Title: Abnormal Head Position - American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
Headings: Abnormal Head Position
Abnormal Head Position
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What is an abnormal head posture?
What are some of the ocular causes of an abnormal head position?
Can my child see when the head is in an abnormal position?
Can a longstanding head turn lead to any permanent problems?
What are some of the non-ocular causes of an abnormal head position?
Are there any treatments for abnormal head postures?
Updated 04/2021
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Content: What are some of the non-ocular causes of an abnormal head position? Congenital shortening of the neck muscles (sternocleidomastoid) can cause a head tilt. This is typically called congenital torticollis. A patch test in the office can confirm this diagnosis. If the head tilt is due to tight neck muscles, then the tilt will remain the same with the patch on. If the head tilt is from an ocular cause such as strabismus, then the tilt should get better when the patch is on. Other non-ocular causes of an abnormal head position include cerebral palsy, bony abnormalities, occipitocervical synostosis and unilateral hearing loss. Are there any treatments for abnormal head postures? Yes. Abnormal head postures can usually be improved.