https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 25 May 2026 18:31:43 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1642506 Sun, 18 May 2014 07:28:45 +0000 Foodnerd81 1642506@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@swedishfish: he did great. He wore the helmet for a few months and his parents said the hardest part was washing his head in between- he didn't like that part. He has low muscle tone overall so has done pt for that as well an he was a late walker but he runs all over the place now. My brother was actually the same way, low muscle tone, late crawler and walker, so it wasn't so much of a shock. Nephew is almost three now and loves to run. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1642497 Sun, 18 May 2014 07:02:21 +0000 ladybee 1642497@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@swedishfish: same here as you know. M's was caused by either placement in utero or his difficult delivery but his tight neck muscles caused a flat spot fast no matter what we did. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1642292 Sat, 17 May 2014 21:14:51 +0000 swedishfish 1642292@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: torticollis can cause plagiocephaly...some babies are just more susceptible to them than others. R's torticollis caused her slight plagiocephaly because she would only sleep on one side of her head even though I'd try to switch her. Her neck muscles were tight on one side and it made her head turn...left?... more often. I'm so happy I can't even remember which side was the issue anymore! How did your nephew do with them? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1642232 Sat, 17 May 2014 20:32:42 +0000 Foodnerd81 1642232@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@swedishfish: you're right, I'm sorry. I was mixing it up with the flat head / placio- something which is related but not the same. My nephew had both and I mix them up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1642063 Sat, 17 May 2014 19:18:43 +0000 swedishfish 1642063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: torticollis can happen due to position in the womb. I had concerns about R from a much younger age than when we were actually recommended to Early Intervention (6 months old). I've also read it can go hand in hand with hip dysplasia and the ped thought LO had hip dysplasia the day she was born.</p> <p>@matador84: what about Early Intervention where you live? It's free in New York. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1642062 Sat, 17 May 2014 19:18:26 +0000 ladybee 1642062@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: agreed. It's not one size fits all that's for sure. We were lucky that insurance covered it. I can see where people would be reluctant to spend that kind of money if it wasn't a severe case. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1642052 Sat, 17 May 2014 19:11:28 +0000 mrbee 1642052@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ladybee: I didn't read the full study, but it sounded like it didn't look into severe cases:</p> <p>&lt;&lt; [T]he study leaves open the possibility that the helmets may still be useful for infants with severe skull flattening and those with tight neck muscles, which make it hard for infants to turn their heads, so they remain in one position. ...</p> <p>Some surgeons worried that the finding would be applied too broadly, jeopardizing insurance coverage for severely affected children who could benefit from helmets.</p> <p>“What I fear happening is that children with a severe deformity are going to be denied helmets based on this evidence, which is really only talking about moderate cases,” said Dr. Alex A. Kane, the director of pediatric and craniofacial surgery at UT Southwestern and Children’s Medical Center in Dallas. &gt;&gt; </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1642035 Sat, 17 May 2014 18:57:51 +0000 ladybee 1642035@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@matador84: We've been in PT since 4 weeks for SEVERE torticollis. Now at 7 months we are switching to every other week and I hope to transition to monthly soon. Honestly, I think I could have done 90% of it at home. However, knowing he is going to PT keeps me accountable because it's sometimes hard to fit it all in. DS also has a helmet and should be done with that soon. It has been AMAZING! I'm surprised by the article @mrbee: posted. All I can think is that we went to the Cleveland Clinic and were told we would have to wait to 6-7 months. He was 4 months at the time and his head was HORRIBLE even with positional therapy and PT. We went with a non Cleveland Clinic ortho who is completing research to prove that helmets are most effective between 4-6 months. We saw a huge difference immediately. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1642027 Sat, 17 May 2014 18:52:00 +0000 Foodnerd81 1642027@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@matador84: whoa- at $300 a visit I would try stretches at home too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1641861 Sat, 17 May 2014 15:49:57 +0000 Ash 1641861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@matador84: I've been taking ds since he was one month old. :) it's a completely different ballgame compared to an adult adjustment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1641857 Sat, 17 May 2014 15:42:32 +0000 matador84 1641857@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ash: I remember someone suggesting that when I went through it with DS. I've never had chiro so I guess it freaks me out?@Foodnerd81: I guess my other thoughts are if I hadn't brought dd in for her cold the pedi wouldn't have seen it until her next visit in July any...so at worst PT. I just felt like the PT was a waste of money, it was 300$ per visit and we went every other week for two months. All she really did were the same stretches id be doing at home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1641842 Sat, 17 May 2014 15:31:14 +0000 Ash 1641842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My chiro used to work on my lo's torticollis and it's greatly improved. Just a thought. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1641796 Sat, 17 May 2014 14:22:13 +0000 Foodnerd81 1641796@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@matador84: first I all, 3 months?! What? </p> <p>Second I don't have personal experience but I know three babies in the last two years who wore helmets, so it seems pretty common to me. I know more who either did pt or just some exercises at home and didn't need the helmet. Why don't you want to do the pt? </p> <p>We never had the problem with C since she so rarely slept laying down anyway. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1641538 Sat, 17 May 2014 09:47:17 +0000 mrbee 1641538@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@matador84: Recently read this article on helmets!<br /> <a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/01/helmets-do-little-to-help-moderate-infant-skull-flattening-study-finds/" rel="nofollow">http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/01/helmets-do-little-to-help-moderate-infant-skull-flattening-study-finds/</a></p> <p>Mrs. Jacks wrote a related post here:<br /> <a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2012/05/03/my-babys-head-is-flat-whats-the-deal-with-plagiocephaly/" rel="nofollow">http://www.hellobee.com/2012/05/03/my-babys-head-is-flat-whats-the-deal-with-plagiocephaly/</a></p> <p>Hope the stretches go well!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1641521 Sat, 17 May 2014 09:28:40 +0000 gotkimchi 1641521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our dd has this and we've been doing pt every other week since she was 8 weeks old. She's 14 weeks now. She had mild plagiocephaly but we were told yesterday we shouldn't need to do a helmet as long as we keep doing her exercises. Like you said most of it is doing the stretches at home but I think the pt appointments are helpful because it lets me know how she's doing. For ex, 2 weeks ago her mobility was 50% but yesterday it was 75. And I like feeling like someone is watching verses going back at 4mo and the doctor saying oh well guess she needs a helmet. I also think the pt is useful because I can take my husband or mom so they know how to do the stretches when they're watching her. Since going back to work 2 weeks ago I do think her neck has gotten a little tighter so it was a good refresher at pt yesterday to make sure everyone is doing the stretches properly. All that to say, if you know how to do the stretches you should be fine doing them at home but it is nice to have pt keep a eye on it and make sure it's improving and that nothing else pops up because they can start leaning and shortening their torso muscles. We did. 3 pt sessions every other week and now we go back in a month </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1641520 Sat, 17 May 2014 09:28:17 +0000 swedishfish 1641520@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>R had torticollis and slight plagiocephaly. She's been doing PT twice a week since February (8 months old). I've seen such a vast improvement in her since beginning PT. I'm so glad we did it.</p> <p>Oh, our new ped said the pediatric neurosurgeon would laugh at her if she sent us for a helmet consult because the plagiocephaly was not severe enough. Just doing the PT has helped R tremendously! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/torticollis-sigh#post-1641499 Sat, 17 May 2014 09:03:38 +0000 matador84 1641499@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took my 3 month old to dr because she'd been sick. Unfortunately, the dr said she had torticollis and we would need PT. DS had plagiocephaly and torticollis and we had to do the PT route also. </p> <p>When she said she'd have to do PT I told her no and we would do the stretches at home. She said if DD wasn't better by 4 months she would send her. I'm sort of doubting myself now and getting paranoid she'll have to have a helmet. </p> <p>Torticollis seems like a common thing except I don't know anyone whose children have had it. </p>