The DOC Band and Plagiocephaly

As many of you know, Rylan was diagnosed with plagiocephaly about a month ago. For those of you that don't know what "plagio", it is defined as a condition characterized by an asymmetrical distortion (flattening of one side) of the skull. Plagiocephaly affects thousands of children and can be caused by intra-uterine pressure, prematurity (more malleable skulls), torticollis, and external pressure from items like cribs, car seats and swings. Since the induction of the "Back to Sleep" campaign to prevent SIDS, the number of plagio cases has risen dramatically from 1 in 300 children to 3-10 out of every 30 children. Once Rylan's plagio was recognized by our pediatrician, she referred us to Cranial Technologies. CT specializes in the treatment of plagio and other skull deformities through the use of the DOC band and physical therapy. The DOC band applies mild pressure to the more prominent areas of the head while leaving room for growth in less prominent areas, resulting in a rounder shaped head. While this may sound purely cosmetic, more doctors believe now that untreated plagiocephaly may lead to vision and jaw problems later on in life. Once treatment was agreed upon (after a severity assessment) they created a 3-D image of Rylan's head and then developed a custom fit DOC band for him. Also called a helmet, the band is worn 23 hours a day for 6-16 weeks with weekly progress assessments and re-fittings. The helmets look rather medical; they are white with a hard plastic outer shell and a foam interior. So, in an effort to make the bands look less medical and have some fun, many parent (including us) decorate their child's helmet. You can paint, wrap and put stickers on the helmet. We were lucky enough to find a company, 360 Wraps, in the DFW area that would wrap Rylan's helmet...and they did it for FREE! Tommy was wonderful and decorated a custom helmet that looks super cool!

So we are 2 weeks into treatment and already can see a difference! It's amazing how far medicine has advanced even since I was born. Rylan is totally used to the band and doesn't seem to mind it other than some minor skin irritation. This experience has helped me to realize not to judge a book by its cover. Many people believe that plagio kids have seizures, have had brain surgery, or are mentally disabled. Some stare and some ask questions, but so far the reaction has been pretty positive. So if you see someone who is disabled, has a brace, or looks different...don't judge. If you ask, I'm sure they'd be more than happy to explain it to you!

For more information about plagiocephaly and the DOC Band, visit http://www.cranialtech.com/. They offer free evaluations to any child. For more info on vehicle and helmet wraps, visit www.360wraps.com