Torticollus and worried sick (cerebral.palsy?)

[surreygirl1987]

Hi,
I have a wonderful little 8 week old boy. From.thr beginning he's been hard work. We had a quite traumatic ventouse delivery after lots of pushing. Then after he was a week old he started incessant crying which turns out is due to silent reflux and maybe some digestive issues. From birth he has also had torticollus and has just started physio for it. It's hard but we can cope with all these things as long as he does get better.
However, in my research I keep ending up on websites about cerebral palsy. I'm worried sick. It seems that ventouse deliveries (and they really yanked him out apparently) can cause brain damage. Plus, he has a few other classic signs - reflux, massive head, cries a lot, torticollus, and weaker left side. I'm terrified and can't put it out of my mind.
Of course, as my husband points out, he could be totally fine. The torticollus is obviously likely to be a result of his birth, and I guess he could just happen to also have reflux. And his weaker left side could easily be a result of his torticollus. He does move weirdly when hi hold him upright again if he has a weaker side maybe hes compensating?

He seems fine with interaction- smiling and imitating our sounds and is just lovely.

Writing that out now it sounds like I am worrying for nothing. However I can't shake this awful feeling that something's wrong with him. Should I speak to the doctor or will she think I'm losing it? I need her onside as I'm pushing for referrals for his reflux and torticollis, so I don't want her to think I'm a paranoid first time mum (even though maybe I am) as I need her to take me seriously...

Also any other parents of babies/children with torticollulis any insight?

Many thanks.

I assume you mean 8 month old? and not 8 week old? otherwise he would be a incredibly advanced 8 week old!

No he's 8 weeks! What is advanced about him?? I'm worried he's the complete reverse!

He sounds fine developmentally, except for what you know.

It is perfectly reasonable to go to your GP and say that you're concerned that the weakness/torticollulis may be due to CP.

The GP may be able to reassure you from things that you wouldn't know about.
Or they may say it's possible, but at present they need to focus on what they know.
Or they may say, yes, we'll refer for brain scan (or however they diagnose it, I'm making an assumption here).
Or they may say yes, but it involves a brain scan which means sedation so it will be better to wait until older.

It's not like you're coming in with the20th unrelated thing that is exceedingly unusual anyway, although I'd probably not start with "when I was googling..."
You have a reason why it is a concern and so they should listen, reassure or pass you forward.

Thanks. Actually saw paediatrician today and she's referred me to the hospital... fingers crossed

at 2 months he would be very advanced if he is imitating your sounds, that would be a advance skill for a 5 month old. Again, if you hold him upright and he tries to move/step forward (like I think you described), regardless of how clumsy it might look, then that would be an incredibly advance skill for a 2 month old.

Actually, the stepping reflex is something that is present at birth and disappears around 2 months old, all babies should do it.

My friend’s baby does the sound thing too, and she’s only a few weeks older? I don’t mean he says anything, it’s literally just a couple of sounds! He makes a sound, we say it back, he says it again... it goes on for a couple of minutes sometimes.
No I don’t mean stepping, I mean if I hold him upright on my lap he always twists his head to the left where he holds it steady (at first I thought he was just interested in something over there, but he does it to a blank wall too) or if he faves forwards he will jerk, droop and bob his head oddly.
He’s got bad silent reflux too and cries a lot.
Saw paediatrician who just told me to stop googling. I really hope I’m just being a paranoid ftm!!

It would be very early to spot CP. The moving the head to the side is sometimes called the asymmetric tonic reflex**, and is normal in a baby. In time, over the early babyhood, it is overcome by the child's brain mastering intentional movement.

Now why listen to me? I'm not a doctor. But I worked for Scope ( then called the Spastics Society ), for 7 years, in a school in Sussex. We had mother and baby sessions, often.

Of course you are going to worry. I did about mine, especially with my job experience! Probably all is 100%fine. In any case; love your baby, enjoy him, and whether he grows up to be Prime Minister or an accountant, you will have done for him all that a parent can do.

**At least, we used to call it that!

Oh thanks KayM2! I've not heard of that but will look it up. I'm only now realising that I'm suffering from anxiety... I really need to get things in perspective and not worry about every tiny possibility! Thanks for being reassuring.

I couldn’t not respond as I went through identical worries when my DS was 10 weeks old. His torticollis improved naturally and now at 1 year doesn’t display any signs of CP.

I’ve spent the last year in a state of post natal anxiety. All focused around this issue. Googling became an obsessive habit in the end that never offered any comfort. I guess I wish someone had said this to me at the time. Your baby sounds fab! Enjoy him as much as you can x

Not an identical situation but sharing my experiences if they help! When my little girl was born she also spent weeks with her head turning in one direction only. She was unidentified breach (didn’t help I was 2 weeks late also) so I had an emergency c section (no ventouse). However because she was breach she had hip dysplasia and she had to see a physio for treatment, I asked about her head and she said it was common in babies with hip dysplasia (although didn’t officially diagnose torticollis) and gave me some advice such as place her in her cot with her head facing the wall, and as a baby will naturally want to look outwards she will eventually start turning her head to the other side, same when placing her on changing table and then on her play gym, place her so she has to turn her head towards the toys you want her to look at. Also think about feeding and which way you hold your baby.

After a little while she corrected although she did have a flat head on one side for a while, though that seems to have gone now too.

Hope this helps

Your comments help immensely! We have physio weds and I've booked a private neuro-physio as well just to get a second opinion and be on the safe side. I've calmed down a lot now and agree as you said I need to step away from Google. Thank you SO much! X

My ds had torticollis, I remember cp coming up every search I made. Physio completly resolved it and he is totally fine. Keep up with the physio, be totally diligent with it. We also propped his cot mattress up on one side to encourage his head to fall the opposite way and propped his head away from his favoured side in car seat, bouncy chair, sling etc with a rolled up muslin. We were fastidious with the physio. Hope you get more reassurance. We also saw a private consultant who was excellent