Identification of torticollis in a child 1-6 months

Torticollis the child can be observed from the first month of life. In this case the disease is due to congenital and fetal disorders. The acquired form of pathology is observed less frequently. Her appearance is typical for school children and older children with pathology of the cervical spine.

detection of torticollis in child

at what age a child can be identified Krivoshey

Congenital forms must be made in 1-2 months. The earlier possible to detect the pathology, the more effective the treatment. It is not always a pathological spasm of the sternocleidomastoid muscle treated with conservative methods.

According to statistics, most often the disease is diagnosed in boys 2-3 months of life. This is due to a more rapid development of the musculoskeletal system in representatives of a strong half of mankind.

In girls, the twisted neck is found more often in 4-6 months, when parents notice that the baby turns head to one side. This situation can occur if the doctors did not reveal the congenital form of the disease immediately after birth.

There are 2 types of torticollis, which determine the time of onset of clinical symptoms pathology:

  • Bone occurs in wedge-shaped deformation of the vertebrae, dorsal youthful kyphosis in adolescence, osteochondrosis and scoliosis of the vertebral column;
  • Muscle – in violation of the development of the sternocleidomastoid muscle on one side. If this type has a congenital etiology, is found in the baby months of age or shortly after birth in the maternity ward.

How to identify abnormalities in the baby month

definition of the syndrome torticollis in monthly child

Curved neck can be detected in children months of age. Already 2-3 weeks he has curvature of the head to the right or left, although after the birth of pathology were observed.

If your fingers to palpate the sternocleidomastoid muscle of the baby, you can feel its swelling or localized clavate diverticulum.

The Structure of muscle tissue in the pathology depends on the morphological type of the disease. At infiltrative form in the thickness of the cervical muscles accumulate a limited infiltration, which is displaced on palpation.

fibrotic changes in the sternocleidomastoid muscle is not palpable liquid content, but severely limited mobility of the neck due to shortening of muscle fibers. For the formation of fibrosis need 2-3 months, so torticollis is formed longer than the infiltrative form.

According to statistics, "bend" the neck of the child months of age is seen only in 1% of cases. Signs allowing to detect pathology in 1 month:

  • the baby's Head is always turned to one side;
  • thickening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, defined arms.

the Identification of a problem in 2-3 months

To Detect Krivoshey in 2-3 months easier than month baby. Through careful observation, parents will find the following features;

  • Head slightly thrown back and turned off;
  • Baby cries when you try to set the correct position of the upper limbs;
  • Blades apart.

The more time that passes, the more intense manifestations of pathology. So, in 4 months when the fibrous form of the disease pathological muscle lags far behind in development from the opposite. This leads to a sharp bending of the neck and pronounced turn of the head. These symptoms are hard to miss.

special expressions for 5-6 month

specific prevalene torticollis baby 5-6 months

"Bend" the neck in 5-6 months characterized by the presence of several additional forms:

  • High standing of the shoulder girdle from the side of the lesion
  • Asymmetry of the face and neck;
  • the Curvature of the cervical-thoracic spine.

The Symptoms occur on the background of the fact that the shortening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle leads to pulling up of the collarbone and down the mastoid process of the occipital bone.

Expressed clinical manifestations of the disease in a child is 5-6 months often require surgery because conservative treatment does not bring results. The presence of complications such as acute pain, requires physicians to take immediate decisions on how to reduce the discomfort for the child.

The detection of the disease after 6 years it is difficult to expect efficiency even surgical treatment. In such a situation is only possible resection of the sternocleidomastoid muscle to eliminate the pathological growth of tissue and of fibrotic changes.

Conservative treatment of the disease involves a combination of the following methods: massage, manual therapy, electrophoresis of iodine, therapeutic exercise.

In conclusion let us note that the time of detection of the disease the child determines the treatment tactics.To better identify Krivoshey in 3 months, than 6 years later.

Symptoms of pathology violate the psyche of children, so to eliminate them as early as possible. However, due to the complexity of implementation, operation when "bend" the neck is held only when the child reaches more than 3 years.