Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Pediatric Patients with the Diagnosis of Torticollis: A Tertiary Clinic Approach

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the pediatric patients with torticollis admitted to our outpatient clinic. Material and Methods: Patients were evaluated retrospectively in terms of age, gender, congenital/acquired condition of torticollis, type of delivery, involved side, determined etiologic factors, applied treatments and concomitant clinical findings. Results: The mean age of our patients (36 females, 34 males) was 13.9±22.89 months (min: 1; max: 108). Right sternocleidomastoid muscle was involved in 57.1% of the patients. Sixty-four (91.4%) of the patients were diagnosed as congenital torticollis; while 8.6% (n: 6) was acquired torticollis. Of the cases with torticollis, 78.6% (n: 55) were born by normal spontaneous vaginal delivery and 12.9% (n: 9) were born by assistive methods such as vacuum /forceps. Physiotherapy exercises are the most commonly used treatment modality both for congenital and acquired torticollis. Conclusion: In pediatric patients with congenital or acquired torticollis, the basis of treatment is physiotherapy exercises. However, it is important to determine the etiology (birth trauma, intrauterine malposition, cervical hemivertebra, cervical lymphade-nopathy, strabismus) and if possible, the underlying cause should be treated.