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Child with Congenital and Acquired Torticollis

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Symptom-Based Approach to Pediatric Neurology

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Abstract

Part 1

Part 1 of this chapter discusses different facets of congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) and associated cranial deformation, including epidemiology, etiology, differential diagnosis, diagnostic approach, management, prognosis/outcomes, referrals, and prevention. CMT is a common cause of asymmetrical head preference in young infants resulting from unilateral shortening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Infants with CMT have excellent clinical outcomes when identified early and managed with pediatric physical therapy. To optimize outcomes, expectant parents and parents of young infants should be educated on the prevention of postural preferences and the importance of reporting asymmetries to their pediatrician immediately for prompt referral to physical therapy. Infants with head preference require a thorough medical evaluation since nearly one fourth will have a nonmuscular cause of the head preference requiring specialty referrals.

Part 2:

There are various causes for acquired torticollis in children including trauma, infections, orthopedic or ocular problems, neoplasms, genetic disorders, dystonia, and migraine variants. Directed history, meticulous physical examination, and radiologic evaluation are important for determining the etiology. Treatment of the underlying etiology is key for a successful outcome.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Barbara Sargent

  2. Pediatric Neurology, Banner Children’s at Desert, Mesa, AZ, USA

    Young Ah Lee

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  1. Barbara Sargent
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Correspondence to Barbara Sargent .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Deepak M. Kamat

  2. Pediatrics and Neurology, Central Michigan University Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI, USA

    Lalitha Sivaswamy

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Sargent, B., Lee, Y.A. (2022). Child with Congenital and Acquired Torticollis. In: Kamat, D.M., Sivaswamy, L. (eds) Symptom-Based Approach to Pediatric Neurology . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10494-7_24

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