Hypotonia

WHAT IS HYPOTONIA?

Hypotonia means low muscle tone, which is where the individuals limbs are floppy and their muscles usually weak. It can be the result of a disorder such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy. If there is not a known underlying problem then it could be a condition on its own, known as benign congenital hypotonia. However, a diagnosis of benign congenital hypotonia should only be made when other causes have been ruled out. Hypotonia can be mild or severe.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HYPOTONIA?

Hypotonic infants seem floppy (hypotonia in infants is also referred to as floppy baby syndrome) and head control may be poor causing the head to fall forwards, backwards or sideways in the sitting position. They may struggle to hold their head up and may sit slumped. However they are extremely flexible in the hips, elbows and knees. When an infant with hypotonia is picked up their arms may offer no resistance and they may slip away. They may also have problems with speech, feeding and breathing. Children with hypotonia may also have hyperflexible joints, drooling, speech difficulties, poor reflexes, decreased strength and decreased activity tolerance.

Most infants with low-muscle tone have delayed developmental milestones, but the length of delay can vary widely. Both gross motor skills and fine motor skills are likely to be affected. Hypotonic infants are late in lifting their heads while lying on their stomachs, rolling over, lifting themselves into a sitting position, crawling and walking. Fine motor skills delays occur in grasping a toy or finger, transferring a small object from hand to hand, following movement with the eyes and self feeding.

HOW IS HYPOTONIA TREATED?

There is currently no known cure for hypotonia and the outcome in any particular case of hypotonia depends largely on the nature of the underlying condition. In some cases, muscle tone improves over time, or the person may learn or devise coping mechanisms. Physiotherapy is recommended to improve motor control and overall body strength. Occupational therapy is recommended to assist with fine motor skill development and hand control, and speech and language therapy is recommended to help with breathing, speech and swallowing difficulties.

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