What to Expect if my Baby needs a Cranial Helmet?

I believe that most of our successful experiences in life start from the expectation of that experience. This is why I set my expectations extremely low when taking my kids out to dinner- and anything short of a food fight is considered a success. Helmet Therapy follows this same rule of life… when expectations are set too high, parents and families can be disappointed, when set too low- they may not realize the benefits of the treatment. I always try to be as transparent as possible with my “WHAT TO EXPECT”- because while yes, we will see awesome improvements in head shape… we might also experience issues with the helmet not fitting quite right, skin irritation, getting what I call “Helmet Fatigue” and so on.

What to Expect Part 1: LEADING UP TO THE HELMET

This is the education phase, you are learning all about head shapes, how to promote natural correction, the different styles, and brands of helmets. This phase can be OVERWHELMING. There are so many options, opinions, and information. That coupled with a substantial amount of misinformation is A LOT to sort through.

I have compiled my own Guide to Head Shapes and Early Interventions Techniques which can be downloaded here. This is meant to help answer those first few questions you may have and better understand general head shape concerns.

A few take-home points…

1.) TIMING is important. These early intervention techniques are best utilized for up to 4 months. If you are still having concerns beyond this point you should get an evaluation with a cranial helmet specialist.

2.) TUMMY TIME and Stretching are crucial to set your baby up for natural head correction. If your baby has limited head and neck strength and range of motion it will be impossible for their head to have any improvement in shape naturally.

The actual process is outlined here and we will walk through this process step by step after you come in for an evaluation.

What to Expect Part 2: THE FIRST FEW WEEKS

Once you have gone through the evaluation and the helmet has been determined to be the best treatment option (by both you and your provider) you will start preparing for the first few weeks. First things first… RELAX, it won’t be that bad. The first week will have a structured break-in schedule to get your baby used to the helmet and you used to putting it on and taking it off. Have fun decorating your baby’s helmet, adding some fun accessories like bows, a Tiny Nogging doll for big sister, a silly onesie with a witty comment…. try to embrace the journey as much as possible. This will set the stage for the next few months and can change the experience for the better.

This first week often goes by without a hitch, but periodically I will have families who struggle with their baby getting used to the helmet, or have issues with the helmet moving on the head.

Adjustments may need to be made within the first few weeks to optimize the fit of the helmet. Remember that we are fitting an asymmetrical helmet onto an asymmetrical head and there is space built into the helmet to allow for the head to grow- this combination can sometimes lead to movement of the helmet. An experience orthotist will have plenty of tips and tricks to minimize any issues you may experience. Trust your gut here… if you ever feel like the helmet just isn’t fitting “right”, make sure you bring this up to your orthotist and do not let them convince you that is how it should be. I am a part of many online forums for babies with helmets and too often I see poorly fitted helmets where the family was told that was “normal”. You can check out my post about how a helmet should fit here:

What to Expect Part 3: GETTING OVER THE HUMP

It seems that after the first few weeks of wearing the helmet, head growth will hit a plateau. At this point, parents have noticed a significant improvement in head shape and are pleased with this improvement. Sometimes, this improvement leads to parents being ready to ditch the helmet. I utilize my numbers and charts to talk these parents off the edge and remind them of our treatment goals. I had a patient in today… after 4 weeks of wear, he feels like the head looks so much better he is ready to have his son be done with the helmet. I reminded him of our goals numbers, That typical wear time is 3-6 months, and that his child is not yet sitting independently or crawling, which are gross motor milestones that we want to have reached before discontinuing treatment. This is when you just have to trudge along day after day reminding yourself that these few months of wear equal a lifetime of results… put this on a sticky note above the changing tables, in the bathroom, whatever works for you… but a helmet cannot get results if your baby is not wearing it FULL TIME.

What to Expect Part 4: THE FINALE

Once you get over “the Hump” and push through to reach our objective goals: diagonal asymmetry under 5mm and Ceohlic Index (length to width ratio) under 90% we will complete a final scan and you will get your graduation certificate. You DID it… this is when I thank you for your hard work, because lets me be real.. my job is easy, I give you and helmet and tell you to try to get your baby to wear it ALL the TIME! It seems like your baby is the helmet forever when you are in the thick of it, but it does go fast. I promise… recently I did a Facebook survey of moms who have undergone cranial treatment nationwide. Some were seen by me, and some by other clinics… the (almost) unanimous responses at the end of treatment were “it wasn’t as bad as I anticipated” and “that went really fast”.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The decision to utilize a cranial remolding helmet as a treatment for your baby’s head shape is a very personal one and one that only you know if it is the correct treatment for your family.

One of my key pieces of advice for parents who are on the fence is this… if you look at teeth/braces as a comparison, while there can be underlying medical issues requiring braces or that braces may help to prevent, this is typically more of an aesthetic issue. If your child decides their teeth really bother them in adulthood… they can go ahead and get braces at any time in their life. Unfortunately, we do not have this luxury with the head shape. We have between 3-18 months to affect the head shape and after that only way to alter head shape would be surgery- which is not often advised in the medical community. I do not use this as a scare tactic or to push people into helmet treatment but as a realistic fact. I do not want families to regret not getting a helmet in the future… and I OFTEN hear from friends, colleges, family, etc, “yeah my son/daughter probably should have had a helmet”.