United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Has anyone had this affecting the injured side? Our OT mentioned it yesterday.. It's the shortening of a muscle in their neck which makes them nearly unable to turn their head in one direction? I'd never heard of it but the therapist said it's common with bpi kids. Any info?

Thanks.
Cherie

Yes we did and I think it is fairly common. I can't remember which way though. Does anyone know, is it shortening of the muscles on the side of the injury, like can't turn head toward injury or is it can't turn ahead away from injury? I am just wondering to because I thought early on my child couldn't turn head toward injured side, and now a few years later my child only sleeps with it toward the injured side and you cannot get my child to stay comfortably in the other direction (which seems like shortening of the injured side to me).

Cherie:
Torticollis has actually become rather common since parents are now told to put their infants to sleep on their backs. One side of the crib will be "more interesting" and therefore the kids don't move their heads as much. Additionally, bottle fed babies (no judgement here) have a tendency to be fed from the same side for an entire feeding instead of switched mid-feed. So, if you are bottle feeding, switch sides.
In bpi kids torticollis is extremely common. Most parents I speak to have dealt with it in some form. In most cases, simple things can be done to correct it.
1- try to put the baby in bed at opposite ends each night (no "head of the bed or foot of the bed")
2- put interesting things on the sides of the crib, so the baby will look both ways.
3- if the torticollis is stubborn, put the baby in bed the same way each night and for naps and put interesting things only on the side that is stiff. That way they will look that way.
4- have your ot or pt show you some gentle stretching exercises for you to do a few times a day.
5- put you baby on his/her tummy as much as possible, this encourages the back and neck muscles to develop. In the "old days" we put infants on their tummies to sleep and they had to lift their heads to switch positions...it was exercise!

Juliana had this and we worked on it. Be patient, it is quick to show up and slow to leave! She still is "shortened" on her bpi side--all the way down to her leg.

Good luck,
claudia

hi there. my daughter was also diagnosed w/ torticollis. it does seem to affect obpi kids as well as those who aren't. there are a variety of exercises you can do to streach the muscles and it is rather easy to be corrected...as well as the exercises are to perform. HOWEVER BE ADVISED DO NOT STREACH THE INJURY UNLESS YOU HAVE HAD A X-RAY OF THE SHOULDER TO MAKE SURE IT IS NOT A BONE ABNORMALITY OR ANYTHING. by streaching it w/ out knowing for sure can cause up to paralysis from the neck down.. It is rare however for there to be an abnormality but you must be for certain there isn't. It's not worth the risk otherwise.
Torticollis cabn be found on the injured side as well as ppl who put infants or infants who are in the car seat for long periods of time; or constantly look a certain way. I have lots of info to share...please contact me my phine number is 740-453-7274.