Infant Torticollis- Why your baby doesn’t want to turn their head
Hi parents! Today we’re talking about your new baby, and why they may not be comfortable turning their head to one direction or the other. It may look like your baby will only turn their head to one side, or they tip their head to one side and won’t move it. While this may not be as obvious as when your neck gets stiff or has a “Kink” in it, there are a few other subtle things to look for.
- They nurse better on one side than the other. This applies to both bottle and breastfeeding, since the babies heads are turned more to one side than the other when feeding.
- They always tip to one side in their crib or car seat.
- They don’t like to look from left to right, or right to left when cued.
- They get really fussy and don’t want to relax during tummy time.
In general, the biggest cause for infant torticollis is due to their position while in the womb. A difficult birth may also contribute to this condition. If your baby spent their time in the womb with their head tipped to the right, the muscles on the right side of their neck got used to always pulling the head over towards the right shoulder. The same would be true for the left side, if their head was tipped to the left.
When this happens, you may not realize that it is happening unless your baby has fairly severe torticollis. There are a few different things that you can do at home to help your baby recover, and you can also take your baby to a chiropractor or a pediatric physical therapist for some muscle work and simple stretches and exercises! Spending time with your baby on the bed or floor while they are on their tummy getting them to turn their own heads gently side to side and looking up in front of or above themselves is always a good place to start! Even though having a fussy baby that doesn’t like turning their head to eat can be stressful, its not the end of the world. Finding a local chiropractor or physical therapist that loves working with kids can make a world of difference for both you and your babies health!
If you have questions or are interested in booking with me, drop an email below or follow the link and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can with information!