Helmet- Day 1

Today we picked up Easton's helmet.

Here is Easton's BH (Before Helmet) pix.  The side view is not as bad as the top view.

Easton has Brachycephaly.

Brachycephaly in a nut shell is where is head is wide and flat across the back.

Easton's Cephalic Index (ratio of width of the head multiplied by 100 and divided by it's length) is 97.222

100 would be square- same width as length.

BJ's goal for Easton is 81. 

His other measurements are pretty normal.  We won't see much change in the facial measurements.

The measurement across the top of his head (front left to back right and front right to back left) is only 7mm off.  He's seen them as bad as 30mm. 

That would be plagiocephaly.

Plagio is the asymetrical distortion (flattening of one side) of the skull. 

So, Easton has Brachycephaly.

His helmet will have a hollow point in the top back of his helmet.

The 'pressure' will be on the sides of his head where it's a little wider.

There really is no pressure, just the foam of the helmet touching his head.

The contact encourages growth to the hollow part of the helmet to round out the flattness.

BJ brought out the helmet, without any cosmetic adjustments.

He then wrote on the helmet and cut it to fit around Easton's face, neck and ears.

At this point the helmet was VERY snug.

Now, after the cuts were made it was less snug and fit better around his face.

He's not crying here, though it may seem that way.

He's got a new smile where he scruntches his whole face up!

SO,  he's still smiling, even with the helmet!

And, he's STILL Easton, even with the helmet!

He did really well today.

BJ does a transition week to ease him into wearing it 23 hours a day.

Today it was recomended that he wear the helmet 3 times, an hour on and hour off.

We did 4.  4's better than 3 right??

In the helmet:

9:10-10:10

11:10-12:10

1:15-2:15

4:40-5:40

He did really well.  A few times he'd tug on it or let out a holler but never cried about it.

It is a little snug around his face but BJ will adjust next week when we go back for our follow up.

It bothers us more than him.  It kinda makes his left eye look 'off' but it's not.

SO, all in all Day 1 was not so bad at all.
I had my fears, but they were all for nothing.

Hopefully Day 2 is just as successful!