Torticollis: Right head tilt / Left head turn level 3 exercise (207301)

Key points below

Level Three exercise program

These exercises and activities are for the older baby or toddler with torticollis. Only do these exercises if a physical therapist has talked to you about them. Call (414) 607-5280 with any questions or concerns.

Note: It is important for you to lay your baby on his tummy several times per day while awake and supervised. This is called “Tummy Time.”

Do the following exercises every day. Use very gentle pressure to stretch, and only do stretches when your baby is happy and calm. Stop stretching and try again later if your baby resists the stretch.

Sit to hands and knees

Start with your child in a sitting position. Bend your child’s left knee and place their left hand on the floor. Place your right hand on child’s right hip, your left hand on chest. Slowly turn your child’s trunk towards the left.

Help your child into a hands and knees position. In hands and knees, work on forward/backward rocking and weight bearing through arms.

Hands and knees

Put your child on hands and knees over a towel roll, boppy pillow or your leg. Help your child shift their weight from side to side to reach for a toy.

Help your child move their arms and legs to crawl. Place colorful toys in front of your child to encourage reaching or crawling forward.

Sit and reach up

Help your child to bring their hands together in the middle.

Have them reach overhead while sitting or kneeling.

Kneeling

Put your child on their knees with a firm pillow or small bench in from of them. Have your child push on the bench with their arms.

As balance improves, try to get your child to reach up and to the sides or have your child kneel without arm support.

Pull to stand

Help your child pull to stand leading with the right foot. Gently hold down the left leg and help your child lean left. Guide the right foot up to be the leading foot, bending at hip and knee.

Standing weight shift

While your child is standing, help shift their weight from side to side. Try to get your child to reach sideways for toys.

Cruising and Side bending

Cruising

Help your child shift weight to one leg and lift the other leg up to walk sideways next to the couch or a coffee table. Have your child try to cruise to the right and the left. Start out cruising next to a surface that is chest high to your baby.

Side bending

Try to have your child side bend to the left to reach for objects placed at their hip height on the left side. Look for an active head tilt to the right with no turn when standing up.

Walking with cart

Help your child walk behind a sturdy walking toy such as a small grocery cart. You may need to add some weight to the toy to slow it down. Your child’s toes should point forward and their head should be straight (not tilted).

Simple changes that can help your baby’s progress

Try to get your baby to look to the left by putting the car seat or seat swing so that the activity in the room is to the left of your child.
Have your child lay on their left side to play.
When feeding your baby, position you and the baby to encourage head turning to the left. Your baby’s head should not be tilted when feeding.
When holding your baby upright at your shoulder, hold them on the shoulder that makes your baby look to the left.
When cradling your baby, you can work on positioning them with their hands and trunk in the middle.
Use a front carrier to carry your baby.
Limit the time spent in a bouncy chair or flat on their back and head while awake.

Illustrations courtesy:
Therapy Skill Builders Inc. (3830 E Bellevue, PO Box 42050, Tucson AZ 85733
Visual Health Information (PO Box 44646, Tacoma WA 98444
VORT Corporation (PO Box 60132, Palo Alto, CA 94306

ALERT:

Call your child’s doctor, nurse, or physical therapist if you have any questions or concerns or if your child has special health care needs that were not covered by this information.