Another sort of helmet debunked

[morrisman]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-27223772

 

[StuartG]

The peculiar shape of my head was formed by two serious falls including fractures when I was a few months old and around 3 years. A telling example of how much damage the skull can take without damaging the brain function. On second thoughts, perhaps not

If only I had been wearing a woolly hat things might have turned out very different ...

 

[Archie_tect]

I never had a baby helmet, and there's nothing wrong with me.....

 

[sazzaa]

I know a guy who has shelled out for one of these a few weeks ago for his baby, as it was strongly recommended by nhs staff. It's be gutted, it's a fair chunk of cash to be wasting.

 

[sazzaa]

If there were any need for a helmet and it was recommended by an NHS clinician then it would be available through the NHS - even if it were via an IFR.

I smell bull in your anecdote...

No bull I'm afraid! He spoke about it a month or two back trying to decide whether to spend the cash or not, and decided to go for it as he'd been told his baby's head shape had a much better chance of normalising with a helmet.

 

[sazzaa]

And he was recommended that by an NHS clinician? I smell bull...

Have you never had that before? Happens here all the time, nhs dentists do it too, if something is cosmetic or not available through nhs then they recommend you go private for it and give you a rough cost. I don't know why you think that's unusual?

 

[sazzaa]

Because if it were clinically necessary, then it would be available on the NHS. He wouldn't have to pay for it privately.

I know lot of people who tell me they've been recommended things by clinicians and when you follow it up they haven't. I can probably tell you how it went...

A parent mentions to the midwife that s/he's worried about the baby's head. S/he's seen a discussion on Mumsnet/internet about these helmets. Does the child need one? Midwife gives the usual advice (lay baby on back, etc.) and that as there is no clinical need then child wouldn't be eligible for one on the NHS. Parent reports this as midwife saying s/he needs to buy one.

Happens all the time. Patients, particularly those who are overly anxious or with access to the internet, often give very different accounts of what was said. I've even seen it happen with my own family.

As I understood it, they are not available on the NHS. He was told his baby's head shape was in the severe category and that the head would have a better chance of the shape being more "normal" with a helmet, but that it was considered cosmetic so no funding, so he paid for it himself. He didn't know anything about the helmets until docs suggested it. You can look for lies in that all you like, but he's got no reason to talk bull.

 

[sazzaa]

If it is clinically necessary then it will be funded through the NHS (albeit that might be through an Individual Funding Request). The reason they're not generally available on the NHS is that there is no clinical evidence of their efficacy.

The NHS advice on plagiocephaly and brachycephaly is very clear: there is no clinical evidence to support the efficacy of cranial orthoses and parents should be advised that the skull will rectify itself over time if simple steps are followed, such as changing the baby's position regularly.

If a baby has craniosynostosis then cranial orthoses would be a complete and utter waste of time as surgery is the only effective treatment.

I'm not arguing about it, I've told you what happened. Argue with yourself all you like.

 

[Ern1e]

The peculiar shape of my head was formed by two serious falls including fractures when I was a few months old and around 3 years. A telling example of how much damage the skull can take without damaging the brain function. On second thoughts, perhaps not

If only I had been wearing a woolly hat things might have turned out very different ...

When I did mine I was wearing a wolly bob cap but I was ok well maybe ! and they still blame me for the dent in the scholl yard railings !

 

[fossyant]

No bull I'm afraid! He spoke about it a month or two back trying to decide whether to spend the cash or not, and decided to go for it as he'd been told his baby's head shape had a much better chance of normalising with a helmet.

Good god that's bad advice. Baby heads are soft, they sort themselves out.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

When I did mine I was wearing a wolly bob cap but I was ok well maybe ! and they still blame me for the dent in the scholl yard railings !

I see it affected your spelling though!!