Video: Chiropractic Adjustment for Torticollis

I wanted to share this video of my daughter receiving a chiropractic adjustment to treat her right torticollis.  At the end of the adjustment, the chiropractor also answers some general questions that may arise for parents considering chiropractic care for their child.  I know many parents (myself included) feel apprehensive about having their child adjusted.  Parents considering this treatment option want to make a well-researched and informed decision.  I made this video to help give parents an idea of what they possibly could expect at this type of appointment.



I spent several months of doing physical therapy with Kellyn before I seriously considered supplementing with chiropractic.  After months of twice weekly PT sessions and torticollis exercises at home, I wasn't seeing the level of improvement that I had expected.  I had spoken to several parents who shared great success with doing both physical therapy and chiropractic.  After speaking to these parents, researching chiropractic myself, and praying about this option, I felt the peace I needed to move forward with this treatment option.

Disclaimer: All treatment options, including chiropractic adjustments, should first be discussed and approved by the child's pediatrician and physical therapist.

Torticollis Pictures: 20 weeks of PT

So my daughter has been in physical therapy for her torticollis for twenty weeks (over four months). In comparison with the last set of pictures posted after eleven weeks of PT, I think there has been a very subtle improvement in her torticollis. I think she's holding her head a bit more midline and her range of motion to the right has improved slightly. Her trunk seems more straight and her facial symmetry is continuing to look great.

Caught a moment of her keeping her head midline.

Torticollis Physical Therapy Re-Evaluation

Here's a video post about my daughter's physical therapy re-evaluation for her torticollis.  She has now been in physical therapy for four months.  As her mother, it's more difficult for me to notice Kellyn's improvements since I am with her everyday.  I really value hearing the physical therapist's more objective judgment of Kellyn's progress.

Strengthening Exercise for Torticollis

With my daughter's right torticollis, the right side neck muscles are tighter and stronger than the left side.  In addition to stretching the right side of her neck, we also do exercises to strengthen her left side. Both types of exercises are important in helping to lessen her torticollis.  The exercise below works to strengthen her weak, left side neck muscles by forcing her to work against gravity.  I have included a brief video tutorial AND written instructions in the space below.

Video Tutorial:

Side Lay-to-Sit Strengthening

This torticollis exercise is a great two-for-one exercise.  Since Kellyn has right torticollis, it helps her strengthen her weak left side neck muscles by working against gravity.  In addition, it helps her learn to more easily transition into different positions.  This will help her with her motor skill progression.  In this post, I will share both my video demo AND the written step-by-step instructions (with pictures) for this exercise.

Video Tutorial:

Torticollis Exercises on an Older Baby

I understand why most people say its ideal to catch torticollis before baby reaches four months old.  Torticollis treatment is often easier and faster, the earlier you catch it. My daughter is now eleven months and it is so much more difficult doing her torticollis stretches and exercises. She is very mobile and strong now and can easily wiggle out of many positions I attempt to put her in. The stretches are especially challenging, while the strengthening exercises are slightly easier to accomplish compared to the stretches.

Just realized one of her socks is missing. Whoops :)

TOT Collar Video Review & Product Demo

Here is my second product review of the TOT Collar for treatment of torticollis.  When my daughter was seven months old, I tried this out on my daughter and it didn't too work well for her at that time.  I think her neck was too short and chunky at that age for it to work correctly.  Thankfully, I tried it again when she was an older baby and it worked a whole lot better for her.  I think the TOT Collar is a great supplement to regular physical therapy for torticollis. 

PT Re-Evaluation #2 Update

Kellyn had another outpatient physical therapy re-evaluation for her torticollis and it went really well!  She's nine months old and has been in physical therapy now for three months.  So basically 1/3 of her little life here in this world has been in physical therapy.  Considering the various things she's been through since birth (esophagus surgery, NICU stay, X-rays, numerous doctor's appointments, and physical therapy), she is one tough little cookie.  Anyways, check out my video update on the outcome of this re-evaluation.

Side-Lying Torticollis Stretch using Boppy Pillow

This is a great right torticollis stretch we learned at physical therapy for our daughter.  A Boppy Pillow, which seems to be a staple in most parents' homes, is needed for this stretch.  In this post, both a video tutorial AND step-by-step instructions with a picture will be provided to explain this torticollis stretch.

Video Tutorial:

How to Use the TOT Collar for Torticollis

When I first bought the TOT collar for my baby's torticollis, I remember scouring the internet for video tutorials on how to use the TOT collar.  Unfortunately, I was unable to find one.  Therefore, I decided to put together this video to help other parents who are new to using the TOT collar.  This video explains how I fit and apply the TOT collar to my daughter's neck to treat her torticollis.  For those unfamiliar with the TOT Collar, it is a device that goes around the child's neck and limits their ability to tilt their head to their preferred side.  For more info, you may first want to check out my video demo and review of this product.

Torticollis Progress: Video Update

To change it up, I decided to do a video update on Kellyn's progress versus a regular blog post update.  In this video, she's almost ten months old and has been in physical therapy for approximately twelve weeks.  Watch the video below to see how she's progressing in physical therapy:

Sitting to Crawling Position

As I mentioned before, babies' torticollis may improve once crawling becomes established.  That's why I spend time doing physical therapy exercises that encourage crawling.  This specific exercise will help my daughter become more comfortable moving from the sitting position to crawling position.  When babies first start crawling, they will often get into crawling position from the seated position.  So this exercise encourages that natural transition that babies will often make into crawling position.  I am including a video  and written directions (with pictures) below to demonstrate how I do this exercise with my daughter.

Video Tutorial:

Torticollis Pictures: 11 Weeks of PT

So it's about that time again when I post Kellyn's progress pictures from physical therapy for her torticollis.  Comparing to her six week pictures, I would say she has improved tremendously.  Now keep in mind though that her six week pictures were taken on a day that she was having a "bad torticollis day".  Even still, I notice a great improvement overall as compared to when she first started physical therapy.

Her right head tilt is negligible in this picture,
and her right neck depression looks much less noticeable.

Last Chiropractic Appointment for Torticollis

So today was Kellyn's third and final chiropractic adjustment.  I don't necessarily think its what the chiropractor would have recommended, but that's what my husband wanted.  He was never super comfortable with the idea of Kellyn going in the first place.  And Kellyn's torticollis is doing pretty well lately, so he figured it was not worth the small risk of something potentially bad happening from the adjustment.  And I'm fine with this decision.  I plan to watch her over the next few weeks to make sure she doesn't experience any big regressions.  I also want to make sure that her improvement continues on in an upward trend.  If we notice Kellyn's torticollis worsening, Ryan and I will discuss whether or not we want to start back up with chiropractic.

My beautiful baby girl bundled up and ready to go to the chiropractor.

Shoulder Stretch for Elevated Shoulder

Along with her right torticollis, my daughter often elevated her right shoulder.  This caused her torticollis to look a lot worse than it actually was.  Once I started doing this stretch with her regularly, I noticed that she did not raise her shoulder up as much or as frequently.  If your baby doesn't elevate her shoulder, then disregard this stretch. As you'll see below, I included a video tutorial and written instructions to show you how I do this stretch with my daughter.

Video Tutorial: 

Kinesio Tape for Torticollis: Round 2

So Kellyn's first application of Kinesio Tape did not seem to improve her torticollis.  It was applied to the affected side of her neck (the side she tilts to) and in a method to encourage muscle relaxation.  After taking a little over a week break from the Kinesio Tape, our physical therapist from the early intervention program tried a different technique on Kellyn.  She applied the tape to the unaffected side of her neck to encourage muscle facilitation.  This makes sense since the unaffected side of Kellyn's neck has weaker muscles.

This is the second application of Kinesio Tape on her neck for torticollis.

1st Chiropractic Adjustment for Torticollis

As I mentioned before, Ryan and I have been considering supplementing Kellyn's physical therapy with chiropractic treatment. Before Kellyn got diagnosed with torticollis, I would have never imagined I would be taking my baby to a chiropractor. However, torticollis is a stubborn little condition that improves very gradually. So, after two months straight of daily physical therapy exercises, I was ready to take it up a notch. After hearing such awesome reviews about chiropractic from other "tort parents", I started wondering if perhaps it could work for Kellyn. After praying, researching, watching YouTube videos of pediatric adjustments, and having a consultation with the chiropractor, we finally felt comfortable scheduling the chiropractic appointment for Kellyn.

Kellyn's torticollis presentation one day after her first chiropractic adjustment.

Supported Crawling Position

You may be wondering, 'Why are you concerned about crawling? Shouldn't you be working on torticollis-specific exercises?'. By encouraging Kellyn to learn to crawl, I am indirectly treating her torticollis. Once she starts to crawl, she will hopefully be less likely to tilt her head. Before a baby crawls, she obviously needs to first be comfortable on all four's. This exercise focuses on becoming comfortable on hands and knees, which is a precursor to crawling. Below I have a video tutorial and written step-by-step instructions to show you this simple exercise.

Video Tutorial:

Consultation with Chiropractor

We recently had a consultation with a chiropractor who has experience working with babies and children.  She came highly recommended to us by our daughter's outpatient physical therapist.  My husband and I have been considering supplementing Kellyn's PT with chiropractic since we have heard a lot of positive feedback from other parents of babies with torticollis.

Gloria Rosazza © 123RF.com | glopphy

Range of Motion Stretch for Right Torticollis

In addition to a head tilt, many babies with torticollis also have limited range of motion in the neck to one side.  Kellyn's limited range of motion is to her right side.  Therefore, I stretch her head in the right direction.  In this post, I will provide both a video demonstration AND a written explanation of the exercise (with pictures).

Video Tutorial: