Some babies with mild torticollis do improve without intervention, but many others continue to compensate in ways that affect alignment, head shape, feeding, and motor development over time. According to the 2024 Clinical Practice Guidelines for Congenital Muscular Torticollis from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), all newborns should be screened within the first 2–3 days of life — precisely because early identification gives families the best options. When physical therapy begins before 1 month of age, treatment often lasts just 6–8 weeks. Waiting until 6 months or later can mean 9–10 months of therapy with slower progress. Rather than waiting to see if it resolves, an early check helps you understand what you're seeing and whether support is needed.

Plagiocephaly is a flattening of the skull, typically on one side of the back of the head. It often develops when a baby consistently rests or turns their head in the same direction — which is why it frequently appears alongside torticollis. At Movevery, treatment addresses not just the neck but the whole body — how your baby is organizing posture, movement, and alignment throughout their entire frame. Mild to moderate plagiocephaly often responds well to repositioning strategies, tummy time, and physical therapy that targets the underlying whole-body movement imbalances. Whether a helmet is needed depends on the severity of the flattening, your baby's age, and how well they respond to conservative care. Dr. Nicole can assess your baby's head shape, explain what the measurements mean, and help you understand your options — including when a referral to a craniofacial specialist may be appropriate.

Torticollis is identified through a clinical assessment of your baby's cervical range of motion — measuring how far your baby can turn their head in each direction and observing head tilt, posture, and full-body movement patterns. According to the 2024 APTA Clinical Practice Guidelines, all newborns should be screened for torticollis within the first 2–3 days of life — yet this screening is rarely performed at routine newborn visits. Dr. Nicole can perform this assessment from the very first days of life, and early identification gives your family the most options for a quick, efficient recovery. At Movevery, Dr. Nicole evaluates neck mobility, body symmetry, and developmental movement to give you a complete picture of what your baby is experiencing and what support, if any, is appropriate.

Torticollis in newborns most often develops due to positioning in the womb — particularly in cases of limited space, multiple gestation, or prolonged positioning in one direction. It can also occur during labor and delivery, especially with the use of forceps or vacuum assistance. In many cases, the cause is a combination of factors, which is why a thorough whole-body assessment is more useful than focusing on a single cause. Regardless of how it developed, early evaluation gives your baby the best window for a smooth, efficient recovery.

A neck preference is when a baby tends to look or turn toward one side but can move equally in both directions when encouraged. Torticollis involves a measurable restriction in cervical range of motion — your baby physically cannot turn or tilt their head as far in one direction as the other, or holds a consistent tilt even at rest. The distinction matters because torticollis typically requires specific manual therapy and movement intervention, while a preference may respond to simple repositioning and positioning education. An evaluation with Dr. Nicole can clarify which is present and what level of support, if any, is appropriate.