Weak muscle tone in the baby. Muscle weakness in the legs of a child causes and treatment

Muscles are an important part of the human body. They are necessary for the accomplishment of many vital processes. And after the birth of a child, doctors evaluate him with special care. muscle tone. This term refers to the minimum tension that is maintained in a state of complete relaxation and rest. And with certain health problems, the tone can be disturbed, which requires close attention and adequate correction. Let's talk on www.site about what to do if the child's muscle tone is weak and increased, consider 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 at this time are very tense. After the baby is born, muscle tone gradually decreases, and only by the age of two is approaching an adult. But many babies have problems with natural muscle tension.

Weak muscle tone in a child (hypotonia)

Such a violation is often diagnosed even in the hospital. Muscle weakness makes the baby unnaturally sluggish. The kid only occasionally moves his limbs, and he begins to hold his head too late. In general, such children look limp, they sleep a lot and occasionally cry. If you put the baby on his back, unbend and spread his legs to the sides, you will not feel any particular resistance. A weak tone in children is indicated by the absence of natural bending of the arms under the chest while laying on the stomach.

Weak muscle tone in a child. Causes

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

Muscles can also be affected by neurological, infectious, genetic, metabolic and degenerative diseases; lesions of the spinal cord, brain and peripheral nerve; polio.

What to do?

With a decrease in tone, you must immediately begin to correct it, otherwise the child may slow down physical development. It is necessary to seek advice from a qualified neuropathologist, as well as an orthopedist. Massages are most often prescribed for babies with reduced muscle tone. Parents can do gymnastics with babies on their own, it will also not be superfluous to sign up with a qualified massage therapist and take several courses. An excellent effect is given by fitball exercises and swimming.

Also, small patients with hypotension are shown to have acupuncture and various physiotherapy procedures (for example, paraffin).

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

With weak muscle tone, extremely important role also plays the definition of the cause of its occurrence and the correct correction of the identified violations.

Massage

With a reduced tone, children are shown a stimulating massage that activates the baby. Such an impact involves the performance of chopping and kneading movements. It is better to start and end the massage with traditional strokes. At the same time, it is worth moving 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 a child. Treatment

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

If the crumbs have an increased tone of the upper limbs, its handles will be constantly clenched into fists, often in the form of a “fig”. hypertonicity lower extremities manifests itself in the event that the baby's legs cannot be parted to the sides in any way until an angle of ninety degrees is reached. Such children often cry a lot, are characterized by increased anxiety, react to different sounds and bright lights.

Excessive tone also needs timely diagnosis and adequate correction. Massages will also help to cope with such a violation, but not of a tonic, but of a relaxing nature. Initially, ten massage sessions are prescribed for small patients, after six months such procedures will need to be repeated. Swimming and physiotherapy procedures also give a good effect.

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

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

Massage

With hypertonicity, massage can be done on your own. The child should be placed on a flat surface and with warm hands gently stroked on the arms, legs and back. You can stroke with your fingers (stroking) and with the whole brush (grasping). After the skin needs to be rubbed gently and gently in a circular motion (as if you were sifting sand through a sieve with your hand). Then it is necessary to make shaking and shaking movements of the limbs. End the massage with gentle rocking.

In case of violations of tone in infants, one should not hesitate to carry out appropriate treatment. Untimely therapy is fraught with the development of various kinds of disorders.

The first movements of the crumbs occur due to the muscular-articular feeling, with the help of which the child determines his place in space long before birth. In the first year of life, the muscular-articular feeling gives the child a powerful stimulus for development. It is thanks to him that the baby learns to make conscious movements (raise his head, reach for a toy, roll over, sit down, get up, etc.). And the main characteristic of the muscular skeleton of newborns is tone.

The tone is different

First of all, you need to figure out what muscle tone is and what is considered the norm. Even in sleep, our muscles do not fully relax and remain tense. This is the minimum tension that is maintained in a state of relaxation and rest, and is called muscle tone. The younger the child, the higher the tone - this is due to the fact that at first the surrounding space is limited by the uterus, and the child does not need to perform targeted actions. In the fetal position (with limbs and chin tightly pressed to the body), the muscles of the fetus are in great tension, otherwise the child simply would not fit in the uterus. After birth (during the first six to eight months), muscle tone gradually weakens. Ideally, the muscle tone of a two-year-old baby should be approximately the same as that of an adult. But almost all modern babies have problems with tone. Bad ecology, complications during pregnancy, stress and a number of other adverse factors provoke a violation of tone in newborns. There are several most common disorders of muscle tone.

• Increased tone (hypertonicity).

  The child seems tense and pinched. Even in a dream, the baby does not relax: his legs are bent at the knees and pulled up to his stomach, his arms are crossed on his chest, and his fists are clenched (often in the form of a "fig"). With hypertonicity, the child holds his head well from birth due to the strong tone of the occipital muscles (but this is not good).

• Decreased tone (hypotension).

  With reduced tone, the child is usually lethargic, moves his legs and arms a little, and cannot hold his head for a long time. Sometimes the legs and arms of the child unbend at the knees and elbow joints more than 180 degrees. If you lay the child on his stomach, then he does not bend his arms under his chest, but spreads them apart. The child looks limp and flattened.

• Asymmetry of muscle tone.

  With asymmetry on one half of the body, the tone is higher than on the other. In this case, the head and pelvis of the child are turned towards the tense muscles, and the torso is bent in an arc. When the child is laid out on his stomach, he always falls to one side (where the tone is increased). In addition, asymmetry is easily detected by the uneven distribution of the gluteal and femoral folds.

• Uneven tone (dystonia).

  With dystonia, signs of hyper- and hypotension are combined. In this case, the child has some muscles too relaxed, while others are too tense.

Diagnosis of muscle tone

Usually, immediately after childbirth, the doctor, on the basis of visual diagnostic tests, reveals violations of tone and motor activity. In addition, all babies have the so-called "residual" (posotonic) reflexes, which can also be used to determine violations of muscle tone. In principle, you yourself can check how the child is doing with the tone. Here are some basic tests that allow you to determine deviations in the development of muscle tone and postural reflexes of the newborn.

• Breeding the hips.

  Lay the child on his back and carefully try to unbend the legs and push them apart in different sides. But do not use force and make sure that the child does not get hurt. Normally, you should feel moderate resistance. If the legs of a newborn are fully unbent without resistance and easily spread apart in different directions, this is evidence of a reduced tone. If the resistance is too strong and at the same time the child's legs cross, this is a sign of hypertonicity.

• Sitting by the hands.

  Lay the child on his back on a hard, flat surface (for example, on a changing table), take the wrists and gently pull towards you, as if seating him. Normally, you should feel moderate resistance to extending your arms at the elbows. If the child's arms unbent without resistance, and in the sitting position the stomach is strongly protruded forward, the back is rounded, and the head is tilted back or lowered down - these are signs of reduced tone. If you are unable to take the child's arms away from the chest and unbend them, this, on the contrary, indicates hypertonicity.

• Step reflex and ground reflex.

  Take the baby vertically under the armpits, place him on the changing table and lean forward slightly, forcing him to take a step. Normally, the child should stand, leaning on a full foot with straightened toes. And when leaning forward, the child imitates walking and does not cross his legs. This reflex gradually fades away and practically disappears by 1.5 months. If this reflex persists in a child older than 1.5 months, this is evidence of hypertonicity. Also on increased tone indicate pursed toes, crossing the legs when walking, or relying only on the forefoot. If, instead of standing, the newborn crouches, takes a step strongly bent legs or refuses to walk at all - these are signs of reduced tone.

• Symmetric reflex.

  Lay the baby on his back, put your hand under the back of his head and gently tilt the baby's head to the chest. He should bend his arms and straighten his legs.

• asymmetrical reflex.

  Lay the child on his back and slowly, without effort, turn his head to the left shoulder. The child will take the so-called swordsman's position: he will stretch his arm forward, straighten his leg on the left and bend right leg. Then turn the child's face to the right side, and he should repeat this pose only in the opposite direction: he will stretch forward right hand, unbend the right leg and bend the left.

• tonic reflex.

  Put the child on his back on a hard surface - in this position, the extensor tone of the newborn increases, he tries to straighten his limbs and seems to open up. Then turn the child over on his stomach and he will "close", pull the bent arms and legs under him (the flexor tone increases on the stomach).
  Normally, symmetrical, asymmetric and tonic reflexes are expressed moderately and gradually disappear by 2-2.5 months. If the newborn does not have these reflexes or is too weakly expressed, this indicates a reduced tone, and if these reflexes persist by three months, this is a sign of hypertonicity.

• Moreau and Babinski reflexes.

  Watch your child carefully. When overexcited, he should scatter his arms to the sides (Moro reflex), and when irritated (tickling) of the soles, the child reflexively begins to unbend his toes. Normally, the Moro and Babinski reflexes should pass by the end of the 4th month.

If the muscle tone and the reflexes associated with it do not undergo changes corresponding to the age of the baby, this is a very dangerous signal. You should not rely on the notorious "maybe" and expect that problems with muscle tone will go away on their own. Violation of tone and development of reflexes often leads to a delay in motor development. And with a strong deviation from the norm, we are talking about the possible formation of diseases nervous system, ranging from convulsions and ending with (cerebral palsy). Fortunately, if a doctor diagnoses a violation of tone at birth (or in the first three months), the threat of developing serious diseases can be prevented with the help of massage, because in the first year of life the nervous system has a huge recovery potential.

Healing massage

It is best to start massage when the baby is two months old. But first, it is necessary to show the child to three specialists: a pediatrician, an orthopedist and a neuropathologist, who make a diagnosis and give recommendations. If the child needs medication, it is usually "customized" to the massage. A correctly and timely massage course helps to correct many orthopedic disorders (incorrectly turned feet, etc.), normalize muscle tone and eliminate "residual" reflexes. In case of serious deviations from the norm, massage should be done by a professional. But you can slightly adjust the tone at home.

It is better to massage during the day, at least an hour after feeding. You should first ventilate the room and make sure that the temperature is not lower than 22 degrees, the child should not be hot or cold. Hands should be washed with warm water, wiped dry (so that they are warm). It is not necessary to coat the entire body of the child with massage oil or cream, it is enough to apply a large number of cream on your hands. For massage, you can use a special oil or a regular baby cream. While massaging, gently talk to your baby and watch his reaction. When the first signs of fatigue appear (crying, whimpering, displeased grimaces), you should stop exercising.

During massage, all movements are made from the periphery to the center, starting from the limbs: from the hand to the shoulder, from the foot to the groin. In the first lessons, each exercise is repeated only once. At first, the entire massage complex will take no more than 5 minutes. Gradually increase the number of repetitions and time to 15-20 minutes.

To eliminate hypertonicity and residual reflexes, manifested in the excessive activity of the child, the so-called gentle massage- He relaxes and calms. Start the massage by stroking the arms, legs, back with the back and palmar surfaces of several closed fingers. You can alternate planar (with the surface of the fingers) and embracing (with the whole brush) stroking. After stroking, the skin is rubbed in circular motions. Lay the baby on his stomach, and place your palm along the back of the baby. Without taking your hands off your baby's back, gently move his skin up, down, right, and left with stroked movements, as if you were sifting sand through a sieve with your hand. Then lay the child on his back, take his hand and gently shake it, holding the child by the forearm. Thus, massage both hands and feet several times. Now you can move on to swinging. Grasp the child by the muscles of the arm (just above the wrist) and gently but quickly shake and shake the arms from side to side. Your movements should be fast and rhythmic, but not abrupt. Do the same with the legs, grabbing the child by the calf muscles. You need to finish the massage in the same way as you started - with a smooth stroke.

With a reduced tone, on the contrary, it is carried out stimulating massage which activates the child. Stimulating massage includes a large number of "chopping" movements. After traditional stroking with the edge of the palm, lightly walk along the legs, arms and back of the baby. Then lay the baby on his stomach and roll his knuckles over his back, buttocks, legs and arms. Then turn the child on his back and roll the knuckles over his stomach, arms and legs.

In addition to massage to normalize muscle tone, it helps physiotherapy , for example, exercises on a large inflatable ball. Put the child on the ball with his stomach, legs should be bent (like a frog) and pressed against the surface of the ball. Let dad, for example, hold the child's legs in this position, and you take the baby by the arms and pull him towards you. Then return the baby to initial position. Now take the baby by the shins and pull them towards you until the child's face is at the top of the ball or the legs touch the floor. Gently return the baby to its original position. Then tilt the child forward (away from you) so that he reaches the floor with his palms (just make sure that the baby does not hit his forehead on the floor). Repeat this exercise several times back and forth.

With an asymmetric tone, a relaxing massage should be done with an effort on the side in which the tone is lower. Besides, good effect has the following exercise on an inflatable ball: put the child on an inflatable ball with the side into which it arches. Gently rock the ball along the axis of the child's body. Repeat this exercise 10-15 times daily.

Even if the child has normal muscle tone, this is not a reason to refuse preventive massage. Preventive massage includes both relaxing and activating movements. Such massage techniques are used as stroking (they begin and end the massage), rubbing, kneading with stronger pressure. in a circular motion(clockwise) massage the abdomen for prevention and constipation. Stroke your baby's soles with your thumb and lightly pat them. Then with the whole palm, preferably with both hands, stroke the baby's chest from the middle to the sides, and then along the intercostal spaces. From three months, it is useful to combine massage with gymnastics. The main purpose of preventive massage is to prepare the child for walking. From two months to a year, a healthy child must undergo at least 4 massage courses (15-20 sessions each). When the child begins to walk, the intensity of the massage is reduced to two times a year. It is advisable to take massage courses in spring and autumn to improve the condition. immune system, usually weakened at this time of the year.

Natalya Aleshina
Consultant - children's neuropathologist Knyazeva Inna Viktorovna.

21.12.2008 10:50:45, Elena

I have a question, the child is 3.5 months old and he strongly throws his head back when he lies on his back, what could it be?

12/20/2008 10:06:34 PM, Kirill

Thank you, the article is good, according to Lesya's statement. Before seeing a neurologist, bring the baby to a normal state. We slept soundly - we undressed the sleeping one, the doctor examines - the cub is soft, like a kitten, the reflexes are weak, the arms are outstretched, we snooze ... as a result - the diagnosis is "Diffusion hypotension" Although I will not deny, the tone is still lowered, but since the doctor was frightened, it’s better not to see anyone, then I got scared, and the baby didn’t eat well. At the second appointment, everything settled down - there is hypotension, but not strong. We do massage (250 per session, x 20 times, the child has no price), we eat Caventon (Vimpocetin) to improve cerebral circulation. Everything is recoverable, moms, don't worry.

08/10/2005 02:57:26 PM, Julia

09.02.2005 17:37:17, YuriK

This article helped us a lot. When my child at 2 months got to prof. for the first time. examination by a neurologist, by this time I was already pretty exhausted by the previous examinations of the pediatrician and the surgeon, and the feeding time was also approaching. Therefore, it is not surprising that when we entered the doctor's office with him, he was a compressed bundle of nerves. How to examine such a child, who is already fed up with everything and he was screaming with displeasure, no doctor, especially a neurologist, can do. As a result, the child, in this condition, was diagnosed with hyperesthesia of the skin, hypertonicity of the muscles of the extremities and prescribed medication. Armed with information about these diseases and comparing them with the daily behavior of my baby, I could not agree with the diagnosis of a neurologist. Even the reflexes that are used to establish tone (neurologists use them, but we found them in your article and used them ourselves) did not confirm such a diagnosis. We did not carry out any prescribed treatment, especially since the medicines prescribed by the doctor are used in the treatment of serious illnesses, but we waited until the child was three months old and went on a visit to an experienced neurologist. The main thing and the child was prepared: he was full and enjoyed the call. As we expected, the doctor did not find any developmental abnormalities. Therefore, when going to a neurologist, it is necessary to find the right time for the child, so that his condition does not give rise to erroneous diagnoses.

06/18/2004 11:19:15 PM, Lesya

Good afternoon, very useful article, thank you very much. Our Nastya is 4 months old today. We have an asymmetric tone, now it is corrected with the help of massage. Local neuropathologist at 3 months. prescribed Cavinton, is it necessary to take it, what kind of drug is it, or can it be better to consult the child with another specialist?

09/19/2003 18:36:43, Julia

1. In newborns, when you try to move your arms and legs, you will not feel resistance or the slightest tension in the muscles. And with normal muscle tone, it will be more difficult to unbend, since the tone is physiologically slightly increased.
2. On examination, flaccid muscles can be seen.
3. Muscle weakness leads to disruption of the work of the main joints of the limbs. When stepping, the baby can sharply bend the leg at the knee back. The longer the muscles are relaxed, the stronger the load on the joints - elbows, knees, the more they are damaged.
4. In addition, hypotension in a child is manifested by difficulties in holding the head.
5. The baby spreads its arms when you lay it on the tummy, but does not lift it up on them. He has no way to support his weight.
6. He quickly gets tired and falls asleep when, for him it is very tiring.
7. Try to "plant" the baby. Lightly pull the handles towards you. In infants with low tone, the arms will immediately open, the tummy will be rounded, and the back will be hunched.
8. Does your baby "walk" when you hold him under the armpits and let him lean on a hard surface? If yes, then the issue of hypotension cannot be raised. If the baby bends its legs or the stepping movement is made on bent legs, you should contact a neurologist.

Under the masks of what diseases is low muscle tone hidden?

Muscular hypotonia in children can be expressed as the only pathological sign, and also exist in a group of other neurological syndromes.

1. An isolated sign of hypotension manifests itself at an early stage. But after the development of the disease is replaced by spasticity. Diffuse muscular hypotonia may be part of Werdnig-Hoffmann muscular atrophy in children.
2. In combination with other neurological syndromes, it occurs with extensive strokes. For example, there will be no movement, there will be violations of sensitivity.
3. Hypotonicity in infants, along with fasciculations and muscle atrophy, occurs with spinal muscular atrophy. To clarify the diagnosis, a consultation with a geneticist is necessary.
4. If you notice progressive motor disorders and sensory disturbances in children, more on the palms and soles, and in other parts of the limbs everything is fine, most likely the baby has polyneuropathy. A neurologist will help your child with this condition.
5. In children of primary school age, diffuse violation of tone may be a symptom of multiple sclerosis.

Causes

Muscle hypotonia in children can be due to various reasons.

1. The very first thing that can be assumed is. The complex term includes damage to the baby's brain during pregnancy, most often due to prolonged lack of oxygen. This disease is more susceptible to children born ahead of time- premature and immature.
2. The second most common reason is injury. Muscle hypotonicity can develop if something has damaged the spinal cord in the transverse direction. Only a doctor can determine the presence of an injury. Often used magnetic resonance imaging,.
3. Infectious diseases (meningitis, encephalitis, poliomyelitis) are accompanied by a change in tone. It is important to know that "dead" polio vaccines are currently being used. This means that it is impossible to get sick after being vaccinated with polio.
4. Insufficient intake of vitamin D in the baby's body.
5. Congenital hypothyroidism is also manifested by muscle hypotonia, since the necessary hormones are absent. In addition, there may be mental and physical retardation, developmental delay.
6. Mothers diagnosed with myasthenia gravis are at risk of having children with impaired tone.

One of the modern pediatricians, whose opinion is trusted by most moms and dads, is Dr. Komarovsky. In his articles, he says that pediatric neurologists are more "playing safe than actually detecting muscle hypotonia." He recommends staying calm no matter what. “Serious neurological diseases occur in 4% of the child population. At the same time, only 2% of children need tablet preparations, ”voiced Evgeny Olegovich Komarovsky.

Is hypotonia treated?

The syndrome of muscular hypotension in a newborn is treated. Initially, it is necessary to examine the baby, to identify the root cause. If no serious health problems have been identified for the baby, you can begin to treat the isolated syndrome.

Treatment must be comprehensive and carried out by professionals in the initial period.

Physiotherapy exercises or gymnastics, massage, acupuncture, physiotherapy, aromatherapy and educational games are the basis of non-drug treatment.

The temperature in the room for procedures should be comfortable so that the baby does not freeze and does not overheat. Do not perform procedures immediately after eating.

Application point therapeutic gymnastics there will be weakened muscles of the crumbs. It is necessary that the muscles of the arms and legs, as well as the muscles of the neck and back, become stronger, accustomed to work.

To do this, it is better to do gymnastics in the morning and afternoon hours, that is, at least twice a day, and preferably three.

Dear parents, do not do toning exercises before the child sleeps. Also, don't expect a quick effect. daily activities should continue for at least two to three months.

Exercises you can do with your kids

• The child lies on the back, and you spread the child's arms to the sides and bring them back. Don't forget to talk to your little one. Repeat the exercise about 5-10 times.
• Let's modify the first exercise. Now we bring the handles to the head alternately, first up the left, and down the left and vice versa.
• "Box" with the baby's hands. This exercise tightens the extensor muscles.
• Pull up for baby good workout flexor muscles. Grab the handles and pull the child towards you so that he almost sits down.
• Put the baby on the tummy. So he learns to hold his head. This natural exercise which will train the muscles.
• "Lying squats" are exercises that tone the muscles of the legs. Take the feet, pull the legs to the tummy. Let the baby strain the legs and try to push them away. Repeat the exercises three times.
• Jumping. Take the baby by the armpits, hold the head if he does not hold it. Let the baby lean on his legs and take steps. IN this exercise there is a training of the legs, back and neck muscles.

Massage

Massage with hypotension should be carried out in courses of ten sessions several times a year. Start with rubbing. They improve blood flow to the muscles, stimulate skin receptors due to a slight irritant effect, helping to build reflex arcs of tactile and osmotic reflexes. The movements during rubbing start from the fingertips up to the large joints. If you rub the back, then the movements go from the buttocks along the back up to the neck and go along the shoulders to upper part hands

Now let's move on to stretching. Do everything carefully, do not cause pain to the baby. Most often, the baby will be capricious during this stage. It is worth sharing when he is simply uncomfortable and when it hurts. You can gradually add light tapping on the muscles and tingling.

Again, do not apply strong painful irritations. Enough light, but daily muscle stimulation to strengthen and improve tone.

Other Methods

Physiotherapy and acupuncture are carried out only with the appointment of a doctor and in most cases during hospitalization in a hospital.

Do not prescribe drugs, decoctions of various herbs to your baby on your own!

Other types of hypotension

If everything is clear with general muscular hypotension, then what should you do if your baby is diagnosed with gallbladder hypotension or hypotonic dyskinesia?

Dear parents, hypotension of the gallbladder in a child is a fairly common diagnosis. Most often, you will learn about it after reading the protocol for an ultrasound examination of the baby's abdominal organs. Do not immediately be frightened and try to “cure” this disease with drugs.

Dyskinesias are a functional disease of the biliary system, they are not associated with an anatomical disorder in the gallbladder and its ducts. Dyskinesia leads to indigestion, as there is a poor breakdown of substances into components for normal absorption and assimilation by the body.

There are three options: hypotonic, hypertonic and mixed.

The causes of hypotension of the gallbladder in children are various.

Nutritional or alimentary reasons.

• for babies - unbalanced nutrition of a nursing mother;
• for older children - the absence and irregular meals of hot dishes (soups, cereals);
• lack of breakfast
• daily intake of fatty foods;
• frequent use by the child of tasty, but "garbage" food. We include chips, cakes, chewing gum, fast food, sweet carbonated drinks.

Impaired control of the activity of the biliary tract by the nervous system. In this case, the child has an incorrect regulation of the frequency of contraction of the muscle fibers of the gallbladder itself and the main sphincter of Oddi. In addition to intestinal manifestations, one can note a violation of vascular tone and reduced arterial pressure, violation of respiratory acts.

You might think that the baby does not have psychological problems, because he does not need to solve "important adult problems." Very often, the cause of psychological problems, expressed in organic pathology in a child, are quarrels and conflicts within the family, conflicts with peers.
Symptoms of JVP according to the hypotonic type can be divided into specific and additional.

We will refer to specific:

• complaints of pain, often sharp, which appears after the child eats and disappears after half an hour;
• poor appetite, but with a desire to eat. This happens because the child has a taste of bitterness in his mouth (more often in the morning);
• after sweet and fatty foods, there may be vomiting, which brings relief and is not accompanied by fever and loose stools with mucus;
• bloating, feces "peas" or loose stools, without mucus, often light or greenish in color.

Children cannot explain exactly what is bothering them. They can compensate for bitterness in the mouth by drinking and eating sugary foods frequently, as well as snacking frequently.

Additional symptoms are expressed:

• frequent headaches;
• pain when touched in the abdomen;
• violation of the rhythm of breathing (it is often superficial, excluding the participation of the abdomen during inspiration).

The presence of such symptoms in crumbs requires the advice of a specialist. It may be necessary to undergo a series of examinations (ultrasound of the abdominal organs in different positions of the body; a biochemical blood test, including ALT, AST, bilirubin with fractions; for older children, duodenal sounding with provocative tests is possible, radiography with a contrast agent).

See your doctor if your child has similar symptoms. This is necessary in order to exclude emergency surgical pathology!

How to help the baby?

1. Dieting. No fatty fried foods, you need to reduce sweets, increase the amount of vegetables and fruits in boiled or pureed versions.
2. Meals are frequent and fractional. No need to force the baby to eat the whole bowl of soup or cereal at a time, it is better to divide the portion into two doses.
3. For an unhindered outflow of bile, after consulting a doctor, cholagogues can be given. In this case, it would be better to use cholekinetics of both plant (Gapabene) and synthetic origin (Allochol).
4. It is impossible to achieve a stable result only with diet and drugs. Physiotherapy and massage will help us with this. Massage should be aimed at toning the overall muscle tone.

The active lifestyle of the baby will relieve him of bitterness in the mouth, as the drainage function will improve. You can do physical therapy on balls, swim.

Muscular hypotension 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 provide the degree of muscle response to the same extent as normal muscle tissue. Muscle hypotension in children is a symptom that can be triggered by many diseases of various etiologies.

Hypotension in children, also called muscle weakness syndrome, is one of the causes of dystrophy. muscle tissue. 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 a muscle. Hypotension is not analogous to muscle weakness, which manifests itself as a decrease in muscle strength, but it may be accompanied by this symptom. In a normal state, muscle tone determines the ability of muscles to respond to stretching of the fascia and muscle fibers. For example, the bent arms of a child with a normal level of tone quickly straighten, 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 start contracting. They give a delayed response to a nerve stimulus and cannot hold the limb in a certain position for a long time.

The main signs of hypotension in children

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

Children with normal tone can be lifted up by placing their hands under the armpits, while hypotonic infants tend to slip between the arms. At the same time, their handles involuntarily rise up, parallel to the plane of the body.

Most children younger age during sleep and rest, bend the arms and legs at the knees and elbows. Children with symptoms of hypotension limply hang them during relaxation.

How does muscle hypotension 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;
• with difficulty holding the head;
• do not have the ability to hold a toy in their hands;
• do not keep balance sitting position;
• have difficulty keeping their weight on their feet.

As a result of muscle hypotension, children quickly develop muscle weakness, which negatively affects the posture and mobility of the baby. 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 the habitual jawbones, hips, knees, ankle joint. In severe cases, problems with the swallowing and masticatory muscles may occur. Such children cannot suckle, chew and swallow food on their own. They need to be fed with a special tube or parenterally.

Prolonged inability to pronounce speech in patients with hypotension is not associated with impaired intelligence and mental abilities. This condition is directly related to poor muscle development. chest, glottis and respiratory disorders.

When does hypotension develop in children?

The spread of this condition is not related to the sex of the baby and the place of his permanent residence. A weak relationship can be traced between the development of hypotension and the behavior of the mother of the child 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 is important. The most dangerous age of a child is the period from 3 to 7 years. It is at this time that there is a risk of the formation of limited physical abilities in the baby 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. At the same time, successful therapy of the underlying disease leads to the complete disappearance of symptoms of hypotension in children.

Causes of hypotension in children

Doctors do not know the reliable causes of hypotension. Scientists believe it may be caused by trauma, environmental stressors, or other genetic changes in muscles and disorders of the central nervous system.

Causes of hypotension in children can be as follows:

• Down syndrome, in which the DNA chromosomes take on an altered appearance, usually due to extra copies of the twenty-first chromosome.
• Myasthenia gravis: neuromuscular disorders in this disease are characterized by variable muscle weakness, which often improves after adequate rest and increases due to physical activity. The condition may be caused by immune disorders.
• Prader-Willi syndrome- a congenital defect of genes, characterized by the absence of approximately 7 genes in the 15th chromosome of the DNA helix. It is accompanied by obesity, a severe form of hypotension, and a decrease in mental abilities.
• Severe forms of reactive jaundice as a result of the conflict between the Rh factor of the mother and the child.
• Cerebellar ataxia with movement disorders, which are distinguished by a sudden onset, is often a complication after suffering infectious viral diseases. May cause hypotension in severe cases.
• Botulism, at which Clostridium can multiply within gastrointestinal tract child. In the course of 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 effect on the motor apparatus, cardiovascular system condition of eyes and skin.
• muscular dystrophy is a group of disorders characterized by progressive muscle weakness and loss of muscle fiber volume.
• Achondroplasia in the form of a violation of the physiological growth of the bones of the child's skeleton, which causes the most common type of dwarfism. Accompanied by hypotension of moderate severity.
• Sepsis and other serious, life-threatening diseases for the child, causing massive blood poisoning with toxins and living forms of bacteria.
• congenital hypothyroidism causes hypotension by reducing the production of thyroid hormones.
• Hypervitaminosis D- a condition that appears in full a few months after the use of 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 - the muscles feel soft and loose in structure;
• the possibility of breeding limbs in opposite directions goes beyond the physiological norm;
• failure to acquire motor skills appropriate to developmental stages (such as holding one's head without parental assistance, rolling over on one's own, being able to sit without support, crawling, walking);
• inability to independently suck milk or chew food for a long period of time;
• shallow breathing without the ability to take more than two deep breaths in a row;
• the lower jaw may sag, there is a prolapse of the tongue.

When to See a Doctor

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

In the event that their child does not have muscle control, especially if such conditions have not been observed before, contacting a doctor should be immediate.

Such a diagnosis can be made by a neurologist. He necessarily observes all babies up to a year once every three months, starting from birth. A neurologist can identify many diseases at an early stage, which are much easier to cure in infancy. Most often, various massages or physiotherapy help well.

What is hypotonia in infants how dangerous the disease is, how it manifests itself and what it leads to - a lot of questions arise for the parents of a baby with such a diagnosis. And the most main question – how to treat hypotension?

Hypotension- this is a weakening of the muscles in an infant at a time when it is necessary to show muscle tension. How does it manifest itself? The doctor, when straightening the baby's legs, expects them to squeeze them, but this does not happen or happens a little later. In this case, the diagnosis is hypotension. In this neurological disease, the baby's muscles cannot contract normally. More often, infants are diagnosed with the opposite diagnosis - hypertension. With hypertonicity, the child's muscles are strongly contracted without any effect on them.

You, for sure, paid attention to how the neurologist treats the baby at the reception. First, he tries to take the baby by the arms, expecting that he will start to pull himself up and try to sit down. Then he checks how the legs will behave when resting on a plane. The child should try to push off from it and make stepping movements. This is a normal baby reaction.

With hypotension, the baby cannot make such response movements or reacts belatedly and very weakly.

At home, children with hypotension also behave differently.

What is hypotension in a child?

Please note if:

• your baby is too quiet and calm. Sleeps too much when he wakes up, looks somehow sluggish and slow and is not easily aroused.
• during sleep, the baby will be with fully extended legs and arms, the fingers will also be straightened. He will calmly react if the legs are pushed strongly to the sides and will not try to bend them back. (Usually, in infants, the legs are slightly bent at the knees, and the fingers are clenched into a fist).
• with hypotonicity, infants often suckle the breast very sluggishly or completely refuse it.
• infants with hypotension cannot raise their heads, straining their neck muscles, crawl, stretch their arms - it is very difficult for them to make any movements, straining their muscles.

But do not rush to draw conclusions on your own - express your suspicions to the pediatrician, he, in turn, will prescribe an examination by a neurologist.

Why does hypotonia occur in infants?

Central nervous system dysfunction and insufficient blood supply- these are the main causes of hypotension in infants. Emergency or difficult births with complications, birth injuries, asphyxia and hypoxia in the newborn have a great influence on malfunctions in the central nervous system. Also if during pregnancy future mom suffered a serious infectious disease, with excessive "hobby" vitamin D, or if the pregnancy was complicated. If the expectant mother during pregnancy abused alcohol, nicotine, drugs. Hypotension in infants can develop due to genetic diseases, malformations, underweight, malnutrition of the infant, with the exhaustion of the child's body after severe infectious diseases.

What causes hypotonia in infants?

Importantly, after the diagnosis is determined "Hypotonicity in the baby"- this is not to delay and start treatment on time, because the sooner you start restoring the work of the muscles, the faster they will be able to return to normal, and there will be no other complications.

If hypotension is not treated, then in the future the physical development of the baby will be very slow, and the curvature of the spine and impaired posture will be ensured.

The worst thing that hypotension in infants can lead to is muscle dystrophy. This happens when the musculoskeletal system is completely weakened.

How is hypotension in infants treated?

The main help with such a disease is a course of special massage. Massage for hypotension in infants is very payload not only on the baby's muscles, but also on his central nervous system. Due to the fact that massage movements stimulate all parts of the body, affecting the internal organs through the skin.

Massage from Dr. Komarovsky (video):

How is massage done with hypotension?

The course of massage with hypotension should last at least ten times, depending on the results and the condition of the baby, it can be extended. The massage therapist's hands should move from the periphery to the center. Massage with hypotension sometimes delivers babies discomfort and be sure to monitor his condition and mood. It is better to start massage with hypotension, when the baby is calm, satisfied, in good mood. If the baby does not like the massage, give it a little later.

Usually, to perform a massage, they resort to the services of professional children's masseurs. Such a specialist knows how intensely, with what movements (stroking, tapping, rubbing or pinching), with what rhythm it is better to massage the baby. This also includes acupressure of active points on the baby's body.

The main exercises that a mother can do for a baby.

1. Take the baby's hands in yours, bring them together and spread them apart several times.
2. Boxing. Repeat the movements of the boxer several times.
3. Take the baby lying on his back by the handles and pull him a little towards you. Lower. Repeat several times.
4. Bike. Take the baby, lying on his back, by the legs, make him a few bicycle movements.

In addition to massage for the treatment of muscle hypotonia, the neurologist will probably prescribe physiotherapy procedures. They treat this disease very effectively. To this you can add more acupuncture, physiotherapy exercises, aromatherapy.

In addition to various procedures, a neurologist can add medication. In the treatment of muscle hypotonia, infants are not vaccinated.

Usually, the result of complex treatment for muscle hypotonia in infants is clearly visible after three months. Muscle movements are already much easier for the baby, the development of the central nervous system is more active, and the child himself begins to move more.

Such children are usually observed by a neurologist for a long time, periodically conducting additional procedures.

In addition to professional massage, at home with the baby, mom can perform various exercises. Don't forget about water procedures. Bathing the baby makes all the muscles work, while relaxing them and giving pleasure to the baby. At the same time, start hardening it. To do this, each time lower the water temperature by one to two degrees.

Only love, care and attention of parents will help the baby to cope with any illness. If the baby has muscle hypotonia, only timely complex treatment will completely get rid of this disease.

Such a complex includes professional massage, exercises at home with mom, physiotherapy exercises, swimming or water procedures, reflexology, acupuncture, aromatherapy. But the most important thing with such a disease is the timely treatment started. The sooner the diagnosis is made and treatment is started, the sooner the baby will become healthy and begin to develop normally.