Torticollis & Plagiocephaly

For those of you who want details & specifics about Tyler's helmet, here you go.

TJ has been diagnosed with 2 conditions. He has Torticollis and Plagiocephaly. Torticollis is a condition where one of the muscles in the neck (that big one on the side of your neck) is really, REALLY tight. It makes it impossible for the baby to rotate his head completely in one direction, and usually also results in a head tilt (you've probably noticed his cute little tilt in most pictures). The doctors believe it started for Tyler in the womb, because he was so small and cramped inside of me. Unfortunately though, due to his tiny size, it was difficult to diagnose early on. He now not only has one really tight muscle, but the muscle on the other side is over-extended. It pretty much leaves him with very little strength in his neck.

The Torticollis caused some difficulties for TJ. Since he can't turn his head to the left, his "comfortable position" when he is on his back is not looking straight up, but rather with his head turned to the right. This caused his head to start to flatten, because unlike most babies he did not have the ability to lie with his head in any other position. Once his head started to flatten it made it even more difficult for him to move it, so it was always in one place. Tummy time is also really difficult, as he has practically no strength in his neck and would just lie with his head on the floor and cry. Plagiocephaly is the technical term for the flattening of his head on the rear-side.

The good news is that both of these conditions are treatable, if you are aggressive. Mommy & TJ currently go to Physical Therapy once a week for his torticollis, and Mommy & Daddy do exercises at home with him 5 times a day (3 sets each of 3 exercises, 5x per day). We also go to Paramus (a 1 1/2 hour drive) to the helmet doctor once a week for to try to fix the plagiocephaly.

TJ doesn't mind his helmet at all. He isn't too crazy about the PT, but is getting used to it. He also still hates his exercises. Apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, huh?