Baby Torticollis

“There can be a number of reasons why adults get Torticollis, but the cause in babies is it not always very clear. Most paediatric experts believe it is due to the position the baby has been lying within the uterus, or due to the birth process itself.

As a paediatric cranial osteopath I see a number of babies with torticollis in my surgery and the majority can be helped very quickly, within one or two sessions.

The most common feature is that the baby prefers to rotate their head to one side and not the other. Breast feeding mothers may notice that their baby prefers to feed from one side. Babies that have difficulty turning their head to the left generally find it more difficult to feed from their mother’s right breast.

The importance of detecting this condition early is that if the baby spends time on their back (hence complying to the back to sleep campaign) with the head rotated to one side, the baby will invariably develop a flattening of the head on that side. This is called Positional Plagiocephaly, or Flat Head Syndrome.

Once a flat spot develops in a babies skull bones, it becomes even more difficult to correct as gravity keeps bringing the head back onto the flat spot, thereby making it worse.

I can strongly recommend a SleepCurve mattress to support your baby’s head and minimise the likelihood of Plagiocephaly.

This website gives you more information about baby torticollis and what symptoms of torticollis to look out for. It also provides some information on various treatments for torticollis.

I hope you find the information useful. If you have anything to add please use the contact form but please remember that this site if for general information and guidance. If you are concerned about the shape of your baby’s head please talk to your midwife or doctor, or see a paediatric osteopath or other specialist.

I have a clinic called the ‘Old Hall Clinic’ in Gatley, South Manchester – for details please click on the image below.

Sorry, but I cannot provide advice or consultations via email or telephone.

Philip Owen D.O., B.Sc. (Hons)
Paediatric Cranial Osteopath.