July 2, 2026

Practice pediatric clinical reasoning through congenital muscular torticollis questions covering examination, differential diagnosis, treatment priorities, red flags, and caregiver education.

DPT Study Guides

Congenital Muscular Torticollis NPTE-Style Practice Questions

Practice pediatric clinical reasoning through congenital muscular torticollis questions covering examination, differential diagnosis, treatment priorities, red flags, and caregiver education.

Written by By Iris Published Jul 2, 2026 Updated Aug 13, 2026

Use these five NPTE-style practice questions to review congenital muscular torticollis presentation patterns, screening, first-choice intervention components, caregiver education, and when consultation or referral may be needed.

Each question is text-based and includes a visible answer rationale and source information. This revised resource replaces the prior image-only question set.

DPT Study Guide

Congenital Muscular Torticollis: Practice Questions

Five text-based study questions with visible answer rationales and source information.

Educational use only. This is not medical advice or a substitute for clinical supervision, referral procedures, or the full guideline.

Question 1

A baby with congenital muscular torticollis most commonly presents with which resting head-and-neck position?

Ipsilateral lateral flexion with contralateral cervical rotation Contralateral lateral flexion with ipsilateral cervical rotation Bilateral cervical rotation with neutral lateral flexion Cervical extension with bilateral lateral flexion

Question 2

Which group best represents the first-choice intervention components described in the CMT clinical practice guideline?

Passive neck range of motion, active neck and trunk movement, symmetrical movement, environmental adaptations, and caregiver education Only passive stretching until range of motion is symmetrical Strength training with no caregiver education Observation only unless the child is older than one year

Question 3

During the initial examination, which approach best supports differential screening for an infant with suspected CMT?

Screen for non-muscular causes of asymmetry and refer or consult when findings are atypical or concerning Assume every head preference is muscular and begin stretching immediately Delay screening until the infant can sit independently Use head shape alone to determine the diagnosis

Question 4

Which outcome is most consistent with caregiver education in a CMT plan of care?

Caregivers understand positioning and daily opportunities for symmetrical movement Caregivers independently diagnose the cause of asymmetry Caregivers stop monitoring because home activity is not relevant Caregivers use a single position for all play and carrying

Question 5

A practice question asks for the best next step when an infant’s presentation includes atypical or non-muscular findings. What is the safest exam answer?

Consult or refer according to the clinical setting and supervision pathway Increase the home stretching dose without reassessment Ignore the finding if cervical range appears limited Wait for a later visit before documenting it

References and review notes

Sargent B, Coulter C, Cannoy J, Kaplan SL. Physical Therapy Management of Congenital Muscular Torticollis: A 2024 Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline From the APTA Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy. Pediatric Physical Therapy. 2024;36(4):370–421. doi:10.1097/PEP.0000000000001114.
American Physical Therapy Association. 2024 CMT clinical practice guideline resource.

Evidence review: August 13, 2026. No patient images or copied course graphics are used in this question set.

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References and review notes

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