The child's head tilts to one side, which is torticollis

Some parents always find that their children's heads are tilted to one side in daily life. This situation may be torticollis, but not entirely. The specific situation can only be known after going to the hospital for routine examination. It must not be treated randomly. Once torticollis is confirmed, the posture must be adjusted. Only if it is treated in the early stage can it get better faster.

1. After the baby is born, the mother may find that the baby's head tilts to the affected side, the face rotates to the healthy side, and the lower jaw points to the healthy shoulder. After 2 to 3 weeks, the torticollis deformity becomes more obvious. Turning the head to the healthy side is significantly limited, and patients with mild symptoms should be carefully observed to detect it. This symptom becomes more severe as the child grows and develops.

2. A neck mass can usually be felt after birth or within 2 weeks after birth. It is located in the middle and lower part of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and is more common on the right side. This lump is fusiform and non-tender. It usually reaches its largest size after 1 to 2 months, and then gradually shrinks until it disappears completely. In some of these children, the lump does not disappear and muscle fibrosis and contracture occur, causing torticollis deformity.

3. If congenital muscular torticollis is not effectively treated in the early stages, facial deformities will appear after the age of 2. The main manifestation is facial asymmetry, asymmetric distance from the outer corner of the eye to the corner of the mouth, shortened distance on the affected side and longer on the healthy side. The position plane of the affected eye is lowered, and because the two eyes are not on the same horizontal line, visual fatigue and decreased vision are likely to occur. The facial area on the healthy side is round and full, while that on the affected side is narrow and flat. Compensatory scoliosis may occur in the cervical spine. In addition, the child's entire face, including the nose and ears, may also show asymmetric changes.

1. Sternocleidomastoid myotomy is one of the more commonly used surgical methods. A transverse incision was made on the clavicle to expose the sternal head and clavicular head of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, which were cut off above the attachment points and the surrounding fascia tissue was released.

2. Partial sternocleidomastoid muscle resection is suitable for patients with obvious neck lumps, and the lumpy segment of the sternocleidomastoid muscle can be removed.

3. Total sternocleidomastoid muscle resection is suitable for adolescent patients. If the entire sternocleidomastoid muscle is scarred, the entire segment can be removed.

4. Sternocleidomastoid muscle lengthening surgery involves cutting off the clavicular head of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and lengthening the sternal head in a "Z" shape. Advantages of this surgery: Corrects head and neck deviation and restores normal neck movement function; does not destroy the normal cervical triangle surface morphology, avoids other surgical methods that leave concave deformities or abnormal flat deformities on the neck, and makes the neck beautiful and symmetrical.

5. Combined release and plasty of the upper and lower ends of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. This surgery can be used for older children or those who have failed other surgeries. The method is to completely cut off the mastoid side and clavicular head side of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, and extend the sternal head side in a "Z" shape.

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