Marnie Simpson has revealed her son Oax had a helmet fitted after he was diagnosed with torticollis, a musculoskeletal condition that causes his head to tilt.
The former Geordie Shore star, 30, shared a photo of the four-month-old – who she shares with fiancé Casey Johnson, 27 – wearing the medical headdress in a Sunday Instagram post.
Marnie admitted she felt “overwhelmed” and explained how his plagiocephaly treatment started, while promising to document the whole process.
Adorable: Marnie Simpson has revealed her son Oax had a helmet fitted after he was diagnosed with torticollis, a musculoskeletal condition that causes his head to tilt
She wrote in her caption: “Well baby Oax had his helmet fitted yesterday and started his plagiocephaly treatment to say I feel overwhelmed is an understatement!
“But I trust the process and I know it will be a journey for us as a family and it will take some serious perseverance from me and Casey but the guys at Technologyinmotion are so reassuring and made sure I felt that way feel satisfied as possible about the whole experience!
“I will be documenting all progress for all to see and I will update everyone on how we are progressing if anyone needs advice, my DM is always open.”
Marnie was previously “shocked” to learn her son’s condition was “serious”, adding that he is currently having physio appointments and will be having a helmet fitted soon.
Mother in love: Marnie admitted she felt ‘overwhelmed’ and explained how his plagiocephaly treatment started, while promising to document the whole process
She explained how the problem stemmed from his position in the womb, “which caused him to be unable to move his head to the left.”
Sharing a photo of the little one and a graphic, she began, “Hey guys I have so many DMs regarding Oax and his plagiocephaly trial.
“So basically Oax has a torticollis from where he was in the womb, which prevented him from moving his head to the left.
“Hopefully this will improve with his physio appointments with the osteopath, but this condition has left him with plagiocephaly (the head is flattened on one side making it look asymmetrical.
Concern: She wrote in her caption, “So yesterday baby Oax had his helmet fitted and started his plagiocephaly treatment, to say I feel overwhelmed is an understatement!”
The reality star added: “This can cause the ears to be misaligned and the head to look like a parallelogram from above.
“Sometimes the forehead and face bulge a little on the flat side), as you can see on Oax’s chart, he’s on the stern side, which even shocked me.
“I am open about his process as I know so many parents are not even aware of this issue and it remains.
“He had his measurements taken by @technologyinmotion yesterday and in 2 weeks he will have his helmet fitted.
Sweet: Marnie was previously “shocked” to learn her son’s condition was “severe”, adding that he is currently on physio appointments and will be having a helmet fitted soon
Explaining: She said he is currently on physio appointments and will soon have a helmet fitted while sharing a chart
“This company was recommended to me by various places I’ve heard that the best Oax head should land in the yellow/green zone, which is fabulous.
‘Treatment should begin between 4-6 months while the skulls are soft. If you have any questions let me know, I’ll be happy to answer them!
“I took before pictures so I can accurately compare and document the process for all of you.”
Taking to Instagram in May, Casey revealed her baby boy’s name was Oax Rubi Johnson and gushed the newborn “made her family complete.”
Concerning: Marnie shared a photo of the little one, which she shares with fiancé Casey Johnson, 27, as well as a graphic
Helping others: The reality star wrote alongside, “Hey guys I have so many DMs on Oax and his plagiocephaly trial…”
Casey, who already has son Rox with wife-to-be Marnie, also shared a sweet pic of him tenderly kissing his baby boy as he revealed the tot’s name.
The caption read: “Welcome to the world my boy, Oax Rubi Johnson.
“6.13 pounds. Born on 05/16/22 at 11:30 am. Our beautiful boy, you made our family complete.”
Marnie announced on her Instagram page on Wednesday morning that she had given birth to a child, telling fans: “The little boy has arrived safe and sound.”
Kiss-kiss: Taking to Instagram in May, Casey revealed her baby boy’s name was Oax Rubi Johnson and gushed that the newborn “made her family complete.”
Marnie, who shared the news with an adorable black and white picture of her baby’s tiny hand, wrote: “We are completely impressed, our family is complete.”
The former Union J member shared the post on his Stories, writing: “My boy has arrived.”
The reality personality also took to her Instagram Stories to share more about her birthing experience, telling her followers, “Guys baby boy is here.
“I can’t even explain how obsessed we are with him, he’s just perfect. What a different experience compared to giving birth to Rox, for which I am very grateful. I can’t wait to show you all, but Casey and I have decided to wait a bit longer so we can enjoy it ourselves for a while.’
Marnie then pans to Casey and asks, “You’re a father of two, how does it feel?” Casey sweetly replies, “It’s amazing. I just stare at him now and I love him so much.
Several famous friends were quick to congratulate the couple on their baby boy, including Geordie Shore stars Charlotte Crosby, Chloe Ferry and Holly Hagan.
WHAT IS TORTICOLLIS?
Torticollis is the medical term for a twisted neck that causes the head to tilt.
It can be triggered suddenly by trauma to the spine or neck muscles.
Torticollis can also run in families, thought to be caused by involuntary contractions of the neck muscles.
This form of the disease usually develops slowly and occurs when a patient is between 30 and 50 years old.
Other causes can include an infection of the head or neck that inflames the lymph nodes in the neck.
The muscles over these lymph nodes can contract, causing the head to tilt.
In rare cases, torticollis can be caused by tumors, scar tissue, or arthritis of the spine.
In the short term, torticollis can be uncomfortable and make it difficult to move your neck.
Other symptoms include an ocular crisis—when the eyes involuntarily move “up”—and tongue protrusion.
If severe cases are left untreated, the constant tension can cause neck muscles to swell and put pressure on nerve roots.
This has been linked to degenerative spinal disease, which occurs when the discs between the vertebrae rupture.
Treatments aim to relax contracted neck muscles, which may include medication or stretching exercises.
In severe cases, surgery may be needed to sever the upper neck nerves or muscles to prevent contraction.
This is usually successful, but after a few months the neck may return to its twisted position.
In very rare cases, deep brain stimulation may be required.
A wire is inserted into the area of the brain that controls movement.
Electrical signals are then sent out to interrupt the process that causes torticollis.