Factors Influencing the Duration of Rehabilitation in Infants with Torticollis—A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Torticollis is a common pediatric condition, with an incidence of 0.3–2.0%. Studies show that an adequate, tailored, and early treatment helps 90% to 95% of children recover before the first year of life and 97% of patients recover if treatment starts before the first six months. To identify the relationships between variables considered essential in the recovery process of infants with torticollis, we included factors such as the type of torticollis, age at onset of treatment, gender, birth weight, mode of delivery, fetal position in the uterus, the presence of craniofacial deformities, regions affected by postural asymmetries, and duration of the rehabilitation program. The hypothesis of the study is that early initiation of therapy can contribute to achieving favorable outcomes in the recovery process. Material and Methods: This retrospective cohort pilot study was conducted within a rehabilitation facility, spanning a duration of 1 year. The study involved a population of 41 children aged between 0 and 6 months. The rehabilitation program consisted of the application of Vojta therapy. Each session lasted 20 min, with a frequency of three times per week. Results: A total of 41% of those who started therapy in the first 3 months of life were fully recovered after 4–6 weeks of therapy. Of infants who started therapy at 5 and 6 months of age, 15% showed no improvement in measurements from 14 to 16 weeks of age, at which point the use of a cranial orthosis was recommended, and 23% experienced a plateau in measurements from 10 to 14 weeks, requiring the use of a cervical collar in conjunction with therapy. Conclusions: The findings from the study suggest that there may be a correlation between early initiation of therapy and favorable outcomes in the recovery process. The primary factors influencing the duration of recovery were identified as the presence of body asymmetries and the age at which therapy was initiated.