Decreased tone in children. Tone in newborns

Muscles are an important part of the human body. They are necessary for completing many vital processes. And after the birth of a child, doctors evaluate his muscle tone with special care. This term refers to minimal tension, which is maintained in a state of complete relaxation and peace. And with certain health problems, the tone may be disturbed, which requires close attention and adequate correction. Let's talk on the website about what to do if a child's muscle tone is weak and increased, and we'll look at the treatment of such pathological conditions in a little more detail.

As you know, in the mother’s womb the baby, in order to fit in the uterus, is located in the fetal position. Accordingly, his muscles are very tense at this time. After the baby is born, muscle tone gradually decreases, and only at two years does it approach that of an adult. But many infants have problems with natural muscle tension.

Weak muscle tone in a child (hypotonia)

Such a disorder is often diagnosed in the maternity hospital. Muscle weakness makes the baby unnaturally sluggish. The baby only occasionally moves his limbs, and he begins to hold his head up too late. In general, such children look limp, they sleep a lot and cry occasionally. If you put the baby on his back, straighten and spread his legs to the sides, you will not feel any special resistance. Poor tone in children is indicated by the lack of natural bending of the arms under the chest when lying on the stomach.

Weak muscle tone in a child. Causes

The cause of impaired muscle tone in a child can be several factors: trauma during childbirth, placental insufficiency, poor environmental conditions.

Neurological, infectious, genetic, metabolic and degenerative diseases can also affect muscles; lesions of the spinal cord and peripheral nerve; polio.

What to do?

If tone decreases, you must immediately begin to correct it, otherwise the child’s physical development may slow down. It is necessary to seek advice from a qualified neurologist, as well as an orthopedist. For babies with reduced muscle tone, massages are most often prescribed. Parents can perform gymnastics with babies on their own; it would also be a good idea to sign up with a qualified massage therapist and take several courses. Fitball exercises and swimming provide excellent results.

Also, small patients with hypotension are advised to undergo acupuncture and various physiotherapeutic procedures (for example, paraffin).

In especially severe cases, children with hypotension are prescribed medications. But such funds are selected exclusively on an individual basis.

With weak muscle tone, determining the cause of its appearance and correct correction of identified disorders also plays an extremely important role.

Massage

With reduced tone, children are recommended a stimulating massage that activates the baby. This impact involves performing chopping and kneading movements. It is better to start and end the massage with traditional strokes. In this case, you should move from the periphery to the center, starting from the limbs: from the hand to the shoulder, from the foot to the groin.

Increased muscle tone in the child. Treatment

As you know, increased muscle tone in children under one month is completely normal. However, in some cases it is too pronounced (excessive) in nature. So we can talk about hypertonicity if the child begins to hold his head up too early. So in some babies such attempts are noticeable literally in the first days after birth.

If the baby has increased tone in the upper limbs, his arms will be constantly clenched into fists, often in the shape of a “fig”. Hypertonicity of the lower extremities occurs when the baby’s legs cannot be moved apart until an angle of ninety degrees is reached. Such children often cry a lot, are characterized by increased anxiety, and react to different sounds and bright lights.

Excessive tone also requires timely diagnosis and adequate correction. Massages will also help to cope with such a disorder, but not of a tonic, but of a relaxing nature. Initially, young patients are prescribed ten massage sessions, after which six months later such procedures will need to be repeated. Swimming and physiotherapeutic procedures also have a good effect.

As for drug treatment, it is selected exclusively on an individual basis. The doctor may prescribe diuretics for the baby to reduce the amount of fluid in the brain. Dibazol can also be used immediately before a massage; this product helps relieve spasms and dilate blood vessels.

Young patients may be prescribed B vitamins (especially vitamin B6 and B12). Mydocalm can also be used. A positive result can be achieved by taking baths with the addition of medicinal herbs (for example, motherwort, sage, valerian or lingonberry leaves).

Massage

If you have hypertension, you can do massage on your own. The child should be placed on a flat surface and gently stroked with warm hands along the arms, legs and back. You can stroke with your fingers (stroking) or with the whole brush (grasping). Afterwards, rub the skin gently and gently in a circular motion (as if you were sifting sand through a sieve with your hand). Then you need to make rocking and shaking movements of the limbs. Finish the massage with gentle rocking.

If there are tone disorders in infants, you should not hesitate to carry out appropriate treatment. Untimely therapy is fraught with the development of various types of disorders.

It’s not uncommon for young parents to visit a neurologist and hear a diagnosis such as hypotension. Muscular dystonia syndrome - is it as scary as it sounds, or is there nothing to worry about? Being savvy in this matter means ridding yourself of unnecessary and unfounded worries. We will tell you where muscle hypotonicity comes from, what consequences it can have in the baby’s body, and also share effective methods of treating this syndrome.

Hypotonicity of muscles in an infant worries many mothers

Lack of necessary muscle tone is what hypotonicity is. The muscles are greatly weakened, and the doctor does not receive a response to stimulating actions on his part. The neurologist bends the baby’s legs and in response should see a desire to straighten them, i.e. they return to their usual state. Hypotonicity will not allow this to happen or will greatly slow down this reaction. The child is not able to independently produce the necessary muscle contractions - this is the reason for the weakness.

A specialist can easily diagnose the presence of this syndrome in a child, as soon as he carries out some manipulations. The main task of medical action is to identify the presence of any abnormalities in the functioning of innate reflexes in a newborn:

Step reflex. The baby is raised above a hard surface so that his legs touch the table with his full foot. Feeling support, the child must show an innate reflex and take small steps. With hypotonia, the child will not be able to straighten his legs and will not be able to take steps or try to sit down. This innate reflex is characteristic of children up to 2 months of age; subsequently it fades away. To check the reflex, the examination must be carried out before the specified period.
Sitting down from a lying position. The little one lies on a hard, flat surface in a supine position. An adult takes both hands of the baby and lifts the child to a sitting position. The newborn helps himself with his hands, pulling himself up, straining his muscles. To an adult, on the contrary, it will seem that the child is pulling in the opposite direction. In case of weakened muscles, the child simply hangs on his arms, sticking his tummy forward. The neck muscles barely hold the head, and the back is noticeably rounded.

Diagnosis of hypotonicity can be done by a doctor or independently

Is it possible to draw conclusions on your own? Pediatrician Komarovsky believes that for this it is necessary to carefully monitor the baby during the day:

Muscle weakness is not the only, although indicative, sign of hypotension. The syndrome affects the general condition of the body. Children with this feature are calmer and have difficulty getting into a state of excitement. Lethargic and slow during periods of wakefulness, they sleep a lot.
The arms and legs are completely relaxed and straight during sleep. The characteristic clenching of the hands into a fist, characteristic of all newborns, is absent with this syndrome. The palms are fully open. An unusual and uncomfortable position for other children, with the legs spread to an angle of 180˚, will be absolutely comfortable for a baby with reduced tone. Babies with normal muscle activity keep their legs and arms slightly bent and their hands partially clasped during sleep.
Another sign of this syndrome in children is that babies do not eat well, which their mothers often complain about at doctor’s appointments. The toddler sucks the breast sluggishly and uninitiatively or completely refuses breastfeeding.
The lack of necessary muscle tone does not allow babies to hold their heads. This feature makes it difficult to learn to crawl, and also complicates other processes: picking up objects, rolling over, or sitting down to a sitting position.

If you notice some symptoms, you should not rush to draw conclusions and diagnose your child yourself. A pediatrician will help dispel doubts, and you should contact him for advice. The sooner this issue is raised, the easier and faster the treatment will be or possible pathologies will be excluded.

Before diagnosing your child yourself, consult a pediatrician

Hypotonia in infants is not as common as hypertonicity, which is much more common. There are a number of reasons for muscle weakness. Blood circulation in the body is impaired and there are malfunctions in the central nervous system. We list the following main factors influencing the appearance of the syndrome:

Problems during childbirth: asphyxia, hypoxia, birth injuries.
Emergency delivery.
During pregnancy, the mother suffered a number of diseases, and there was also a difficult pregnancy.
Mother's bad habits.
The newborn's nutrition was not organized properly.
The child was born premature or low birth weight.
Consequences of viral and infectious diseases, characterized by general exhaustion of the body.
Defects and pathologies in development.
Genetically determined diseases.
Excessive intake of vitamin D.

What are the consequences of hypotension? A decrease in muscle activity leads to a later acquisition of the ability to hold the head and hold toys. Lack of sufficient muscle strength delays the process of mastering walking and sitting. The internal organs experience severe tension due to the fact that the baby cannot maintain himself in an upright position. No strength means no movement, which means bone growth will slow down, and the muscles will not receive the load necessary for development. The physical development of such a baby lags behind the average statistical data. All of the above contributes to the occurrence of scoliosis or other skeletal deformities. Children may develop an abnormal gait.

To prevent the dangerous consequences of hypotension, it is necessary to carry out timely treatment of the disease.

Timely treatment can prevent the development of more serious disorders. The formation of the child’s body as a whole will be slowed down due to this syndrome. Posture suffers, the spine is bent. Children who suffered from hypotension in childhood are extremely plastic and flexible in adulthood. The progression of the disease leads to complete relaxation of the musculoskeletal system. One of the most dangerous consequences can be complete muscle dystrophy.

The first thing that is usually prescribed for hypotension is special exercises and massage. To begin with, it would be appropriate to contact professionals in this field. Having acquired some knowledge and skills, mothers will be able to carry out all procedures independently at home.

Good gymnastics will be exercises in the water. Swimming uses most of the body's muscles, which means it is perfect for treating this syndrome. Water procedures are combined with hardening. This happens by gradually cooling the water temperature.

Massage of all muscle groups is an important and almost the main method of combating the disease. The baby's body receives an excellent load during the session. Massage exercises should begin with light stroking and rubbing of all parts of the body in turn. Stroking is needed both at the beginning of the procedure to warm up the muscles, and at the end to relieve activity after the session. The main task of the massage therapist is to knead all parts of the baby’s body.

Water procedures are excellent gymnastics for children with hypotension

The child receives excellent physical activity during the massage. Thanks to the optimal ratio of skin and total body weight, it is possible to stimulate the work of each individual organ. Massage movements are aimed at strengthening the arms and legs, and in general the child’s entire central nervous system receives tremendous development. During the session, it is important to periodically change the position of the baby in order to make maximum use of all possible available places. Baby position: either on the back or on the stomach. All movements must be performed from the edges towards the center. The minimum number of procedures is 10. This number can be increased if necessary. It is important to take into account the baby’s general mood during the session. Seeing that the child does not tolerate the massage well, expresses dissatisfaction and irritation, we recommend trying to reschedule the exercises to another time.

As for gymnastics, mothers can do the following exercises at home, which are very effective and popular:

bringing and spreading your arms to the sides;
imitation of boxing;
performing the “bicycle” exercise;
lifting the upper body, holding the baby by the arms.

A neurologist can include in the course of therapy not only gymnastic exercises and massage, but also taking medications and undergoing special physiotherapeutic procedures. In this case, weakened children are temporarily exempt from vaccinations. Muscle strengthening will be stimulated by massage, gymnastics and other prescribed procedures. Just a few months of hard and regular work will give excellent results. The baby will become more active and cheerful. Mom will notice an improvement in brain activity. Movements of your arms and legs will become more energetic. Learning new skills will be faster and easier.

For a child during this period, the support, care and immeasurable love of loved ones is extremely important. This will be another important factor on the road to recovery.

Prevention

Are there preventive measures? Of course, although there are not many of them. The expectant mother, even before the birth of the baby, must undergo a full medical examination and, if necessary, a course of treatment. During pregnancy, you should regularly visit a gynecologist, as well as have timely ultrasounds. It is important to monitor not only your health, but also the favorable development of the baby in the mother’s womb.

Already from the second week after the birth of the toddler, preventive massage should begin, as well as recommended exercises for the general development of all muscle groups. Don't avoid regular checkups with your pediatrician.

If you notice something is wrong and assume that your child has hypotension, you should not panic. You should always remember that if you start treating your baby in a timely manner, you can avoid worsening the problem, and also solve it as soon as possible.

If you doubt the correctness of the massage procedure and gymnastic exercises, we recommend watching a number of video materials. They will help you learn a new activity in order to bring maximum benefit to the child.

Often in children under one year old, such a pathology as muscle weakness occurs; it is most often associated with developmental disorders and with hypoxia, from which the baby suffered during pregnancy. But sometimes muscle weakness can be a sign of a serious illness that requires timely treatment.

Usually, a neurologist immediately detects hypotonicity if it is present, since the baby is developmentally delayed and cannot hold his head up, roll over or walk. Older children may have deformed legs and get tired quickly during physical activity. It is very important to immediately identify the pathology and begin to treat it in order to avoid serious complications in adulthood.

Hypotonicity

Hypotonia is a disorder of muscle tone, in which the muscles are always in a too relaxed state. Normally, muscles in both children and adults contract constantly to maintain normal functioning of the body. Thanks to muscle tone, a person can stand and sit, although these positions are static, the muscles still contract.

With hypotonicity, the muscles are weakened, the child cannot sit and stand normally, since the fibers simply cannot withstand such a load. If this condition is not treated, the baby cannot develop normally. In addition, hypotension can also occur against the background of serious illnesses.

Hypotonia in infants usually occurs due to birth trauma or lack of oxygen in the womb. This condition is quite correctable; for treatment, gymnastics, massage, sometimes physiotherapy, and less often drug treatment are prescribed if therapeutic treatment does not produce an effect. It is important to understand that the sooner you start treating hypotension, the faster it will pass, and the fewer consequences there will be.

Muscle weakness in babies

As mentioned above, weak muscles in a child do not always indicate a serious illness; quite often this is a complication of difficult childbirth and birth injuries, which is treated with massage. But it is worth considering such situations when muscle weakness is a symptom of pathology:

With myasthenia gravis, a severe chronic autoimmune disease, severe muscle weakness is observed;
Children with Down syndrome suffer from muscle weakness and problems with their endurance;
There is a gene pathology, the disease is called Prader-Willi syndrome, in this case the child’s body lacks several genes, he suffers from obesity, hypotension and mental impairment.
With botulism, bacteria live in the child’s body and produce toxic waste products, which in turn negatively affect the muscle fibers, paralyzing them;
In severe forms of reactive jaundice, hypotension in infants is also possible;
In a disease during which collagen production is disrupted, muscles and skin become flabby and weak, the disease is called Marfan syndrome;
In severe cases of cerebellar ataxia, muscle weakness develops;
Blood poisoning;
Excessive intake of vitamin D;
Muscle dystrophy in older children;
Rickets is a disease where bones are destroyed due to a lack of vitamin D in the body.

Symptoms generally depend on the diagnosis, but in all cases muscle weakness is observed, the child cannot withstand physical activity. Weakness may occur throughout the body, or may occur only in an affected area, such as when one limb is not working well.

With muscle hypotonia, the child cannot stand on his feet straight; he spreads them to the sides to maintain balance. Also, due to the weakness of the neck muscles, the baby cannot hold his head in a level position for a long time and constantly tilts it.

During sleep, healthy children bend their arms and legs, but with muscle hypotonia the opposite effect is observed - the limbs are straightened along the body, and this position does not cause any discomfort to the child, although it looks quite unusual. This is often observed in infants, because newborns normally have hypertonicity, which causes the fists to clench, and with hypotonicity the arms are straightened.

Also, with muscle weakness, such a sign is observed when a child is picked up, placing the palms in the armpits; in a child with muscle weakness, the arms automatically rise up and he falls down, while a healthy baby remains hanging in the arms of an adult.

Only a doctor can diagnose any disease. Therefore, parents should not hesitate to visit a neurologist and orthopedist if their child experiences muscle weakness or muscle spasm. In any case, it is necessary to undergo treatment, and what kind of treatment depends on the underlying cause.

To confirm the diagnosis, the patient will be sent for blood and urine tests, and will need to take tests for antibodies. You may also need to undergo an ultrasound, CT or MRI, as well as x-rays.

Usually, to detect muscle hypotonia, an examination by a neurologist is sufficient. The doctor checks the child’s reflexes and capabilities. Children with hypotonia are developmentally delayed and the neurologist immediately sees this.

Treatment of muscle weakness in a child

Treatment will depend on the cause of hypotonicity. Pathology in infants is treated with physiotherapeutic methods; the small patient is prescribed a course of therapeutic massage to restore muscle tone. As well as gymnastics and physiotherapy to normalize blood circulation and strengthen muscles.

If a serious pathology is detected, then treatment is prescribed taking it into account. In this case, you will need to consult not only a pediatrician and a neurologist, the patient is referred to a cardiologist, endocrinologist, orthopedist, speech therapist and other specialists. It is very important to monitor the growth and development of the child in order to prevent future musculoskeletal disorders.

All drugs for the treatment of muscle weakness in children should be prescribed by a doctor, calculating the dosage individually. Improper use of medications can lead to serious complications and side effects, so self-medication for such pathology is not recommended.

Prevention of muscle hypotonicity in infants lies primarily in a healthy pregnancy. During the planning period, the mother and father should stop drinking alcohol, stop smoking, start eating healthy and balanced, and undergo examination to exclude or cure infections.

During pregnancy, a woman needs to spend enough time in the fresh air, eat right, see a gynecologist at the antenatal clinic, and get tested regularly. If you ensure the child develops normally in the womb, many serious pathologies can be avoided.

The prognosis for muscle weakness in children depends on the diagnosis. Hypotonia caused by hypoxia usually has a favorable prognosis. With proper treatment, everything goes away without a trace, the child recovers completely.

But with diagnoses such as myasthenia gravis, Down syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome and other severe pathologies, there is no talk of complete recovery. But, if a child is treated, cared for, and developed, then he will become a full-fledged member of society and will live a normal life. The prognosis in this case depends on the parents and their efforts. The more effort they put into the health and development of the baby, the better it will be for him.

Muscular hypotonia in children- This is a decrease in muscle tone, the condition develops primarily in children. Weakened muscle fibers contract very slowly in response to nerve stimulation and cannot produce the same degree of muscle response as normal muscle tissue. Muscle hypotension in children is a symptom that can be caused by many diseases of various etiologies.

Hypotonia in children, also called muscle weakness syndrome, is one of the causes of muscle tissue dystrophy. Low muscle tone can be caused by various reasons. Often this condition indicates the presence of disorders in the central nervous system, genetic disorders or muscle malformations. Muscle tone is the tension or degree of resistance to movement in the muscles. Hypotonia is not the same as muscle weakness, which manifests itself as decreased muscle strength, but it can be accompanied by this symptom. Under normal conditions, muscle tone determines the ability of muscles to respond to stretching of fascia and muscle fibers. For example, the bent arms of a child with a normal level of tone quickly straighten, and the flexor muscles of the shoulder (biceps) quickly straighten in response to this action. Once the action is completed, the extensor muscles relax and return to their normal resting state.

In a child with low muscle fiber tone, the muscles are in no hurry to begin contracting. They give a delayed response to nerve stimulus and cannot hold a limb in a certain position for a long time.

The hypotonic state of infants affects their appearance. The main signs of hypotension in children are visible to the naked eye. They rely on their elbows and knees slightly spaced apart, while children with normal muscle tone usually use bent elbows and knees with sufficient amplitude at right angles for support. Such a child cannot hold his head for a long time due to weakness of the occipital muscles. The head is constantly tilted forward, backward or to the sides.

Normally toned infants can be lifted up by placing their hands under their arms, but hypotonous infants tend to slip between their arms. At the same time, their arms involuntarily rise upward, parallel to the plane of the body.

Most young children bend their arms and legs at the knees and elbows during sleep and rest. Children with symptoms of hypotension hang them limply while relaxing.

Infants suffering from hypotension have a delay in physical motor activity. Muscle hypotonia in children can manifest itself in the form of the following signs:

they cannot roll over from their tummy to their back on their own;
cannot learn to crawl;
have difficulty holding the head;
do not have the ability to hold a toy in their hands;
do not maintain balance in a sitting position;
have difficulty supporting their body weight on their feet.

As a result of muscle hypotonia, children quickly develop muscle weakness, which negatively affects the baby’s posture and mobility. The level of reflexes decreases, weakness of the ligamentous apparatus occurs, and permanent dislocations of large and small joints can be provoked. The most common are habitual dislocations of the jaw bones, hip, knee, and ankle joint. In severe cases, problems with the swallowing and chewing muscles may occur. Such children cannot suck, chew and swallow food independently. They must be fed using a special tube or parenterally.

Long-term inability to produce speech in patients with hypotension is not associated with impairments of intelligence and mental abilities. This condition is directly related to poor development of the muscles of the chest, glottis and disturbances in breathing processes.

The distribution of this condition is not related to the gender of the baby and his place of permanent residence. A weak connection can be traced between the development of hypotension and the behavior of the child’s mother during her pregnancy. At the same time, according to practical observations of control groups of sick children, it can be argued that the age at which symptoms of hypotension first appeared matters. The most dangerous age for a child is the period from 3 to 7 years. It is at this time that there is a risk of the baby developing limited physical abilities due to the development of muscle hypotension.

In infancy, the condition is more successfully corrected through the use of modern medical means of rehabilitation. At the age of over 7 years, hypotension is an extremely rare condition and is directly related to the influence of the underlying disease. In this case, successful therapy of the underlying disease leads to the complete disappearance of symptoms of hypotension in children.

Doctors do not know the reliable reasons for the development of hypotension. Scientists believe it may be caused by injury, environmental stressors, or other genetic changes in muscle and central nervous system disorders.

The causes of hypotension in children may be as follows:

Down syndrome, in which the DNA chromosomes take on a changed appearance, usually due to extra copies of the twenty-first chromosome.
Myasthenia: Neuromuscular disorders in this disease are characterized by variable muscle weakness, which often improves with adequate rest and increases with physical activity. The condition may be caused by immune disorders.
Prader-Willi syndrome- a congenital gene defect characterized by the absence of approximately 7 genes on chromosome 15 of the DNA helix. Accompanied by obesity, severe hypotension, and decreased mental abilities.
Severe forms of reactive jaundice as a result of a conflict between the Rh factor of mother and child.
Cerebellar ataxia with movement disorders, which are characterized by a sudden onset, often a complication after infectious viral diseases. May cause hypotension in severe cases.
Botulism, in which Clostridium bacteria can grow within a child's gastrointestinal tract. During their life, they produce a toxin that paralyzes muscle fibers and is potentially life-threatening.
Marfan syndrome- a hereditary disease of connective tissue cells with the destruction of collagen fibers that form muscle ligaments and supporting apparatus. This has a negative impact on the musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular system, eye and skin condition.
Muscular dystrophy is a group of disorders that is characterized by progressive muscle weakness and loss of muscle fiber volume.
Achondroplasia is a disorder of the physiological growth of the child’s skeletal bones, which causes the most common type of dwarfism. Accompanied by moderate hypotension.
Sepsis and other serious, life-threatening diseases of the child that cause massive blood poisoning with toxins and live forms of bacteria.
Congenital hypothyroidism causes hypotension as a result of decreased levels of thyroid hormone production.
Hypervitaminosis D- a condition that appears fully several months after taking excessive doses of vitamin D to prevent rickets.
Rickets provokes softening and destruction of bone tissue in children. Caused by a deficiency of vitamin D, calcium or phosphate. Accompanied by symptoms of hypotension.
Spinal muscular atrophy type 1- a group of hereditary diseases that cause progressive muscle dystrophy and weakness, ultimately leading to the death of the child.
Side effects from vaccination.

The following are common symptoms of hypotension in children. Each child may experience different manifestations of this condition, depending on the underlying cause of hypotension:

decreased muscle tone - muscles feel soft and loose in structure;
the possibility of spreading the limbs in opposite directions goes beyond the physiological norm;
inability to acquire developmentally appropriate motor skills (such as holding one's head without parental assistance, rolling over independently, sitting without support, crawling, walking);
inability to breastfeed or chew food independently for long periods of time;
shallow breathing without the ability to take more than two deep breaths in a row;
the lower jaw may sag and the tongue may prolapse.

Normally developing children tend to develop motor skills and control their own posture in accordance with medical standards at a given age. Motor skills fall into two categories. Vasomotor skills include the baby's ability to lift his head while lying on his stomach and roll over from his back to his stomach. Typically, at a certain age, a child develops motor skills to such an extent that he can hold his body in a sitting position, crawl, walk, run and jump. Reaction speed includes the ability to quickly see the child transfer a toy from one hand to another. The baby points to an object, follows a toy or a person’s actions with his eyes. Children with hypotonia are slow to develop these skills, and parents should seek medical attention from their pediatrician if they notice such developmental delays.

If their child does not have muscle control, especially if such conditions have not previously been observed, contacting a doctor should be done immediately.

Well, weak muscles mean hypotonia, while dystonia means different tone, it probably leveled out a long time ago, dystonia is not so difficult to correct with massages, hypotonia is more difficult. You are doing everything right, I also recommend salt and pine baths - it helps a lot, we were even told at one time not to wash off the salt from our feet after a bath

continue in the same spirit, try to captivate the child with some kind of games, because so that she has the will to do boring exercises - this will not be normal until she is 6 years old. Children born with normal tone will be ahead in physical development until the age of 8-9, then those who are accustomed to regular exercise will gradually advance.

Many people know what tone is. But only some parents ask the pediatrician whether the newborn’s muscle tone is okay. There are deviations from the norm both in the direction of relaxation and in the direction of muscle overstrain.

The baby begins to move while in the tummy. The joints and muscles of the formed fetus are designed so that it can roll over, push and feel itself in space due to the flexion and extension of its limbs.

As soon as the child is born, he tries to repeat the movements he makes in the womb. Naturally, this is not so easy for him outside the amniotic fluid. Therefore, the movements of newborns are always jerky, they lack smoothness and coordination. But newborns must have tone. Whether it's normal or not is another matter.

For physical and psychological development, the infant must have adequate muscle tone. This means maintaining minimal muscle tension even in a state of complete rest of the body, for example, in sleep. This is called tone.

When inactive, muscles work (strain) differently. Their intensity depends on the task being performed and the workload. In addition, the younger the child, the more dependent he is on tone. Many mothers note that the newborn constantly tightens his arms and legs - this is normal. In this way, he is trying to recreate his usual intrauterine position, which he occupied for 9 months.

Normal tone muscles in newborns are arms and legs slightly bent and pressed to the body, as well as a head tilted back. The fact is that the increased tone, which persists in a child up to 3-4 months, is higher in the flexor muscles. This is especially clearly expressed in the position of the legs - they are constantly spread apart and half-bent. When you try to straighten them, the muscles provide noticeable resistance. Usually by the age of six months, hypertonicity disappears. And by the age of 1.5–2 years, the child’s tone becomes the same as that of an adult,

A deviation from the norm is muscle relaxation (hypotonicity), increased tension - hypertonicity - persisting even in sleep, and muscle dystonia - uneven tone. Each of these conditions is expressed in its own way, but they all bring discomfort to the baby and require timely treatment.

Regular examinations with a pediatrician will allow you to timely detect symptoms of tone in newborns and take appropriate measures. The diagnosis must be confirmed by a neurologist, but parents can notice the first signs of abnormalities on their own.

1. Most common increased tone muscles in newborns. This pathology is expressed in the child’s constant restlessness, frequent crying for no reason, and lack or disturbance of sleep. In addition, babies with hypertonicity are extremely excitable, they wake up from every rustle, and can cry in bright light. When screaming, these children often have a chin that trembles. They also eat poorly, and after feedings they regurgitate almost all the milk they suck.

Increased muscle tone in newborns is easy to notice almost from the first days of life: these babies hold their heads well and press their limbs to their bodies. If you try to straighten an arm or leg, you may encounter serious muscle resistance. In addition, with such manipulations, the child often begins to cry. And if you repeat the procedure of extending the limb, the muscle resistance will increase each time. This is precisely the most striking sign of hypertonicity.

If hypertension is not treated in time, it will be noticeable in adulthood. For example, people with increased muscle tone often walk on tiptoes, leaning on their toes, which is why their shoes wear out in front.

Newborns with hypertonicity not only hold their heads well from the first days of life. At the same time, they may suffer from curvature of the neck muscles. This occurs if there was a trauma to the cervical spine during childbirth.

The pathogenesis of tone in newborns may have both physiological and viral nature. For example, if during pregnancy or childbirth the child’s cerebral cortex was damaged, resulting in an increase in intracranial pressure, then from the first days of life the baby may experience perinatal encephalopathy. It is this pathology that can provoke hypertension.

Also, a deviation from the norm can occur against the background of infection of a pregnant woman with various viral infections.

Hypertonicity is diagnosed if muscle tension does not correspond to the child’s age. That is, up to six months, such a picture is the norm, and at 7–8 months it is a pathology.

2. Much more should concern parents weak muscle tone in newborns, called hypotonia. Nevertheless, it is precisely this condition that arouses suspicion the least, but in vain. External calm and problem-free behavior of a child can be pathological.

Children with hypotension, at first glance, seem to be a gift from heaven - they rarely cry, sleep all night long, and during the day they do not cause much trouble, obediently allowing any manipulation to be carried out on them - washing, feeding, dressing. They just have difficulty waking up on their own, do not breastfeed well, often fall asleep during feedings, and do not gain weight.

Hypotonia itself is not a disease. This is a symptom indicating any abnormalities:

neurological (perinatal encephalopathy);
neuromuscular (spinal amyotrophy);
chromosomal (Down syndrome).

Also, decreased muscle tone, especially if it does not appear immediately, may indicate diabetes mellitus, polio, rickets and other diseases.

Still, don't panic. It is quite possible that what parents mistook for signs of hypotension is simply a feature of the child’s temperament. The character manifests itself from the first day of life, so it is possible that the baby simply inherited a phlegmatic disposition from one of his relatives.

3. Dystonia is called asymmetrical or uneven tone muscles in newborns. With this deviation, the baby has signs of both hypertonicity and hypotonicity.

The easiest way to identify muscle dystonia is to place the baby on the tummy. With asymmetric tone, the baby will roll over to the side where hypertonicity is observed. At the same time, his body will bend in an arc from the neck to the foot.

When lying on the back, a child with muscular dystonia will constantly bend the head and pelvis to one side. In addition, limbs with increased tone will be tightened, and those with decreased tone will be relaxed. Dystonia that affects all muscle groups is called generalized. In addition, there is focal dystonia, which develops in one part of the body, for example, the limbs.

In addition, muscular dystonia can be primary or secondary. The first develops against the background of chromosomal abnormalities or on its own, without affecting other organs.

The second is due to a genetic disease - Wilson-Konovalov syndrome, associated with a disorder of copper metabolism. In this case, dystonia is just the tip of the iceberg, hiding serious pathologies in the development of the central nervous system and internal organs.

All these facts once again confirm the need for regular monitoring of the newborn by a pediatrician, as well as postpartum examinations.

If you are concerned about something in your child’s behavior or condition, consult a doctor. If there are clear signs of increased, decreased or uneven muscle tone, insist on a full examination. It's better to be safe than to miss the moment when symptoms begin to progress. Moreover, muscle tone treatment is quite affordable and almost painless for a child if carried out on time.

The main therapy for any type of tone is massage and exercise. But sessions can only be carried out with the permission of a neurologist, otherwise there is a risk of harming the child and aggravating his condition.

For children with hypertonicity, a relaxing massage is recommended, which is carried out in a course of 10 procedures. After the full course, you need to take a six-month interval and then repeat the sessions.

Massage with increased muscle tone should be accompanied by various manipulations: electrophoresis, swimming, therapeutic exercises. The sooner therapy is carried out, the less likely it is that hypertension will leave consequences for the child’s health.

If the problem is not detected in a timely manner, the baby’s condition can become serious. In such cases, various drugs. For example, to relieve spasms and dilate blood vessels before a massage, the child is injected with Dibazol. In addition, B vitamins (B6, B12), most often prescribed by injection, become an auxiliary treatment.

Relaxing massage done through gentle stroking. Movements are carried out both with an open palm and with bent fingers. You can also stroke the baby’s limbs using a palm grip. All movements are upward.

First you need to gently rub the baby's body in a circular motion, gently moving his skin from bottom to top. At the end, you need to quickly but gently shake the baby's arms and legs, carefully moving them to the side. A relaxing massage eliminates patting and chopping movements with the edge of the palm.

Weak muscle tone in newborns can also be treated with massage, but the movements are of a different nature. Muscles need to be warmed up to activate their tone and stimulate growth. Such therapy necessarily involves chopping movements and patting. Almost all massages for hypotension are based on them.

The movements should be upward, quite intense, going from the periphery to the center. But it’s still worth remembering that there’s a baby in front of you and counting on your strength.

For dystonia muscles will have to combine two types of massage - relaxing and stimulating. Naturally, soft stroking should be done on the side where there are signs of hypertonicity, and patting on the side where there are symptoms of hypotonicity.

In addition to massage, it is worth doing exercises with your baby on an inflatable ball - fitball. It’s easier for parents to do them together - dad, for example, will press the baby’s legs with their feet folded together against the surface of the ball, and mom will simultaneously gently pull the baby’s arms.

It must be remembered that parents cannot diagnose and prescribe treatment on their own. Only a neurologist is able to identify areas of muscle tension and prescribe appropriate therapy. It is the doctor who decides whether to supplement the massage with special heating - azokyrite boots.

Signs of abnormal muscle tone can constantly change. Therefore, you need to regularly show your child to the doctor and monitor his condition not only during the treatment period, but also after it.

Many tips for treating tone in newborns belong to the legendary healer Vanga. Some of them are recognized by official medicine. But it is up to parents to decide whether to put them into practice.

For example, the relaxing baths recommended by Vanga will be relevant when hypertonicity and now. They are made with sea salt, pine needles, as well as valerian, motherwort, and sage. After such baths, a relaxing massage will be more effective. The concentration and frequency of baths must be agreed upon with the treating neurologist. It also makes sense to prescribe homeopathic medicines to your child.

At hypotension There are many more additional measures, since this condition is not normal. For example, you can follow Vanga’s advice and rub your child before the massage with a mixture of honey and sulfur (1 cup 10 g). In the spring, you can supplement therapy against muscle relaxation with baths with nut leaves.

For older children (from 2–3 years old), Vanga recommended bathing in sea water, as well as soda, arsenic, bitumen or sulfur hot springs. It is at this age that it is necessary to teach a child to walk barefoot and involve him in active games. Such measures will help eliminate passivity and apathy caused by weakened muscle tone.

Also, if there is hypotension, it is worth feeding the child liquid food, giving him more water, and giving him an oat decoction.

You need to understand that treatment for low or high muscle tone does not end with several courses of massage and medications. For several more years, right up to school, you need to monitor the child’s condition, show him to a neurologist, do preventive massage sessions, give him vitamins and develop him physically.

There are few preventive measures, but they exist. First of all, before conceiving, you need to undergo a full examination and, if necessary, put your health in order. During the gestation period, it is necessary to regularly visit a gynecologist, do an ultrasound, and monitor both your condition and the development of the fetus.

After childbirth, it is worth devoting a lot of time to the physical development of the child: from the second week of life, conduct preventive massage sessions and do gymnastic exercises. In addition, do not ignore preventive examinations with a pediatrician.

And if a child has a violation of muscle tone, do not panic. It is worth remembering that timely treatment eliminates the problem without consequences.

Often, parents at a doctor’s appointment hear about increased or decreased tone in their baby. What is it and how dangerous is it?

Let's start with the fact that by itself tone is not a diagnosis or disease. Tone is a slight constant pretension of a muscle, allowing it to be ready for intentional contraction at any time. Regulation of muscle tone is a very complex neurophysiological process, closely related to innate and acquired reflexes, the correctness of which depends on many factors. Regulation of tone is carried out at the reflex level with the participation of all parts of the brain: brain stem, subcortical nuclei and cortex.

In a newborn, the general tone of all muscles is evenly increased compared to adults and older children. This gives his body a characteristic appearance: the arms and legs are pressed to the body, the head is thrown back a little, and it is not possible to separate the limbs completely. All this is absolutely normal and goes away over time.

As the child grows, his muscle tone weakens, which gives the baby the opportunity to begin to actively move. He begins to move his arms, legs, take objects, raise his head. It is important that changes in tone occur correctly and simultaneously in all muscles. If, for example, the upper limbs are in high tone for a long time, it will be more difficult for the child to use them, and the corresponding skills will appear later. Long-term hypertonicity of the lower extremities can cause problems with learning to walk.

Until about 3-4 months, muscle tone remains high, then it begins to decrease - first in the flexor muscles (the arms and legs straighten), and by 5-6 months all muscles relax evenly, which gives the child the opportunity to make more complex movements – sit down, stand up and walk. By 18 months, the child’s muscle tone becomes comparable to that of an adult. If the baby lags behind his peers in development, the cause may be a violation of muscle tone.

What are the causes of tone disturbance?

The vast majority of tone disorders are associated with injuries and hypoxia during childbirth. Most often, the baby’s head and cervical spine are injured, which leads to disruptions in the functioning of the nervous system: the cerebral cortex and subcortical structures. Injury can occur during rapid and violent labor, as a result of unskilled actions of obstetricians, the use of the Kristeller maneuver (pressure on the abdomen during childbirth - prohibited in most countries, but periodically used in Russia), after stimulation of labor with oxytocin, the use of vacuum and forceps.

Prolonged oxygen starvation during childbirth also leads to damage to the nervous system and, first of all, the cerebral cortex. The stronger the injury or the longer the hypoxia was, the more severe the problems for the newborn. The most severe cases are manifestations of cerebral palsy - cerebral palsy, in which the child is practically deprived of the opportunity to develop normally.

How can a mother suspect a tone disorder?

Hypertonicity in newborns up to a month is physiological, that is, normal. A violation can be suspected by excessive tightness and stiffness of the baby, inappropriate for his age. If the tone is increased in the upper extremities, the baby does not reach for the toy, does not straighten his arms, his fists are tightly clenched most of the time, often in a “fig” shape. Hypertonicity of the lower extremities can be suspected if the child’s hips cannot be moved apart so that the angle between them is 90 degrees.

Low tone manifested by lethargy, weak movements of the arms or legs, drooping limbs (frog pose), sluggish movements and late development of age-related skills. If the tone is disturbed on one side, it is easy to notice by the asymmetry that appears on the limbs of one and the other side, as well as by the asymmetry of the folds. If you suspect your baby has a tone disorder, then first of all contact your pediatrician.

How does a doctor assess tone?

It can determine with high accuracy whether your baby’s tone is impaired or not. In doubtful cases, he will refer you to a pediatric neurologist. To check, the doctor will examine the baby externally, check his posture on the back and stomach, how he holds his head and moves his arms and legs. Then the doctor will check the baby's reflexes - they usually increase along with the tone. Reflexes such as crawling, grasping, sucking are present in young children and disappear by the age of 3 months. If they persist for too long, it may indicate a problem in the nervous system.
Next, the doctor will feel the baby’s limbs with his hands, determining how tense the muscles are. He will try to bend and straighten the baby's legs and arms, and also check the symmetry of these movements.

Norm – muscle tone and reflexes correspond to age, both sides are developed symmetrically.
Hypertonicity – increased muscle tone, the child is stiff and moves with difficulty.
Hypotonicity – decreased tone, muscles are relaxed, cannot contract with the required force, the child is lethargic.
Muscular dystonia – some muscles are in hypertonicity, others are in hypotonicity. The child takes unnatural positions and movements are also difficult.

What are the dangers of tone disorders?

The basis of any tone disorder is a problem in the nervous system. Tone is just one of its manifestations, the first and most obvious thing that can be noticed in a baby, since examination of vision, hearing and other more adult functions is not available to him. Problems with tone are always the result of a violation of the basic reflexes that regulate body movements. This means that along with their tone, coordination will be impaired in such children, age-related skills will develop worse, and they will lag behind their peers in development.

Later, due to impaired tonic reflexes, abnormalities occur in the musculoskeletal system: scoliosis, flat feet, club feet, etc. The severity of developmental delay and other disorders depends on the degree of brain damage. This is not always proportional to the severity of hypertonicity, which is why the child must be shown to a pediatric neurologist.

How to treat tone disorders in a child

In most cases, tone disorders respond well to treatment. The earlier the problem is identified, the better it can be dealt with, so it is very important to undergo routine examinations by a pediatrician and neurologist on time. To rule out a serious problem, the doctor may prescribe a brain examination using neurosonography for a detailed examination of its structures.

Treatment for tone disorders should be prescribed by a doctor and agreed with several specialists: pediatrician, neurologist, orthopedist. Lack of treatment will not lead to anything good; the child will not “outgrow” this problem. If the tone disorder is not treated, it will lead to developmental delays and problems with the musculoskeletal system.

Your doctor may prescribe a variety of treatment methods . Here are some of them:
Massage is a very common and often effective way to improve a baby’s condition with tone disorders. It is suitable for both hyper and hypotonicity, but is performed using different methods. For hypertonicity, a relaxing massage is prescribed, for hypotonicity, a tonic massage. It is better if the massage is performed by a specialist, but the mother herself can learn hygienic massage. Performing a light massage daily will be a very useful addition to the course from a specialist.
Aqua gymnastics is useful for any tone disorders. Warm water relaxes muscles, cool water stimulates. The child learns coordination and control of his body, all muscles are involved in the process.
Physiotherapy - this means exposure to heat (paraffin baths), electrophoresis, magnets.
Medications become necessary if the muscle spasm is very strong and cannot be relieved by other means.
Osteopathy is an extremely effective method of working with children after birth injuries, including manifestations of hypertonicity. Allows you to bring the bones of the skull and cervical spine of a newborn, displaced during childbirth, into the correct position. As a result, the shape of the skull is normalized, the mechanical causes of brain dysfunction are eliminated, and pathological reflexes disappear. Osteopathy has a mild effect, can be used in children from birth, and does not require long courses.

In a child with low muscle fiber tone, the muscles are in no hurry to begin contracting. They give a delayed response to nerve stimulus and cannot hold a limb in a certain position for a long time.

Main signs of hypotension in children

Most young children bend their arms and legs at the knees and elbows during sleep and rest. Children with symptoms of hypotension hang them limply while relaxing.

How does muscle hypotonia manifest in children?

Infants suffering from hypotension have a delay in physical motor activity. Muscle hypotonia in children can manifest itself in the form of the following signs:

they cannot roll over from their tummy to their back on their own;
cannot learn to crawl;
have difficulty holding the head;
do not have the ability to hold a toy in their hands;
do not maintain balance in a sitting position;
have difficulty supporting their body weight on their feet.

As a result of muscle hypotonia, children quickly develop muscle weakness, which negatively affects the baby’s posture and mobility. The level of reflexes decreases, weakness of the ligamentous apparatus occurs, and permanent dislocations of large and small joints can be provoked. The most common ones are the jaw bones, hips, knees, and ankle joints. In severe cases, problems with the swallowing and chewing muscles may occur. Such children cannot suck, chew and swallow food independently. They must be fed using a special tube or parenterally.

When does hypotension develop in children?

Causes of hypotension in children

The causes of hypotension in children may be as follows:

Down syndrome, in which the DNA chromosomes take on a changed appearance, usually due to extra copies of the twenty-first chromosome.
Myasthenia: Neuromuscular disorders in this disease are characterized by variable muscle weakness, which often improves with adequate rest and increases with physical activity. The condition may be caused by immune disorders.
Prader-Willi syndrome- a congenital gene defect characterized by the absence of approximately 7 genes on chromosome 15 of the DNA helix. Accompanied by obesity, severe hypotension, and decreased mental abilities.
Severe forms of reactive jaundice as a result of a conflict between the Rh factor of mother and child.
Cerebellar ataxia with movement disorders, which are characterized by a sudden onset, often a complication after infectious viral diseases. May cause hypotension in severe cases.
Botulism, in which Clostridium can multiply within the child's gastrointestinal tract. During their life, they produce a toxin that paralyzes muscle fibers and is potentially life-threatening.
Marfan syndrome- a hereditary disease of connective tissue cells with the destruction of collagen fibers that form muscle ligaments and supporting apparatus. This has a negative impact on the musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular system, eye and skin condition.
Muscular dystrophy is a group of disorders that is characterized by progressive muscle weakness and loss of muscle fiber volume.
Achondroplasia is a disorder of the physiological growth of the child’s skeletal bones, which causes the most common type of dwarfism. Accompanied by moderate hypotension.
Sepsis and other serious, life-threatening diseases of the child that cause massive blood poisoning with toxins and live forms of bacteria.
Congenital hypothyroidism causes hypotension as a result of decreased levels of thyroid hormone production.
Hypervitaminosis D- a condition that appears fully several months after taking excessive doses of vitamin D to prevent rickets.
provokes softening and destruction of bone tissue in children. Caused by a deficiency of calcium or phosphate. Accompanied by symptoms of hypotension.
Spinal muscular atrophy type 1- a group of hereditary diseases that cause progressive muscle dystrophy and weakness, ultimately leading to the death of the child.
Side effects from.

Common symptoms of hypotension in children

The following are common symptoms of hypotension in children. Each child may experience different manifestations of this condition, depending on the underlying cause of hypotension:

decreased muscle tone - muscles feel soft and loose in structure;
the possibility of spreading the limbs in opposite directions goes beyond the physiological norm;
inability to acquire developmentally appropriate motor skills (such as holding one's head without parental assistance, rolling over independently, sitting without support, crawling, walking);
inability to breastfeed or chew food independently for long periods of time;
shallow breathing without the ability to take more than two deep breaths in a row;
the lower jaw may sag and the tongue may prolapse.

When to see a doctor

Weak muscles in a child are not just a complaint from parents or a diagnosis from a pediatrician (neurologist). This is a disruption in the brain's response to action. Babies suffering from hypotension bend their elbows and knees worse, and their arms and legs may hang loosely while sleeping. If the problem is hidden deeply, research is prescribed. But professional massage and patience, the willpower of parents work wonders.

Weak muscles in a child: how to help him?

It is important to notice weak muscle tone in a child in time

This should not be confused with ordinary muscle weakness (when a baby or older child simply devotes little time to physical development). The problem can develop at any age. Often the legs and arms are affected, but there is also a general weak muscle tone in the child. The causes of the pathology are different.

Lack or excess of vitamin D.
Muscle dystrophy.
Brain diseases.
Down syndrome.
As a consequence of infectious diseases.
Reaction to the vaccine.

No need to be scared. First, go to the doctor and find the cause. Parents can independently pay attention to the unusual conditions of the baby.

The baby does not hold his head up for a long time and does not roll over onto his tummy or back.
Weak muscles in a child sometimes “speak about themselves” by the baby’s amazing ability to spread his limbs much further than physiological parameters allow.
Inability to stand on your feet.

With proper treatment, progress is noticed after 3 months. You just need to get ready for fruitful work – there’s no other way to describe classes with little patients.

The child has weak muscles: what to do?

If genes or an infectious disease are to blame, you need to start therapy from this point. Also, a pediatrician or neurologist recommends a whole range of measures.

An experienced massage therapist is selected (however, you need to try to find a real professional). He develops an individual course (10 – 15 lessons).

To regain the physiological ability to transmit nerve signals, the muscles must be well trained. Pinching and deep rubbing are sometimes painful, but the results are worth it.

Acupuncture helps.
Electrophoresis.
Swimming exercises the muscles well and relaxes the spine. Joining a swimming pool is a great idea.
Home massages will also help.

These are rhythmic rubbing, spreading the arms and legs to the sides (crosswise), the “scissors” exercise, and acupressure. You can play children's songs during the procedure.