Torticollis
The Abilities Center treats Torticollis!
What is Torticollis?
Torticollis (wry neck) is a congenital or acquired condition of limited neck motion in which the child will hold the head to one side with the chin pointing to the opposite side. It is the result of the shortening of the sternocleidomastoid (neck) muscle. In early infancy, a firm, non-tender mass may be felt in the midportion of the muscle. The mass will go away and be replaced with fibrous tissue. If untreated, there can be permanent limitation of neck movement. There may be flattening of the head and face on the affected side.
Why is Torticollis becoming so common?
Because babies are sleeping on their backs now and the muscles in the neck and upper back are not being stretched out as they were with tummy sleeping.
How is Toritcollis treated?
Congenital Muscle Torticollis (CMT) is primarily treated with Physical Therapy (PT). In fact, PT is VITAL to a complete recovery!
According to Eileen Donovan, MD, Medical Director at The Detroit Institute for Children, "Many people mistakenly believe that torticollis is a condition that children will outgrow, and that you don't have to do any intervention. While this is true in some cases, the majority of children need physical therapy to improve their neck range of motion and their head control. The earlier the therapy starts, the better the results. If left untreated, a torticollis can lead to facial and skull deformities and, occasionally, vision problems.