Hi there. I know that a couple of people posted questions related to plagio and/or helmets a few weeks back and I feel bad because I didn't have time to respond. Both of my boys are in helmets and the process is going well. I have put a few pictures on line http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2010...mp;id=507725351 and would be happy to help anyone who has questions. I know that it's a difficult decision to get the helmets and a bit of a confusing process. Sorry for the delay in posting, hope I'm not too late to help.
I think that is one of the best things about having to go through the process, once you are on the flip side you can use your experience to put other's at ease. Glad to hear it is going well for you!
I have a question! Ryan got his helmet about 2 weeks ago, and he has a horrible heatrash on his forehead and "sideburns". We have been taking the helmet off every couple of hours and applying hydrocortisone. Is there anything else we can do?
Hi there. Our Evan has very sensitive skin and actually suffers from eczema (thankfully not on his head) so we were very concerned about him having a bad reaction to the helmet. He did develop some redness at first and I thought it was going to turn into a rash so I called the orthotist. He suggested we give him more breaks than normal throughout the day. Wear it for 2 hours, then a 45-minute break. His skin needed time to adjust to its new home. Also, we apply corn starch to the inside of the helmet after every cleaning to prevent rubbing, chaffing, and to absorb a bit of the moisture - I think this really, really helps. We wash both of the boys' hair every single night with Aveeno hair and body wash (the gentle kind with oatmeal) which is great for sensitive skin. We put Aveeno bath oil in the water (for Evan's eczema) - not sure if that could be helping. Also, although the sweating is caused mostly contact with the foam on the inside of the helmet, which doesn't breathe, you have to remember that a lot of body heat is lost through the head and that's why we wear hats to keep us warm when we go outside. So keep that in mind when you're setting the temp for your house and dressing your baby - you don't want him too warm because he's likely to sweat more than usual. Are you familiar with eczema? Is there a chance your son's rash is eczema? If so, we find that applying vaseline is the best possible thing. If it is eczema, get the rash under control with the cortisone cream (takes 2 days, usually) (probably remove helmet for those 2 days) and then once the flare up is gone/greatly diminished, apply vaseline every chance you get. We do Evan's shins (that's where his eczema showed up around 4 months) after every single diaper change. I hope vaseline wouldn't impact the fit of the helmet? Anyway, it may not be eczema anyway. Good luck. PM me any time at all. Evan now wears his helmet 18-24 hours a day without a single complaint.
I did the cornstarch too. My instructions for Kyle's particular helmet were to clean with alcohol, rub with cornstarch, let dry and put it back on. I would do the alcohol with a cotton swab then I had some cornstarch in a bowl so I could dip two fingers in and rub all along the inside generously. Kyle is a major sweater so we buzzed his hair even though it was winter to try to let some of the heat escape. Just be sure not to use baby powder because it will cake.
I forgot to mention that we clean the helmets with a damp face cloth and a squirt of Purrell three to four times a day, as suggested by Sick Kids in Toronto. Works like a charm. Bacteria LOVES sweat and also loves to cause skin irritation.
