Estee Abrams MA-E
One of the rarest acute conditions in infants is Acute Infant Torticollis . The Latin phrase Torticollis meaning “twisted neck”, uniquely presenting in newborn up to four to six months of age. Comparatively, acute infant torticollis does not favor boys over girls, effecting them equally, with less than 100 new cases presenting each year in the U.S. Although this condition may look painful to the child, they usually do not feel pain. With early intervention and treatment, this condition is completely reversible.
Unfortunately, Infant torticollis is an unavoidable condition caused by incorrect placement of an infant in the womb, or during a difficult or strident birth. The result of incorrect …show more content…
Because of this, additional test executed such as; an MRI of the brain, a CT scan of the neck to view the muscles and ligaments, and X-ray, EMG to see the most affected muscles in the neck, venipunctures to rule out conditions that can result from congenital torticollis.
Overall, Acute Infant Torticollis requires treatment once diagnosed. Most treatments include physical therapy such as stretching the neck muscles to help loosen the tightened muscle. Most commonly, passive stretching helps keep the body still and in a positive certain position. In fact, passive stretching is often successful if started in the first months of life. Nevertheless, if physical therapy options do not produce results other options become implemented, in brief taking medication to dwindle contraction of neck muscles such as baclofen, conversely intramuscular injections of botulinum, dry needling technique to trigger particular points in the muscles, and finally as a last step, surgery of the spine if there is a dislocated intervertebral