Who has not suffered a torticollis after spending the night with a bad neck posture? This injury, caused by sudden movements of the neck or poor posture, is called ‘acquired torticollis’ and can occur in both adults and children.
But there is another type of torticollis that manifests itself from birth or the first weeks of life and that prevents the baby from turning its head to one side. It is about ‘congenital muscular torticollis’ , a pathology that can be caused by various reasons, and although in most cases it is not serious and evolves favorably, it is important to diagnose and treat it early.
What is congenital muscular torticollis of the infant?
Congenital muscular torticollis in the baby is one that appears from birth or in the following two months of life. It is a muscle contracture of the neck that causes the baby to always have his head tilted to the same side and with his chin pointing to the opposite side , presenting difficulties in changing his posture.
Congenital torticollis affects boys and girls equally and occurs more frequently on the right side.
Why is it produced?
The most common cause of infant torticollis is an injury to the sternocleidomastoid , a large, thick muscle that runs on both sides of the neck, extending from the back of the ears to the clavicle.
It would be caused by two possible causes:
- Poor position of the baby in the womb: occurs more often in babies who have been placed on the breech
- A difficult and / or instrumentalized delivery (large babies) is frequently associated with the development of congenital torticollis, since the use of forceps or suction cups exert great pressure on this muscle, which can cause it to tense and cause injury.
In these cases, a small nodule or lump the size of an olive can be felt along the muscle. This lump will disappear as the torticollis improves.
A baby’s torticollis could also be caused by bone problems or birth defects, but this happens very rarely .
It hurts?
If you have ever had torticollis you will know that it is quite painful, however, as we read on the website specialized in children’s health, Kids Health, in the case of babies it does not seem to be the case, and fortunately most would not notice any pain .
What consequences can congenital muscular torticollis have?
In addition to the difficulty in turning the head to the opposite side – something that can sometimes go unnoticed by parents in the first days or weeks of life – the baby with congenital muscular torticollis could present the following problems :
- Difficulty sucking on one of the two breasts, due to not being able to turn the neck
- Flattening of one side of the head (plagiocephaly), since when lying down it will always support the same side. This asymmetry due to flattening does not affect the correct development of the brain
- In the most severe cases, other abnormalities in the muscles, bones and joints may also occur.
In addition, associated with congenital torticollis, hip dysplasia is usually present, since this is another of the typical lesions that appear after a difficult delivery or an abnormal posture in the uterus.
How is it diagnosed?
The pediatrician usually diagnoses this problem in the baby’s check-ups, although sometimes it may be necessary to accompany the diagnosis with other complementary tests such as ultrasound or X-rays , which will give a more precise view of the neck muscle and other possible associated anomalies.
How is congenital muscular torticollis treated?
Depending on the time of diagnosis and the severity of the problem, the treatment may vary, but in most cases it would go through:
- Perform a series of exercises at home that help the baby to mobilize and stretch the neck . These exercises should be done by the parents, following the guidelines set by the pediatrician or physiotherapist.
- It may be advisable to complement these routine exercises with those of a physical therapist in consultation
In addition, it is always advisable to place the baby on his stomach for a few moments a day while he is awake, as this will strengthen the muscles of the neck and back and avoid flattening on one side of the head.
The Spanish Association of Primary Care Pediatrics also recommends:
- Offer the baby breast or bottle feedings on the side that is most difficult for him, to encourage him to turn his head
- Do the same when showing toys with visual and auditory stimuli
- Place the crib in such a way that when laying the baby down (always on his back!) He is forced to turn his neck to the side that makes it more difficult for him to establish eye contact with mom or dad
In most cases, the evolution is favorable and the injury is corrected without any type of sequelae or deformity. According to Stanford Children’s Health Hospital, on very rare occasions it may be necessary to resort to surgery to correct the shortened muscle.
Photos | iStock
Via | In Family AEP, Family and Health – AEPap
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