Torticollis and Infant Movement Therapy

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What is Torticollis?

 

Torticollis describes an abnormal neck posture in infancy that may be muscular in nature and that proper tummy time helps to improve.

 

Five Signs of Infant Torticollis:

1. Looks to one side–left or right–persistently

2. Have difficulty turning head from left to right when cued

3. Appears to hold their head in a tilted position

4. Gets upset when placed on their stomach

5. Baby has a flat spot on the back or side of their head

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How can Springboard Pediatric Therapists help?

Physical therapy is utilized to develop a stretching and strengthening program to address your child’s neck muscles. With torticollis, a muscle in the neck (the Sternocleidomastoid muscle) is often shortened, tight, and strong on one side. As a result, the opposite side is often lengthened and weak. The goal of physical therapy is to address these muscle imbalances to help your child gain the ability to hold their head upright in the middle of their body while allowing them to easily look in either direction.