I begrudgingly made the call to Cranial Technologies, which was the clinic that our pediatrician had referred us to. I had no idea what to expect, or what we were embarking on. I spoke to a very kind and empathetic woman, who made the appointment for us. Maybe she could hear the pain and resistance in my voice, but somehow she put me at ease with her gentle demeanor.
The little ski-mask
So ready or not, here we go! My husband, my daughter, my son, and I all went to our first appointment together. This was going to affect all of us, so we were charging ahead as a team. As we entered the office, the pit in my stomach greatly increased. I saw a few kids in the waiting room with their helmets on, and I have to say, even though I was so reluctant to be there, somehow these kids looked darling with these little helmets on. But, I still wasn’t ready for my son to wear one.
The incredibly sweet and kind front office staff greeted us right away, as I’m sure they could see the sadness and fear in my eyes. They took us right back, and began explaining the “process” of treatment, and what we were to expect. This first appointment was a consultation, and honestly, I’m not quite certain I even heard what the clinician talked about during that appointment. I was secretly hoping that she would say Nicholas was not a candidate and that we did not need to come back. A mom can always hope.
The DSi Process
During this first appointment, they took physical measurements of his head, as well as a Digital Surface Image, DSi. The DSi technology is insane! It obtained a 360-degree image of my son’s head within seconds. I couldn’t believe how incredibly accurate they captured the shape of my son’s head. We had to put a net cap over Nicholas’s head to gain a more accurate image. He looked like a little bank robber in a ski mask. Of course, my daughter thought this was hilarious, which lightened the mood a bit. Nicholas is such an easygoing baby, so thankfully this did not upset him at all.
Once the images had been taken and examined, the clinician came back into the room, and confirmed what I was dreading. Nicholas had a “severe” case of plagiocephaly, and treatment was being recommended as soon as possible. This was the moment that all of my sadness, fear, and uncertainty fell upon me like the weight of the world, yet at the same time, it didn’t seem to matter. I knew that I was going to do whatever was needed to correct my son’s condition. This is what you do as a parent, after all.
Now, I feel like I need to stop right here and stress to every person reading this…I do know how incredibly blessed I am that this is not a life-threatening or permanent condition. I do not want to dismiss that fact for one second. We all face difficulties in life, and this is what I am facing at this time. My whole purpose in writing about this is to provide information and support to others who are facing these challenges with fear and uncertainty.
With that being said…our journey continues. ?
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