Erinn gets head start

Feb 6 2007 By Lisa Boyle, Dumfries & Galloway Standard

A DUMFRIES mum has taken the fight to have her daughter’s disorder recognised all the way to Holyrood.

Caroline Cain’s 16-month-old daughter Erinn suffers from plagiocephaly — or flat head syndrome as it is commonly known.

But the condition is not acknowledged by the NHS meaning that Caroline and her husband Clifford have had to fork out thousands of pounds on treatment to fix Erinn’s misshapen head.

Now, nine-months after presenting a petition to the Scottish Parliament, Caroline and other members of a plagiocephaly support group are due a decision on the 15,000 signature appeal.

Caroline said: “We are trying to get the NHS to listen. If the Scottish Parliament agree then they will have to.

“Parents are not made aware of this condition, we only found out about it by chance.

“When I did ask the midwife about it, she said how can she advise people on it if she doesn’t know about it herself.”

Plagiocephaly is caused by outside pressure on a baby’s skull. It can develop inside the womb or after birth when a baby spends prolonged periods of time with their head resting on a flat surface like a mattress, car seat, play mat or buggy.

Erinn’s treatment involves wearing a lightweight plastic and foam helmet for 23-hours every day which remoulds the shape of her head.

Erinn doesn’t feel any discomfort wearing the helmet, known as a STARband, which she has worn since August last year.

Caroline and Clifford, from Heathhall fundraised tirelessly in order to get the £2,000 needed for Erinn’s treatment.

Caroline said: “This is hopefully the last six weeks that Erinn will have to wear the helmet.

“I don’t regret going for the treatment. I really didn’t believe it would have sorted itself like doctors say it would. How can they expect it to spontaneously sort itself?”

The petition handed into parliament asks that legislation is modified so that babies are checked for plagiocephaly at their six-week check up.

It also requests that information on the condition is made available to new parents and that treatment is made available free of charge on the NHS.

Caroline will travel to the Scottish Parliament with other members of the support group next month to find out the outcome.

She has also received support from local politicians Elaine Murray MSP and Russell Brown MP.

Mr Brown said: “After being contacted by Mrs Cain I raised the issue with health minister Andy Burnham MP, and my colleague Elaine Murray MSP has similarly raised it with the Scottish Executive.

“I will be urging the Government to commission more trials into treatments for plagiocephaly like repositioning and corrective helmets, as the indications are that they can be very effective for children with the condition.”