Torticollis
The following techniques will help to decrease the torticollis as well as strengthen your infant’s neck
and shoulder girdle.
Positioning: When sleeping on his/her back or when in a reclined position, try to position your child’s face away from the
affected side. This can be achieved with a towel roll or by rolling a soft blanket. When feeding your baby be sure to switch sides; don’t just feed to one
side. Hang the Mobile or hanging toy on either side of a stroller or car seat to encourage head rotation to both sides.
Visual Tracking: Place your baby on his/her back and encourage him/her to track objects with their eyes and facilitate rotation of
the neck by placing the object he is tracking on the floor beside his face. Try to use developmentally appropriate objects that will catch their attention.
Tummy Time: Placing your child on their tummy and encouraging him to lift and rotate his head. Encourage her to lift up onto her
arms and reach for toys.
If child is not yet tolerating tummy time, Lay your baby on a safe flat surface with a towel roll or
boppy pillow under their upper trunk and encourage head lifting.
Positioning
The foot ball carry – hold baby in front of you. If the babies tight side is on the right, use your left
arm around babies torso and onto her right shoulder. Use your other hand to gently push her head to the left.
- If baby is small enough hold baby in front of you with his belly across your forearm turned to his tight
side.
Play while in a sidelye position on shortened side. Encourage head lifting using toys to strengthen
opposite side.
Place babies face against your chest with chin turned to the opposite side.
Hold the baby at the trunk up above you, tilt side to side and encourage head movement.
With the baby laying down support him at the trunk/waist and gently pull him up allowing him time to
activate his abdominals and pull head up.
Link to handling techniques: Torticollis Left
Torticollis
Right
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