Torticollis: Differential Diagnosis, Assessment and Treatment, Surgical Management and Bracing / Edition 1

by Karen Karmel-Ross

Overview

Torticollis: Differential Diagnosis, Assessment and Treatment, Surgical Management and Bracing fulfills a need, long overdue. To provide pediatric physicians, orthopedists, surgeons, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and family physicians with a systematic approach to the assessment and treatment of congenital muscular torticollis, this important guidebook gives you vital information on torticollis and its impact on the growth and development of children. Underscoring the importance of early intervention, Torticollis covers the differential diagnosis of this disorder, its conservative management, the advantages of a team approach to management, the selection of appropriate treatment techniques and pathways, and the relationship between torticollis posture and development of postural control and balance.

From pages packed with useful information and amply illustrated, you will learn about the various causes of torticollis, the guidelines for assessment and timing of treatment, the main goals of treatment intervention, and when surgery is necessary. Torticollis discusses the fabrication and use of custom-made neck collars to help resolve lateral head tilt and postoperative splinting. Through the book’s well-organized and clear discussions, you will also learn about:

• conservative management outcome
• surgical intervention
• plagiocephaly
• hemihypoplasia
• ocular torticollis
• evaluation guidelines
• motor skill development
• postural control and balance development
• assessing neck range-of-motion and strength
• manual therapy intervention
• strengthening exercises in play
• therapeutic handling and positioning
• treatment pathways
• exercises for posture education and midline control
• home intervention exercises
  
  Torticollis teaches you how to detect torticollis early and differentiate nonmuscular torticollis etiology. You will also learn how to evaluate the entire musculoskeletal system, how to assess motor development, postural control, and balance, and how to develop an exercise treatment plan. Nowhere else will you find such a comprehensive overview of this disorder, the challenges it presents, the progress that has been made, the interventions that work, and the research that needs to be done!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780789003164
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/06/1997
Series:	Physical and Occupational Therapy Series
Pages:	134
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

Contents Preface

• The Differential Diagnosis of Torticollis in Children
• Conservative Management of Congenital Muscular Torticollis: A Literature Review
• Assessment and Treatment of Children with Congenital Muscular Torticollis
• The Surgical Management of Congenital Muscular Torticollis
• The Use of Splinting in Conservative and Post-Operative Treatment of Congenital Muscular Torticollis
• Infants with Torticollis: The Relationship Between Asymmetric Head and Neck Positioning and Postural Development
• Epilogue
• Index
• Reference Notes Included

Editorial Reviews

3 Stars from Doody

Torticollis is a physical sign for many pathologic problems in children. Many practitioners who care for children will encounter this common problem. This new book describes the differential diagnoses to be considered when evaluating children with torticollis and reviews treatments for muscular torticollis emphasizing therapy programs. The stated purpose of the book is to share information on the clinical management of torticollis by physicians, surgeons, and therapists. The intended audience is physicians, therapists, and surgeons who see children with this problem. It is an appropriate resource for any primary care practitioner or student who evaluates children for musculoskeletal problems. This text begins with a discussion of the etiologies of torticollis and then focuses on management of the most common type, congenital muscular torticollis. A brief review of the natural history of this condition and an extensive discussion of the evaluation and manipulative treatment follow along with instructions for a home program of therapeutic exercises. The rationale for treatment is exhaustively and redundantly presented. Clinical photographs and diagrams are often used to highlight points in the management of this very visible condition. Unfortunately, many reproduced poorly and lose their effect. There is an appropriately brief section on the surgical management of refractory cases. All sections are well-referenced, current, and written by contributors experienced in the field. This text accomplishes many of the purposes set forth by the editor. It provides a useful multidisciplinary review of a poorly documented subject. It will have limited usefulness to a busy practitioner asthe therapy sections are too detailed and highly subjective, obscuring the useful technical points made by the contributors. It will be most helpful to those who treat children with congenital muscular torticollis and who desire more in-depth knowledge and a template for a treatment program developed by therapists experienced in the area.

Kit M. Song

Reviewer: Kit M. Song, MD (University of Washington School of Medicine)
Description: Torticollis is a physical sign for many pathologic problems in children. Many practitioners who care for children will encounter this common problem. This new book describes the differential diagnoses to be considered when evaluating children with torticollis and reviews treatments for muscular torticollis emphasizing therapy programs.
Purpose: The stated purpose of the book is to share information on the clinical management of torticollis by physicians, surgeons, and therapists.
Audience: The intended audience is physicians, therapists, and surgeons who see children with this problem. It is an appropriate resource for any primary care practitioner or student who evaluates children for musculoskeletal problems.
Features: This text begins with a discussion of the etiologies of torticollis and then focuses on management of the most common type, congenital muscular torticollis. A brief review of the natural history of this condition and an extensive discussion of the evaluation and manipulative treatment follow along with instructions for a home program of therapeutic exercises. The rationale for treatment is exhaustively and redundantly presented. Clinical photographs and diagrams are often used to highlight points in the management of this very visible condition. Unfortunately, many reproduced poorly and lose their effect. There is an appropriately brief section on the surgical management of refractory cases. All sections are well-referenced, current, and written by contributors experienced in the field.
Assessment: This text accomplishes many of the purposes set forth by the editor. It provides a useful multidisciplinary review of a poorly documented subject. It will have limited usefulness to a busy practitioner as the therapy sections are too detailed and highly subjective, obscuring the useful technical points made by the contributors. It will be most helpful to those who treat children with congenital muscular torticollis and who desire more in-depth knowledge and a template for a treatment program developed by therapists experienced in the area.

Doody's Review Service