Chiropractic Care for Torticollis and Plagiocephaly in Arlington TX
Torticollis and plagiocephaly are common experiences in littles ones. Torticollis is when your baby has a stiff neck that makes it difficult for them to turn from side to side. Plagiocephaly occurs when an infant’s skull, still so soft following birth, becomes flattened in one area.
Tension, difficulty nursing, challenging tummy times, rough car seat rides, and changes in your baby’s head shape can leave you concerned. We repeatedly hear from mothers that they knew something wasn’t right, and though they talked to other professionals, no one listened or had answers.
Or they felt forced into expensive and uncomfortable cranial helmets without ever getting a reason “why,” other than guilt trips for laying their baby down “too much.”
There can be many causes for both problems and often it’s no fault of the parent. Better yet, it can be fixed naturally and affordably through chiropractic care.
Why Does Torticollis Happen?
Babies with difficulty moving their heads from side to side are likely suffering from a block in communication from the nerves in their neck to the muscles. This causes asymmetry.
Symptoms of this may be difficulty sitting in their car seat because they’re uncomfortable. They may prefer one breast over the other or one sleeping position over the other. They may always have their head turned to the left or right, and when you turn it to the other side, it might stay for a minute, but they move it right back.
Another common thing that parents observe is that their child seems uncomfortable and extends their back, neck, and head, throwing themselves backward. That can be a very common first sign of stress in the nervous system and the neck.
If this sounds familiar, a pediatric chiropractor can find and locate the challenge and help troubleshoot it with you.
Why Do Children Develop Plagiocephaly?
When children develop plagiocephaly, it’s common for the parents to be told they’re laying the child down too often. This is not the case most of the time.
With babies, their cranial bones are still in development. If they have leftover imbalances from their birth experience or misalignments that occurred after birth, this can cause them to naturally favor one position or side of the head over the other. With neck muscles that are months from full strength, this can cause favoritism for a position, and the pressure of their head on that spot can flatten it over time.
They cannot move their head and neck to a more comfortable position as we can as adults, but our pediatric chiropractors can help you through this problem as well, and if they have already been fitted for a helmet, complement that therapy.
Chiropractic Adjustments May Help
Gentle pediatric adjustments can benefit children with torticollis and plagiocephaly. As your baby has their misalignments corrected in their head, neck, and spine, your baby’s body can function at its optimal level once again—or for the first time! Clearing the interference in the nervous system means their mobility is restored, and they can move their head side to side once again without pain or discomfort.
In cases of plagiocephaly, restoring proper motion in the head and neck will help solve the issue naturally over time. In cases where a helmet is still necessary for cosmetic purposes, chiropractic works in perfect complement. It keeps your child’s nervous system, head and neck muscles, soft tissue, and spine working efficiently together.
You’re Not Alone—Contact Us Today
It may seem scary at first when the pediatrician diagnoses your baby with either problem, but you’re not alone. You have a highly skilled pediatric team just waiting to help you and your family. As parents ourselves who have experienced this with our children, we understand! Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
CONTACT US
