TORTICOLLIS? My Baby is Not a Turtle! -

Did you ever hear of torticollis? Surprisingly, this condition usually found in young babies had nothing to do with turtles!

It actually means “turned neck” and is a musculoskeletal issue that happens to infants. The most common type of torticollis is caused by tightness of a neck muscle called the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM). This muscle controls side bending to one side and rotation to the opposite side. So a tighter L SCM would cause left side bending and right rotation of a child’s head.

There are a variety of risk factors for torticollis including a breech pregnancy, hip dysplasia, a traumatic birth, large birth weight, first pregnancy for mom or being a multiple like a twin or triplet.

Torticollis is sometimes picked up by pediatricians but is a lot of times missed until later on. I find most of the times my mom’s are the first to notice because they see their baby’s neck and head in the same position in every photo.

When caught early, it is much easier to resolve and there are less likely to be other side effects such as plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome), visual disturbances and scoliosis.

A skilled Pediatric Physical Therapist can help to diagnose and treat torticollis. They will teach parents an easy home exercise program to help their child reach a midline position and age appropriate milestones. Early intervention in your child’s life makes things much easier as they develop, so if you have any questions, ask your child’s pediatrician or a pediatric PT.

Some other tips that parents can use to help prevent torticollis:

Encourage tummy time. If it’s not your baby’s favorite as your favorite Practically Perfect PT for some ideas
Encourage visual tracking side to side to get baby to turn their neck side to side
Avoid “containers” when able. Car seats, swings, bassinets, bouncers, etc are nice to park your baby in but don’t always encourage midline neck posture.
Supervised floor play in a safe space on their back, side and belly are the best thing for your baby. If you need play ideas or positions, reach out!
Wear your baby. This helps avoid being in a container AND works on their neck strength in some set ups.