Torticollis in a child 3 months massage. Torticollis in infants: causes, signs, treatment. Causes of pathology

Torticollis in a newborn is a fairly common disease in children, while boys are more prone to it than girls. As medical practice and statistics show, for the most part, the pathology has an innate nature of origin, and the turn of the head for the most part goes to the right side when the so-called right-sided torticollis develops. Treatment of the presented pathology is recommended to start as early as possible, starting from 2 weeks of age, and massage for torticollis, in combination with exercise therapy, physical therapy and exercises in the pool, gives a positive trend. If the causes of torticollis are a disease or injury suffered by the child, then they are also treated in parallel.

Massage - a method of treating pathology

As the pediatricians themselves note, torticollis in newborns is perfectly treatable with the help of baby massage, which can be carried out both in the clinic, by an experienced massage therapist, and at home, by the parents themselves. What parents should know when practicing baby massage for babies with torticollis - treatment is carried out on both sides, both with the affected pathology and with the healthy one.

Treatment of torticollis in infants with massage doctors recommend starting at 3 months, but starting from 2 months of age, parents should practice passive treatment with techniques such as the correct position on hard mattresses, as well as its combination with exercise therapy. The main thing is that the baby should not feel pain during the exercises, and at the slightest manifestation of anxiety on his part, medical manipulations should be stopped.

Techniques and principles of massage for torticollis

At 3-4 months, a baby massage for a newborn from torticollis is done with the help of gentle stroking and rubbing, while all massage movements are done exclusively with the fingertips, moving in the direction from the baby's ears to the collarbone. If we talk about such massage techniques as a method of treating torticollis in infants, like effleurage or gentle vibration - they are carried out without any restrictions, and they can be performed in any direction.

put the baby on its side from the side of the muscle curvature and with your hands fix its head in an even position and quickly, but without sudden movements, remove your hand;
in such an even position, the child must hold the head himself - this helps to strengthen the muscles, developing them and correcting the curvature.

It is worth repeating the exercise no more than 20 times - you should not overload not only the diseased, but also the healthy muscle, when all efforts are directed to eliminating the excessive tone of the damaged muscles.

Home massage techniques for torticollis

At home, parents can perform therapeutic massage on their own - the following exercises will come to their aid:

slightly take away and turn the baby's head and gently turn the neck to the right and left;
lightly stroke the baby's neck with fingertips on both sides - healthy and affected torticollis, starting from the ear and up to the collarbone area;
it is recommended to knead and massage the thickening and thickening in the affected muscle with smooth, soft movements.

Massage with torticollis is worth both the affected and the healthy side, but in relation to the latter, it is carried out more intensively and energetically.

Along with the exercises described, you can practice massage at home with torticollis using the following exercises:

Make work not only the muscles, but also the baby's joints - turn the arms and legs in the joints as far as possible clockwise and in the opposite direction.
Bring the baby's legs together and lift them a little - tilt your legs both to the right and to the left, gradually strengthening and increasing the angle of their inclination. In this case, the baby will instinctively keep the head straight - the load is naturally distributed over all the muscles of the neck and thereby training it, stretching and correcting the torticollis.
Bend the baby's legs at the knees and press them as close as possible to the baby's chest - then, holding the baby in this position, gently turn it with your whole body to the right side, hold it in this position and return to its original position.
Repeat the same manipulations, turning the baby on the left side.
After such an exercise, straighten the baby's legs and turn the child from side to side again, allowing the neck to work naturally.

It is great to cope with torticollis and such a sports equipment as a fitball is a huge ball. You just put the baby on it, on your stomach and holding it tightly, as if swaying it on the ball - you get such a live wave effect. The main thing is that the level of the head should be lower than the level of the priests, since this position relieves tension from the muscles of the neck and back, the child develops the vestibular apparatus and the back muscles are naturally involved.

The main thing to remember for parents and relatives of the baby is do not stop! Many parents make the mistake of stopping massage and medical procedures at the first improvement, this is a gross mistake. In the near future, the baby's regimen should be built on the principle of sleep-massage-eating, carrying out regular procedures every day or every other day.

Torticollis in children is a common disease. An accurate diagnosis can be made by the attending orthopedist, often torticollis is confused with muscle tone in babies. In children under one year old, it is easier to treat the disease than when torticollis is already progressing. The sooner you start the massage, the better. If the problem is left untreated, the baby may develop. Children up to a year are massaged 2-3 times a day.

Massage is considered the most effective method of treating the disease. Depending on the severity of the disease, the doctor selects the appropriate therapy (massage, gymnastics, in severe stages, electrophoresis, magnetotherapy).

It is advisable to entrust the massage to a qualified specialist with extensive experience. Ask friends, acquaintances, previously hiring massage therapists for children, read reviews on the Internet. Massage will allow you to relax the muscles of the neck of the baby, give them the opportunity to stand in the correct position. Stroking, rubbing during the massage are carried out from the ear to the collarbone. Perform actions with your fingertips, gently on the sore side, vigorously on the healthy side, with light pressure.

Tapping, vibrations can be done in the direction of the massage lines with increased intensity. Tonic, intense movements on the affected side are prohibited. Watch a video on how to properly massage a baby if he has torticollis. Learn how to massage yourself to avoid unnecessary costs - the services of a qualified specialist will be expensive.

Here are the techniques for performing the massage correctly:

Easily take the child by the neck, turn the head first to the right, then to the left.
Rub the baby's sore muscle with gentle, smooth movements. Do not overdo it with pressure, otherwise the child will be hurt. You can make it worse by using the wrong massage technique.
Stroke your neck from ear to collarbone.

A small kneading massage for children with torticollis:

Lay the baby on your back. Gently stretch your belly, arms, legs, and neck with light strokes. Gently stretch the affected muscle with your fingertips. With rubbing movements, stroke the neck, cheek, head from the side where torticollis did not appear.
Do the corrective exercises from the video, constantly turn the baby from the sick side to the healthy one.
Gently stroke the belly, repeat the corrective exercises, stretch the baby's feet.
Gently turn your child on his stomach, lightly stroke his back, neck from the back. Turn the child from one side to the other several times, so the massage will have a positive effect on back extension. There is an additional load on the back due to the constant tension of the neck muscles, pay special attention to massage.
Stroke the arms and legs of the child with kneading movements. Stroke your back with light movements, without pressure.

Massage of sick children should be done 2-3 times a day for 8-10 minutes. Before that, you can use a hypoallergenic oil or cream for children for more slippery hands. Your hands should be warm, pleasant, do not scratch the child with long nails.

Read also:

Here are some illustrative examples on the video with the correct implementation of massage techniques for home treatment of children with torticollis. Watch and listen to advice given by a torticollis technique specialist.

Do-It-Yourself Massage

Put the baby lying on a firm place. Preferably on the table on which the diaper is laid.
Maintain a comfortable temperature in the room, make sure that the child does not freeze.
Do not forget to treat the healthy side, but the sick side more vigorously. This method will disperse the blood in the vessels, which is good for the health of the child.
Watch the mood of the baby, if he cries, puffs, "is indignant", stop actions, you give him discomfort.
Work out the sore muscle of the baby with warming, light movements, intense pressure is prohibited.
Massage not only the neck, do not forget about the face, back muscles. Treat children comprehensively.
Carefully handle the baby when swaddling, changing clothes, gently lay on the bed, holding the sore side of the neck.

Support babies with torticollis while being carried. The correct position is important in the treatment of the disease:

Hold your baby behind your back. Carry it in your arms with your back to you. Be sure to keep your head up while raising your healthy side.
Hold the baby upright, hugging you. Hold the baby higher so that his shoulders are in a stable position. Easily and smoothly turn the baby's head towards the torticollis, fix it in this form with your head. Wear your child like this every day for one hour.
Carry your baby upright with your back to you. Turn the affected side of your cheek towards you. Tilt his head to the opposite side.

All this should be done without sudden movements, easily hold the sore side of the children's neck.

The birth of a baby into the world is a big holiday, an important event for newly-made parents, they still do not know all the delights of motherhood and fatherhood. But, despite this, they are waiting for a lot of new, previously unknown. Often young couples meet with the concept of "torticollis", what is it and how to treat it?

Now they are prescribing a massage for torticollis, there is nothing wrong with that, because the child has not yet been completely formed, now there is time to fix everything, the main thing is not to start it.

Torticollis

What is it anyway? This is a change in the musculoskeletal system in the neck. The signs are clear:

head tilted to the side;
turned to the side.

But you should not panic, signs are found in ninety percent of cases. Now the baby needs your help. Contact a specialist, he will prescribe a massage for torticollis.

the affected side is massaged and warmed up;
then a slight vibration is applied;
opposite side massage
stroking, pressing, kneading.

It ends with stroking the arms, legs, abdomen, this procedure is liked by all the kids. So that the child does not overwork, the duration of the session should not exceed fifteen minutes.

Choose only a highly qualified specialist, so as not to aggravate the situation. In conclusion, I would like to add that any treatment should evoke only positive emotions and good memories in the crumbs.

Congenital torticollis in newborns is a fairly common disease. This anomaly is more common in boys than in girls. The turn of the neck is predominantly to the right.

Causes of torticollis in newborns

Deformation of one or more vertebrae, violation of the structure;
With excessive one-sided pressure on the fetus of the uterus, the head is not installed correctly;
With intrauterine inflammation of the muscle, inflammation forms in a chronic form, the muscle becomes shorter and loses its elasticity;
In severe childbirth, the muscle can tear, and the muscle fibers will pass into the tendons. A scar is organized in this place, growth lag occurs in the muscles along the entire length.
With malformations of the mastoid muscles.

Most orthopedists believe that torticollis in newborns is primarily a congenital defect, most often obtained during childbirth. Babies who were born even by caesarean section are not immune from this disease. It is worth noting that in infants with gluteal diligence of the fetus, it is more common than in others. To accurately determine the cause of this diagnosis, consultation of specialists is required: Pediatrician, Orthopedist, Neurologist.

Photo of newborns with torticollis

Video about torticollis

With the treatment of torticollis, it is better not to delay, but to start from two weeks of age. The forced position of the head of the baby can lead to asymmetry of the face and skull. At an older age, left untreated, torticollis leads to scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and facial deformity. The older the child, the more difficult it is to treat.

Treatment methods for torticollis in infants

Productive results include:

Massage for newborns with torticollis;
Therapeutic gymnastics;
Position treatment;
Physiotherapy procedures.
Circle for bathing newborns;
Apply a special collar made of cardboard, sheathed with cotton wool and gauze. (Schanz Collar)
Lesson in the pool (bath)

Bath session

Circle from torticollis

Massage for torticollis in water

If the signs of torticollis are caused by some common disease, then it must be treated as well. First of all, the result depends on the participation and activity of the baby's parents in the treatment. Massage in this disease, however, as in any case, is best entrusted to a specialist. An experienced massage therapist will help achieve a better result than parents at home.

Massage for newborns with torticollis at home:

Lay the child on his back. General strokes to massage the chest, arms and legs. With gentle movements, crush the muscle from the side of the torticollis. Stroking and rubbing massage the cheek from the healthy side;
Do corrective exercises, alternating healthy and sore side in turns;
Lightly stroke the belly. Repeat neck massage. Gently crush the child's feet;
Turn the baby on his stomach. Make light strokes of the back and neck. Turning the child from one side to the other, this procedure causes back extension;
Finish by stroking the legs of the hands.

Massage to do 3 times a day, for 5 - 8 minutes.

VIDEO: Massage session for muscle hypertonicity and torticollis

Position treatment

Parents can also do a lot for their child at home, for example, treatment with a position. It must be carried out constantly independently in the arms of a child or in a crib. This type of treatment is needed to passively stretch the affected muscle. For the correct formation of the body scheme. The incorrect position of the child's head should not be familiar and natural. Parental involvement in this type of treatment is paramount.

The child must sleep properly. It is only necessary to put the child on a hard mattress and replace the pillow with a diaper (folded several times). During sleep, make sure that the baby's head is turned in the direction of the damaged muscle. It will be easier to do this if you put a toy on the side of the sore muscle and turn on the light. In this position, the affected muscle is stretched involuntarily.

It is good to apply the fixation of the child's head in the correct position with the help of salt bags. Pay attention to the fact that the body lies symmetrically. If the baby often spits up, then this method should not be used! In this case, the child should be laid on a healthy side, if on a sick side, then be sure to put a high pillow.

Prevention of torticollis

Physiotherapy

Special collar for torticollis

Gymnastics with torticollis is available at home. If you decide to do it yourself, then first consult a physiotherapy doctor. Gymnastic exercises for the baby are painful, so everything must be done carefully, but persistently. Exercises are performed in pairs.

One person holds the body and arms of the baby, and the second securely holds the head. With this method, place the shoulder girdle parallel to the edge of the table, and hang the head and neck. Be sure to remember that the head and body should be located exactly, in one line. Gradually reduce head support. With this method, the muscles relax and, as a result, stretch. Hands limit the child's head rotation and tilt. Perform the exercise symmetrically. Raise the head of the baby until the chin touches the chest. Exercise to perform in the morning and evening. no more than 5 times.

When you pick up your baby, gradually reduce the head support. Try to let it hang under its own weight, this helps to stretch the muscle. Raise your head for a while, let the baby rest and repeat again. Exercise at least three times a day.

Treatment should be carried out in parallel with massage courses and electrophoresis. After a couple of courses, in most cases the result is positive. However, parents need to remember that relapse is possible. On the affected side, muscle growth retardation will continue. To consolidate the result, it is recommended to conduct at least 4 courses of physiotherapy with massage in the first year.

Surgery

In extremely rare cases, it is not possible to achieve a positive result with conservative treatment. Surgery is recommended by the age of one. There are two ways:

Dissection of muscles (myotomy);
Plastic elongation of the muscle.

The first method is carried out only in the department of orthopedics, under general anesthesia. After dressing, the neck wounds are fixed with a plaster cast.

The second method is suitable for children after 4 years. After surgery, the symmetry of the muscles is restored. If the child had an underlying disease, then relapse may increase. The cicatricial process in the region of muscle junction is strongly pronounced. During periods of rapid growth of the child, it is imperative to be observed by an orthopedist. If the treatment is ignored, or not completed, the child will develop an irreparable pathology. The head will constantly tilt towards the shoulder area.

VIDEO: Muscular torticollis, muscle hypertonicity in an infant before and after baby massage

A good result can always be achieved if you do not start the disease and systematically conduct classes with the child. With proper treatment, this disease goes away completely. Parents should first of all provide active assistance to their baby in recovery!