What causes torticollis in children? Causes of torticollis in children

Torticollis in children, also known as goiter, is relatively common in clinical practice. As for the cause of torticollis in children, there are mainly two causes: congenital and acquired. Generally speaking, congenital torticollis in children is mainly caused by genetics, and improper sleeping posture may also cause torticollis.

Common causes of crooked neck: muscular torticollis, abnormal cervical skeletal structure, and torticollis caused by strabismus. It is recommended to take an AP and lateral radiograph and an open AP radiograph of the cervical spine to understand whether there is abnormal cervical skeletal structure and whether there is atlantoaxial joint dislocation. If these are ruled out, muscular torticollis and strabismus are likely to be the cause. They need to be differentiated. Even if the eyes are flexible left and right, you still need to see an ophthalmologist to rule out strabismus. If diagnosed with muscular torticollis, physical therapy and manual therapy are recommended. The sooner the correct treatment is started, the better. In addition, reverse exercises should be strengthened to correct the deformity.

There are many causes of torticollis, including congenital genetic factors, improper delivery techniques, and most of them are the result of muscle diseases. The pathological changes of torticollis are caused by contracture of the sternocleidomastoid muscle on the affected side. During delivery, due to the abnormal position of the fetus, for example, the neck muscles on one side, especially the sternocleidomastoid muscle, may become connective tissue, shortened and unable to stretch due to the abnormal position of the fetus at birth, or the sternocleidomastoid muscle may be injured by strong traction during delivery and cause hematoma, which is more common in breech delivery or difficult shoulder delivery.

Some congenital genetic factors, such as genes in the family that cause sternocleidomastoid muscle contracture in offspring, can cause congenital torticollis. Various congenital developmental abnormalities, such as the connection between the first cervical vertebra and the occipital skull, the combination of the first and second cervical vertebrae, cervical vertebrae deformity, and the existence of cervical ribs, can all cause torticollis.