Torticollis in Babies: How Play, Patience and Calm Can Help Your Baby Find Their Balance

Sarah Plunkett
10 hours ago
4 min read

It can be worrying when you notice your baby always seems to look in one direction or prefers to feed on one side. Many parents fear something serious is wrong, but in most cases, the cause is a condition called congenital muscular torticollis. The good news is that, when recognised early, torticollis usually responds very well to gentle physiotherapy, playful activities, and giving your baby plenty of opportunities to move naturally.

At BodyRight Physiotherapy in Drogheda, we work with families to make treatment enjoyable rather than stressful. Babies learn best through movement, curiosity and play—not through forcing stretches or making them uncomfortable.

What is torticollis?

Torticollis simply means that a baby's neck muscles have become tight on one side, most commonly the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle. This causes the head to tilt towards one shoulder while the chin points towards the opposite side.

Some babies are born with this tightness, while others develop it during the first few weeks due to their position in the womb, a difficult delivery, or simply spending too much time lying in one preferred position.

You may notice that your baby:

Always turns their head to one side.
Finds it difficult to look the opposite way.
Develops a flat spot on one side of the head (positional plagiocephaly).
Prefers feeding from one breast or one bottle position.
Has one shoulder that appears slightly higher.
Becomes unsettled when encouraged to turn towards the tighter side.

None of this means your baby is in pain or that you have done anything wrong. Babies naturally develop movement preferences, and with the right guidance these can often be gently corrected.

Why early movement matters

During the first year of life, a baby's brain and body develop at an incredible pace. Every time they look around, reach for a toy, lift their head or roll over, they are building strength, coordination and body awareness.

If the neck only moves comfortably in one direction, babies may begin to favour one side for many activities. Over time this can influence head shape, rolling, crawling and even sitting balance.

The earlier we restore comfortable movement, the easier it is for babies to develop symmetrical movement patterns.

The BodyRight approach: Calm first, then movement

One of the biggest misconceptions about treating torticollis is that babies need aggressive stretching.

In reality, babies respond much better when they feel relaxed, secure and engaged.

A calm baby is a moving baby.

Rather than forcing movement, we aim to encourage it naturally. Physiotherapy becomes part of everyday life through cuddles, feeding, tummy time and play. Gentle handling techniques help reduce muscle tightness while encouraging babies to explore movements they may have been avoiding.

Parents often tell us they feel relieved when they realise treatment can simply become part of normal family life.

Play is powerful therapy

Babies are naturally curious. If something interesting catches their attention, they'll often move far more willingly than if someone simply tries to stretch them.

Simple play ideas include:

Position colourful toys or faces on the side your baby usually avoids.
Move slowly so they have time to follow with their eyes and head.
Talk, sing and smile from the less-preferred side.
During tummy time, place interesting objects just beyond their comfortable turning range.
Encourage reaching with both hands.
Alternate the side you carry your baby on.
Change feeding positions when appropriate.
Give plenty of supervised floor play rather than extended periods in car seats, swings or bouncers.

These small changes repeated throughout the day often have a much bigger impact than one long exercise session.

Tummy time doesn't have to be a battle

Many parents worry because their baby dislikes tummy time.

This is very common, especially in babies with torticollis, as lifting and turning the head may feel more difficult.

Instead of aiming for long sessions, think little and often. Even one or two minutes several times a day is valuable. Tummy time can happen on a parent's chest, across your lap, on a rolled towel or on a play mat.

As neck strength improves, babies usually become much happier spending time on their tummy.

Looking beyond the neck

At BodyRight Physiotherapy, we don't just assess the neck.

We also look at:

Overall movement patterns.
Head shape.
Shoulder and trunk symmetry.
Rolling and early motor development.
Feeding positions.
Sleeping and carrying habits.
Tummy time tolerance.

Sometimes a baby simply needs a few environmental changes and some home exercises. Others may benefit from a short course of physiotherapy to gently restore full movement before any asymmetry becomes more established.

What does treatment involve?

Treatment is always gentle and tailored to your baby's age and development.

A physiotherapy assessment may include:

Observing how your baby naturally moves.
Measuring neck movement.
Assessing muscle tightness.
Checking head shape.
Looking at developmental milestones.
Teaching parents simple handling techniques.
Demonstrating playful exercises that fit naturally into daily routines.

Most importantly, parents leave knowing exactly what to do at home and feeling confident rather than overwhelmed.

Will my baby recover?

The outlook is excellent.

Most babies who begin treatment early regain full neck movement and go on to reach their developmental milestones without long-term problems. The key is recognising the signs early and gently encouraging symmetrical movement before habits become well established.

Parents are often surprised by how quickly babies begin looking both ways once they become more comfortable.