If you still have questions book a free 20 minute phone call or paid 60 minute online consultation with me here: drlaurenbaker.clientsecure.me/request/service
Im so glad that this video has been helpful Bongkpu! I just did a live stream on crawling and 10 month olds, so you might find it helpful, too. Its long but has a ton of value th-cam.com/users/liveY0buP-Ssis4?feature=share
Hi! I really like your video. I have a 9 months son, with weak core strength. We started doint PT this week because he bends his whole body to the left, rarely rotates to the right, and has a head tilt. Our therapist told us our previous meetings that things will get better on its own , but he started crawling and standing up and the problem is still here. I'm worried because we started doing therapy so late. Could he not recover well? Is there a chance he could have permament damage?
Hi Roxana! Thank you so much for the comment. From your comment, it sounds like your kiddo is struggling with Torticollis (head tilt + rotation resistance/preference) and I am really glad he is in PT! That is exactly what I would recommend as a provider to any mama in this situation. Every kiddo is different but typically torticollis can take 3-6.5 months to resolve (unless a kiddo gets treatment by 2 months then it is typically 1.5 months which is why we recommend early treatment always!). That being said, there are different styles of PT that can show quicker progress. Torticollis in my experience does not “go away” on its own unless the underlying tightness is resolved by a professional: usually I have best results with a trusted peds chiro and PT. I love using total motion release for any kiddo with tightness and especially with any kiddos with torticollis diagnoses. Here is a playlist with all of my TMR videos: th-cam.com/play/PLxYt0JBWx03TxJKI4UNyEYImYnhsdq96g.html Not all PTs are TMR trained, so if you are interested in looking for one in your area, you can send me a DM on instagram @drlaurenbaker or some therapists are located on www.branchly.com (make sure to click TMR tots in the specialty on the left hand side). To answer your question, there is a low likelihood of torticollis muscle tightness resulting in a contracture that would result in permanent damage from a muscle perspective (I have never seen this and if it did occur would be in conjunction with other neurological conditions) but the items you do want to be mindful of are: - muscle imbalances in the body can result in increased wear and tear as we get older and can inhibit gross motor milestones in the future -head tilts can alter visual functionality (can also be an underlying cause of torticollis so make sure your PT has ruled this out) -head rotation preferences can result in head flatness usually same side as head rotation preference which can in moderate to severe cases influence the facial structure, jaw alignment, and ear canal shape (any flatness should be measured by PT or orthotist via hanger clinic, cranial technologies or a local company that can scan or use calipers to measure headshape). This is a TON of information but my encouragement would be: -monitor head shape -continue with PT to ensure milestones are met: crawling hands AND knees, pulling to stand, walking AND posture improves (if PT is not addressing posture other experts in area are: cranial sacral therapists or pediatric chiropractors or PT/OTs that do body work) -take pictures to ensure that head tilt is improving -go through the full TMR playlist to screen the following movements: upper and lower trunk rotation to both sides, lower trunk sidebend, and the other movements including doing the positional releases to only the easy side. GOOD LUCK MAMA!!!
Aw @ellie rose that is SO SWEET of you to say, I sincerely appreciate it. Do you have anything you’re extra curious about or video topics you’d like to see? Always open to ideas! Thank you so much for this comment it totally made my morning (& honestly month!).
Hi Naznin! Likely a few of these exercises would be appropriate but what I would recommend is going through the learning to roll (if not yet rolling) or learning to sit free courses located here: drlaurenbaker.com/courses This will walk you through a lot of options so that you can make it super specific to your little. Hopefully this helps!
@Dr. Lauren, Thanks a lot for your reply. My baby can roll and neck control is not bad but he feels discomfort in rolling on his left side. How can i overcome this?
Absolutely - so discomfort when on his left side could be due to tightness on the right side (the right side of your trunk has to elongate and relax when lying on your left). It could also be neck tightness or weakness (especially if you notice their head being held in a tilt - ear to shoulder most of the time). Muscle tightness can be ruled out by a pediatric physical therapist and/or by going through the mobility module in either rolling or sitting course. The other area to note could be neck or core weakness - the core and neck strength modules can help you focus on those. The best thing would be to sign up for either course and go through the checklists (i always recommend printing them off). Since rolling is involved I would start there ❤️
You are correct, w sitting where both feet are behind and both hips are in internal rotation is not ideal. However, side sitting is very safe because one hip is in external rotation and the other is in internal rotation which equalizing hip motions, the core uses side bending which is great for strengthening and your trunk can rotate. Its the normal position for babies to transition in/out of sitting and crawling as well. I believe you have side sitting and w sitting confused. Here is an example of w sitting: th-cam.com/video/sQpMqooNwZo/w-d-xo.html Glad you enjoyed the video! And thanks for reiterating that w sitting is not ideal because you are correct in that!
Where would I start with my 6m old who has torticollis? He’s in PT and he wants me to work on strengthening his abdominals… but even holding onto him, he sort of plops forward or to the side. He has strength but with his head always being to the left, there’s no balance whatsoever.
Hi Shelsea, thanks for the comment ❤️ Torticollis is a tricky situation that involves the whole body which is why sitting might still be a struggle. I really like the total motion release style of improving movement and I go through some screens in my learning to sit free online course which you might find helpful: drlaurenbaker.com/courses I would definitely make sure to go through the checklists but also all the mobility sections because if lower trunk sidebending is a concern then it will be difficult to stay upright as the trunk will be mixing with gravity to make it more difficult. Within the course the pull to sit core strengthening exercise is the one I would start with supporting behind the shoulders since this shouldnt be influenced as much by the tilt but may be impacted if the trunk is involved (which is why the screens for upper and lower trunk mobility are essential). If these are totally different than what your PT has shared you can always book an online parent consultation and we can chat about it more (not to replace your PT, I am sure theyre great!! But to add another lense that might help). You can book it anytime here: drlaurenbaker.clientsecure.me/request/service The other thing that is super helpful is to bring toys up to chest height so that the baby has to raise their arms to play with them (with support at the trunk). I love any suction toys for this! There are some examples in the free course Let me know if you have more questions! Lauren
Hi Parsa, thank you so much for your comment. Your daughter is lucky to have a mama who is searching for ways to help her get stronger. CP is a really tough diagnosis that impacts children is extremely different ways. The best thing you can do if make sure that you have a pediatric physical therapist or pediatric physiotherapist that you are working with on a regular (ideally weekly) basis. They will be able to adapt these exercises so that they are appropriate for your daughter. I cannot say specifically if it would be appropriate for your daughter to do these exercises but I can add some context: If she is sitting with support or independently and has good head control then likely these exercises could be doable. If head control is not achieved yet (which is often the case in a lot of babies with a diagnosis of CP, then upright sitting strengthening might not be appropriate yet). In this case, this video might be better: th-cam.com/video/PGz60Z93f8w/w-d-xo.htmlsi=YMxJqB20-xw5IjCe If your baby is working on rolling-walking milestones you can look through my free online courses linked here: drlaurenbaker.com/courses - most of these exercises will need to be adapted for a child with any diagnosis and its important to have a pediatric physical therapist work with you to determine which exercises would be best. For more specifics or if you do not have access to a pediatric PT in your area you can book an online parent consultation with me here: drlaurenbaker.clientsecure.me/request/service Additionally, DMI therapy has been really helpful for parents of children with CP and therapists can be found here: dmitherapy.com/masters-teachers/ I also really like this channel for education on CP and exercises specific to different kids and ages and diagnoses: youtube.com/@pediatricPTexercises?si=nmc4r9z6sbudjU9P I hope these resources help! Lauren
If you still have questions book a free 20 minute phone call or paid 60 minute online consultation with me here: drlaurenbaker.clientsecure.me/request/service
My little one is 10 months not crawling. I have been trying to get the right exercise and this is it
Im so glad that this video has been helpful Bongkpu! I just did a live stream on crawling and 10 month olds, so you might find it helpful, too. Its long but has a ton of value th-cam.com/users/liveY0buP-Ssis4?feature=share
The best exercise I have gotten so far. Thank you mam
You are SO welcome! This comment made me smile :) I appreciate you taking the time to leave it, Bongkpu!
Hi! I really like your video. I have a 9 months son, with weak core strength. We started doint PT this week because he bends his whole body to the left, rarely rotates to the right, and has a head tilt. Our therapist told us our previous meetings that things will get better on its own , but he started crawling and standing up and the problem is still here. I'm worried because we started doing therapy so late. Could he not recover well? Is there a chance he could have permament damage?
Hi Roxana! Thank you so much for the comment. From your comment, it sounds like your kiddo is struggling with Torticollis (head tilt + rotation resistance/preference) and I am really glad he is in PT! That is exactly what I would recommend as a provider to any mama in this situation. Every kiddo is different but typically torticollis can take 3-6.5 months to resolve (unless a kiddo gets treatment by 2 months then it is typically 1.5 months which is why we recommend early treatment always!).
That being said, there are different styles of PT that can show quicker progress. Torticollis in my experience does not “go away” on its own unless the underlying tightness is resolved by a professional: usually I have best results with a trusted peds chiro and PT.
I love using total motion release for any kiddo with tightness and especially with any kiddos with torticollis diagnoses. Here is a playlist with all of my TMR videos: th-cam.com/play/PLxYt0JBWx03TxJKI4UNyEYImYnhsdq96g.html
Not all PTs are TMR trained, so if you are interested in looking for one in your area, you can send me a DM on instagram @drlaurenbaker or some therapists are located on www.branchly.com (make sure to click TMR tots in the specialty on the left hand side).
To answer your question, there is a low likelihood of torticollis muscle tightness resulting in a contracture that would result in permanent damage from a muscle perspective (I have never seen this and if it did occur would be in conjunction with other neurological conditions) but the items you do want to be mindful of are:
- muscle imbalances in the body can result in increased wear and tear as we get older and can inhibit gross motor milestones in the future
-head tilts can alter visual functionality (can also be an underlying cause of torticollis so make sure your PT has ruled this out)
-head rotation preferences can result in head flatness usually same side as head rotation preference which can in moderate to severe cases influence the facial structure, jaw alignment, and ear canal shape (any flatness should be measured by PT or orthotist via hanger clinic, cranial technologies or a local company that can scan or use calipers to measure headshape).
This is a TON of information but my encouragement would be:
-monitor head shape
-continue with PT to ensure milestones are met: crawling hands AND knees, pulling to stand, walking AND posture improves (if PT is not addressing posture other experts in area are: cranial sacral therapists or pediatric chiropractors or PT/OTs that do body work)
-take pictures to ensure that head tilt is improving
-go through the full TMR playlist to screen the following movements: upper and lower trunk rotation to both sides, lower trunk sidebend, and the other movements including doing the positional releases to only the easy side.
GOOD LUCK MAMA!!!
Love your channel! You do a fabulous job!
Aw @ellie rose that is SO SWEET of you to say, I sincerely appreciate it.
Do you have anything you’re extra curious about or video topics you’d like to see? Always open to ideas! Thank you so much for this comment it totally made my morning (& honestly month!).
Hi Dr. Lauren, Can I do this exercise for my 9months old baby who has low tone and can't sit yet?
Hi Naznin! Likely a few of these exercises would be appropriate but what I would recommend is going through the learning to roll (if not yet rolling) or learning to sit free courses located here: drlaurenbaker.com/courses
This will walk you through a lot of options so that you can make it super specific to your little. Hopefully this helps!
@Dr. Lauren, Thanks a lot for your reply. My baby can roll and neck control is not bad but he feels discomfort in rolling on his left side. How can i overcome this?
Absolutely - so discomfort when on his left side could be due to tightness on the right side (the right side of your trunk has to elongate and relax when lying on your left). It could also be neck tightness or weakness (especially if you notice their head being held in a tilt - ear to shoulder most of the time).
Muscle tightness can be ruled out by a pediatric physical therapist and/or by going through the mobility module in either rolling or sitting course.
The other area to note could be neck or core weakness - the core and neck strength modules can help you focus on those.
The best thing would be to sign up for either course and go through the checklists (i always recommend printing them off). Since rolling is involved I would start there ❤️
W sitting is not safe but lots of amazing exercises
You are correct, w sitting where both feet are behind and both hips are in internal rotation is not ideal. However, side sitting is very safe because one hip is in external rotation and the other is in internal rotation which equalizing hip motions, the core uses side bending which is great for strengthening and your trunk can rotate. Its the normal position for babies to transition in/out of sitting and crawling as well. I believe you have side sitting and w sitting confused. Here is an example of w sitting: th-cam.com/video/sQpMqooNwZo/w-d-xo.html
Glad you enjoyed the video! And thanks for reiterating that w sitting is not ideal because you are correct in that!
Where would I start with my 6m old who has torticollis? He’s in PT and he wants me to work on strengthening his abdominals… but even holding onto him, he sort of plops forward or to the side. He has strength but with his head always being to the left, there’s no balance whatsoever.
Hi Shelsea, thanks for the comment ❤️ Torticollis is a tricky situation that involves the whole body which is why sitting might still be a struggle. I really like the total motion release style of improving movement and I go through some screens in my learning to sit free online course which you might find helpful: drlaurenbaker.com/courses
I would definitely make sure to go through the checklists but also all the mobility sections because if lower trunk sidebending is a concern then it will be difficult to stay upright as the trunk will be mixing with gravity to make it more difficult. Within the course the pull to sit core strengthening exercise is the one I would start with supporting behind the shoulders since this shouldnt be influenced as much by the tilt but may be impacted if the trunk is involved (which is why the screens for upper and lower trunk mobility are essential). If these are totally different than what your PT has shared you can always book an online parent consultation and we can chat about it more (not to replace your PT, I am sure theyre great!! But to add another lense that might help). You can book it anytime here: drlaurenbaker.clientsecure.me/request/service
The other thing that is super helpful is to bring toys up to chest height so that the baby has to raise their arms to play with them (with support at the trunk). I love any suction toys for this! There are some examples in the free course
Let me know if you have more questions! Lauren
Dr plz help me my daughter is cp child can i apply this exercises for her
Hi Parsa, thank you so much for your comment. Your daughter is lucky to have a mama who is searching for ways to help her get stronger. CP is a really tough diagnosis that impacts children is extremely different ways. The best thing you can do if make sure that you have a pediatric physical therapist or pediatric physiotherapist that you are working with on a regular (ideally weekly) basis. They will be able to adapt these exercises so that they are appropriate for your daughter. I cannot say specifically if it would be appropriate for your daughter to do these exercises but I can add some context:
If she is sitting with support or independently and has good head control then likely these exercises could be doable. If head control is not achieved yet (which is often the case in a lot of babies with a diagnosis of CP, then upright sitting strengthening might not be appropriate yet). In this case, this video might be better: th-cam.com/video/PGz60Z93f8w/w-d-xo.htmlsi=YMxJqB20-xw5IjCe
If your baby is working on rolling-walking milestones you can look through my free online courses linked here: drlaurenbaker.com/courses - most of these exercises will need to be adapted for a child with any diagnosis and its important to have a pediatric physical therapist work with you to determine which exercises would be best.
For more specifics or if you do not have access to a pediatric PT in your area you can book an online parent consultation with me here: drlaurenbaker.clientsecure.me/request/service
Additionally, DMI therapy has been really helpful for parents of children with CP and therapists can be found here: dmitherapy.com/masters-teachers/
I also really like this channel for education on CP and exercises specific to different kids and ages and diagnoses: youtube.com/@pediatricPTexercises?si=nmc4r9z6sbudjU9P
I hope these resources help! Lauren
Thanks Dr Mam your videos really help to me
❤
Thank you so much for the comment, Grandma of Rexford! This heart made me smile and I'm glad you're finding this video helpful!