Community› The Bump Month Clubs› August 2014 Moms
August 2014 Moms
New Discussion

Anyone have experience with torticollis?

RedBean84RedBean84 member
in August 2014 Moms
Since LO was born before 32 weeks, a physical therapist comes to our house once a week to work with her.  Today, our PT said she has mild torticollis and showed me several stretches and positions I can put LO in to help stretch the muscle.  Although this is not a huge issue now, if left untreated, it will just get worse.  She is already developing a slight flat spot on one side of her head from constantly looking in the same direction. Have any of you had success treating your LO?  It seems like it's going to take a long time to see some improvement.
Lilypie Premature Baby tickers
Report Reply to Post

Re: Anyone have experience with torticollis?

  • cdsenocdseno member
    Try a pediatric chiropractor. My LO would only look to the left and when I took him in for colic, the chiro noticed it immediately and asked if the doctor had mentioned torticollis. After only one small adjustment he was moving his head so much better. I don't know how severe it was but after 3 treatments he could move his head to both sides equally.
    image
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • ColeyJ88ColeyJ88 member
    edited October 2014
    I am a massage therapist and once had a 6 month old come in for regular sessions. She was deaf and her eyelids hung down slightly on her eyes so she was always tilting her head way back to be able to see. We really noticed improvement after even the first session. You could try massaging the tight muscles, or find a massage therapist with experience with kids and do a 15 or 30 minute session with them. Hope this helps!

    Eta: chiropractic is also an excellent idea!
    blighted ovum 5w3d 10/11
    Aidan Russell 8/7/12
    missed m/c 8w6d 11/1/13
    Shane Ryan 8/25/14
    imageimage
    Report Reply
  • M&MaxM&Max member
    Definitely follow their stretching suggestions. My sister is a pediatric physical therapist and said as long as you do the stretching consistently it will go away. For the flat head issue, we started having a similar issue. We've used the noggin nest or the lazy lambert any time he is laying on his back. We can already tell it's getting better. Both can be purchased on Amazon and aren't too expensive. You'd want to use them any time your LO is laying on a hard surface. Our swing was what was causing his flat spot - he just loves to nap in it. Obviously not for use in the crib.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Pregnancy Ticker
    Report Reply
  • MamaBovsMamaBovs member
    My oldest had it.  She had to go to physical therapy for several months to correct it.  Since yours is a mild case, I would think that as long as you are diligent about doing the stretches they showed you, it shouldn't be anything to worry too much about. 
    Photoset 15 of 15

    AlternaTickers - Cool, free Web tickers
    AlternaTickers - Cool, free Web tickers
    AlternaTickers - Cool, free Web tickers
    Report Reply
  • RedBean84RedBean84 member
    I'm am doing the stretches with her pretty much every time I change her diaper, so that should help. I'm going to research a baby chiropractor in our area and see about getting a noggin nest. Thanks for the suggestions!  :)
    Lilypie Premature Baby tickers
    Report Reply
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
    Report Reply
  • kareik01kareik01 member

    I worked in a PT clinic after college...definitely follow their stretching routines they gave you several times DAILY. Like you said, if left untreated it could get worse and after a certain point you can't do much for torticollis.

     I never knew chiropractors worked with torticollis. The PT would be good to return to as needed also if you can't find a chiro you like.

    image
    Report Reply
  • JadaBlueJadaBlue member
    Sorry for the hijack OP, but when is a preference for looking in a particular direction considered torticollis? LO had a strong preference (eg when given a bottle we have to lure her to look forward rather than her preferred direction, but she does voluntarily look in the other direction as her interest dictates). We raised this at her 2 month appointment and ped said most babies have a preference and it wasn't a problem unless she couldn't look in the other direction, which seems a bit extreme to me.
    Report Reply
  • RedBean84RedBean84 member
    @peripatetic14 What you wrote pretty much describes my DD.  She can look both directions, but she has a strong preference to her right side.  Our pedi didn't seem too concerned either, but the PT said the reason she has the preference is because that muscle is tight.  It isn't so tight that you would ever notice it, but we are starting the stretches so it doesn't get worse.  I think part of the issue is that I tend to hold her on the same side, so I have to make a conscious effort to hold her on the other side.  She also naps in her swing, so I think that is what is contributing to her flat spot.
    Lilypie Premature Baby tickers
    Report Reply
  • kareik01kareik01 member
    Torticollis is more than just a preference to looking to one side. It's literally that the muscles on one side are tighter than the other, so the "natural" head position is to one side rather than straight forward. It needs to be corrected so it doesn't become permanent.
    image
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"