[Torticollis in children: diagnostic approach]

Torticollis is an abnormal head posture. Clinical presentation includes ipsilateral tilt and controlateral rotation, and translation. Aetiologies are various including muscular entities, traumatic, inflammatory, infectious, tumour and non-muscular entities ocular, ORL or digestive. Majorities are minor and generally, a complete physical examination is sufficient to eliminate serious entities. Concretely, it is important to separate acute and chronic form. Traumatic torticollis justifies a systematic standard radiograph and then 15 days after dynamic evaluation. Septic torticollis evokes otolaryngological infection or spondylodiscitis. Chronic torticollis is congenital, postural or malformative. In case of recurrent form or torticollis with neurological abnormalities, TDM or RMI are necessary to eliminate tumoral diseases.