What people actually mean
Torticollis is a tight or uneven neck. Baby prefers looking or tilting one way. The muscle people name most often is the one that runs from behind the ear down to the collarbone.
Plagiocephaly is a flat spot on a soft skull. Newborn heads give a little. If the same part of the head stays on the mattress or in a seat for hours, that part can flatten.
If a baby always turns toward one side, the same spot keeps taking the pressure. That is why the two get mentioned in the same visit. One does not always cause the other. They just show up together a lot.
What parents notice first
- Baby looks the same way every time you feed or play
- One ear or the forehead looks a little more forward
- A flat patch on the back or side of the head
- One shoulder sitting higher, or a curve through the body
What the research is pointing to
The 2024 pediatric physical therapy guideline asks doctors and therapists to look for this early and send families to someone who works with infants. Catching it sooner is tied to shorter care and a better chance the neck evens out.
Care is usually play, positioning, and a home plan built for that baby. It is not a printed stretch sheet from the internet. The American Academy of Pediatrics also talks about tummy time while you watch, switching the way the head rests when baby is awake, and keeping long stretches in the car seat for actual travel.
What this page will not do
It will not hand you neck stretches to copy. Those need to be shown in person so they are safe for your child. If you are worried, call your pediatrician or call us.
From the blog: How to identify torticollis ↗
From the blog: Helmet or no helmet? ↗
Sources
- Sargent B, Coulter C, Cannoy J, Kaplan SL. Physical Therapy Management of Congenital Muscular Torticollis: A 2024 Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline From the APTA Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy. Pediatr Phys Ther. 2024;36(4):370-421. PubMed 39356257 ↗
- Kaplan SL, Coulter C, Sargent B. Physical Therapy Management of Congenital Muscular Torticollis: A 2018 Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline. Pediatr Phys Ther. 2018;30(4):240-290. PubMed 30277962 ↗
- Laughlin J, Luerssen TG, Dias MS. Prevention and Management of Positional Skull Deformities in Infants. Pediatrics. 2011;128(6):1236-1241. doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-2220 ↗
- Moon RY, Carlin RF, Hand I. Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2022 Recommendations. Pediatrics. 2022;150(1):e2022057990. Includes the current AAP tummy time guidance. doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-057990 ↗