Torticollis/PT questions

mamam

One of the twins is going to be evaluated and treated for torticollis.  I'm curious ballpark range how long your treatment was?  How often per week?  What the program was?  I feel like these places will go as long as the insurance will cover but it's still $40/a visit so I need to make sure we're not wasting money and time.  I work so taking off for all of these appts needs to be necessary.

And I don't think we have a severe case as the Pedi doesn't seem to even notice until I point it out.

LakeGenevaBride

DS1 was referred by pedi at 2 month visit.  He was about 3 months when we started (took awhile for referral from HMO).  He went once a week from 3 months to 6 months, and since then its been every other week.  Appt are 45 mins long.  Erik's torticollis was bad enough that it caused his plagiocephaly requiring a helmet.  I have a friend whose daughter went to PT every other week for 4 visits total as her torticollis wasn't as bad.  Another option is to go through your state's early intervention program (I think most states have this).  A therapist comes to your home for therapy and cost is based on your income (at least in IL).  If your LOs torticollis isn't too bad maybe you could go every other week and just be diligent about doing the home exercises. 

Babsie7

We just went for our first appt this morning and the OT scheduled him to go once a week for a month. Then she will reevaluate him, and she said most likely it would be every other week after that for 3 months. She also gave me exercises to do at home a few times a day. She said the progress usually depends on the combination of home and in office stretches to strenghthen the neck muscles, and the severity of the torticollis.

clarku2000

One of my DDs is currently in PT for her torticollis, and we're looking at a helmet to reshape her head.  Her pedi referred us to our state's early intervention program, so all PT visits are free for us.  The physical therapist actually meets me at her daycare during my lunch hour so I don't have to take any extra time off.  You have to be diligent at doing the exercises at home too and that will help your LO improve more quickly.

3VIBride

We were (finally) referred at 3 months.  Our pedi was very nonchalant about it too but I saw how strong her preference to one side was, and I'm glad I was persistent.

 We didn't stop therapy until she was 11 months old.  It was once a week until she was 8/9 months, then every other week. 

Reasons?  Seemed like every time we made some progress we hit a roadblock.  Our biggest roadblock was when she learned to suck her thumb, and only on the preferred side.  Then there was stranger anxiety which made sessions rather unproductive.  And every time she got upset or learned something new, she went back to her position of comfort- which for her was that tilt or turning her head to the preferred side.  Also our therapist went out on maternity leave and we then had someone else who quite frankly was not as good, and when she came back the improvements were drastic. 

Many people have much shorter success stories though, just wanted to share that sometimes it does take longer and you just have to be persistent and consistent!  

 

ETA:  I took her to be evaluated for a helmet at 5 months and it was a DISASTER.  I'm really unhappy with the experience we had.  I received a lot of conflicting opinions from within the cranial office from different people who we saw, and there was a great deal confusion and delay from our insurance.  As a result of the last opinion from them, my pediatrician had us go for a consult with a neurosurgeon which was completely unnecessary.  She never got a helmet and she is just fine!  Again though many others have had a much better experience with the helmet process and it has made a great difference for their child- but it's not for everyone.

browneyedgrl4282

Preston has toricollis and has been in PT since was 4 months old and he has it once a week for an hour. We went through our local EI services since our insurance would only cover 20 visits a year which was not enough if you ask me. So the PT (he has OT added later on) come to the house. EI they either go through your insurance or if you qualify you can go on sliding scale and could end up paying nothing.

 

EI will follow him until he is 3 and at that point if he needs more services we than move on to our town BOE

jcthomas1281

My LO had a mild version and was seen once a week and then every other week and now he is just seeing the OT and not the PT. You could explain how much you have to pay and see if the tort. is not severe or is resolving fairly quickly what exercises you can do at home to spread out the visits...cause $40 a visit? DANG!