Oh My Hel........mets!

This is our new normal!

When the twins were 4 months old I noticed that Siena's head looked flat on the back.  The pediatrician said that preemies have softer skulls than full term babies, plus twins are more likely to get flat spots because there are more babies to hold.  She told me to keep them off their head for at least 50% of the time they are awake and give them tummy time 3 times as day.  For the next few months I did my best keeping them off their heads as much as possible.  I used the bumbos, bouncers, and a lot of just sitting on the couch holding them.  Something magical happened over the next two months... Siena's head didn't change and Jaide's got flatter!  

(I just had to include these photos - one showing how we got them to look in opposite directions and the other showing Siena spitting up right when I took the picture!)

I made an appointment for the twins at the University of Michigan Orthotics and Prosthetics Center.  I dropped Scarlett off at the Sawayas and my friend Tammy came with me to act as the stand-in Grandma.  When we first met with the Orthotist she took some measurements.  She measured the Cephalic Index (shown in picture).  For a 6 month old girl it should be 78.5 with the 2 sigma band (69.5, 87.5) (2 sigma meaning that 95% of all data fits within the band).  Since my girls are 97.8 & 98.5 - they are well outside the normal band and qualify for helmets. 

The Orthotist took a scan of their plagiocephaly (irregular shaped head) to send to the helmet manufacturer.  She used a 3D laser scanner to get an accurate virtual mold of their heads.  She said that she usually gets one twin in - not both.  My guess is that it's probably the more easy going baby that comes in - since the mom probably holds the crier (squeaky wheel gets the grease!)  Luckily I ignored both of my children equally - or maybe they just take the "identical" thing a little too literally.

Two weeks later we went to pick them up.  The helmet therapy costs around $2000 per child, but since their heads were well outside the normal band our medical insurance covered the ENTIRE COST!  Woot woot!  The therapy lasts usually 3-6 months, just depends on how the head grows.  She said that the square shaped deformations (like they have) usually takes longer to fix than if they had a flat spot just on one side.  They have to wear the helmets for 23 hours each day.  We will go back every few weeks to have them adjusted.  The foam on the inside was laser cut to their head but the Orthotist will shave it out and reform the plastic as they grow.  

The first two weeks are a "break in" period to get the babies used to the helmets.  The first time Scarlett saw them wearing their helmets she ran and got her bike helmet and put it on!  haha!  She's such a sweetie!  The babies don't really care for them.  The first few days they would cry every time I put them on and pull at them during the day.  But now (a week later) they are wearing them all day (they nap in their swings and don't seem to mind it).  I haven't tried them at night yet... I'm nervous about shaking up their routine.  Right now they sleep for ~8hours without waking up to eat.  AMAZING!  I know that will get thrown off cause they get mad and yell at me whenever I lay them down on the floor while wearing their helmets.  Ugh.  I am glad it's winter though - cause it keeps them their noggins nice and cozy!  And with a big label across their forehead it will be easy to tell them apart!