What is it?

Roughly 200,000 cases of Torticollis a reported annually, primarily affecting infants. It is a twisting of neck due to tight muscles (mostly involves the Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle)that causes the head to rotate and/or tilt to one side. Torticollis can lead to plagiocephaly, which is a flattening of the head. It's best to address Torticollis as soon as possible (which is typically around 4-6 months of age) to start with shaping helmet due to rate of head growth.

What Can Cause it?

• A breech position in-utero and little in-utero motion
• Can be from an injury (birth or after), vigorous movement, sleeping in awkward positions or devices (car seats, swings, etc.), and neck spasms
• Can be secondary from slipped facets, herniated discs, viral or bacterial infections

What Are The Symptoms

• Neck pain (hard to verify in babies)
• Inability to turn/tilt head symmetrically to both sides
• Muscle spasms
• Reflux
• Difficulty feeding
• Difficulty with positioning

What You Need To Know + Tips!

• Early intervention is key! If you have concerns, talk to pediatrician and seek physical therapy services
  
• If not treated it can affect a child's: vision, sensory processing, feeding, fine/gross motor skills, shoulders, trunk and hips
• Stretch! Helpful stretches include:
• Neck rotation
• Neck side bending
• Neck extension
• Varied your child's positioning to back, tummy side-lying, and sitting. Pay special attention to the way your child moves in opposite of their muscular tightness
• Use toys for motivation to get a child to move in different ways
• Limit time in single device such as a stroller, swing, or car seat