The LOCband

If repositioning techniques have not brought about sufficient improvement in your baby's Plagiocephaly or head shape, then Cranial Remoulding Therapy is an option. This should not be considered until the infant is at least 3 to 4 months old.

The London Orthotic Consultancy manufactures its own cranial remoulding orthosis the LOCband. It is manufactured to strict standards and guidelines. It is the only commercially available Cranial Orthosis to be manufactured in the UK and therefore has less of an environmental impact than imported Cranial Orthoses. The clinicians involved in the treatment of babies are also closely involved with the design and manufacture of the LOCband. LOC is registered with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency(MHRA)as manufacturer of the LOCband.

The LOCband is:

• Manufactured individually for each baby to the clinician’s exact specifications
• Manufactured to strict guidelines and high quality standards
• Your clinician oversees the manufacture of your baby's LOCband
• Made for LOC by LOC in the clinic’s Kingston based Manufacturing Unit
• Being made locally has less environmental impact
• Has a soft to the touch foam lining
• Available in many different colours and patterns

How Does Cranial Remoulding Work?

The LOCband is non-invasive and works by applying a gentle constant pressure over the areas of your baby’s skull which are most prominent while allowing unrestricted growth over the flattened areas. It is a pain-free treatment. The band consists of a soft foam layer inside a thermoplastic shell. This allows for frequent adjustments during growth and gently guides your baby’s skull into a more symmetrical shape.

Treatment is most effective in babies between 4-7 months and takes between 3-6 months to complete. Routinely babies up to the age of 14 months can be treated very successfully but treatment may take longer and results may not be as good with younger babies. It is possible to treat older babies and we have completed treatment with improvements in babies aged up to 24 months.

The Cranial Scanner

To provide the essential and accurate measurements for your baby’s Cranial Remoulding Orthosis, LOC uses a highly advanced portable laser scanning device in conjunction with 3D imaging computer software.

The scanner works by casting a fan of laser light over your baby’s head, this records a cross-sectional profile of your baby’s head, and instantly reconstructs a 3D computer model. With the use of two motion-tracking devices, your baby is able to sit in your lap and move his/her head while being scanned. The scanner is accurate to within one millimetre and is completely safe.

Craniosynostosis

The LOCband is not indicated in cases of Craniosynostosis (premature fusing of the sutures of the skull) or Hydrocephalus (an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain).

These conditions require medical/surgical intervention and are beyond the scope of Cranial Remoulding Therapy. However after the sutures are surgically released a LOCband may be utilised to further shape the skull and protect the operative site.

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