TORTICOLLIS
At Home Base Physical Therapy in Greater Morristown, NJ our physical therapists specialize in treating pediatrics. More specifically, they specialize in treating conditions related to infants and toddlers.
Torticollis is one of these conditions. If you are worried about the potential of your child having Torticolliss, call 973.936.8566 or click here to schedule an appointment today.
What is Torticollis?
Torticollis is the twisting of the neck that causes the rotation and tilt of the head. Torticollis typically appears between birth and three months of age. Although alarming, Torticollis is easily treated. Home Base Physical Therapy frequently treats infants with torticollis.
Common causes of torticollis are intrauterine positioning, premature birth, multiple births, traumatic births and breech births. When the baby doesn’t have much room to move around (breech birth and twin births) the head might get stuck in one position for days or weeks.
When this happens, the muscles shorten and tighten causing tension. This frequently causes infants to look to or favor one side.
Signs, Symptoms & Treatment
The most common sign of torticollis is a constant head tilt to one side, with the chin pointing to the opposite shoulder. Infants with torticollis will resist turning in the opposite direction. This is because the neck muscles are tight from lack of motion.
Often, torticollis and plagiocephaly go hand in hand. This is because infants with torticollis will always lay their head to the same side, causing it to flatten. Lack of physical therapy to improve or eradicate torticollis can result in developmental delays: crawling, walking, rolling and sitting can all be affected by this condition.
If any of these symptoms are presented it is important that you have your child evaluated. Home Base Physical Therapy does evaluations for multiple conditions, with out the need of a prescription. Physical Therapy can help resolve torticollis and allow your child to grow and thrive.
Here at Home Base Physical Therapy in Morristown, NJ, we can help your child with his/her torticollis. We will do special neck exercises, repositioning, and other stretches to encourage your child to release the tension. These exercises are important to attain the infant’s full range of motion.
For any other concerns or questions, please feel free to call us at 973.936.8566.
Other information on Torticollis can be found at the following websites:
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
chop.edu/conditions-diseases