Flatty McFlatterson Update

As I mentioned in my last post, we took William to see an orthotics specialist at Sick Kids' Hospital in downtown Toronto on Monday to look into getting a helmet to correct his flat head. Well, Willibear was a little star, really really patient and smiling at everyone throughout the whole visit (well, apart from one 5 minute spell of furious crying, but more on that later. And apparently Owen, who stayed home with Gran and Grandpa, was very good too, although he did look around after his lunchtime burp session as if to say 'Where is everyone?" It was a little odd to be out with just one baby though. The car was very quiet without Owen and I felt quite incomplete without him. But it was nice for us to have some one on one time with Will and I know Owen appreciated his cuddles with Gran.

So...so much to tell, where do I start?

We saw the head of orthotics, Arthur Street, who has been making and fitting molding helmets at Sick Kids since 1990 (Mark and I didn't think that sounded very long, until we realised that's actually 17 years. Now we feel old). I liked him right away, he had a nice easy manner and was great with Will.

He also told us that if we don't do anything, Will's head will never get any flatter than it is right now, but it might not get that much better. He said that not doing anything can cause us a few issues down the line, like having bike and hockey helmets not fitting because they're really only designed for "normal" shaped heads, and baseball caps would never fit properly either. Interesting, no? We'd never even considered that aspect of it.

After he had talked to us, Art asked us if we wanted to proceed or think about it or just leave it completely, but we decided to go for it. So he took a plaster mold of Will's head. He did this by placing two thin ski-mask type covers onto Will's head (he looked like a Formula 1 driver about to put his helmet on) and then layered on the plaster strips. Will was pretty ticked off about this, as you can imagine, and went various shades of red as he screamed his lungs out. Thankfully it only took about 5 or 6 minutes for the whole thing and then we were done.

We go back in two weeks time to have the inside of the helmet molded and fitted to Will's head and to have them show us how to use it/wash it properly and then we don't have to come back for another month or so. I think we see them every month for 4-6 months or until Will's head stops changing shape two visits in a row - this will mean his skull plates have fused and won't change anymore and we'll be done.

Another interesting thing that Art told us was that even if we decide after a couple of months that we don't want to continue, whatever changes have occurred in Will's head shape will be permanent and we won't have to worry about it going back to being flat again. So even if we only do a little, it'll be for the best.

He'll have to wear the helmet 18-23 hours a day, but I have to say, we saw lots of other kids at the clinic with helmets on and they all looked really happy and smiley. Its not like they were clawing at their heads to get it off or anything. So that also helped my decision, I think.

And finally, although the helment comes in white only, we can decorate it if we want. Art said, 'Heck, take it to a motorcycle shop and have them do it if you want!" But he also told us that lots of paretns just buy decorating supplies or stickers at art shops and do a pretty good job that way. So now I have to try to think what I should do to decorate it. I've seen some pictures of helmets that are painted like American football helmets, and they looked pretty cute, but I don't think its quite Will's style. Any ideas?

By the way, I had an email from Gillian yesterday afternoon saying she had been to the hospital for a checkup and they'd told her to go home and get her stuff because they were going to induce her, and I haven't heard anything since. I check my emails and my cell phone every 10 minutes, but nothing so far! I hope its all going really well and very smoothly. Unfortunately, inducements usually mean a lot of hurry up and wait.

The basement reno is going well, although Mark managed to slice open his hand at Home Depot last night so its going a little more slowly. More pictures soon, I promise.

Toodles for now.