Re: OT-older tort baby question

[Guest guest]

Hi Heidi,

Check out Torticollis kids:

Torticolliskids/

If someone here can't answer your questions someone there will be

able to.

>

> Hi everyone,

>

> My son had tort as a newborn, and after 7 months of PT, from 6 to

13

> months, we thought it was resolved. He is now 20 months old. He

has

> had minor relapses during growth spurts and when he's sick or

tired,

> where he holds his head at a 30 to 45 degree angle towards his left

> shoulder for as many as 2 or 3 days. I do excercises with him

during

> that time, but then it gets better and appears to go away again.

> He " graduated " from his STARband on Wed. of last week (HOORAY!!!!!)

> but since the helmet's been off his tort seems to have returned.

> It's been a week now and he can't walk in a straigt line, falls

over

> all the time, can't drink from a cup (it all spills out the side),

> and is having a hard time eating because the food falls off the

> spoon/fork before it gets to his mouth. I've started doing all the

> excercises I know, but mostly they're designed for younger

children,

> and he's much too strong to be held for stretches, and too smart to

> do anything uncomfortable. Do any of you have any ideas of what I

> can do? Or do you have any knowledge of older tort cases? Does it

> EVER really go away?

>

> I have contacted my pediatrician and got a referral to go back to

PT,

> but won't likely get an appointment until January. Until then...?

>

> Thanks ahead of time for your thoughts on the matter.

>

> heidi

> mommy to Evan, 20 mo, plagio STARband GRAD!!!! 5/04-12/04, tort

(arg!)

[Guest guest]

Hi Heidi,

I am still battling tort in my 2.5 year old son. He has a habitual

tilt but for the most part he is using both sides of his body

symmetrically. For Evan to have a hard time drinking out of a cup

and walking straight must be really upsetting. Did they rule out

any neurological cause for his torticollis? Don't want to scare

you, just an idea.

As you know, stretches are basically impossible at this age.

Strength exercises are the way to go. If you strengthen his

shoulders they will help pull his neck straight. Some things you

can do:

See if you can walk him like a wheelbarrow, you holding his feet and

his hands walking on the floor.

Also, hold him on your lap, facing a kitchen table or something with

big legos or cars on it. One at a time, grab one and hold it for

him to reach pulling his arm all the way back high and behind him to

grab for it. Does that make sense? Laugh and make it like it is a

game. I have been through it all, plagio, PT and now chiro for

Aidan. Please feel free to email me directly with any more

questions.

Natasha

>

> Hi everyone,

>

> My son had tort as a newborn, and after 7 months of PT, from 6 to

13

> months, we thought it was resolved. He is now 20 months old. He

has

> had minor relapses during growth spurts and when he's sick or

tired,

> where he holds his head at a 30 to 45 degree angle towards his

left

> shoulder for as many as 2 or 3 days. I do excercises with him

during

> that time, but then it gets better and appears to go away again.

> He " graduated " from his STARband on Wed. of last week

(HOORAY!!!!!)

> but since the helmet's been off his tort seems to have returned.

> It's been a week now and he can't walk in a straigt line, falls

over

> all the time, can't drink from a cup (it all spills out the side),

> and is having a hard time eating because the food falls off the

> spoon/fork before it gets to his mouth. I've started doing all

the

> excercises I know, but mostly they're designed for younger

children,

> and he's much too strong to be held for stretches, and too smart

to

> do anything uncomfortable. Do any of you have any ideas of what I

> can do? Or do you have any knowledge of older tort cases? Does

it

> EVER really go away?

>

> I have contacted my pediatrician and got a referral to go back to

PT,

> but won't likely get an appointment until January. Until then...?

>

> Thanks ahead of time for your thoughts on the matter.

>

> heidi

> mommy to Evan, 20 mo, plagio STARband GRAD!!!! 5/04-12/04, tort

(arg!)

[Guest guest]

Hello Heidi,

Arg! is right - you finally get the helmet off and...well congrats on

finishing with the helmet!

It's good that you're following up with you ped for a PT

referral. Since you said Evan started tilting again after he got his

helmet off, it may just be he's adjusting to not wearing the helmet.

He's been wearing it for 7 months? I would denfinetly try some

strengthening exercises until you see the PT. Anything you can do to

get Evan to tilt on his own in the opposite direction of the tort can

be helpful.

Please keep us posted.

mom to Jake 2yrs(doc band grad 2003)

and Tyler 5yrs

>

> Hi everyone,

>

> My son had tort as a newborn, and after 7 months of PT, from 6 to

13

> months, we thought it was resolved. He is now 20 months old. He

has

> had minor relapses during growth spurts and when he's sick or

tired,

> where he holds his head at a 30 to 45 degree angle towards his left

> shoulder for as many as 2 or 3 days. I do excercises with him

during

> that time, but then it gets better and appears to go away again.

> He " graduated " from his STARband on Wed. of last week (HOORAY!!!!!)

> but since the helmet's been off his tort seems to have returned.

> It's been a week now and he can't walk in a straigt line, falls

over

> all the time, can't drink from a cup (it all spills out the side),

> and is having a hard time eating because the food falls off the

> spoon/fork before it gets to his mouth. I've started doing all the

> excercises I know, but mostly they're designed for younger

children,

> and he's much too strong to be held for stretches, and too smart to

> do anything uncomfortable. Do any of you have any ideas of what I

> can do? Or do you have any knowledge of older tort cases? Does it

> EVER really go away?

>

> I have contacted my pediatrician and got a referral to go back to

PT,

> but won't likely get an appointment until January. Until then...?

>

> Thanks ahead of time for your thoughts on the matter.

>

> heidi

> mommy to Evan, 20 mo, plagio STARband GRAD!!!! 5/04-12/04, tort

(arg!)