Creative Solution Helps Baby Amber

WCBL Practitioner, Gerald, with Amber (comfortably sleeping) and her father after successfully fitting her TOT Collar™.

Our practitioners are often faced with unique orthotic and prosthetic cases which force them to “think outside the box”. These cases require creative solutions to help improve the patient’s quality of life.

Amber, a sweet 16 month old, suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) during birth. She requires round-the-clock care because of her TBI. She does not have good control of her neck muscles, as a result, her head constantly falls forward. Amber’s lack of neck control causes compression of her windpipe. To make the problem worse, she also has a tracheotomy. There are no cervical collars in her size that have a cut out for her tracheotomy, so Amber needed an innovative solution.

Gerald, Amber’s WCBL Orthotist, took a unique approach to her problem! Using a TOT Collar ™, Gerald found a solution that would not interfere with Amber’s tracheotomy. The collar allows Amber to keep her head in a more neutral and natural position, thus removing the compression on her airway.

Typically, the TOT Collar™, by Symmetric Designs, is used to treat babies who have torticollis.

The design provides a noxious stimulus on the side of the head. Consequently, the head moves in a central & forward direction. This repetition allows the baby to maintain a corrected head position. In a unique orthotic case like Amber’s, practitioners often have to reinvent ways to use devices.

Amber, her Dad, and Gerald are all delighted with her results! Finding ways to improve our patients’ lives is the most rewarding part of what we do every day! With the help of her new collar, Amber now keeps her head upright and forward. She’s finally able to see & discover what’s in front of her, it’s like a whole new world!

〉〉Looking for a unique device solution? Contact us to see how our practitioners can help you.

Check out Patricia’s story for another extraordinary solution to a difficult case.