Please share your helmet stories!

[Anonymous]

Did they work for your baby? What age did you put baby in it, and how long? Were the results positive? Worth it?

[Anonymous]

I direct a center that had 3 babies in helmets.

Baby 1 and 2 were twins, wore them from about 8 to 14 months (this could be a little off - I know they were really crawling when they got them off, and they had been at our center for a few months before they got them on, and they didn't start at our center until they were 6 months old) Yes, they worked for both babies. The boy had a very misshapen head, and his head was symmetrical after wearing it. The girl's head was less involved, but still was flatter on one side. Both improved (him dramatically) and had very symmetrical heads at the end. They already could sit up when they got them on, and they both learned to crawl while wearing the helmets. They could do all the things: sit, roll over, crawl - the helmet never got in their way. The girl twin learned to walk before getting her helmet off; the boy learned later, after his helmet was off, but he was seeing an OT to work on core and strength issues so his delayed walking had nothing to do with the helmet.

The 3rd child was much younger when she got her helmet, like 4 months old? And she wore it a much shorter time, perhaps just 3 or 4 months?, either because her issues were different or because she started earlier so it worked faster because the head was more malleable? I don't know. Anyway, her head was symmetrical when she was done, too.

Honestly, none of the children missed a step - do be careful, the helmets are hard so when they nod their heads and bump into your face (all babies do this all.the.time) they can really hurt your nose! Also, the twins crawled and bumped their heads into things and it didn't phase them when they had their helmets on - both twins had to learn not to just bump into things willy nilly once helmets were removed. Took one time of bumping and feeling the wall to stop that, LOL.

If this is recommended, I wouldn't hesitate for a millisecond.

[Anonymous]

My DD was 6 months old when we she got the helmet. Her condition was not extreme but it was still pronounced. I've heard that the helmet is not needed and the head could round out on its own. But for her severity, I just knew this was the only thing that would help. Our insurance paid most of it.

We were told that Summer was the worse time due to the heat. So we got it for her in the Spring. She wore it for couple of months. Her head rounded out where it was flat before. Totally worth it. I just did not want any regrets later. DD is almost 8 yo now. She will never have that flat bed head.

[Anonymous]

Most doctors do not prescribe these anymore. My sons head was very elongated and the neurosurgeon refused to write a prescription. My sons pediatrician said she has seen babies with much worse head shapes get turned away.

[Anonymous]

A friend's preemie got a flat head in the NICU. She got the helmet on at around 6 months and wore it for 4-6 months I think. The friend is still fighting with insurance a year later, but is really glad she did it. The earlier the better, it can take a few months for the specialist appointments, making the helmet, insurance, and if you start under 6 months the head is more malleable and you can cut months off the total wear time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most doctors do not prescribe these anymore. My sons head was very elongated and the neurosurgeon refused to write a prescription. My sons pediatrician said she has seen babies with much worse head shapes get turned away.

This is my understanding too. Studies have shown that kids heads round out the same with or without it eventually. For a while you would see a fair amount of helmets when out and about but I never see them anymore.

[Anonymous]

My DC was early, had torticollis and positional plagiocephaly. We had a consultation with the helmet people at 3 months, they said he was borderline mild/moderate. His features were unaffected but his flat spot was pronounced. They advised us to wait, since we had time, and see. We had a second consultation, a lot of agonizing, and PT. He also had a huge amount of tummy time, was never on his back. We chose to forgo the helmet.

At 1, his head was boxy and still a bit asymmetrical. At 2, similar but less so. At 4, his head is quite angular, but only very slightly asymmetrical. Not noticeable at all, even when his hair is short and wet. Years later, I no longer regret not getting the helmet.

[Anonymous]

My twin girl is 13 months and finishing off her helmet sentence. She started wearing it in March I think--about 6 or 7 months. She was totally flat on one side (NICU baby) and her facial features were a bit off and ears not symmetrical. That said, the helmet has improved everything! Her cheeks are still a bit off. She was a severe case. A neuro person from Hopkins gave us the reference and insurance paid for it.

[Anonymous]

I would get it. My 17 year old cousin has a terrible flat spot that she is really embarrassed by, and I know a bunch of 5-6 year olds with still obvious flat spots. All their parents assured themselves that they would grow out of it, but they didn't.

[Anonymous]

do it early. My child didn't get one until 11 months and while it corrected some of the obvious bumps and flat spots, at age 3 there is still some flatness on one side. I wish we had done it at six months or earlier.

[Anonymous]

Studies have proven that the helmets are completely useless and the head rounds out on its own. So when you are seeing "progress" with the helmet it is because it would have rounded out anyway but people obviously contribute it to the helmets. Most reputable pediatricians will not suggest them. And of course you can get one if you want-they are ridiculously expensive and the helmet manufactures would love to sell them to everyone. But the fact is for flat head it does nothing. I'm not talking about other conditions people get helmets for-just flat head.

[Anonymous]

DS got it at 4 months and it was taken off at 8 months. He probably could have used a second round but we chose not to because his facial asymmetry resolved which was our main concern. I really don't think it would have gotten better without the helmet. It was pretty bad originally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Studies have proven that the helmets are completely useless and the head rounds out on its own. So when you are seeing "progress" with the helmet it is because it would have rounded out anyway but people obviously contribute it to the helmets. Most reputable pediatricians will not suggest them. And of course you can get one if you want-they are ridiculously expensive and the helmet manufactures would love to sell them to everyone. But the fact is for flat head it does nothing. I'm not talking about other conditions people get helmets for-just flat head.

Can you include the pub med links? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I'm the director above. I know several children who didn't get helmets and their heads were very flat in the back and it didn't change by 4 years old. So who knows?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Studies have proven that the helmets are completely useless and the head rounds out on its own. So when you are seeing "progress" with the helmet it is because it would have rounded out anyway but people obviously contribute it to the helmets. Most reputable pediatricians will not suggest them. And of course you can get one if you want-they are ridiculously expensive and the helmet manufactures would love to sell them to everyone. But the fact is for flat head it does nothing. I'm not talking about other conditions people get helmets for-just flat head.

+1. http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/well/2014/05/01/helmets-do-little-to-help-moderate-infant-skull-flattening-study-finds/?referer=