2023-10-26 02:48:58
[이데일리 이순용 기자] A couple in their 30s, who had a son at just over 100 days old, found it strange that the baby was frequently tilting his head to the left. No matter how much I straightened her neck, following a while she would tilt to the side and start crying, making her feel uncomfortable. She thought it might be because she mightn’t hold his head well yet, but she soon saw that the baby on her lap was only leaning to the left. The couple who eventually visited the hospital were surprised to hear that their baby was diagnosed with torticollis. Let’s answer questions related to your child’s torticollis with help from Professor Chae Min-ji of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Daejeon Eulji University Hospital.
◇ What is congenital torticollis?
Torticollis is a disease in which the head is tilted to one side. The sternocleidomastoid muscle of the neck (the oblique muscle that extends from the ear to the neck) becomes thick on one side, appearing like a lump, and the head tilts toward the shortened muscle, causing the face to turn to the opposite side. Among them, ‘congenital torticollis’ is commonly observed in infants from immediately following birth to 5 months old. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, last year, 33,746 patients visited hospitals with torticollis, of whom infants accounted for 88.3%. (*See chart below)
Torticollis is often accompanied by secondary damage in addition to the original symptoms. Complications such as plagiocephaly, where one side of the back of the head is flattened, or facial asymmetry, may occur. This is because a child’s skull is not as strong as an adult’s, so its shape changes easily. Rather than blindly putting a helmet on a child to make his or her head look pretty, it is necessary to suspect torticollis accompanied by plagiocephaly.
◇ Could it be that my child also has torticollis?
Torticollis can be easily confirmed by observing the child closely. ▶ When the baby lies with his head turned to one side ▶ When the baby falls to one side when sat down ▶ When a large lump is seen or felt on the neck ▶ When the baby turns over in only one direction.
Deformities begin to be observed at birth or between 2 and 4 weeks following birth. Torticollis may occur due to stretching or damage to the baby’s neck muscles during childbirth, and in some cases, the baby may be born with torticollis due to incorrect posture in the womb.
Professor Chae Min-ji says, “In late pregnancy, trauma to the sternocleidomastoid muscle may occur due to the descent of the fetal head or abnormal position of the fetus in the uterus, causing symptoms of torticollis.”
◇ Early treatment and strengthening exercises are important
For congenital muscular torticollis, it is important to correct muscles and prevent deformities of the head, face, and posture. Professor Chae Min-ji said, “If torticollis grows untreated, not only the face but also the spine, shoulders, and pelvis can become distorted, so it is important to detect and treat it early,” adding, “After 3 to 4 months of age, the baby’s waking hours are reduced.” Since this increases and physical and emotional resistance rapidly increases, it is recommended that it is effective to detect and treat muscular torticollis before it occurs.
Since approximately 85-90% of children recover completely with physical therapy, it is recommended that parents stretch 3-4 times a day under the guidance of a specialist. If the baby’s head is tilted to the left, bend the neck in the opposite direction to the right and stretch the shortened left muscle. After stretching, it is also important to build the child’s strength to move on their own through strengthening exercises. Helping the child turn his head in various directions by providing various stimuli, such as toys, is also helpful in treatment.
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