Torticollis

Early detection and early intervention is vital for effective torticollis treatment. A physical therapist will evaluate your child to assess their gross motor development, positioning, alignment, strength, and flexibility. The physical therapist will work with the family to develop and reach goals, implementing interventions that may include: muscle strengthening, correcting muscle imbalances and improving posture and alignment.

When dealing with CMN or positional acquired torticollis, resolution of symptoms is as high as 95% if physical therapy is initiated in the first 3 months of life, which is why early intervention is key. If untreated or treated after early infancy, CMT can lead to craniofacial deformities  and painful limited cervical motion, requiring more invasive interventions such as botulinum neurotoxin injections and surgery.

If physical therapy is started before 1 month of age, 98% of infants with CMT achieve normal cervical range of motion within 1.5 months. Waiting until after 1 month of age prolongs the physical therapy episode of care up to 6 months, and waiting until after 6 months to begin physical therapy may require 9 to 10 months of physical therapy intervention, with progressively fewer infants achieving normal range.