Children Who Had Congenital Torticollis as Infants Are Not at Higher Risk for a Delay in Motor Development at Preschool Age

ObjectiveTo investigate whether congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) or the time in a prone position as an infant had any influence on motor development at preschool age.DesignA case-control study.ParticipantsEighty-one children who had participated in a previous study that investigated motor development in infants with CMT and a control group of infants without CMT.MethodA follow-up at the age of 3.5-5 years; the Movement Assessment Battery for Children was used with the earlier CMT group and the control group to assess their motor development. An independent physiotherapist, who was blinded of the children's previous group belonging, assessed the children.Main Outcome MeasurementsPercentile scores of motor development.ResultsMultiple regression showed no impact on earlier group belonging or the amount of time spent in a prone position as an infant. The left-handed children had a significantly (P < .01) lower percentile in the Movement Assessment Battery for Children.ConclusionNeither CMT nor spending limited periods of time as an infant in the prone position when awake have any significant long-term effects on motor development. Children who had CMT as infants were not at higher risk for a delay in motor development at preschool age.