For the most common prescriptions of plagiocephaly and brachycephaly we provide the side-open StarBand cranial orthosis.
Plagiocephaly is the most common abnormal head shape in young babies and is usually considered a problem that should be treated in babies when the flattening is moderate to severe or has is mild but has not responded to changes in sleeping position and/or therapy. With plagiocephaly there is a flattening on one side at the back and some shifting of one ear forward.
Brachycephaly is when a baby develops flattening that occurs symmetrically to the back of the skull. This flattening causes the head to become shorter and wider, leading to a flat back of the head.
Once it is determined that these deformation can not be treated by changes to sleeping position a cranial orthosis is used to help remodel the shape of the cranium. This is typically in infants between the ages of 5 months and 10 months and the orthosis is typically worn for 3-5 months. A model of the infants head is needed. This can be done by casting the infants head or by scanning the infants head. We use the smartsoc scanning system to take a scan of the child.
From the scan of the infants head a physical mold can be made and from this mold the cranial orthosis is fabricated.
