Many have experienced the feeling of a sore neck. Often times it comes from a poor night’s sleep where the neck is stiff. After a day or so the feeling goes away and you get back to normal. For some children however, they have a more drastic experience of this that they might have been born with: Torticollis. One of the best things a parent or guardian can do is talk to a doctor upon recognizing the signs and symptoms. Learn more about what torticollis in children is, top symptoms to watch out for, and go-to treatments with your doctor and in local physical therapy.

Torticollis in children

When a child has torticollis, their neck is actually twisted to one side. You will notice a slight or drastic shift to one side or the other. So what is torticollis? The Seattle Children’s Hospital explains there are four types. Temporary torticollis is very similar to getting a pain in your neck after sleeping. It can happen after they are sick when lymph nodes in the area experience inflammation but goes away after a few days. Fixed torticollis is an improper growth whether the overall structure make for the child’s neck to be twisted to one side. They also mention Klippel-Fel syndrome where the child’s bones also grew improperly and they were born with an improper neck. Last and they say most common is muscular torticollis. The muscle’s in the child’s neck are so tight that it makes it difficult to move.   

Symptoms

One of the go-to signs a child has torticollis is when the neck is tilted to one side, or the child mentions how much hurts to move the neck to another side. With this, a child may also experience headaches, eye pain, tremors, one set of shoulders that is higher than the other, or a shorter than average neck. You may also notice swelling in the neck area which may happen due to an infection. In the event of an infection, it is crucial to see a doctor immediately to ensure conditions do not worsen.  

Treatment and physical therapy

For some types of torticollis, especially muscular or swollen due to an illness, a doctor will prescribe medication to help ease the situation and restore the quality of your child’s health. Depending on the type of torticollis the child might have, an X-ray may be completed to get a better look. Another way to help strengthen and get the neck back to normal is through physical therapy. When working with a premier physical therapist, they will help to build strength in the muscles to help the child regain their range of motion.

When it comes to getting the proper physical therapy and care for your child, North Platte Physical Therapy is a place you can trust. We provide excellent pediatric therapy for a wide range of issues to help your child be as healthy as they can be. With nearly 20 years of combined experience, we treat children of all ages to ensure they get back to their health. Contact us today to see how we can help you or your child.