a normal existance. Sometimes those decisions mean temporary inconvenience or discomfort for him or for us. No matter. We will do whatever it takes. So will he. He has never complained. He understands. I'm willing to wager that if your son were old enough to voice an opinion, he would vote for any decision that afforded him the best shot for a normal life.
I never met a melons before. I look forward to getting acquainted with you.
*lol* Ain't specialists grand that way?! "Well, maybe yes...but then again...maybe no."
I'll be keeping you both in my thoughts as you make this tough decision!!
Hehe..."You're melons"...*giggle*
Amanda - You always know how to see the upside to things. You are my love, lady.
LceeL - ADD and Asperger's are a lot to have on your plate. Good on ye for being so involved in your son's life and therapies. There is High Functioning Autism in my family. I understand where you are coming from.
Our trouble with the head deformity is that nothing is concrete on whether his life will be affected or not. It doesn't add to the ease of the decision, unfortunately.
Eve - Phil is so melons, you wouldn't believe it. Haha.
Sadie - Thanks! Yup. We are in medical purgatory.
My youngest was 11 weeks premature, and although the nurses in the NICU turned him and positioned him regularly, he came out with the typical premie head, flat on the sides - he still, at 11, has a longer oval face/head than his siblings, but it no longer looks like he's a Green Bay fan, with a wedge shape.
I know this doesn't help much with your particular situation with Amos, but I thought I'd share that time and growing did so much to reshape Dillon's head. I tell him all the time that it's the most beautiful head I've ever seen.
XO
You'll listen your hearts and 'know' the right thing. Lawd! I am so glad that God made special people like you to have adorable children like Amos ! I would be such a total nervous wreck! Just for the heck of it...ask Amos what he wants!
that sounds like it should be on a t-shirt...my kid has issues because i love too much...keeping you in my thoughts as well...one thing about being a parent....is that you do the best that you can...and you are most definately good enough...try not to overwhelm yourself with thoughts about marring up the rest of amos' life...you are a good mom...and guest blogger is a good dad! good luck
Sis - That WAS helpful. Thank you! I've heard a few stories about how time has helped to change the shape of various kids' heads. The orthotist thinks Amos is a good candidate for that if we keep up the repositioning. My inner selfish lady is wailing, "But I waaaaant to sleeeep!" because I lose a great deal of snoozing at night trying to keep him in the right position. I guess this is called parenting? Heh.
zquilts - Haha! Thank you! That is very nice of you to say. We actually did ask Amos at the appointment what he wants us to do. His response was to giggle and flap his arms up like Frankenstein. Is that a thumbs up for a helmet or not? Haha.
Tricia - HAHA! I will make that a T-shirt and use it to pay for the helmet. You are a genius! Hahaha.
You always manage to make me feel better.
I know your dillema. We are going back to the ped.neurosurgeon on Tuesday to see if repositioning has helped Katie's head. She looks totally normal from the front but so flat in the back. Now it just looks flat all over to me. I can't tell if it's helped. We have some friends who had to put their son in a helmet for pagiocephaly and it was very successful. I think if Katie's head is not "shaping up" I'm going to get her the helmet. I know her hair would cover anything up in the future, but she's a girl. We obsess enough over any little inperfection. I don't want her to obsess over a flat head forever. I feel the same on sleep I'm always getting up. Is her head on the left, is the towel rolled up under her neck still. Aughh! To top it off Aaron has an umbillical hernia and he has to go see the surgeon on Monday for a surgery consult as it has not healed on its own.
Am I the only one who thought the show me your melons was going to go in a whole other direction? It was an interesting post. My cousin used a helmet for her daughter and a special brace of some sort(she had sever stiffening to one side) and the baby was too little to know or care and once she a toddler, she was absolutely "normal". Good Luck with your decision.
I hope the second opinion will be more helpful than the first.
I'm looking forward to yelling/cheering at Phil every Wednesday.
Hmmm...bloggin about the noggin, huh? I say avoid the Helmet, I really don't see how having an minimalist Austrian fashion designer on Amos' head can be helpful. Consider Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana instead; they're more high-end. I too am melons right now by the way, but then again I'm always melons.
Kim - That's a lot to have on your plate! Just to let you know, yesterday the orthotist told us that neurosurgeons are notorious for being anti-helmet, even when a kid would clearly benefit from one. That was an eye-opener for me.
Hopefully, I'll have more info to share with you after tomorrow's appt.
Mommy - I heart you for wanting a different kind of melons show.
You have a good point. Amos isn't going to care about the helmet now, but all three of us might be disappointed down the road if we don't get it for him. We are not in the best financial position AT ALL. Does anyone want to throw a few bucks toward my "donate" button to help Amos' noggin?
Stephen - Thanks! You are the best.
Gathen - Thank you. As usual, your comment was insightful and bizarre. Heheh.
Hm. Nice idea. Maybe I'll just post a video of John doing a guitar solo every Wednesday and go soak my hands in palmolive....
My medical advice is to just stick a lump of playdough on the back of Amos's head to even things out. No one will notice.
I'm sure that was as helpful as "he might need it and he might not," so now I'd like to receive the same paycheck for that wisdom that the doctor you visited got for his....
Lotus - Gee, thanks. Your playdough advice is so helpful. Since our consultation with the orthotist was free, I'm not going to pay you either.
Not from you, just whatever he/she makes in the space of time it took to give you no help at all. Since I did the same thing, and such.
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