The TOT Collar - for Effective Management of Congenital Muscular Torticollis

If your baby has difficulty holding their head in the center or has the preference to look at one side or leaning to one side either on their pram or cot, then your baby may have torticollis. In most cases, torticollis in babies is congenital, meaning that your baby was born with it and is likely a result of positioning in the womb (other causes can be due to trauma during delivery or positioning during the first few weeks of life).

Torticollis is commonly associated with plagiocephaly – as high as 90% of the baby diagnosed with torticollis may also have positional plagiocephaly. These conditions are quite treatable and often preventable, early intervention is key to supporting good outcomes and often need to be seen by a paediatric physiotherapist, Osteopath, or Chiropractic.

TOT Collar – Tubular Orthosis for Torticollis (TOT)

The TOT Collar is designed to be used as a treatment for torticollis in both adults and children. It provides stimulus to the affected side of the neck and offers optimal therapy when utilised alongside stretching of the muscle, helping to prevent further health problems.

Benefits of the TOT Collar

In addition to correcting head positioning, the TOT Collar provides ongoing support for maintaining the corrected position for a longer period. This works more effectively than simply stretching the muscles alone. For added benefit, the torticollis collar is free from latex, which helps to reduce allergic reactions and irritation.

Congenital Muscular Torticollis is usually discovered in the first 6 to 8 weeks of life. It is characterized by a contracture of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, causing the head to be laterally flexed to the affected side and rotated to the opposite shoulder. If uncorrected, this posture may lead to plagiocephaly and high thoracic scoliosis.

For further reading go to http://en.wickipedia.org/wiki/torticollis

Tot Collar & Torticollis Scientific Papers

Articles and clinical examples, with more information on Congenital Muscular Torticollis as well as studies and papers on treatment.

Tubular Orthosis for Torticollis: A new approach to the Correction of Head Tilt in Congenital Muscular Torticollis.

The Determinants of Treatment Duration for Congenital Muscular Torticollis. Torticollis: Differential Diagnosis, Assessment and Treatment, Surgical Management, and Bracing.

Identification and Treatment of Congenital Muscular Torticollis in Infants.