Why Get A Second Opinion?

A second opinion is a valuable resource when you are faced with difficult choices regarding your child’s treatment options. Depending on where you live and your availability for travel, you may have limited access to highly specialized care. CAPPSKIDS.ORG brings all of the condition-specific specialists to you in one place allowing you to receive a 2nd opinion from a known specialist in this particular field.

Does My Health Insurance Cover This Second Opinion?

The CAPPSKIDS.ORG Second Opinion Program is a self-pay program with a minimal fee. Our fees are in place in order to fund the program. There are assistance programs in place so that if you have difficulty making this payment you can contact us to see if you qualify for a free consultation.

Navigating your child's diagnosis of Craniosynostosis

Torticollis is relatively common in newborns.
Torticollis, left untreated (sometimes even with treatment) may cause an infant to develop Deformational Plagiocephaly.

What does Torticollis look like?

It can be present at birth or take up to 3 months to develop.

Signs & Symptoms – A baby with Torticollis might:

tilt the head in one direction (this can be difficult to see in very young infants)

prefers looking at you over one shoulder instead of turning to follow you with his or her eyes

if breastfed, has difficulty breastfeeding on one side

works hard to turn toward you and gets frustrated when unable turn his or her head completely

Diagnosis

If you think your baby might have torticollis, ask your doctor to perform a physical examination on your baby, which involves seeing how far your baby can turn his or her head. If a diagnosis is made, the doctor might teach you neck stretching exercises to practice with your baby at home. In certain cases, the doctor may suggest taking your baby to a physical therapist for more intensive treatment.

Treatment at Home

The best way to treat Torticollis is to encourage your baby to turn his or her head in both directions. This will help to loosen tense neck muscles and tighten the loose ones. Rest assured that babies cannot hurt themselves by turning their heads on their own.

“Tummy Time” – BACK TO SLEEP – TUMMY TO PLAY

Laying your baby on the stomach for brief periods while awake (known as “tummy time”) is an important exercise because it helps strengthen neck and shoulder muscles and prepares your baby for crawling.This exercise is especially useful for a baby with Torticollis and a flat head – and can actually help treat both problems at once.

Here’s how to do it:

Lay your baby on your lap for tummy time. Position your baby so that his or her head is turned away from you. Talk or sing to your baby and encourage him or her to turn and face you. Practice this exercise for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, several times a day. Finally, if you find that your baby’s Torticollis is not improving with stretching, or you notice his Deformational Plagiocephaly worsening, talk to your doctor.