STARband—the most prescribed cranial remolding orthosis in the world

Deformational Plagiocephaly Head Shape - Type 3 Moderate

Does your baby have a flat spot?

Use this guide to compare the shape of your baby's head to pictures of deformational plagiocephaly and brachycephaly.

Myths about the STARband Cranial Remolding Orthosis

The STARband is heavier and bulkier than other bands.
The STARband is hot!
The STARband has less correction built in or available than other bands.
STARband treatment and scan evaluations are expensive.
The STARband causes developmental delays and neck strain.
The STARband does not correct the cranial (skull) base.
The STARband is not supported by published research/clinical outcomes.
STARband clinicians are not cranial specialists and have not received specialized training to provide cranial remolding helmets.
Every baby referred for a STARband gets one.
STARband does not work as well as other helmets.

Independent Research Using the STARband / STARscanner / SmartSoc and Systematic Reviews Related to the Orthotic Management of Deformational Head Shapes

  • Aihara Y, Komatsu K, et al. (2014). Cranial molding helmet therapy and establishment of practical criteria for management in Asian infant positional head deformity. Childs Nerv Syst, 30(9), 1499-1509.
  • Baird LC, Klimo P, et al. (2016). Congress of Neurological Surgeons systematic review and evidence-based guideline for the management of patients with positional plagiocephaly: The role of physical therapy. Neurosurgery, 79(5), e630-e631.
  • Beuriat P-A, Szathmari a, et al. (2019). Deformational plagiocephaly: State of the art and review of the literature. Neurochirurgie, 65(5), 322-329.
  • Bonnar MF, Ventura M, Winans A & Scott AR (2013). Helmet modification for soft-band bone-anchored hearing aid use during cranial orthosis. Laryngoscope, 124(2), 558-560.
  • Braun TL & Hollier LH (2017). Review of 5 articles of “Congress of Neurological Surgeons Systematic Review and Evidence-Based Guidelines for the Patients with Positional Plagiocephaly” articles in Neurosurgery 79. J Craniofac Surg, 28(4), 1113.
  • Cevik S, Isik S & Ozkilic A (2020). The role of age on helmet therapy in deformational plagiocephaly and asymmetric brachycephaly. Childs Nerv Syst, 36(4), 803-810.
  • Chou P-Y, Hallac RR, et al. (2017). Three-dimensional changes in head shape after extended sagittal strip craniectomy with wedge ostectomies and helmet therapy. J Neurosurg Pediatr, 19, 684-689. STARscanner STARband Craniosynostosis
  • DeBock F, Braun V, et al. (2017). Deformational plagiocephaly in normal infants: A systematic review of causes and hypotheses. Arch Dis Child, 102(6), 535-542.
  • Eberle NA, Stelnicki EJ, et al. (2015). Efficacy of conservative and cranial orthotic therapy in over 4000 patients treated for positional plagiocephaly over a 5-year period. Plast Reconstruc Surg, 136(4S), 5-6.
  • Ellwood J, Draper-Rodi J, et al. (2020). The effectiveness and safety of conservative interventions for positional plagiocephaly and congenital muscular torticollis: A synthesis of systematic reviews and guidance. Chiropr Man Therap, 28(1), 31.
  • Faucett EA, Lam-Bellissimo S, Zawawi et al. (2018). Cranial orthosis after cochlear implantation in an infant: Helmet modifications. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol, 114, 101-105.
  • Flannery AM, Tamber MS, et al. (2016). Congress of Neurological Surgeons systematic review and evidence-based guidelines for the management of patients with positional plagiocephaly: Executive summary. Neurosurgery, 79(5), 623-624.
  • Geil MD & Smith A (2008). Accuracy and reliability of a system for the digital capture of infant head shapes in the treatment of cranial deformities. J Prosthet Orthot, 20(2), 35-38.
  • Gociman B, Marengo J, et al. (2012). Minimally invasive strip craniectomy for sagittal synostosis. J Craniofac Surg, 23, 825-828. STARscanner and STARband Craniosynostosis
  • Graham T, Adams-Huet B, et al. (2019). Effects of initial age and severity on cranial remolding orthotic treatment for infants with deformational plagiocephaly. J Clin Med, 8(8), 1097.
  • Graham T, Millay K, et al. (2020). Significant factors in cranial remolding orthotic treatment of asymmetrical brachycephaly. J Clin Med, 9(4), 1027.
  • Graham T & Wang J (2022). Development and validation of a prediction model for the treatment time of deformational head shapes using a cranial remolding orthosis. Children, 9, 354.
  • Han M, Kang JY, et al. (2017). Relationship between starting age of cranial-remolding-orthosis therapy and effectiveness of treatment in children with deformational plagiocephaly. Childs Nerv Syst, 33(8), 1349-1356.
  • Holowka MA, Reisner A, Giavedoni B et al. (2017). Plagiocephaly severity scale to aid in clinical treatment recommendations. J Craniofac Surg, 3, 717-722.
  • Ifflaender S, Rüdiger M, et al. (2013). Three-dimensional digital capture of head size in neonates: A method evaluation. PLOS One, 8(4), e61274.
  • Ifflaender S, Rüdiger M, et al. (2013). Prevalence of head deformity in pre-term infants at term-equivalent age. Early Hum Dev, 89(12), 1041-1047.
  • Ifflaender S, Rudiger M, Konstantelos D et al. (2014). Individual course of cranial symmetry and proportion in preterm infants up to 6 months of corrected age. Early Hum Dev, 90(9), 511-515.
  • Lyer RR, Ye X et al. (2018). Optimal duration of postoperative helmet therapy following endoscopic strip craniectomy for sagittal craniosynostosis.
  • J Neurosurg Pediatr, 22, 610-615. STARscanner and STARband Craniosynostosis
  • Jimenez DF & Barone CM (2013). Early treatment of coronal synostosis with endoscopy-assisted craniectomy and post-operative cranial orthosis therapy: 16-year experience. J Neurosurg Pediatr, 12, 207-219. STARscanner and STARband Craniosynostosis
  • Kaplan SL, Coulter C, et al. (2018). Physical therapy management of congenital muscular torticollis: A 2018 evidence-based clinical practice guideline from the APTA Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy. Pediatr Phys Ther, 30(4), 240-290.
  • Kim SY, Park M-S, et al. (2013). Comparison of helmet therapy and counter positioning for deformational plagiocephaly. Ann Rehabil Med, 37(6), 785-795.
  • Klimo P, Lingo PR, et al. (2016). Congress of Neurological Surgeons systematic review and evidence-based guidelines for the management of patients with positional plagiocephaly: The role of repositioning. Neurosurgery, 79(5), 627-629.
  • Lam S, Pan IW, et al. (2017). Factors influencing outcomes in the treatment of positional plagiocephaly in infants: A 7-year experience. J Neurosurg Pediatr, 19(3), 273-281.
  • Lam S, Luerssen TG, et al. (2017). The health belief model and factors associated with adherence to treatment recommendations for positional plagiocephaly. J Neurosurg Pediatr, 19(3), 282-288.
  • Lee HS, Kim SJ & Kwon J-Y (2018). Parents’ perspectives and clinical effectiveness of cranial-molding orthoses in infants with plagiocephaly. Ann Rehabil Med, 42(5), 737-747.
  • Mackel CE, Bonnar M, et al. (2017). The role of age and initial deformation on final cranial asymmetry in infants with plagiocephaly treated with helmet therapy. Pediatr Neurosurg, 52(5), 318-322.
  • Martiniuk Al, Vujovich-Dunn C, et al. (2017). Plagiocephaly and developmental delay: A systematic review. J Dev Behav Pediatr, 38(1), 67-78.
  • Matarazzo CG, Schreen G, et al. (2017). Orthotic treatment of positional brachycephaly associated with osteogenesis imperfecta. Prosthet Orthot Int, 41(6), 595-600.
  • Mazzola C, Baird LC, et al. (2016). Congress of Neurological Surgeons systematic review and evidence-based guideline for the diagnosis of patients with positional plagiocephaly: The role of imaging. Neurosurg, 79(5), e625-626.
  • Naidoo SD & Cheng AL (2014). Long-term satisfaction and parental decision making about treatment of deformational plagiocephaly. J Craniofac Surg, 25(1), 160-165. STARscanner and STARband
  • Naidoo SD, Skolnick GB, et al. (2019). Head shape retention following helmet therapy for deformational plagiocephaly. J Craniofac Surg, 30(6), 1842-1844.
    Naidoo SD, Skolnick GB, et al. (2015). Long-term outcomes in treatment of deformational plagiocephaly and brachycephaly using helmet therapy and repositioning: A longitudinal cohort study. Childs Nerv Syst, 31, 1547-1552.
  • Ozkilic A, Cevik S & Isik S (2020). The role of age on effectiveness of active repositioning therapy in positional skull deformities. J Basic Clin Health, 1, 33-37.
  • Plank LH, Giavedoni B, et al. (2006). Comparison of infant head shape changes in deformational plagiocephaly following treatment with a cranial remolding orthosis using a noninvasive laser shape digitizer. J Craniofac Surg, 17(6), 1084-91.
  • Schreen G & Matarazzo CG (2013). Plagiocephaly and brachycephaly treatment with cranial orthosis: A case report. Einstein (Sao Paulo), 11(1), 114-118.
  • Shweikeh F, Nuño M, et al. (2013). Positional plagiocephaly: An analysis of the literature on the effectiveness of current guidelines. Neurosurg Focus, 35(4), E1.
  • Siegenthaler MH (2015). Methods to diagnose, classify and monitor infantile deformational plagiocephaly and brachycephaly: A narrative review. J Chiropr Med, 14(3), 191–204.
  • Steinberg JR, Rawlani R, et al. (2015). Effectiveness of conservative therapy and helmet therapy for positional cranial deformation. Plast. Reconstr Surg, 135, 833-842.
  • Tamber MS, Nikas D, et al. (2016). Congress of Neurological Surgeons systematic review and evidence-based guideline for the diagnosis of patients with positional plagiocephaly: The role of cranial molding orthosis (helmet) therapy. Neurosurgery, 79(5).
  • Weathers WM, Khechoyan D, et al. (2014). A novel quantitative method for evaluating surgical outcomes in craniosynostosis: Pilot analysis for metopic synostosis. Craniomaxillofac Trauma Reconstr, 7(1), 1-8. STARscanner
  • Weersma et al. (2020). The effect of age on the rate of correction in infants with head shape deformities treated with cranial remolding orthoses. JPO, 32(4), 286-294.
  • Weissler EH, Sherif RD, et al. (2016). An evidence-based approach to nonsynostotic plagiocephaly. Plast Reconstr Surg, 138, 682e.
  • Wen J, Qian J, Zhang L, et al. (2019). Effect of helmet therapy in the treatment of positional head deformity. J Paediatr Child Health, 56(5), 735-741.
“STARbands” is used as a general term for any of the STAR Family of CRO designs.

Start here to learn the facts about abnormal head shapes in infants and what to do if your baby needs treatment.

What is Deformational Plagiocephaly? (Flat Head Syndrome)

Learn more about abnormal head shapes in babies.

Tummy Time
Learn more about activities to prevent your child from developing an abnormal head shape.
Meet the AllSTARs!
Learn about the Plagiocephaly experts.
One and Done!
With the STARband, chances are only one helmet will be needed.

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