Réhabital
Infant Torticollis Treatment in Côte Saint-Luc
Many parents notice that their baby almost always turns the head to one side, or tilts the head toward one shoulder. That is the classic picture of infant torticollis, a very common limitation of neck rotation or side bending that usually responds well to early care. At Réhabital in Côte Saint-Luc, on the island of Montréal, Shahram Ghasemi, MD (Iran), DOMP, assesses neck mobility, tummy-time comfort and skull symmetry, and works with extremely gentle techniques suited to newborns.
Book an AppointmentUnderstanding This Condition
Congenital torticollis usually reflects shortening or tension of the sternocleidomastoid muscle on one side: the head tilts toward the tight side and rotates away from it. We distinguish muscular torticollis, by far the most common, from positional torticollis linked to sleeping and carrying habits, and from rarer causes a physician must rule out — vertebral anomaly, a visual problem compensated by head posture, severe reflux with an avoidance posture, or, exceptionally, a neurological cause. Untreated torticollis has two main consequences: it promotes plagiocephaly, a flattening on one side of the skull, because the baby always rests on the same spot, and it can delay motor milestones such as rolling or crawling toward the restricted side. Pediatric follow-up remains essential, particularly to check for a mass within the muscle, associated hip dysplasia and overall development.
Common Symptoms
Common Causes
Constrained position in the womb
Limited space in late pregnancy, an unusual presentation, twins or low fluid hold the baby's head in one sustained position for weeks, leaving muscular tension at birth.
Long or assisted delivery
Prolonged labour, forceps or vacuum assistance, or a difficult extraction can strongly load neck tissues and create protective tension on one side.
Positioning habits after birth
Always sleeping with the head turned the same way, long periods in a car seat or bouncer, or stimulation always coming from the same side of the room reinforce the rotation preference.
Digestive discomfort or reflux
A baby with reflux sometimes adopts an extended, rotated posture for relief. Repeated over weeks, this creates asymmetric neck tension.
Limited tummy time
Awake time on the tummy builds neck muscles symmetrically. When it is limited, often because the baby protests, asymmetry settles in more easily.
Our Treatment Approach
Assessment with Shahram Ghasemi, MD (Iran), DOMP, measures neck rotation and side bending on both sides and observes resting head position, skull symmetry, jaw mobility and the quality of the baby's global movement. Osteopathic treatment uses very light pressure, on the order of the weight of a resting hand, to release tension in the sternocleidomastoid, suboccipital muscles, cranial base and upper chest. No forceful neck manipulation is performed on an infant. Much of the success comes from what happens at home: we teach carrying positions that encourage the restricted rotation, play and stimulation directed to the difficult side, gentle stretches the baby accepts, and changes to the crib and room to reverse the preference. Physiotherapy, coming soon to the clinic, usually complements this work. Follow-up with your pediatrician remains essential.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
The first visit takes about 45 minutes, much of it spent on pregnancy, birth, sleep and feeding history. Your baby stays clothed or in a diaper as you prefer and can be fed or comforted at any point. Some babies sleep through treatment; others cry mainly because they dislike being handled or placed on their tummy. You leave with three concrete home instructions and a measurable mobility target to review at the next visit.
At-Home Self-Care Tips
- Place toys and stimulation on the side your baby avoids.
- Alternate carrying side and feeding side at every feed.
- Alternate head orientation in the crib, always on the back for sleep.
- Gradually increase supervised awake tummy time.
- Limit time spent in the car seat and bouncer.
- Perform the gentle stretches taught, only within your baby's comfort.
Prognosis & Recovery Timeline
Treated early, before three to four months of age, infant torticollis improves markedly in the large majority of babies within 4 to 10 weeks, especially when positioning instructions are applied daily at home. Later care still helps but takes longer. When significant plagiocephaly has already developed, follow-up is longer and a specialist opinion about a remoulding helmet may be needed — a decision that belongs to the physician.
When to See Us at Réhabital
Come in if your baby keeps a marked rotation preference after a few weeks, refuses the opposite side, is very uncomfortable on the tummy, or if you notice skull flattening. See your physician or pediatrician first if you feel a firm mass in the neck, notice loss of tone, swallowing difficulty, significant developmental delay, abnormal eye movements, or if a head tilt appears suddenly in a baby who did not have one.
Why Réhabital Clinic
In Côte Saint-Luc, on the island of Montréal, we measure rotation at every visit rather than relying on impressions, and we spend real time equipping parents: the small actions repeated at home, several times a day, produce most of the result.
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Address
D4-5800 Cavendish Blvd
Côte Saint-Luc, QC H4W 2T5
Phone
(438) 842-3550Hours
Mon–Fri: 10AM–8PM
Sun: 10AM–4PM
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