Torticollis: head tilt has changed direction - why??

[Guest guest]

Does anyone have experience, or detailed knowledge on the head tilt changing

direction?

Background:

My 9 month old, has moderate torticollis (with mild plagiocephaly). She has

been treated with physical therapy since 3 months. Periodically, the left tilt

would correct itself but then relapse regularly (every couple of weeks - and

marked).

However, 2 months ago, her tilt switched sides, from the left to the right. It

then improved to upright; relapsed to the original left side (I think after a

growth spurt); went upright again (even during a 4 day period when she has a

very high temperature due to a cold); then relapsed again to the 'new' right

side a day after her temperature dropped. It has now settled on the 'new' right

side.

I'm perplexed as to how to treat her now. Also why:

1) it has switched sides - and currently seems to have settled on this new side

2) why her relapses are so pronounced and relentless (I think more than is

normal)

3) why her head was upright during a time she was clearly very sick. Normally

I'd have expected it to cause a head tilt!

I've looked up 'Benign Paroxysmal Torticollis' which describes the tilt

switching sides, but none of the other symptoms match her. Also, from birth she

always rested her head in one direction when sleeping (despite repositioning,)

so I believed it was this (and possibly a forceps birth) that had caused classic

Torticollis.

Your experiences would be welcome.

(BTW - for those interested, her plagiocephaly was fortunately mild - hence we

did not go down the helmet route. It was successfully prevented/treated using:

a) goi goi pillow which they use in Sweden up until babies start rolling

following that, she had a memory foam cot mattress c) lots of tummy time and d)

a cranial osteopath gently shaping her head which was very effective.)