We were given a number of exercises to do with him. Repositioning his head, stretching the stiff side of his neck, increased tummy time.
We faithfully did all these things with him for months. Finally, at a special appointment with his pediatrician to check on this progress, she referred us to a physical therapist. And also a helmet specialist to measure his distorted head.
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| What Henry's helmet will look like to correct his misshapen head |
See, when a baby constantly lays on one side of his head due to a tight neck, the side that he's always laying on begins to flatten. Babies have soft heads, and when that weight is consistently on one part of the skull, it smushes it flat.
For the past two weeks, we've been having a number of appointments to get Henry assessed, measured, fitted and evaluated. It's been exhausting. The conclusion is that he'll need weekly physical therapy AND a helmet to help reshape his head.
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| See how Henry's chin is off to one side? He can hold it at mid-line, but usually (and especially in a car seat and in his crib) it drifts off to his side, which is a key sign of torticollis. Also, FOX HAT. |
We have no idea how much of this is or isn't covered by insurance - my pedi did a really good job of closely documenting all the exercises and time I spent with him to document that the PT is a "medical necessity" to be covered. The helmet? Hit or miss. An $8,000 hit or miss. Some policies have clauses that exclude this type of "optional" treatment. Some cover it if the baby's measurements are off enough to justify a need.
But, don't get me started on a$$hole health insurance companies.
He'll need to wear the helmet for about two months, give or take a few weeks. I find it rather endearing, but the second some random asks me if my kid is special needs, I will cut that person down. I'm not kidding, y'all save up some bail money for me. I have no idea how long his physical therapy will run, but I do know that we have to drive 45 mins each way for his appointments because the Dallas location is on a three month waiting list. Torticollis is incredibly common, and misshapen heads are too, with all the back sleeping babies are doing these days.
We're thankful that I stay home with Lil' H and therefore have the capacity to deal with all this. I feel for anyone working outside the home who has to struggle to manage all this craziness.
Oh little Henry!! I really hope your insurance is able to cover this and he's able to get the helmet. I've heard wonderful things with babies who have been in the same position as Henry and it's worked just like they said it would!! Crossing my fingers and praying for you girl!! xo
ReplyDeleteYes, helmets work wonders! And they do so pretty quickly. Thanks for thinking of us :)
DeleteOh man, girl. I really hope insurance realizes that Henry needs this. At least you are home and can take him to his appointments and help him with PT.
ReplyDeleteI actually snorted when I read the bit about cutting a person down if they ask if he's special needs. I have a special piggy bank labeled "Paige's bail money" just in case. ;)
Bottom line, though--at least you are attentive and Henry is going to get the care he deserves. You rock, momma!
Hahaha! I feel like I might need more cash than what a piggy bank will hold, but I won't be too picky - especially since I'll def be calling you for bail since hubs will NOT be impressed with me!
DeleteBaby Henry, I know you are going to ROCK that helmet, just like you're rocking that awesome fox hat. Tell your mommy that you would personally like her to pepper spray any nosy-ass stranger who asks about your health. Seriously though, if insurance doesn't cover it, that's insane! How could they not? I hope everything gets resolved quickly. Also, if you don't post anything for a few days, I'll start calling Dallas county jails. ;)
ReplyDeleteHA! Seriously, if there's a hiatus around here... Make some calls! I think he'll look like a little rock star too, especially since I've been connected with a company that crates designs on the helmet!
Deleteaww baby boy! My friends have the CUTEST pink blinged-out helmet for their baby girl!
ReplyDeleteThat's ridiculous if insurance doesn't pay. UGH!!!
That sounds adorable, and we totally plan on putting *something* on his helmet. I want superman, daddy wants a football team... We'll see who wins that one ;)
Deleteoh my gosh how crazy! i hope insurance pays for it. my husband and i have already agreed if we have kids with anything 'wrong' with them (there is nothing wrong with Henry, of course, I just mean anything medical related like operations or helmets or anything!) we are moving to Australia because health insurance here sucks - like you said a$$hole health insurance companies. And if anyone asks about him being special needs - again, nothing wrong with that ;) - you should just answer that it's his Cerebro helmet and it can detect mutants... lol
ReplyDeletePshhhh, seriously! We've spent thousands upon thousands on having Henry already (super expensive emergency c section that totaled some $150k, yikes) and this is just another thing... I thought we'd be good because we've hit our out-of-pocket max for the year, but if there's an exclusion in our policy regarding this type of stuff, we're just SOL.
DeleteBasically, don't have babies until you've got tens of thousands lying around, burning a hole in your pocket and you want to give it to hospitals and M.D's.
or... have babies in Australia. you know how much it costs to have a baby there? guess..... zero dollars.
DeleteWHUT. Baby # 2 will be birthed in Australia. We're $13K deep just from H's birth!
DeleteSad, I see you deleted my comment about your offensive comments regarding special needs. Looks like you are going to be one of those mommy bloggers (a dying market at this point anyway) who doesn't take any constructive criticism and thinks any comment that isn't blowing sunshine is mean. I wrote a polite comment that would hopefully bring you some awareness. I guess not. At the very least you could have just deleted that line in your blog post. It isn't funny, it's offensive. I won't be reading any further.
ReplyDeleteNo, I certainly am NOT telling you how to feel. I totally understand this might be stressful and upsetting. And I agree that no one has any right to say anything, rude or not, about your son, his helmet, anything. Which I very clearly said in my original comment. You are missing my point entirely. The way you phrased that sentence implies that you see the term special needs as an insult. That someone daring to assume your child be **gasp** special needs is something you find appalling. I realize you are joking, but it's not funny. By all means tell them to mind their own business. But why is that so much worse than someone asking if your baby has torticollis? Would you cut someone down over that question? And if so, why didn't you use that as your example? What point are you trying to make by bringing special needs into the conversation? Actually ask yourself that. Do you think it would be appropriate to say "the second someone asks if my baby had brain surgery I will cut them down?" I really, truly wasn't trying to be rude with my initial comment, but there is a level of awareness regarding the special needs community that you seem to be lacking. You are using ableist language, and it's no different from racism, discrimination because of sexual orientation, etc. Substitute your situation and phrasing, if your baby had darker skin would you have said you would cut someone down if they asked if he was black? Would it bother you if someone assumed he was gay? I'm guessing you can see how that is offensive. Again, I need to point out that I agree that it is no one else's business what is going on with your child, and they have no right to say anything about it. And I absolutely do not think you purposely meant to be hurtful or offensive. But just because you are "unapologetically me and painfully honest" doesn't mean you get to degrade other people because you are upset or disappointed in the hand you have been dealt. I am not bitter, I am not a troll or hating on you; people with special needs are a group that have been marginalized throughout history, and we owe it to them to bring awareness to the issue and educate others on these issues.
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