Torticollis In The Baby

Torticollis is a normally painful condition and you may have experienced it at some time in your life, especially after a night with some uncomfortable posture while you were sleeping. It usually develops in newborns due to difficult delivery or improper placement in the uterus. This condition can be known as congenital muscular torticollis or infantile torticollis.

Most babies do not experience any pain with torticollis, but they may have a crooked head or have trouble turning their neck. Fortunately, with a few simple exercises and / or appropriate changes in position, the child will improve over time. But in order to help a baby with torticollis, the first thing to do is understand what this condition is about when babies are so young. 

What is torticollis?

Torticollis or ‘twisted neck’ is a condition in which a baby or child has their head tilted to one side and their chin tilted in the opposite direction due to the pain they feel (they cannot put their head in a normal position). It is called ‘congenital torticollis’ if the child is born with this condition. Studies have shown that approximately 1 in 250 babies suffers from this condition at birth.

In some cases, acquired torticollis can occur at a time after birth with the head and chin twisted in the same direction. The baby with torticollis may seem sore, but usually it is not (although sometimes it is, mostly due to poor posture). Ideally, if you see that your baby’s head is on one side with or without pain, you go to your pediatrician to assess the condition.

Symptoms of torticollis in babies

Torticollis in babies can show some symptoms that are related when the baby tries to tilt his head, move it or even, it can be noticed when you hold your baby in your arms. To know if it really can be torticollis you should look at the symptoms that are quite clear in these cases:

• His head is tilted in one direction
• Look over one shoulder instead of turning your head fully to follow the movement
• Prefers breastfeeding on one breast as it may have difficulty on the other side
• Has difficulty fully moving his head in a particular direction and becomes frustrated when unable to do so

In addition to these symptoms , there are also other conditions developed from torticollis. It is important to know what they are about to be able to differentiate them and if necessary, go to the pediatrician as soon as possible to assess the condition:

• Positional plagiocephaly (flat head development) on one or both sides as a result of always lying in a particular direction
• Development of a small lump or lump in the neck, similar to a knot in a tight muscle

Possible causes of torticollis in babies

There are different causes that can cause torticollis in babies and it is necessary to know what they may be due to in order to go to the doctor and seek the most appropriate treatment in each case.

Although it is not a common condition in babies, it is a condition that can occur and therefore, parents should be attentive to the causes that can cause it.

Narrowing in the sternocleidomastoid muscle

Congenital torticollis usually develops when the muscle that connects the sternum and clavicle to the skull (sternocleidomastoid muscle) narrows and tightens.

This tightness may be due to abnormal positioning in the uterus (head tilted in one direction), or the muscle may have been damaged during delivery.  The condition is called ‘congenital muscular torticollis’.

Anomalies in the cervical vertebrae

Less common are abnormalities in the formation of the cervical vertebrae that can be the cause of congenital torticollis, a condition known as ‘klippel-Feil syndrome’.

In this case, the neck bones may be glued together, abnormally formed, or a combination of both. All of this could cause torticollis.

Hereditary diseases

Congenital torticollis can be caused in rare cases as a result of serious medical conditions that cause nervous system or muscle damage, brain damage, or a spinal cord tumor. The condition is also hereditary and for this reason this condition can also occur in babies.