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Share the joy of diversity this holiday season by participating in the STARband Holiday Photo Contest on Facebook. The two winners with the most likes in the STARband Holiday Photo Contest Album will receive a $50 Amazon gift card. We can’t wait to see your little ones and celebrate their unique personalities and styles.

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STARband—the most prescribed cranial remolding orthosis in the world

Plagiocephaly Treatment Centers
Plagiocephaly baby receiving helmet therapy treatment with STARband Cranial Remolding Orthosis
starband baby boy
Plagiocephaly baby receiving helmet therapy treatment with STARband Cranial Remolding Orthosis
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.

Open Guide

Myths about the STARband Cranial Remolding Orthosis

FACTS:

STARbands weigh between 6-10 ounces depending on specific patient characteristics.

  • The size of your baby’s head, the age, gender, and head shape influence the final design of the orthosis.
  • A few extra ounces are the same weight as 1-2 slices of sandwich bread and will not negatively impact your baby.

 
STARbands are cleared by the FDA for treatment on babies ages 3–18 months.

  • The materials and designs are safe to use for infants with head deformities.

 
Full coverage means full correction within a single orthosis!

  • The full “helmet” design of the STARband is intentional to correct the entire head.
  • The trimlines make sure the orthosis fits for the entire treatment program and the rigid plastic keeps its shape during your baby’s activities.
The STARband is heavier and bulkier than other bands.

FACTS:

Babies get used to their STARbands quickly! Following the full-time wear schedule reduces sweating.

  • Consistent wear of the orthosis helps your baby get used to the STARband faster.
  • Babies release their body heat from their hands, feet, and head. Dressing your baby in lightweight clothing will help to keep them cool while wearing their orthosis.

 
STARbands are used successfully in all climates around the world.

The STARband is hot!

FACTS:

Quite to the contrary! Greater than 98% of patients successfully complete STARband treatment in ONE band!

  • STARbands are made specific to each baby and improvements are seen within the first few weeks of wearing the STARband.
  • The STARband is easily adjustable by the clinician, if needed.

 
STARbands are modified to resist growth in the bossed areas and direct growth into the flattened areas on the baby’s head.

The STARband has less correction built in or available than other bands.

FACTS:

Most STARband clinicians provide free evaluations and initial scans. STARband treatment includes the cost of the evaluation, scans, delivery appointment, and all follow up visits.

  • In the United States, treatment cost includes the orthosis, measurements, scans, and all follow-up appointments.
  • Most orthotic evaluations for the STARband are free!

 
STARband treatment is less expensive than other bands because greater than 98% of patients with deformational skull involvements complete treatment with only ONE orthosis.

  • Completing treatment with a single orthosis saves families money.
STARband treatment and scan evaluations are expensive.

FACTS:

Cranial remolding orthoses (CRO) are FDA cleared class II medical devices.

More than 600,000 STARbands have been provided since 1998 without a single reported incident of developmental delay or neck strain.

  • STARbands are for infants with head and neck control that usually develops between 3–4 months of age.

 
The orthosis encourages motor skills by providing a round surface.

  • The rounded surface of the STARband makes it easier for your baby to turn their head in both directions while lying on their back. This supports rolling and the development of new motor milestones.
  • Head flattening makes it harder for babies to turn their heads and learn to roll.
The STARband causes developmental delays and neck strain.

FACTS:

The STARband corrects the cranial base and can improve the ear shift (Aihara et al 2014; Kim et al. 2013).*

  • The primary purpose of a cranial remolding orthosis is to direct neurocranial growth which also impacts correction of the cranial base.
  • The cranial base relates to facial asymmetry and ear shift which are common concerns for parents.
  • Correction of the cranial base relates to the age of the child and severity of the deformity.
The STARband does not correct the cranial (skull) base.

FACTS:

STARband treatment has been supported by more than 40 independent publications for over 20 years!*

  • Research published by independent medical teams with no conflict of interest or potential financial gain from the results is important and trustworthy.

 
The STARband is defined as the gold standard for cranial remolding orthoses by clinicians and parents.

The STARband is not supported by published research/clinical outcomes.

FACTS:

STARband clinicians are credentialed healthcare professionals with additional highly specialized training in cranial remolding orthotic treatment who also participate in ongoing continuing education programs.

  • Orthomerica has trained more cranial clinicians than any other CRO manufacturer.
  • Orthotic clinicians complete their training over 5-6 years, including residency and board exams.
  • Every cranial clinician who provides STARbands completes additional and specialized cranial training.
STARband clinicians are not cranial specialists and have not received specialized training to provide cranial remolding helmets.

FACTS:

Your STARband clinician will perform a complete evaluation of your baby’s head and discuss treatment options and goals with you and your physician.

  • STARband clinicians use objective 3D data to classify the head shape. The STARscanner® and SmartSoc® scanning systems produce detailed reports in a matter of minutes.

 

  • Your cranial clinician reviews the report and shares it with the rest of your medical team. Parents can receive this detailed report the same day as the evaluation!

 
The STARband treats moderate to severe deformities. CROs are not recommended for mild cases.

STARband clinicians have supported conservative treatment programs such as repositioning, tummy time and therapy as the first course of action for more than 20 years.

  • Conservative treatment programs are most effective within the first four months after birth.
Every baby referred for a STARband gets one.

FACTS:

STARband is the most prescribed CRO worldwide!

  • The STARband has corrected more infant head deformities than any other brand. STARband has been the number one choice of physicians and parents for over 20 years!
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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