Kullen's Cranial Helmet
Donation protected
Hello all! Our youngest son, Kullen, has been was recently diagnosed with plagiocephaly and brachycephaly. Both are flat headed issues that at his age need to be corrected with a medical cranial helmet. Currently this diagnosis is causing a 2mm misalignment of his eyes and ears and can cause additional issues in the long run in regards to wearing glasses, safety helmets and can cause self-esteem issues once he’s older.
After speaking with some of his pediatricians who agreed that his head was significantly misshapen, we were directed to Cranial Technologies located 3 hours away in Phoenix for a free consultation and head measurement. There his diagnosis was confirmed. We decided that it would be best to go ahead with ordering a cranial helmet to form his head back into shape. Unfortunately, Tricare, our military insurance provider does not cover for the cost of the cranial helmet which in turn required us to pay a significant amount out of pocket. The purchase of the helmet also requires us to travel the 3 hours to and from Phoenix every 2 weeks for helmet adjustments, thus requiring us to spend more for gas and food.
In addition to this, Kullen has been our little medical problem child. When he was younger he was also diagnosed with a tongue tie. Fortunately the procedure to correct that was covered by the insurance. This diagnosis was found after a 5 month trial and error to find a suitable formula. Kullen would spit up every formula we tried with him due to him not being able to properly latch onto his bottles and the stomach the contents of the formula. We ultimately went with Similac Alimentum which is significantly more expensive than other brands. Luckily, we are able to offset the cost by qualifying for WIC, however, as he grows he is eating more than what WIC provides causing us having to buy more.
We love our little boy. He is uniquely quirky and loves to smile and laugh. As a military family, we also have to move to San Diego in August due to orders which are also causing a lot of stress on all of us. My husband and I do everything to benefit our children. Unfortunately we are very prideful and rarely ask for assistance, however we are coming to the point where we need a little bit of help. Anything helps, and if you aren’t able to donate, a share would be just as appreciative. We would like to thank everyone in advance!
We will provide pictures of our little dude every few days to show progress, so please stay tuned for that!
After speaking with some of his pediatricians who agreed that his head was significantly misshapen, we were directed to Cranial Technologies located 3 hours away in Phoenix for a free consultation and head measurement. There his diagnosis was confirmed. We decided that it would be best to go ahead with ordering a cranial helmet to form his head back into shape. Unfortunately, Tricare, our military insurance provider does not cover for the cost of the cranial helmet which in turn required us to pay a significant amount out of pocket. The purchase of the helmet also requires us to travel the 3 hours to and from Phoenix every 2 weeks for helmet adjustments, thus requiring us to spend more for gas and food.
In addition to this, Kullen has been our little medical problem child. When he was younger he was also diagnosed with a tongue tie. Fortunately the procedure to correct that was covered by the insurance. This diagnosis was found after a 5 month trial and error to find a suitable formula. Kullen would spit up every formula we tried with him due to him not being able to properly latch onto his bottles and the stomach the contents of the formula. We ultimately went with Similac Alimentum which is significantly more expensive than other brands. Luckily, we are able to offset the cost by qualifying for WIC, however, as he grows he is eating more than what WIC provides causing us having to buy more.
We love our little boy. He is uniquely quirky and loves to smile and laugh. As a military family, we also have to move to San Diego in August due to orders which are also causing a lot of stress on all of us. My husband and I do everything to benefit our children. Unfortunately we are very prideful and rarely ask for assistance, however we are coming to the point where we need a little bit of help. Anything helps, and if you aren’t able to donate, a share would be just as appreciative. We would like to thank everyone in advance!
We will provide pictures of our little dude every few days to show progress, so please stay tuned for that!
Organizer
Chelsea Espinosa
Organizer
Yuma, AZ
