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Baby has stiff neck: what you need to know!
Baby can have a torticollis at any age, even during its early days. Usually benign, however, it is important to diagnose it as soon as possible. Indeed, the earlier it is taken, the easier it is to cure. Not to mention that it is sometimes the symptom of an infection, to be treated imperatively for the good of the baby! To help you better understand the baby’s stiff neck, here are all the essential data.
How did baby get stiff neck?
Le torticollis is a neck injury. For various reasons, the child’s neck got “blocked”. Therefore, he always keeps his head tilted to the same side.
Baby can make a torticollis during childbirth: bad position, wrong movement… The muscular torticollis that occur during the first weeks and are of muscular origin are said to be “congenital”. Baby is usually not in pain, which often delays detection of the problem. On the other hand, it constantly keeps its head turned in the same direction, day and night. Over time, baby may suffer from complication of torticollis : plagiocephaly. In other words, the back of baby’s skull flattened out. Fortunately, this cranial deformation is absorbable, but it can take many years. Note that very rarely the infant torticollis may be due to a malformation of the vertebrae or the hip.
In babies one year and older, torticollis are mainly linked to infections of the otolaryngology system such as nasopharyngitis. Certain muscles in the neck affected by inflammation cause baby’s head to tip to one side. The child usually suffers and complains of a sore throat. Another possibility: an infection of the cervical vertebrae resulting from a primary disease. Baby has had an ear infection, chickenpox or some other type of illness and the virus or bacteria that causes it has taken refuge in his neck. Common accompanying symptoms include fever and neck pain.
Finally, it also happens that the torticollis of the young child is due to a bad fall, a wrong movement… The disorder then ranges from a minor sprain to a serious rotatory dislocation, painful to treat.
How is torticollis diagnosed in children?
Le diagnosis of torticollis in children first goes through a clinical examination. The doctor examines the child’s neck and skull, takes into account his age, the circumstances of his birth, the accompanying symptoms (eg fever, pain), asks the parents about a possible fall, etc. To establish the right treatment, it is important to know the cause of the problem. In infants, an X-ray of the vertebrae and of the hip may be requested, in the event of doubt as to the presence or absence of congenital muscular torticollis.
In a larger child, the doctor may examine the child’s throat for inflammation or ask for a blood test to check for infection. Sometimes a bone scan is needed to confirm an infection of the vertebrae. Finally, if the problem follows a shock, it is common to do a cervical x-ray to check for possible damage to the spine.
How to cure baby’s stiff neck?
If there is no real way to prevent the occurrence of this disease, it is possible to cure it. Treatment for torticollis may vary depending on the cause. If it is a congenital torticollis, either the problem resolves on its own, or physiotherapy sessions are prescribed. Surgical intervention must sometimes be considered, for the most serious cases. The operation is also necessary in case of rotational dislocation. Finally, for infection problems, treatment with antibiotics and / or painkillers is generally prescribed. Wearing a neck brace can also be recommended. Regardless of the type of treatment, the baby usually ends up curing in a more or less long term.