Doctor Suggested Helmet for Baby Is It Necessary

Babe Needs a Helmet? 13 Things Every Mom Needs to Know

Baby needs a helmet? This post shares 13 things parents should know almost cranial helmets in babies.

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If you lot're here, I would estimate at that place'southward a pretty good take a chance that (a) your md might accept suggested that your baby needs a helmet or (b) your babe already has a helmet.Either fashion, you lot're in the right identify.

I'm a mom to two boys who are 17 months apart and both of them needed helmets. Not only do I know the ins and outs of the procedure, but I know how hard emotionally and mentally it tin exist on y'all to have a child vesture a helmet because I've been in that location… twice.  (Y'all can read more about my story to two babies who wore helmets hither).

So equally a fellow mom whose had two babies wear helmets, let me tell you some things you demand to know.

1.  It'south not your mistake.

Trust me, I've heard it all.  There is so much stuff beingness said out there about babies and helmets, only you are not the source of blame for your babe'due south head shape.  Information technology'south complicated; information technology could've been womb positioning or the rock-hard mattress your pregnant bought (not placing blame here at all, lol) or it could exist that their skull was just more malleable than most babies.

There's lots of talk that apartment heads in babies are acquired past too much fourth dimension in Stone Northward'Plays and I've got two things to say about that.  With my first child, we didn't fifty-fifty have a Rock Due north' Play and he yet had brachycephaly.  And 2d, for every kid that needs a helmet that used a Rock Northward Play, there'south a LOT more that didn't need ane.

The fact is, at the terminate of the solar day placing blame doesn't change anything.  If your infant's caput is flat (or asymmetrically shaped) and you demand to practise something about it.

2.  Getting a helmet volition *probably* be harder on yous than it is on your baby.

Most babies don't mind wearing the helmet.  My oldest son is a super sensitive kid, he hates tight clothes or the machine seat straps beingness too tight, but he had no issues wearing a helmet.  They merely become used to it.  Neither of my kids seemed to mind the helmet.

Honestly as my kids got closer to 1 year onetime, I was grateful for helmet. They were crawling around, banging their heads on things and it was really nice that they had some protection.

The disclaimer hither is that on rare occasions, some babies hate their helmets or are allergic to them.  If this happens, I'm sure your orthotics squad would help you work through the problems.

three.  There are other options (also a helmet) to gear up your baby'south head shape.

I think it's only fair to mention that there are a couple of alternatives to getting your baby a helmet.  Depending on your child's age, y'all could endeavour physical therapy.  They should be able to advise positions and ways to concur your babe to try to let it round out on its own.  Another option is chiropractic care and the final is doing nothing and hoping information technology corrects it itself.  As with any medically related determination, you should research your options and ultimately make the best determination for both your baby and your family.

At the end of the solar day, the pick is completely up to you and I go it, information technology'southward a complicated decision.  Simply, if you lot want your child to take the best success at correcting their head shape, yous take got to make a decision early. You lot have very fiddling fourth dimension to sit around and see if it resolves on its own.

4.  Getting a helmet is time sensitive.

Practise everything you tin to get your baby's helmet before they turn 6 months old.  Information technology'southward non the terminate of the earth if they get it at eight months (my start son did), simply the younger they are, the more potential at that place is for growth and the amend their chances of getting good results from the helmet.

The closer your baby gets to one year old, the slower their growth curve.  About babies end their helmet journey close to the 1 year one-time mark because the improvements in head shape tend to be relatively small-scale after this fourth dimension frame.  Information technology'southward not to say that your baby can't clothing a helmet after 1 twelvemonth quondam, but generally speaking, nearly kids are done.

Information technology's besides worth mentioning that at some point, your child might fifty-fifty outgrow their helmet.  Depending on where they are in the process and how much improvement they've made, there'due south a chance y'all'll be recommended a second helmet.

5. Helmets are usually not covered by insurance and they tin can be expensive.

It's incredibly unfortunate, but a lot of insurance companies deem infant helmets for plagiocephaly or brachycephaly *cosmetic.*  Research is pointing to helmets beingness more than corrective, with adult plagiocephaly and brachycephaly leading to increased chances of vision and ear bug, in addition to other issues.

At that place are several different companies that make babe helmets (Docband, Starband, and Cranial technologies to name a few) and all have different pricing.  We had a Starband and if insurance doesn't embrace information technology, the cost from our provider was $1800 out of pocket.  I know that's a lot of money to come upwardly with, especially with all the other baby related expenses, just information technology'due south your infant'southward head and it's something visible and apparent for the rest of their lives.

Every bit mentioned the decision to get a helmet is time sensitive and the longer you expect, the less effective it volition be.  If you lot know you're going to go a helmet but are hesitating because of coin, I suggest you but do information technology (if you can observe a way), because yous want to get the maximum benefit out the helmet and your investment.

I practice take a little communication if coin is a master concern.  United Healthcare does have grants available for families coming together certain eligibility requirements.  (You do not have to accept a United Healthcare plan to apply.)

Additionally, if insurance denies your claim, you lot can appeal it.  It doesn't price anything and if you write a strong plenty letter and become some strong recommendation messages from your pediatrician, you stand a chance to get it covered.

When I chosen to see if insurance would encompass my outset son'south helmet, they told me that they wouldn't, but then by some phenomenon, they concluded up covering it.  With my second child, insurance initially claimed they wouldn't cover the cost, and so we appealed and won.  Our situation was a little complicated, but I won't get into that here.  But know that y'all can appeal and that you accept to be persistent.  Call the insurance company a lot and allow them know that you aren't going anywhere.  With any luck, they might surrender and requite in.  No guarantees, only information technology is worth a try.

6. Inquire your orthotics team questions.

If y'all don't understand what'southward going on, don't be agape to ask.  Enquire what your babies measurements mean and how your babe's head is in comparing to average values.  They should let you know the severity; mild, moderate, or severe.  The more you lot sympathize these numbers, the more exciting the procedure is because you will outset to expect forrard to monthly appointments to run into how they improved.

vii. Care for the helmet similar you lot would any other medical device, similar a brace or prescription medicine.

The helmet is only going to work if you take information technology seriously and have your babe vesture information technology as directed.

viii.  Make the helmet fun.

As I mentioned, both of my babies had helmets.  With the outset, I painted a yellow helmet to look like a minion, using acrylic pigment and sealing it with ModgePodge.  The other helmet I got wrapped past a car wrapping shop (check your area, some of these places will wrap helmets for gratuitous as a courtesy).  Additionally, at that place's a visitor that specializes in making stickers for helmets called Bling Your Band.  Just have fun with the helmet and enjoy it for what it is.  The time will pass.

9. The helmet is going to odour and your baby is going to be a fiddling sweaty.

Later a calendar week or 2, information technology's pretty much inevitable, the helmet will odour like sweat.  Based on my experience, it doesn't really thing what y'all use to clean it, information technology's still going to stink a piffling.

10.  People will wait (or stare) at your babe when they're wearing the helmet, just probably considering they are then cute.

A lot of moms take it personal when people are staring at their baby's helmet, but it'south non unremarkably because they are judging y'all.  Some look because they don't understand and lots expect because who doesn't similar to look at a beautiful babe?

11.  You lot cannot take the helmet off for reasons related to You.

Yous cannot let your own personal desires or feelings get in the way.  It's tempting to take your infant's helmet off for family events or social outings (or any), merely y'all cannot.  Babies abound so quickly, you do not want to miss a growth spurt.

At that place are a few exceptions where your baby should have their helmet off simply your orthotics team volition explicate those to you when you get the helmet (like a fever or an open up wound).

12.  The time your baby is in their helmet will experience similar forever when they're wearing it, but when it's over, information technology will seem like a distant retentivity.

At the end of both of my children's helmet journeys, I was beyond prepare to become their helmets off.  I kept noticing how cute their piddling faces were without the helmet and I was getting antsy.  I wanted to see them all the time without their helmets.

Don't be tempted, they demand to wear their helmet until your orthotics technician or physician tells you that you lot tin finish.

thirteen.Your kid volition thank you for doing this when they abound up.

When your child grows up, they will not remember wearing the helmet.  It'south u.s.a., as parents that think of the helmet as a burden and carry the stress of it.  But when your son or girl grows up and their head shape is what some would describe as normal, they will be forever grateful that you carried this burden for them.

Last Thoughts:

At the finish of the day, my take home bulletin to yous is that fixing your child'southward head shape is time sensitive, information technology's not something you can sit around and think almost or wait to meet if it resolves on its own.  If you lot can make it work, you should get an engagement with an orthotics lab as soon every bit you can (you usually demand to outset the procedure with a recommendation from your pediatrician.)

As a parent, the helmet is a burden, just your infant probably won't fifty-fifty notice information technology.  Enjoy this process for what it is, bond with our parents going through the same procedure.  When you're done, smile and reassure other mom'due south with babies in helmets, telling them you lot've been there and that they're doing a great job.

At the cease of the twenty-four hour period, nosotros all want the all-time for our kids, then practise your research and make the best decision for your child.

If you have any questions about the helmet process I would be more than than happy to lend an ear.  If you want more details on how I painted my get-go son's helmet or what the actual procedure of getting a helmet was like, just allow me know.  I wish yous the very best on this quick journey.

Click here to read more virtually my personal story, how I carried, struggled,d and accustomed the burden of a babe helmet.

Stay savvy.

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Source: https://www.supersavvysarah.com/baby-needs-helmet/

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