What does torticollis look like in young children. All about torticollis in children. Treatment of torticollis in newborns

Torticollis is very often detected on a standard medical examination of a newborn. Sometimes parents themselves notice that the position of the child's head is unnatural and begin to sound the alarm. This common disease with a frightening name only poses a serious health risk to an infant if it is triggered. Torticollis in newborns is a treatable disease, but it is important to start it as soon as the diagnosis is made.

What is torticollis

Torticollis is placed in a child whose head is positioned incorrectly - to one side or to the side, due to the pathology of the bone and muscle systems of the cervical zone.

Immediately after birth, the baby freely makes head movements in different directions, but it soon becomes noticeable that it has the wrong position. The sternocleidomastoid muscle thickens and shortens, which is detected by palpation at a doctor's appointment.

Most often, torticollis is diagnosed in children at 3 months - at this time, the child is already confidently holding his head, and with the disease it is difficult. Turning the head is almost always accompanied by crying - the shortened muscle does not stretch well, causing pain, as a result of which the motor activity of the neck and head is significantly reduced.

Causes of pathology

There are the following causes of torticollis in babies:

Intrauterine muscle injury due to abnormal position of the fetus or infection - congenital torticollis.
In complicated childbirth, a muscle can be torn. A scar is formed at the site of the tear, due to which it cannot fully grow.
Improper care of the child: parents, when carrying a newborn, lay it only on one side, fit on one side, etc. - adjusting torticollis.

Not a single child is immune from this disease; congenital torticollis can be found even in an infant born by caesarean section.

Children at high risk include:

born naturally with breech presentation;
subjected to intrauterine inflammation of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, as a result of which the affected area was replaced by fibrous tissue;
born with forceps or vacuum;
on the neck of which in the womb the wall of the uterus pressed.

What does torticollis look like in children (Photo)

Signs of torticollis in infants

The more time passes, the more the muscle changes, there are clear signs indicating the development of the disease:

the face becomes asymmetrical;
the child's shoulders are at different levels;
the spine is bent;
the head is tilted in any position of the child's body;
A newborn sleeps with its head always turned to one side.

At the first sign of torticollis in infants, parents should show it to a pediatrician, orthopedist and neurologist. Very often, increased muscle tone is taken for torticollis, which is found more often and is treated much easier. It is important to play it safe - the sooner the fight against the disease begins, the sooner the newborn will get rid of the disease.

How is torticollis treated?

Timely detection of the disease is half the success on the way to treatment. The younger the child, the easier it is to eradicate the disease. Treatment of both installation and congenital torticollis can be corrected with the help of massage and therapeutic exercises. Sometimes in the area of the pathologically altered muscle, a seal is felt. In this case, it is recommended to immediately seek surgical help.

Massage and its technique

This method of treatment is quite effective, you can start the procedure as early as 2 weeks after birth.

It is advisable to entrust a course of massage with torticollis to an experienced specialist - the result will come faster. Parents can also do massage at home, but at least several sessions with a qualified doctor to learn all the subtleties and not harm the newborn with their actions.

It is important to be patient and start the massage when the child is in good health and nothing bothers him. Massage of the cervical region can cause pain to the baby, you need to act carefully, but persistently.

The best time to start a session is before bedtime. But each child is individual and you need to adapt to him.

Basic massage techniques for a newborn:

Lay the child on his back. Stroke body parts with slight pressure. All movements are made from the bottom up - from the heels to the head. The skin can also be rubbed and tapped on it - these are the main ways to prepare the child's body for further manipulations. You do not need to immediately knead the neck, you need to start from the chest from the side of the diseased area, then slowly move on to the problem area.
Lightly massage the problem muscle in the direction from the ears to the collarbone. Finish with tapping movements in the same area.
Pinch the muscle between the fingers, carefully move back and forth. Before performing, it is recommended to practice on someone.
Press your palm to the problem area, make vibrating movements with it.
Repeat all the previous steps in relation to the healthy zone, so that the tone gradually evens out.
Finish the massage with stroking the whole body, not forgetting the back.

In the early days, the child may resist, after a few days he will get used to it.

Massage should be carried out regularly - every day 3-5 times until the result is achieved. It will not be instant, it is important to stock up on perseverance and patience.

What position to follow

In most cases, it is enough to properly care for the baby and follow a few rules:

The child should lie in the crib so that the back is even. His posture can be adjusted with rollers, placing them under the armpits.
If the newborn often spits up (about the reasons for constant spitting up), you need to lay him on his side on the side where the healthy muscle is located. It is desirable that there are toys in his field of vision so that he can turn his head, looking at them. This will be a good recharge.
If the baby prefers to sleep on his side from the side of the torticollis, he should have an orthopedic (not home-made!) Roller under his head. In the position on the side on the healthy side, nothing should be placed under the head.
The mattress on which the child sleeps should be firm - the choice of a mattress for infants. It is strictly forbidden to use ordinary pillows - only orthopedic, on the recommendation of a specialist (children under 2 years old do not need a pillow at all - read about it here).
When the child is in the arms of the parents in an upright position, his head must be propped up with his cheek, turning it towards the pathologically altered muscle.

Position control, coupled with massage and therapeutic exercises, will speed up the healing process.

Physiotherapy

Carrying out a complex of therapeutic exercises is an effective method. In order for parents to do everything right at home, you need to visit a specialist who will teach you all the basic techniques.

A set of exercises:

You should always start with a light massage of the whole body - stroke the skin, lightly tap it, rub it.
Stretch the child's joints - make circular movements in one direction, then in the other.
Bring the child's legs together, make them tilt in different directions, each time increasing the amplitude.
Press the legs bent at the knees to the chest of the child, then turn him alternately on the right and left sides.
Repeat the previous step, but with straight legs.
Put the baby on his stomach on a flat hard surface (the ideal option is a changing table), knock on it with his hands.

For further actions, you will need an assistant:

put the newborn on his back with his head towards you and wrap his arms around her. The second person fixes the shoulders. Start tilting your head side by side. Movements should be as slow as possible so as not to cause severe pain to the baby;
the position is the same, only the child lies on his stomach. It is necessary to slowly turn the head in different directions;
position the child on its side on the healthy side of the neck, while the head should slightly extend beyond the edge of the surface. Holding by the shoulders, gently lower and raise it.

In between exercises, you need to pay attention to the neck. Let the baby take the usual position, at this time you can stroke the healthy and diseased areas alternately, gradually moving to rubbing.

All exercises should be accompanied by affectionate conversations with the baby; gymnastics treatment is not forcibly carried out. If the child violently resists, you need to choose a more suitable time for classes.

Fitball will be a useful acquisition. If you lay a child on it with your stomach and slowly lower it below the level of the buttocks, a significant part of the tension will be removed from the sore muscle - study 15 useful exercises with a baby on a ball.

Treatment with special gymnastics should be regular, without gaps - a muscle with a pathology needs to be constantly worked out.

When to Seek Surgery

Before correcting the situation surgically, doctors try to cure torticollis with a course of massage, gymnastics, swimming, orthopedic fixators.

Surgical treatment is inevitable if:

torticollis was detected shortly after birth, but all manipulations were powerless (usually conservative treatment lasts up to 2 years);
torticollis is detected too late and is in a neglected state;
recurrence after previous surgical treatment.

The operation is performed under anesthesia. The dissection method corrects the position of the head, after which the wound is sutured and a plaster is applied to the neck.

If not treated? Possible consequences of inaction

Many parents think: if the diagnosis of torticollis was made, but over time, the deformation of the face and body is not noticeable in the child, then everything is normal. This is not so - up to a year they may not appear so clearly, but after the pathology can develop so strongly that it will take a lot of time and effort to fight it.

Terrible consequences of ignoring torticollis:

the whole body is deformed, scoliosis inevitably appears;
the face on the affected side becomes smaller in size;
joints develop incorrectly;
epileptic seizures appear;
vision deteriorates.

In order to avoid negative consequences, parents are obliged to take torticollis seriously, treatment should begin immediately.

Video about torticollis

How to determine that a child has torticollis? During the birth process, the baby can get injured of a different nature, including the curvature of the cervical vertebrae. The main thing is to detect the pathology in time and take the necessary measures. You can help the kid! Therefore, at the first suspicion of an incorrect position of the head of the crumbs, it is necessary to respond.

Torticollis in newborns is due to deformation of the vertebrae or pathological changes in the soft tissues of the neck. As a rule, this pathology is formed during the passage of the baby through the birth canal. Among the pathologies of the musculoskeletal system of infants, the crooked neck is the third field of clubfoot and congenital dislocation of the hip joint in the list. Torticollis in newborns is often accompanied by a violation of visual and auditory functions, coordination of movements and deformation of the skeletal framework.

The reasons for the formation of this pathology are of two types:

congenital;
acquired.

Causes of congenital pathology:

malposition;
pathology of the course of pregnancy;
fetal injury;
incorrect technique of obstetrics;
stimulation of labor activity;
infant birth trauma.

A congenital crooked neck is formed either in the prenatal period or during the birth of a child. The abnormal position of the fetus and the neck of the child wrapped around the umbilical cord provoke deformation in the process of intrauterine development. A crooked neck in a child can be formed as a result of a violation of the technique of obstetrics using medical instruments - forceps, etc. Also, a pathological change can also be provoked by a weak labor activity of the mother, the use of stimulant drugs, and a narrow pelvis. Birth trauma in a child can also result from a caesarean section.

Acquired wryneck

Wryneck in newborns often appears as a result of improper care. In a healthy child, the neck may be twisted as a result of the one-sided position of the head. The reasons for this deformation are as follows:

improper laying of babies;
turning the head to one side when the mother is in her arms;
placement of toys on one side of the crib.

Important! Make sure that the child's neck is not always turned to one side.

Also, torticollis in children can form as a result of a complication after suffering myositis or in its chronic form. A crooked neck is due to tuberculosis, cerebral palsy, encephalitis and other complex diseases accompanied by destruction and deformation of bone tissue. A reflex curve of the neck was also noted in diseases of the clavicle, mastoid process and parotid glands.

Pathology can be caused by unilateral fixation of the head in case of serious ailments not related to spinal disease:

after burns;
after injury;
with enlarged lymph nodes.

Secondary (acquired) crooked neck in children may be associated with pathologies of the inner ear or eye diseases.

Any pathological fixation of the head can lead to deformation of the neck muscles in a child.

Signs of curvature

Pathological curvature of the neck in a newborn is immediately visible. However, even a pediatrician sometimes cannot determine the mild form of the altered state. What should you pay attention to?

The following symptoms should cause concern:

the baby's head constantly leans to one side;
with congenital pathology, the mastoid muscle of the chest is unnaturally enlarged;
an attempt to turn the head of babies in the other direction is accompanied by crying in pain;
facial features in children are asymmetrical - the eye is squinted, and the shoulder is raised;
with bilateral curvature of the neck, the head in children is either thrown back or tilted to the chest.

Mom should be alerted by the symptoms of limited neck mobility in a child.

At the same time, the baby's handle can be constantly compressed into a fist, and the leg is bent. However, there are other forms of curvature in which the activity of the neck is not limited, but at the same time there is a compressed fist and a bent leg from one side.

An untreated curvature of the neck leads to:

low location of the eye on the side of the curvature;
underdevelopment of the auricle;
flat cheek from the side of curvature;
deformation of the jaw shape;
violation of the correct bite.

In children, milk teeth appear later, general development is delayed (sit down and stand up later). Also in babies, violations of the vestibular apparatus and lack of balance were noted. In the future, flat feet, curvature of the spine (scoliosis) and early osteochondrosis are formed in children.

Also, untreated torticollis in newborns leads to strabismus, headaches, impaired auditory and visual function, and vegetative-vascular dystonia. Therefore, it is important to timely identify the symptoms of pathology and eliminate the causes of the neck defect.

Healing procedures

If you suspect a curvature of the cervix in a child, you should consult with pediatric specialists:

neurologist;
otolaryngologist;
orthopedist;
ophthalmologist.

Timely diagnosis will help correct the pathology. In children at two / three months, the treatment is more effective and gives results. In older children, treating torticollis is more difficult.

What treatment is indicated for a baby with a curvature of the neck? Doctors prescribe a set of medical procedures that the mother must adhere to:

special neck massage;
physiotherapy;
water procedures;
Shants collar;
physiotherapy.

These procedures are prescribed for infants from two / three weeks of age. However, if torticollis is not congenital, but caused by another disease, therapy for this disease is carried out along with neck correction. Treatment of children is carried out by specialists (massage, physiotherapy), however, the main burden falls on the shoulders of the mother. It is on its activity that the rapid treatment of pathology depends.

If conservative methods of therapy do not help, surgical intervention is performed: dissection of the neck muscles or lengthening. The first method of surgery can be used for children after a year, the second - from four years. If these operations are not carried out, the child will grow up with a crooked neck and a pronounced pathology of the musculoskeletal system.

Important! In order not to bring the situation to a surgical intervention, you should carefully monitor the baby and carry out the necessary therapy in a timely manner.

home therapy

The first thing a mother should do is to properly lay the baby in the crib and hold it on the handles. If a baby at two months begins to tilt its head back or constantly turn it one side, you need to carefully correct the position of the head. Only a mother can treat with the right position.

Next, mom should remove the pillow from under her head and replace it with a diaper folded in four layers. Pillows are contraindicated for babies: from the first month of life, the baby should be taught to sleep on a hard surface and without soft pillows.

A soft bed contributes to the deformation of the musculoskeletal system and the curvature of the neck.

To normalize the condition of the curved neck of a baby at two / three months old, attractive toys should be placed on the side of the curved neck. The baby will strive to examine the toys, naturally stretching the muscles of the neck.

Another cervical treatment available at home: fixing the head of babies with salt bags. It is necessary to sew several cotton bags and pour them into their usual salt. Arrange the pouches so that they support the correct position of the baby's head. However, this method is not suitable if the baby spit up frequently. In this case, you can fix the position of the baby's body with the help of high pillows.

Home gymnastics

At home, you can treat a baby at two / three months with the help of gymnastics, which is carried out by mom and grandma or dad together. One person should support the body and arms of the crumbs, and the second - the neck. This method is painful but necessary. In order to properly perform gymnastics and conduct home treatment for the baby, you should consult a children's masseur.

The essence of the method: the body and head of the crumbs are located on the edge of the table, parallel to the plane of the surface. The head must be hung and supported by hand. The head support should then be carefully loosened. In this case, the muscles of the neck naturally stretch.

This gymnastics is carried out in combination with physiotherapy and therapeutic massage by a specialist. In order for the result to be fixed, it is necessary to conduct a treatment course four times during the year. It is good to supplement therapeutic exercises with water procedures that are carried out with the baby in the bathroom: when swimming, the spinal column is stretched and the muscles of the neck relax.

How to get rid of stretch marks after childbirth?

Treatment of torticollis in infants, the signs of which appear in about a month, is a fairly common disease in newborns. This disease did not bypass my daughter, but we won. Without looking ahead, I will describe everything sequentially.

We'll talk about:

Signs of torticollis in infants
Reasons for the appearance
Types of torticollis
Torticollis in newborns: treatment

Being already an experienced mother of two children, I, alas, ... overlooked the torticollis of my child, because I was completely absorbed in the fact that there was little milk and proper feeding had to be adjusted,. At the age of three, she began to suspect, but it was impossible to make a diagnosis herself, by no means. Only a month later, when she came to the first weigh-in, she voiced her fear, and the doctor calmly stated: “Yes, among other things, you also have torticollis, almost all children with muscle tone have torticollis. We have come to how to determine this disease in a baby at home.

Signs of torticollis in infants

Torticollis is nothing more than damage to the neck muscle (left or right), as a result of which it is shortened, and the baby begins to hold his head at an angle, sideways for comfort. Visually, any experienced mother will immediately notice this. Even when the baby is in his arms, he always looks in one direction. It happens that different specialists do not agree with the diagnosis. One puts the baby in a torticollis, and the second claims that this is just muscle tone.

The damaged muscle forms a certain noticeable sign of torticollis. If the diagnosis is accurate, then the baby's head will be tilted to the damaged muscle, and turned in the opposite direction, with a barely noticeable tilt back. If the torticollis of the newborn is clearly expressed (launched), the clavicle in front and the scapula behind on one side (for example, on the right) will be higher than on the left. The head is inclined towards the affected side of the neck, as if one side of the neck were shorter than the other.

Causes of torticollis

I am not a specialist, but an ordinary mother of three children. Experts identify several reasons for the appearance and development of torticollis in newborns:

Deviation in the development of the mastoid muscles
With prolonged and difficult childbirth, a tear could occur in the muscle, some of the muscle fibers degenerate into tendons. At the site of the tear, a scar is obtained and then growth lag occurs along the length of the entire muscle. As a result, it is shorter than a healthy muscle on the other side.
The head is fixed incorrectly in utero if there is unilateral pressure of the uterus on the fetus.
Intrauterine inflammation of this muscle occurs, then they become chronic, the muscle shortens and loses its elasticity.
With deformation of the cervical vertebrae, violations of their structure.

Our pediatrician said that in her practice, almost 60% is a congenital defect and 20% acquired.

We have come to the next paragraph of the article, where I will describe the types of the disease. Our pediatrician said that in her practice, almost 60% is a congenital defect, and 20% is acquired.

Types of torticollis

Traumatic torticollis - the consequences of a fracture of the spine
Dermatogenic (derma-skin), resulting from scars on the muscle that resulted from a serious burn or other injury
Reflex - these are the consequences of otitis media, malfunctions of the sebaceous gland or maxillofacial trauma
Spasmodic torticollis refers to abnormal tension in the neck muscles
Neurogenic torticollis is a paralysis of the cervical muscles due to spasm, often the consequences of polio, or no less serious encephalitis
Congenital torticollis of infants, often formed in utero, or during childbirth with breech presentation. Even with the normal position of the fetus, the baby's head can get stuck in the birth canal, it can be turned to the side. In general, prolonged labor is difficult for the mother, and traumatic for the baby. Caesarean section, the imposition of a vacuum nozzle, obstetric forceps on the baby's head.

Oddly enough, nowhere did I find acquired torticollis, because I used to think that torticollis is more likely the result of the fact that the baby always lies on one side. It turns out that this is congenital, but we begin to notice torticollis closer to a month or two.

Treatment of each disease, including torticollis of the newborn, started in the early stages is more effective. Easier flow (not so painful for the baby) and recovery is faster.

Treatment of torticollis in infants

Knowing almost everything about the treatment of torticollis in infants and newborns, I, as expected, went to a pediatric surgeon (he is also an orthopedist). There is no need to self-medicate a child. He confirmed the diagnosis at first glance and prescribed treatment: massage and said that if there was no result, we would add electrophoresis. He advised to put the baby in the arena on the “uncomfortable” side. There were no free coupons, we went to a paid doctor. In addition to the massage, the doctor also gave practical advice. When bathing (necessarily in a circle on the neck), after the procedures, lightly stroke the neck on the affected side with two fingers from the ear to the collarbone, rubbing vitamin A oil into the hands. Literally after 10 massage sessions, we started to recover.

Here are the basic massage options for torticollis, which you can do yourself:

Gently rub the sore muscle with gentle movements, without pressing on it.
Smoothly, gently, without sudden movements, turn the baby's head either to the right or to the left
Stroking the neck from ear to collarbone.

Carrying a baby in your arms seems to be a common practice, but with torticollis of a newborn, this should be part of a comprehensive treatment. Here are some examples of how to wear it correctly:

Take the baby in a “column” leaning him against your chest so that his shoulders are at the level of yours. Turn the head in the direction you want to develop, hold the head with your cheek to fix it.
Carry the baby facing you and, turning it towards you with the problem side, so that the head is fixed in the desired position, for a natural stretching of the neck muscles.

In general, up to 7 types of treatment for torticollis in infants are used:

Massage
Gymnastics of the cervical
Treatment with body fixation
Bathing circle
Physio procedures, magnetotherapy
The imposition of a special cardboard collar sheathed with cotton wool, gauze (Shantz)
Classes with mom and a specialist in the pool.

Warm baths are shown at a temperature of 35-36 degrees, and after them, do gymnastics with the little one.

The scheme of the massage that was done to my Anechka, below I am attaching the video, and you can make sure that there is nothing complicated. I'm just a coward, I was afraid that somewhere I would press harder, put pressure, so I entrusted Anechka to a professional masseur.

The baby is laid out on a warm diaper, hands are smeared with massage cream (our masseuse alternated cream and vitamin A oil). At first, slowly, and then faster and faster, as if looking at the baby: breast, then arms, legs in several approaches. Stroking the cheekbone (cheek) from the healthy side.
It simply turns the head of the little one to the right and left, as if playfully touching the neck, stroking
Then strokes the sides along and the tummy clockwise
Goes to the feet, pressing on them in the center (hollow of the foot) goes to the outer edge.
She rolls her over on her tummy (at these moments Anechka always started to cry), strokes her back and neck, then “rolls” her, talking from one side to the other, turning her over. This relaxes the spinal column, and hence the cervical region.
Again, foot massage (already lying on the tummy), rises to the body and ends with a hand massage.

Literally 10 minutes, but it is quite difficult to endure the crying of your own child, this time seems like an eternity. We figured out the massage, the correct wearing of the little one in our arms and swimming, followed by treatment with the position. It is also a type of passive treatment for torticollis in infants. Incorrect head position with torticollis of newborns, even when the baby is just lying in the arena, should not be left without your participation. Use all available options for the treatment of torticollis!

The very first thing you should pay attention to is that there is no pillow under the child’s head, which leads to pathological neck bends. The sailor should be tough enough, you can choose with coconut coir. During sleep, the baby will turn his head as he feels comfortable, your task is to gently turn it in the direction you need. So that the baby does not return to its original position, put something bright on the affected side that will attract its attention, the light source is also ideal, let it be from there.

I put the playpen so that the approach to it was from both sides. During daytime wakefulness, some mothers cover the baby's head with bags of salt or sand to fix it. Personally, I didn’t do this, the thought that at any second the little one could burp, but he wouldn’t be able to turn his head, plunged me into a cold sweat.

Torticollis in the chest- This is a disease in which there is a forced deviation of the neck in one direction. Although torticollis is most commonly diagnosed in infants, it can also affect adults. In each case, the reasons for its occurrence may be different. What are the symptoms of the disease? Is it possible to cure her? What is the rehabilitation of patients?

Torticollis(curvature of the neck) - a disease, the essence of which is a defect in the sternocleidomastoid muscle on one side of the body, which leads to the appearance of a painful tilt of the head to one side and turning it in the opposite direction, while the child's gaze is directed slightly upward. With the left-sided version, the neck bends to the left, and the head is turned to the right, and with the right-sided version, the neck bends to the right, the head is turned to the left, and the second form is most common. The consequence of the disease is an increase in muscle tension on one side of the neck, while on the other side the same muscle is weakened.

Torticollis in infants: types and causes

Congenital torticollis in infants

The cause of congenital muscular torticollis is most often a birth injury in the neck, formed during the passage of the child through the birth canal, or the incorrect position of his head in the womb. Congenital torticollis can also be the result of malformations in the formation of bones or changes in the structure of the spine (Klippel-Feil syndrome).

Acquired torticollis in infants

The acquired form of torticollis is most often the result of inflammatory processes, which include inflammation of the lymph nodes of the neck, tonsillitis and mastoiditis, as well as rheumatic diseases, a herniated disc. The cause of the disease may be a subluxation of the vertebrae. Torticollis can be caused by sudden movements of the neck or the adoption of an incorrect body posture (for example, poor head position during sleep). Other causes of curvature may be damage to the cervical spine and even defects in the organs of vision, hearing, or impaired functioning of the nervous system. Inflammation of the bone marrow and cancerous tumors can also contribute to the development of the disease.

However, in most cases, the cause of the curvature remains unknown. It's about idiopathic torticollis.

Torticollis in infants: symptoms

The main symptom is a tilt of the head, turning it in the opposite direction, and the child's gaze is directed slightly upward. The disease is accompanied by:

inability to move the head normally
pain or stiffness in the neck
headache,
swelling of the neck muscles,
tilting the chin to one side.

In children, torticollis may also be accompanied by a rise of one shoulder to the side, covered by muscle spasm. As the disease progresses, its manifestations increase. Asymmetry is noticeable on the face, the nasolabial fold and the angle of the eye are reduced, and the eye itself changes shape and size. There are changes in the skeletal system: there is a deformation of the brain and facial parts of the skull, malocclusion. Violations in the cervical spine lead to the appearance of scoliosis - the bend is directed in one direction or another, depending on where the neck is curved.

Torticollis in infants, diagnosis

The main study carried out to detect torticollis is, in particular, electromyography (EMG), the purpose of which is to measure the electrical activity in the muscles. Thanks to this, it is possible to determine which parts of the muscles were affected by the disease. X-rays and MRI may also be helpful.

How to take care of the posture of a child with torticollis?

1. If a child is diagnosed with torticollis, he should be placed against the side of the bed towards which he turns his head. You should keep this in mind when setting up the crib (it should be near a light source that attracts the child's attention) and hanging toys above it or the baby's stroller.

2. When you put your baby to sleep, you need to lay him on his back, placing his head between large pillows or other objects that will stabilize the collarbones and prevent the shoulders from lifting. Also place a bag of stuffing under the head on the side where the baby usually turns it.

3. During the bottle or breast must be fed on the side of the muscle contracture.

Torticollis in infants, treatment

In the treatment of congenital torticollis, neck muscle stretching plays an important role. If rehabilitation does not help, you can, as a last resort, correct the defect with the help of surgical operations, which consist, in particular, in the resection of the sternocleidomastoid muscle.

The main treatment for acquired torticollis is to treat the underlying cause. The elements of therapy are also:

warm compresses,
physiotherapy (irradiation with a Sollux lamp, Bioptron, laser therapy),
tire use,
muscle stretching exercises,
neck stretcher.

Congenital torticollis in newborns is a fairly common disease. This anomaly is more common in boys than in girls. The turn of the neck is predominantly to the right.

Deformation of one or more vertebrae, violation of the structure;
With excessive one-sided pressure on the fetus of the uterus, the head is not installed correctly;
With intrauterine inflammation of the muscle, inflammation forms in a chronic form, the muscle becomes shorter and loses its elasticity;
In severe childbirth, the muscle can tear, and the muscle fibers will pass into the tendons. A scar is organized in this place, growth lag occurs in the muscles along the entire length.
With malformations of the mastoid muscles.

Most orthopedists believe that torticollis in newborns is primarily a congenital defect, most often obtained during childbirth. Babies who were born even by caesarean section are not immune from this disease. It is worth noting that in infants with gluteal diligence of the fetus, it is more common than in others. To accurately determine the cause of this diagnosis, consultation of specialists is required: Pediatrician, Orthopedist, Neurologist.

Photo of newborns with torticollis

Video about torticollis

With the treatment of torticollis, it is better not to delay, but to start from two weeks of age. The forced position of the head of the baby can lead to asymmetry of the face and skull. At an older age, left untreated, torticollis leads to scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and facial deformity. The older the child, the more difficult it is to treat.

Treatment methods for torticollis in infants

Productive results include:

Massage for newborns with torticollis;
Therapeutic gymnastics;
Position treatment;
Physiotherapy procedures.
Circle for bathing newborns;
Apply a special collar made of cardboard, sheathed with cotton wool and gauze. (Schanz Collar)
Lesson in the pool (bath)

Bath session

Circle from torticollis

Massage for torticollis in water

If the signs of torticollis are caused by some common disease, then it must be treated as well. First of all, the result depends on the participation and activity of the baby's parents in the treatment. Massage in this disease, however, as in any case, is best entrusted to a specialist. An experienced massage therapist will help achieve a better result than parents at home.

Massage for newborns with torticollis at home:

Lay the child on his back. General strokes to massage the chest, arms and legs. With gentle movements, crush the muscle from the side of the torticollis. Stroking and rubbing massage the cheek from the healthy side;
Do corrective exercises, alternating healthy and sore side in turns;
Lightly stroke the belly. Repeat neck massage. Gently crush the child's feet;
Turn the baby on his stomach. Make light strokes of the back and neck. Turning the child from one side to the other, this procedure causes back extension;
Finish by stroking the legs of the hands.

Massage to do 3 times a day, 5 - 8 minutes.

VIDEO: Massage session for muscle hypertonicity and torticollis

Position treatment

Parents can also do a lot for their child at home, for example, treatment with a position. It must be carried out constantly independently in the arms of a child or in a crib. This type of treatment is needed to passively stretch the affected muscle. For the correct formation of the body scheme. The incorrect position of the child's head should not be familiar and natural. Parental involvement in this type of treatment is paramount.

The child must sleep properly. It is only necessary to put the child on a hard mattress and replace the pillow with a diaper (folded several times). During sleep, make sure that the baby's head is turned in the direction of the damaged muscle. It will be easier to do this if you put a toy on the side of the sore muscle and turn on the light. In this position, the affected muscle is stretched involuntarily.

Moms take note!

Hello girls) I didn’t think that the problem of stretch marks would affect me, but I’ll write about it))) But I have nowhere to go, so I’m writing here: How did I get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? I will be very glad if my method helps you too ...

It is good to apply the fixation of the child's head in the correct position with the help of salt bags. Pay attention to the fact that the body lies symmetrically. If the baby often spits up, then this method should not be used! In this case, the child should be laid on a healthy side, if on a sick side, then be sure to put a high pillow.

Prevention of torticollis

Physiotherapy

Special collar for torticollis

Gymnastics with torticollis is available at home. If you decide to do it yourself, then first consult a physiotherapy doctor. Gymnastic exercises for the baby are painful, so everything must be done carefully, but persistently. Exercises are performed in pairs.

One person holds the body and arms of the baby, and the second securely holds the head. With this method, place the shoulder girdle parallel to the edge of the table, and hang the head and neck. Be sure to remember that the head and body should be located exactly, in one line. Gradually reduce head support. With this method, the muscles relax and, as a result, stretch. Hands limit the child's head rotation and tilt. Perform the exercise symmetrically. Raise the head of the baby until the chin touches the chest. Exercise to perform in the morning and evening. no more than 5 times.

When you pick up your baby, gradually reduce the head support. Try to let it hang under its own weight, this helps to stretch the muscle. Raise your head for a while, let the baby rest and repeat again. Exercise at least three times a day.

Treatment should be carried out in parallel with massage courses and electrophoresis. After a couple of courses, in most cases the result is positive. However, parents need to remember that relapse is possible. On the affected side, muscle growth retardation will continue. To consolidate the result, it is recommended to conduct at least 4 courses of physiotherapy with massage in the first year.

Surgery

In extremely rare cases, it is not possible to achieve a positive result with conservative treatment. Surgery is recommended by the age of one. There are two ways:

Dissection of muscles (myotomy);
Plastic elongation of the muscle.

The first method is carried out only in the department of orthopedics, under general anesthesia. After dressing, the neck wounds are fixed with a plaster cast.

The second method is suitable for children after 4 years. After surgery, the symmetry of the muscles is restored. If the child had an underlying disease, then relapse may increase. The cicatricial process in the region of muscle junction is strongly pronounced. During periods of rapid growth of the child, it is imperative to be observed by an orthopedist. If the treatment is ignored, or not completed, the child will develop an irreparable pathology. The head will constantly tilt towards the shoulder area.

VIDEO: Muscular torticollis, muscle hypertonicity in an infant before and after baby massage

A good result can always be achieved if you do not start the disease and systematically conduct classes with the child. With proper treatment, this disease goes away completely. Parents should first of all provide active assistance to their baby in recovery!