Written by Hulet Smith, OT
Soft shell or hard shell? Face bar or chin strap? Halo, lightweight, or foam-lined full-protection?
If your child is endangered by seizure-related sudden drop-falls or potential headbanging injuries, your physician or therapist will recommend protective headgear – but how do you determine which helmet is right for your loved one?
Finding the right special needs helmet can be overwhelming; but with a 50-year history of providing assistive equipment specifically designed to reduce the risk of head injuries, Danmar products could be the solution to your dilemma!
If you ask Dan Russo (president and co-owner of Danmar Products) to describe the evolution of his company, he will start at the very beginning.
A man by the name of John Marchello, Russo said, was wrestling for the University of Michigan. Marchello and his coach, Cliff Keen, had frequent conversations about protective headgear for wrestlers.
Back in the day, wearing a helmet may have protected you from concussions and cauliflower ear, but it would instantly brand you as “weak” or “a sissy”.
Thank goodness the days of eschewing protective headgear to appear tough have long departed! Nowadays, coaches, athletes, and parents partner together to find the right gear for their athletes.
Coach Cliff Keen would go on to serve on the U.S. Olympic Committee, and was eventually inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Marchello would co-found Danmar Products, alongside Harland Danner.
In the beginning, Marchello designed and sold headgear for Big 10 Hockey teams and wrestlers, as well as motorcycle helmets for the police department.
Then, just as Canadian and Chinese manufacturers began producing more hockey headgear, Marchello’s home state of Michigan commenced to deinstitutionalize people who were mentally and physically challenged. In the late 60s and early 70s, the state began closing what they referred to as ‘asylums.’
By 2003, Michigan had closed 75% of the facilities where people with physical, mental, and emotional handicaps resided.
Parents, schools, therapists, and physicians specifically sought out Marchello to purchase hockey helmets for the purpose of providing head and neck support for their children and patients. Marchello quickly realized these hockey helmets were designed to fit 14 to 24-year-old males – not children.
So, using his creativity and gift for industrial art, he designed and patented a series of both hard and soft helmets and accessories that would serve the growing community of customers with special needs.
Russo said Marchello’s compassion moved him to design gear for kids who suffered from headbanging and seizures. In addition to helmets, Danmar designs and makes cranial reshaping orthoses and swim aids.
To date, Marchello currently holds more than 18 patents.
Nearly 30 years after he founded Danmar, Marchello sold the company.
But Russo and his partners, Karen Lindner and Hidie Bowman, remain on the cutting edge of special needs helmets, protective headgear, and a variety of accessories.
Marchello, Russo said, is still very much a part of the team. “He is in his 80s and still developing products. He is a very dynamic gentleman, with an extensive knowledge and history.”
Russo describes the development of Marchello’s products as nothing short of revolutionary. “There used to be two colors and three sizes; now, we custom-make helmets for kids with hydrocephalus (enlarged heads), microencephalitis (tiny head syndrome), and everyone in between.”
“Heads,” he added, “are like snowflakes. No two are alike.”
In addition to the business side of headgear, Russo’s comprehension is deeply personal. He is the grandparent of a cute little customer: his granddaughter wears the cranial reshaping helmet. The helmets, Russo realized, must be darn close to perfect, “because the kids wear them 23 hours a day.”
Russo and his partners also sponsor internships. “There are kiddos who work with us, referred by local vocational programs, that I have known for years. It is very satisfying to see them mature, to see that growth from a kid to an adult, and to be a part of changing that person’s life.”
Russo shared how it was initially difficult to understand the unique stress a parent encounters when their child has a special need requiring the use of protective headgear.
The parents and therapists Russo meets inspire him to do his best, so quality is job one.
Danmar creates each piece of assistive equipment by hand, and they feature helmets for babies who have plagiocephaly, brachycephaly, or scaphocephaly. They also make headgear for toddlers, teens, and adults who have medical conditions such as autism, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and various ‘headbanging’ seizure conditions.
In addition to providing the safest equipment possible, Russo’s goal is to eliminate the stigma attached to wearing protective helmets.
“We needed to address the way it looks,” he said, simply.
All Danmar products do their job (absorb impact), but Russo and his team consistently go the extra mile to ensure each helmet “feels personal.”
They offer headgear in 20 colors and a variety of both hard and soft styles.
Danmar recently celebrated 50 years as the premier manufacturer of assistive headgear.
When asked to describe Danmar in three words, Russo chuckled.
“Just three words is hard; but, definitely caring. Caring would be first.”
Innovative and evolutionary quickly followed. He described the company and Danmar employees as an “evolution in care.”
Russo reported the average tenure for a Danmar employee is 18 years, with many having been there much longer. “It’s a family atmosphere,” he said. Team members are encouraged to make suggestions and provide feedback, “Which allows us to continue to develop and improve our products.”
He recalled a 1997 movie, starring Meryl Streep, called …First Do No Harm, which featured two Danmar helmets.
In the film, Streep’s son suffers from epilepsy. The movie details her efforts to help her son.
“We are constantly reminded that we need to change with feedback from our parents and therapists in order to provide the best support,” Russo said. Streep signed a Danmar helmet, which is now displayed in the company home office.
“Because we are a smaller company, we don’t have to ‘go through’ corporate. We can move very quickly.” He personally meets with his research and development team twice each month.
Russo shared how the company’s goal is to remain dynamic, and respond to the needs of customers with excellent, well-priced products. He added they have tremendous respect and appreciation for their vendors, one of whom is Rehabmart.
“It comes down to commitment. We are committed to anticipating and meeting the needs of those with special needs,” Russo concluded.
Customers consistently rate Danmar protective headgear as five-star equipment. Comments on our RehabMart site describe the helmets with words like “great, safe, and comfortable.”
Barb Fox reviewed her son’s Danmar helmet on Facebook, and said her 14-year-old son has been wearing Danmar helmets for 12 years.
“I cannot tell you how many ER visits, stitches, staples, MRIs, and CT scans he has avoided because of this protection. No one wants to see their child wearing a helmet – but then again, no one wants to see their child bleeding with two black eyes and a broken nose. Danmar fills a huge need in the special needs/seizure disorder community.”
RehabMart is proud to offer a selection of more than 60 Danmar products. If you or someone you love is looking for protective headgear or a special needs helmet, take a look at Danmar headgear in the RehabMart catalog.
Co-founder/CEO of Rehabmart, Pediatric Occupational Therapist, husband, and father. Passionate about connecting special needs kids with superb nutrition, sensory integration, and complementary health strategies. Excited about Rehabmart's mission to become the premier online educational platform which empowers caregivers by spotlighting innovative devices and interventions to achieve optimal patient response and recovery.
