{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,30]],"date-time":"2026-10-30T02:55:09Z","timestamp":1793328909685,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,5]],"date-time":"2024-06-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1717545600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Children"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe parent perceptions of the home exercise program (HEP) for infants with congenital muscular torticollis (CMT), and how these perceptions evolved over a physical therapy (PT) plan of care. Twelve participants were recruited from a pediatric PT clinic, and nine completed interviews at three time points. Qualitative description and an iterative approach for thematic analysis of 27 interviews yielded three themes that corresponded to the research questions. The participants\u2019 responses were categorized into three main themes: (1) parents\u2019 perceptions of three key exercises within the HEP, (2) internal and external sources of stress, and (3) sources of empowerment and disempowerment. Regarding the HEP, parents articulated common sentiments for three frequently prescribed exercises for the management of CMT: (1) tummy time was the fast favorite, (2) ipsilateral cervical rotation was perceived as stressful, and (3) contralateral cervical lateral flexion felt uncomfortable. Additionally, participants disclosed internal and external sources of stress (guilt, uncertainty, and the demands of returning to work) and sources of disempowerment (inconsistent messaging frompractitioners, feeling overwhelmed) and empowerment (being able to see the bigger picture and clear communication and education about the diagnosis) with respect to managing their infant\u2019s CMT. These themes provide insight into the evolution of parent perceptions over a PT plan of care for CMT. Participants\u2019 insights suggest a need for consistent messaging regarding the diagnosis and evidence-based management of CMT, addressing parent stress, and modifying how exercises are taught. This study contributes updated research on parents\u2019 experiences with physical therapy and the HEP for their infant\u2019s CMT.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/children11060689","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,5]],"date-time":"2024-06-05T11:50:09Z","timestamp":1717588209000},"page":"689","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["A Qualitative Investigation of Parent Perceptions of Home Exercises for Congenital Muscular Torticollis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Audrey","family":"Stitt","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Physical Therapy Program, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-9575-2226","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rebecca","family":"Operacz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Physical Therapy Program, Jefferson College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"240","DOI":"10.1097\/PEP.0000000000000544","article-title":"Physical therapy management of congenital muscular torticollis: A 2018 evidence-based clinical practice guideline from the APTA Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy","volume":"30","author":"Kaplan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Pediatr. 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