I had only met one other kid that had to wear a helmet before I had one of my own. I couldn’t have even told you what it was for.

At around 6 months old, the twins’ pediatrician recommended that we take them to a cranial specialist. While it is common for infants to develop somewhat of a “flat head,” it usually starts to round out once the baby starts sitting up and rolling over. Erin’s, however, was still pretty severe at her 6 month checkup.

I immediately went home and educated myself at the university of “GOOGLE,” and I scheduled the twins’ appointment at the specialist in Dallas the following week.

At our first appointment they performed a scan that took the measurements of the each of their heads.

I had to strip them down to their diapers and then put a stocking cap on their head. They had to lay completely still in the STARscanner for about 15 seconds.

Once the doctor looked at their measurements, she determined that Timothy was right on the bubble and would probably self correct before he turned 1 year old. Erin, on the other hand, was diagnosed with Brachycephaly (the back of the head becomes flattened, causing the head to widen, and occasionally the forehead bulges out). She recommended that we put her in a helmet to try and correct the issue. Now there at typically two types of helmets, the STARband and the DOC band. We chose the STARband for Erin, for no particular reason other than it was what her cranial specialist recommended. Once we chose a helmet, her measurements were sent off so that one could be made specifically for her. We scheduled an appointment for the following week to have her fitted and learn the ropes of helmet life.Over the courses the next 3 months we lived the helmet life. Jettie wore a bicycle helmet around for the first 2 weeks because if Sissy had a helmet, she needed one too. Erin was required to wear it 23 hours a day. She was only supposed to have it off for bath time and cleaning. We did everything by the book with the hopes that she would get it off as soon as possible. She had to go back to the doctor every 2 weeks and have her helmet sculpted in order to mold her head. They shaved off certain areas of the helmet in order to encourage her head to grow in some areas and prevent it in others. After 3 months of wearing a helmet 23 hours a day and doctor’s visits every 2 weeks, Erin had a newly shaped head.

THE END…

#loveyoulikepeaches