The Gillette CranioCap is a lightweight, low-profile helmet that fits well and produces the best possible outcomes.
Gillette Children’s pediatric craniofacial and plastic surgery nurse practitioner, Martha McGrory, knows what the shape of a baby’s head should look like.
“Our craniofacial group is very experienced, but since I started as a nurse practitioner back in 2010, I have probably seen the most amount of head shapes in our group,” McGrory says. “I love working with the young babies and parents to make sure we can achieve the best head shape as a baby grows.”
McGrory and her team of craniofacial specialists work closely with Gillette’s orthotists and orthotic technicians to create a treatment plan and a custom CranioCap helmet, Gillette’s exclusive cranial remolding orthosis, to correct deformational plagiocephaly—also known as flat head syndrome.
Gillette Children’s pediatric craniofacial and plastic surgery nurse practitioner, Martha McGrory, is an expert in helping babies achieve the correct head shape.
Help for plagiocephaly and torticollis
Plagiocephaly is a condition in which a baby’s head has a flattened and/or asymmetrical shape caused by external forces. The best time for infants to begin wearing a Gillette CranioCap helmet is when they are 4 to 6 months old. That’s because a baby’s head grows quickly in the first few months of life and that growth can be directed by the helmet to make the head rounder and/or more symmetrical.
More than half of babies who have plagiocephaly also have a condition called torticollis. Torticollis occurs when a muscle on the side of a baby’s neck, called the sternocleidomastoid, is shortened, or tightened. This may result in a head tilt and/or limited ability to turn the head to one shoulder.
If a child is diagnosed with torticollis, they can work with a team of Gillette physical therapists to stretch and strengthen the muscles in the neck. Physical therapy for this condition is most successful when it begins early in life.
Eric Snyder is a supervisor of Orthotics, Prosthetics, and Seating (OPS) at Gillette and works closely with craniofacial nurse practitioners.
Multidisciplinary treatment like no other
Eric Snyder is a supervisor of Orthotics, Prosthetics, and Seating (OPS) at Gillette and works closely with Gillette’s craniofacial nurse practitioners. During his 15 years at Gillette, Snyder has helped hundreds of children achieve an improved head shape.
“I think the Gillette CranioCap program stands out because of this strong integration we have between all aspects of treatment, from diagnosis to physical therapy to treatment with a CranioCap helmet,” Snyder says.
“The whole process starts with an appointment in our head shape clinic where a thorough exam is performed and measurements are taken of the child’s head,” Snyder explains.
After the exam, McGrory and the craniofacial experts in the clinic advise families whether they should consider using a CranioCap to help with their child’s head shape. If treatment with a CranioCap is recommended, a family typically can be seen for a CranioCap helmet evaluation appointment in the OPS department that same day.
Each Gillette CranioCap is custom made in-house by the expert team of orthotists who are certified by the American Board of Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics.
Customization for each CranioCap
“Each CranioCap helmet is custom-made,” Snyder says. “We use an optical scanner to capture the current shape of the child’s head. That scan is used as the basis for the helmet’s custom design. The shape of the helmet is typically modified at follow up appointments as the child’s head shape changes.”
The OPS team uses CAD/CAM software and a robotic 3-D carver to fabricate the CranioCaps. The helmets are made of polyethylene plastic and have a soft foam liner.
“I think the fact that Gillette fabricates its own helmets in-house makes a difference for families,” Snyder says. “Nothing is outsourced. The result is a lightweight, low-profile helmet that fits well and produces the best outcome possible. All our orthotists are certified by the American Board of Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics,” Snyder adds.
Once treatment begins, a child will see an orthotist once a week after the initial fitting and every two weeks for evaluation and adjustments.
Maximizing growth and head shape
Once treatment begins, a child will see an orthotist once a week after the initial fitting and every two weeks for evaluation and adjustments. Follow-up appointments can take place at various Gillette locations including St. Paul, Burnsville, or Maple Grove. In addition, Gillette has several outreach sites in Greater Minnesota that include, Alexandria, Baxter, Bemidji, Duluth, St. Cloud and Willmar.
“In those first few months of life, children’s heads are growing quickly, and we need to remold the CranioCap helmet so we can maximize a child’s growth and head shape,” McGrory says. “It generally takes three to four months for the head reshaping process to occur.”
Both McGrory and Snyder agree that this monitoring and modification to the helmet ensures the best outcome for children. Children will gradually work up to wearing the CranioCap for 22 to 23 hours a day to achieve the best results.
Smiling, happy babies
McGrory and Snyder know it can feel a bit overwhelming during the months of a child wearing a CranioCap. They want to reassure parents that the Gillette experts are here to support families.
“During the treatment, if there is a red flag or if a parent has a concern we’ll see them back in the clinic,” McGrory says. “Otherwise, most babies do just great, and they go to go on a live their lives! We get to see these smiling, happy babies, and wonderful parents. It’s a happy kind of clinic and a rewarding experience.”
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