What should I do if my baby has torticollis? How to correct torticollis

Baby torticollis is mainly caused by congenital heredity and acquired improper sleeping posture, and many new mothers do not know what to do if their baby has torticollis. In this case, the principle of early treatment should be followed first. Acquired torticollis requires the cooperation of parents to correct the baby’s sleeping position.

1. Physical method.

Physical methods can be used for young babies, such as infants under 1 year old, especially those under 6 months old, as well as babies with mild symptoms and no deformities.

2. Posture correction.

You can place sound sources, bright objects, lights, etc. on the baby's affected side to attract the baby's attention so that the muscles on the affected side can be stretched to counteract contracture.

3. Manual massage.

Use the tip of your thumb to massage along the sternocleidomastoid muscle. You can also fix the shoulder of the affected side. Use your other hand to gently pull the head toward the healthy side and the lower jaw toward the affected side, and stay for 30-60 seconds. Do this 100-200 times a day.

4. Surgical treatment.

If there is no improvement after six months to one year of physical therapy, and limited neck movement and facial deformities occur, surgical treatment should be considered.

5. Correct sleeping posture

The baby has torticollis because the baby always turns his face towards the side where the mother is when sleeping. If you find that the baby has torticollis, you can try to sleep on the other side of the baby's torticollis. For example, if the baby's neck is tilted to the left, the mother should sleep on the right side of the baby and continue sleeping like this for a period of time. Also, when holding the baby, because the baby always likes to look outside, when holding the baby, if the baby's neck is tilted to the left, use the right hand to hold the baby, and let the baby's left face rest on the adult's arms. In this way, the baby will twist his neck to the right to see things, and it can be corrected in a week or a few days.

6. External treatment

Torticollis in children, medically known as congenital muscular torticollis, is a condition in which the sternocleidomastoid muscle fibers on one side contract, causing the neck to become tilted to one side. The main causes of the disease are birth trauma, breech presentation, etc. In addition, there are also intrauterine and extrauterine infections, genetics, and arteriovenous thrombosis leading to muscle necrosis. If the disease is treated correctly and effectively with non-surgical methods in the early stages, most children can be completely cured. The earlier this disease is treated, the better the effect. External treatment is used in infancy, and most cases have satisfactory results. As age increases, surgery may be used if nonsurgical treatment is ineffective. However, if the child is over 12 years old, surgery can correct the deformity, but it is difficult for the facial deformity to completely return to normal.

7. Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine treatment is suitable for infants after birth and under six months old. At this age, it is difficult to predict whether the mass in the sternocleidomastoid muscle will disappear on its own, so external treatment should be actively adopted to promote early absorption of hematoma and prevent muscle fiber contracture.