When
Infants and children need prosthetic care, SCOPe truly lives
up to our promise of LifeLong care. Early success or challenges
in pediatric prosthetic care can have a dramatic impact on
the
rest of a patient's life, so at SCOPe, we always work with
parents and physicians to provide the best possible care. A prosthesis
for a child or infant is not just a scaled down version of
an
adult prosthesis, and we our tailor care to the special needs
of infants and children.
Providing parents with a long-term
view of their child's highest potential and the normal, expected
changes as children mature is
an important part of our service. Parents can feel confident
that their child is being treated with the optimum outcome in mind
not
only for the present but also for future changes in their life.
When providing prosthetic care for kids consideration must
be given to
the potential for growth, developmental milestones (both physical
and mental) as well as the functional needs provided by the prosthesis.
This care extends to both lower extremity prosthesis and upper
extremity prosthesis, including myoelectric control when
appropriate.
We strongly support and encourage a team approach when
treating children. Coordinating care with a Therapist and Physician
provides
a complete
view of their needs. Regularly scheduled follow-up appointments
are also an important factor. They allow us to keep up with
the size
and activity changes happening. The end result is a happy child
able to participate in life to their maximum ability.
Cranial Remolding Helmets
Definition
In recent years, there has been an increase in the
number of infants with skull deformities as a
consequence of prenatal in utero positioning
and/or postnatal prolonged supine positioning. This
condition called positional plagiocephaly is
characterized by unusual flattening of the head and
often a prominent or flattened forehead is visible.
Plagiocephaly exhibits a variety of different head
shapes. Positional brachycephaly is characterized
by a generalized flattening of the posterior occipital
area. Infants with positional scaphocephaly have a
long, narrow head shape
As many as 85% of the infants with positional
plagiocephaly also have congenital muscular
tightness, torticollis, that limits head and neck
movement. This condition can contribute to
associated asymmetry and malalignment of the
ears, eye orbits, cheeks and mandible. Other
factors that may influence the development of
positional plagiocephaly include: premature births,
restrictive intrauterine positioning, cervical spine
abnormalities and/or birth trauma. Positional
plagiocephaly is commonly seen in multiple births,
affecting one or more siblings.
Treatment
Early treatment of positional plagiocephaly includes
aggressive repositioning and stretching exercises.
Stretching exercises are recommended if the infant
does not have full neck and head range of motion
in all directions. If repositioning and stretching
exercises are unsuccessful in promoting symmetrical
head growth by 4 months, a cranial remolding
orthosis is considered.
The orthotic treatment program focuses on
redirecting cranial growth toward greater
symmetry. This is accomplished by maintaining
contact over the areas of bossing or high spots and
allowing room for growth in the areas of
depression or flattening. Progressive adjustments
over the course of the treatment program
accommodate growth and ensure optimum
outcomes.
Video
Watch a Video showing a fitting appointment
For more information on Cranial Remolding Orthosis, click on any of the PDFs below:
