Niko wasn't turning his head either, and the right back side grew increasingly prominent while the back left became flattened. A lump on the side of his neck was initially diagnosed as a swollen gland, though there was no response to treatment. For several months the anxious new parents observed a number of troubling symptoms in baby Niko. After age six months, the neck begins to lengthen, and tilting of the head toward the tight side may become more evident, suggesting the need for neck physical therapy.Ĭulver City residents George and Kelly Athanasas know first-hand the concern and confusion this condition can cause. One noticeable symptom is a persistent head turn, and parents frequently report a preferred resting position with sleep. Torticollis can be difficult to detect at birth or in young infancy because the neck is relatively short. 'It's really a very simple problem that needs to be more clearly recognized by the medical community and public.' Muscular torticollis is usually caused by the limited room in the uterus for the baby during late gestation, and it is even more common with multiple gestation (twins or triplets).

The result is often needless worry, he added. Left untreated, torticollis and plagiocephaly can result in permanent distortion of the head as well as persistent facial asymmetry.' 'Unfortunately, many care providers are unaware of the symptoms and inappropriately reassure parents that the child will grow out of it. Graham, who estimates the clinic handles 250 to 300 visits a year for this condition. 'When infants sleep in one position, there is consistent pressure on their soft and forming skull, which can result in deformation of the head,' explained Dr. As a consequence, the infant's normal, rapid rate of head growth coupled with a consistent resting position can lead to significant asymmetry of the head shape. Misshapen heads are often secondary to the muscular torticollis, which causes the baby to tilt his or her head toward the tight side and turn away, resulting in a preferred resting position. Though easily treatable, plagiocephaly and accompanying torticollis, a shortened or tightened muscle on one side of the neck, may go unrecognized by parents and health care practitioners alike. Over the last five years, the incidence of nonsynostotic positional plagiocephaly has jumped fivefold: from an estimated 1 in 300 live births to 1 in 60 births today.

Misshapen head infant