Cranial Band

Kim

Cranial Band

So, as I mentioned in another post James has been fitted for a cranial band.  This is basically a helmet that will help reshape his head.  It isn't a big deal, and in fact our insurance considers it a "cosmetic" thing and therefore won't pay for it.  James has a flat head.  Henry had one too, but his rounded out on his own.  James needs a little extra help.  Several factors can lead to a flat head, including the increased time that babies spend on their back these days, the way they were positioned in utero and the actual birthing process.   Their heads are so soft that they are easily molded.  Here's what James' head looks like right now:

 I took this the other day, so that I could have a "before" picture and we could see what a difference this helmet really makes.  You can clearly tell that the back of his head is flat.

Here's what James gets to wear for 23 hours/day for the next 3-4 months:

I mean, if you have to wear a helmet, you might as well wear a Carolina blue one, right?  :)

We've had the helmet a few days now and it really doesn't seem to bother James at all.  The first week you gradually work them into wearing it full time.  He hasn't minded it when it is on, and he actually slept in it the other night because he fell asleep with it on and I didn't want to wake him to take it off.  It does make his head sweat and you have to wash the helmet (and his hair) every day, but other than that, it just makes him look like an incredibly cute, tiny football player.  Hopefully, it will help round out his head quickly, and he won't have to be in it too long.  We figured it was better to do it now while he is little.  The younger you can get it on them, the faster it is supposed to work because they are growing so much right now.  We just had this fear of James being 13 and still having a flat head...I mean, what would we tell him?  Sorry, we didn't fix that when you were little and we could have?  It is just one of those things that is easier to take care of now and that won't be a big deal in the long run.  It honestly doesn't really bother me.  We get a few funny looks, but James is too small to care.  I'm just glad it is nothing invasive or major.  We can totally handle a helmet.

Stay tuned for an "after" picture in 3-4 months.  Hopefully, you'll be able to tell a big difference!