STARband Care Instructions
1. Your baby will eventually wear his/her STARband Cranial Remolding Orthosis 23 hours a day, but needs several days to adjust to wearing the STARband. Follow the schedule below and gradually increase the wearing time. Do not accelerate this program, even if your baby is not having any problems. The wearing schedule below was developed to prevent skin problems and to help your baby adjust to the STARband.
| DAY | ON | OFF | NAP | NIGHT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 hr. | 1 hr. | no | no |
| 2 | 2 hr. | 1 hr. | no | no |
| 3 | 4 hr. | 1 hr. | yes | yes |
| 4 | 8 hr. | 1 hr. | yes | yes |
| 5 | 23 hr. | 1 hr. | yes | yes |
2. This wearing schedule provides a safe way to acclimate to the STARband. The fifth day is considered full-time wear, and at this point, the STARband should only be removed for one hour per day. The STARband should be removed during the baby's bath.
3. Remove the STARband if your baby has a fever or the flu. Return to full-time wear as soon as possible. If the baby had not been able to wear the STARband for 48 hours, ramp up the wearing schedule slowly over a few days to help the baby adapt to wearing the STARband again.
4. If your baby has been diagnosed with torticollis, the torticollis must be treated in order to achieve head shape correction. If your therapist or physician has given you neck exercises to perform, remove the STARband for the exercises and replace the band as soon as the exercises are finished.
5. At bath time each day, remove and clean the STARband. Only use unscented rubbing alcohol to clean the inside of the STARband, because other products may be harmful to the baby's skin. Vigorously rub the inside of the STARband with a cleaning washcloth containing the rubbing alcohol, or apply rubbing alcohol using a new soft toothbrush. Set the band upside down to dry. A fan, in addition to the rubbing alcohol, may be used to help alleviate the odor and speed up the drying process. For a deeper clean — try a handheld clothes steamer.
6. Shampoo the baby's head daily, and reapply the STARband when both the head and the band are dry. Babies with very sensitive scalps may benefit from a mild hypoallergenic or herbal shampoo like Aveeno or Jason's Tea Tree Oil Shampoo. The STARband should not get wet and should be removed for swimming. After swimming, wash your child's head with shampoo to remove chlorine, sunscreen, etc. Reapply the orthosis when both your baby's hair and the STARband are dry.
7. For the first several days, your baby may perspire excessively until his/her body becomes accustomed to the STARband. This is normal, and during this time, the STARband can be removed for a couple minutes throughout the day to dry the baby's head and band with a towel or cool hair dryer. The STARband should be reapplied as soon as the baby's hair and the band air dry. Do not use powders, lotions, or wipes on the baby's head or inside the STARband. These products may contain perfumes and ingredients that can lead to skin irritation. Dress your baby in cooler clothing if the baby perspires excessively.
8. If the baby develops a heat rash, your doctor may recommend that you apply hydrocortisone cream sparingly to the irritated area once a day after bathing. This cream is available over the counter at a pharmacy. Keep the baby as cool as possible, and towel or blow dry the baby's hair and the inside of the band throughout the day with a cool hair dryer to prevent moisture buildup. Replace the STARband as soon as the band and hair air dry. Time out of the band should be less than 10 minutes.
9. If you need to cut your baby's hair during STARband Cranial Remolding Orthosis treatment, do not shave the entire head. The contact of that band against the head may cause irritation when the hair starts to grow back in and the baby may develop skin irritation. Try to keep your baby's hair the same length throughout the treatment to prevent fitting problems that may result from a decrease or increase in the amount of hair.
10. Skin checks should be performed every time the STARband is removed. Call your practitioner immediately if there is an area of deep redness that does not fade in one hour after removing the band and contact your practitioner. The STARband should not be worn until the skin is healed.
11. Excessive time out of the STARband (more than 48 hours) may create problems with the fit of the STARband since the baby's head is growing continuously. Limit the time out of the STARband, and seek assistance when something prevents your baby from tolerating or wearing the band.
12. Each time you place the STARband on the baby's head, check the chafe, strap and stop gap foam insert to make sure they are secure. Loose parts can be a choking hazard and can result in asphyxiation if the parts are swallowed.
13. When the STARband is off your baby's head, keep the STARband away from family pets. Dogs have been known to chew the plastic and foam liner.
14. The STARband must be worn as prescribed, 23 hours a day to constrain undesirable growth and encourage growth in the correct locations. Even at the end of treatment, the band should be worn 23 hours a day until the physician, practitioner and caregiver agree that the treatment is complete.
a. Early discontinuation of treatment against medical advice may result in incomplete correction of the head shape.
b. Continued use of the STARband against medical advice may restrict skull growth and may impair brain growth and development.
15. Explain the purpose of STARband to other caregivers, and train them in the proper application, removal, and wearing schedule. Training is important for family, friends, daycare personnel, and any other person taking care of your baby.
16. If you have any questions or concerns about your baby's care, contact your practitioner so that any issues can be resolved quickly. Information and resources are available for caregivers on Orthomerica's website at www.starbandkids.com. Orthomerica wishes you and your baby a most successful STARband experience.
If you have any questions or concerns about your cranial remolding orthosis, please contact your orthotist.
STARband Caregiver Instructions
www.starbandkids.com