Father's 'Star Wars'-Themed Helmets Help His Infant Son Smile Through His First Year With Craniosynostosis
Baby Jack here just celebrated his first birthday, and the first year of his life has been all smiles. That’s pretty incredible considering Jack was one of around 2,000 babies born with craniosynostosis this year, a condition that causes an infant’s skull to fuse to the back of his head. After finding out that his son would have to wear a special helmet after each surgery, Jack’s father decided to add a little pizzazz to his son’s protective equipment. The result: Star Wars-themed helmets that we can’t help but smile at.
Special helmets worn by craniosynostosis patients are used for helmet molding therapy, a treatment where the infant is fitted with a helmet that is designed to correct the shape of his skull. Infants generally undergo helmet molding therapy for around three months. Jack and his dad are not only celebrating his first birthday this week, but they’re also celebrating his last day wearing a corrective helmet. Thankfully, family friend and Imgur user Mike Sweeney provided photo evidence of Jack’s adorable get-ups.
“My buddy's kid had craniosynostosis surgery. His dad designed helmets for a year. Today is the last day of helmets. Happy birthday, Jack!” he wrote.
Jack’s dad had different helmets ready after each operation that were inspired by various Star Wars characters, including Luke Skywalker, Biggs Darklighter, Jek Porkins, and even R2D2. Helmet molding therapy often requires that the infant wear the special helmet for up to 23 hours. Jack’s dad made sure his son did not sacrifice style for those 23 hours. Oh, and if you’re in the mood for an unforgettable Star Wars nerd battle, head over to the comment section of Mike Sweeny’s Reddit post.