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CompletedNCT06879314Updated Jun 25, 2025

Development in Children Diagnosed With Congenital Muscular Torticollis

An observational study in Torticollis Congenital, Motor Development and Sensory Integration Dysfunction, sponsored by Gazi University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 1 Month to 12 Months, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-06-25.

Sponsored by Gazi University · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
40
Ages
1 Month to 12 Months
Sex
All
01

Study summary

It has been thought that head position may affect the shoulder, rib cage and abdominal muscles, which may have a negative effect on posture control and movement development, sensory-motor coordination and cause retardation in gross motor function. For these reasons, children with congenital muscular torticollis should be evaluated comprehensively in the early period. This study, which was planned to evaluate the motor development and sensory processing of children with torticollis, was designed according to the lack of literature.

Read the detailed description

Congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) is a common postural deformity that occurs shortly after birth and is typically characterized by ipsilateral cervical lateral flexion and contralateral cervical rotation due to unilateral shortening of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle. It is a non-neurological postural disorder that usually affects 3% to 16% of infants. Theories such as intrauterine stenosis, vascular causes, fibrosis of the peripartum hemorrhage area, difficult labor, and primary myopathy of the SCM muscle have been put forward for its causes. In tissue samples taken after surgery, edema, degeneration of muscle fibers, and fibrosis have been reported. It is thought that CMT affects the muscles as well as head and facial development, causing various asymmetries, delays in gross motor functions, and disorders in posture and balance control. A bent neck position can cause plagiocephaly. Characteristic craniofacial deformities include asymmetry in the brow and cheekbones, deviation of the chin and nose tip, inferior orbital abnormality on the affected side, asymmetry in ear placement, and shortening of the vertical dimension of the ipsilateral face. In later periods, it has been shown that it may cause asymmetry in the use of the upper extremities, delay in gross motor functions, and effects on posture and balance control in children. It is thought that head position may affect the shoulder, rib cage, and abdominal muscles, which may have a negative effect on posture control and movement development, sensory-motor coordination, and cause gross motor function retardation. For these reasons, children with congenital muscular torticollis should be evaluated comprehensively in the early period. This study, which was planned to evaluate the motor development and sensory processing of children with CMT, was designed according to the lack of literature.

02

Conditions studied

  • Torticollis Congenital
  • Motor Development
  • Sensory Integration Dysfunction

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Keywords

  • Torticollis
  • motor development
  • sensory processing skills
  • infant
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
1 Month to 12 Months
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) is a common postural deformity that appears shortly after birth and is typically characterized by ipsilateral cervical lateral flexion and contralateral cervical rotation due to unilateral shortening of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle. It is a non-neurological postural disorder that usually affects 3% to 16% of infants. CMT is the third most common musculoskeletal disorder of infancy, affecting 3.9% to 16% of infants. It develops due to unilateral shortening of the SCM, regardless of whether there is a mass in the SCM. CMT is characterized by lateral flexion of the affected SCM to the ipsilateral side and rotation to the contralateral side.

Inclusion criteria

  • Infants diagnosed with congenital torticollis between 0-12 months of age,
  • with parental consent,

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Children with chromosomal abnormalities,
  • serious congenital problems,
  • vision-hearing problem
  • children whose parents do not volunteer for the study will not be included in the study.
04

Study design

Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
40 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • torticollis

    Twenty children with congenital muscular torticollis diagnosis, between 0-12 months of age, with parental consent, without any vision or hearing problems, will be included in the study.

  • Healthy infants

    A control group of 20 healthy children without congenital muscular torticollis will be formed.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Peabody Developmental Motor Scale | Second Edition

    It is planned to use Peabody Motor Development Scale-2 to evaluate motor development. The test is designed to determine developmental delays in children between 0-72 months. It is used to evaluate the motor development of children with separate tests and rating scales for both gross motor skills and fine motor skills. Six subtests, reflexes, Stationary, Locomotion, Object Manipulation, Grasping, and Visual-Motor Integration, collectively measure a broad spectrum of motor functions including postural control, locomotor abilities, object manipulation, and hand-eye coordination. The subtests generate three composite scores: the Gross Motor Quotient, Fine Motor Quotient, and Total Motor Quotient, offering a comprehensive evaluation of a child's motor competence. Notably, higher scores on the Peabody Motor Development Scale-2 reflect superior motor performance, indicating better developmental outcomes.

    Time frame: 1-12 months

  2. Test of Sensory Functions in Infants

    It was planned to use the Test of Sensory Functions in Infants to evaluate the sensory development of infants. Test of Sensory Functions in Infants is frequently used to evaluate the sensory processing functions of infants aged 4-18 months. It is used to determine whether an infant has a sensory processing problem and to what extent. It consists of 24 items.

    Time frame: 1-12 months

06

Study locations

1 site
  • Gazi University
    Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)
07

References and documents

Publications

  • DeGangi, G.A. and S.I. Greenspan, Test of sensory functions in infants (TSFI). 1989: Western Psychological Services Los Angeles
  • Folio, M.R. and R.R. Fewell, Peabody developmental motor scales and activity cards. 1983: DLM Teaching
  • Ohman A, Nilsson S, Lagerkvist AL, Beckung E. Are infants with torticollis at risk of a delay in early motor milestones compared with a control group of healthy infants? Dev Med Child Neurol. 2009 Jul;51(7):545-50. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2008.03195.x. Epub 2009 Jan 26. PubMed 19191832 ↗
  • Zorlular R, Burak SE, Beyoglu R, Elbasan B. Motor development and sensory processing skills in infants with congenital muscular torticollis: a cross-sectional study. Eur J Pediatr. 2025 Sep 23;184(10):630. doi: 10.1007/s00431-025-06457-2. PubMed 40986093 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06879314
Lead sponsor
Gazi University
Responsible party
Rabia ZORLULAR (principal investigator, Gazi University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Mar 17, 2025
Start date
Mar 13, 2025
Primary completion
Apr 30, 2025
Completion
Apr 30, 2025
Last update
Jun 25, 2025

Study contacts

Rabia ZORLULAR
principal investigator · Gazi University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Mar 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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