Torticollis in Babies
Do you notice your baby’s head tilting or turning to one side?
It could be torticollis- Torticollis is a common but treatable condition in newborns and infants. Gentle chiropractic care can help your baby move freely, comfortably, and happily.
Torticollis shows up as a head that is tilted, turned, or tiled and turned, it has more then one cause. It can develop from positioning in the womb during pregnancy or other birth difficulties. Many cases of torticollis are subtle at first. A slight head tilt or a mild preference for one side can be easy to miss in a newborn who spends most of their time sleeping. It often becomes more apparent as babies become more alert and active — around 6 to 12 weeks — when parents start noticing the pattern more clearly.
At the very top of the spine sits the first cervical vertebra, known as the atlas. When the atlas is properly aligned, the head moves freely and evenly in both directions. When it is misaligned or restricted — even slightly — it can dramatically limit how far baby can turn their head to one side. It can irritate the nervous system causing a muscle in the front of the neck to fire that causes the head turning and tilting.
The sooner we address the issue, the better quality of life your baby will have!
Left untreated, the head turning every time they lie on their back can lead to a flat spot on their head, which then can lead to needing a costly helmet they have to wear all day and night.
What to expect:
- Brief health history with the Doc
- Head to toe musculoskeletal initial exam
- The adjustment on the first visit. We don’t have a second visit with a sales meeting.
- After care expectations
What parents often notice after:
Some of the side effects of having an adjustment are blowouts, sleeping for a long time, and more relaxed in your arms. As the body is processing new information and the brain is getting more input you will notice the body starts working as it should.
Commonly asked questions
Are baby adjustments the same as adult adjustments?
Not at all- For a newborn or young baby, the amount of pressure used is incredibly gentle — most chiropractors describe it as no more force than you would use to gently press on your closed eyelid or test the ripeness of a peach. There is no twisting, and no forceful manipulation of any kind.
How many visits will my baby need?
Every case is different and depending on the severity several times a week is usually what our doc will recommend. Frequency and repetition is really what makes a difference and once you see those problems start to go away we drop down in frequency. It will for sure be more then one visit.
Do you bill insurance?
No, insurance companies make it too hard to bill and get claims paid. So we work directly with our practice members to keep care almost at cost. Although we do not bill insurance, we accept HSA and FSA cards as a form of payment.