Watch out for torticollis in children

The article is professionally consulted by Resident Doctor Resident Doctor of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

Neonatal torticollis is not too rare, statistics show that one in 250 babies has it. However, parents should not be too stressed, it is important to take the child to the doctor and coordinate treatment with the pediatrician to help the child return to health soon.

Neonatal torticollis is a condition in which the baby's head is tilted to one side because the SCM muscle is stretched. The main causes of torticollis in infants include health disorders and congenital causes.
For congenital causes, neonatal torticollis can be caused by trauma during childbirth such as forceps or improper use of assisted reproductive devices. In addition, congenital problems of the fetus such as fetal injury during pregnancy or abnormalities in the formation of cervical vertebrae can also cause this condition. The breech pregnancy is also one of the causes of congenital torticollis.
As for the cause of health disorders, there are 6 common medical conditions below:
Displacement of the eye. Sandifer syndrome. Outbursts of neck curvature. Grisel syndrome. Nodding stiffly. Infections and injuries.

Although infants with torticollis do not cause pain for children, if not detected and treated in time, when children grow up, they will leave complications affecting their whole life such as:
Due to torticollis, children can only lie on one side, over time will form flat head phenomenon, affecting the aesthetic of the child. Young faces are also not as symmetrical as normal people because tilting the head to one side causes the facial muscles to be misaligned. A bone disorder is a common condition seen in infants with curvature of the neck after adulthood.

Signs of torticollis in infants are quite obvious, and parents can quickly detect them right from the beginning of the syndrome. Usually, children will have three symptoms as follows:
Baby can only tilt his head in one direction. Because curvature of the neck makes it difficult for the baby to move, the baby often sucks milk from a fixed breast. There is a small tumor in the neck.

When parents notice signs of torticollis in an infant, they need to take the child to the hospital for examination immediately. In addition to direct examination of the child, the doctor will assign X-ray and ultrasound to the child.
For X-rays, this is a quick method to help doctors see the child's bone structure, thereby finding abnormalities, including torticollis. The ultrasound method helps the doctor check for any abnormalities in the SCM muscle.
After correctly identifying the infant's torticollis and finding the cause; For pathological causes, the doctor will conduct pathological treatment, and for congenital causes, the following are the methods to treat congenital torticollis:
Physiotherapy: This is the first method in the treatment of congenital torticollis. Therapeutic exercises will be carefully guided by specialists if parents want to practice for their children at home. In addition, parents will take their children for regular check-ups to assess the child's progress in recovery. The most important thing is that parents are not allowed to practice for their children without the guidance of medical staff. TOT Collar: This is a device that puts little pressure on the child's neck, helping the child's neck gradually return to its original position. Parents will be instructed on how to use the ring and how long to use it. Wearing a TOT necklace can be combined with physical therapy for faster results. Using Botox injections: This method is recommended for use with children over 6 months old. The doctor will inject botox directly into the SCM muscle to release tension so that the child's neck can return to its normal position. How many times to inject depends on the intensity of the disease, parents should consult a doctor before deciding to do it. Surgery: This method is only used when the above three methods do not work. After surgery, the child must undergo physical therapy for 3 months and wear a brace to maintain the correct position of the head.

Although it is not possible to completely prevent babies with torticollis, to minimize the possible risk, parents need to pay attention to the following issues:
Choosing the safest method of labor for the baby . Parents can consult a specialist about the problems that a vaginal birth or a caesarean section may face. From there, choose the birth method that is most beneficial to the baby. Learn about the signs of diseases that can lead to torticollis in children, so that early treatment and prevention of torticollis can be prevented. Please follow the website: Vinmec.com regularly to update many other useful information.

Reference sources: hellobacsi.com, bvndtp.org.vn