What is the most common cause of hypotonia in infants?

Neonatal hypotonia is a common event in neonatal period. A majority of diagnosis is obtained by history and physical examination. Neuroimaging, genetic and metabolic tests were also important in diagnosis. Genetic, syndromic–nonsyndromic, and metabolic disorders were the most causes of neonatal hypotonia.

What causes hypotonia in infants?

Hypotonia can be caused by a variety of conditions, including those that involve the central nervous system, muscle disorders, and genetic disorders. Some common causes can include but are not limited to: Down syndrome. muscular dystrophy.

Do babies grow out of hypotonia?

Kids With Hypotonia Will Outgrow It

Muscles can get stronger or weaker, but the tone doesn't really change. Kids with hypotonia become adults with hypotonia. Along the way, they've simply learned how to compensate for their limitations.

Is hypotonia a birth defect?

Hypotonia means decreased muscle tone. Hypotonia is often a sign of abnormality in the case of a newborn or older infant, and may suggest the presence of central nervous system dysfunction, genetic disorders, or muscle disorders.

What is the most common central cause of hypotonia in infants?

Pediatrics – Hypotonic Infant: By Wendy Stewart M.D.

At what age is hypotonia diagnosed?

Diagnosis and Tests

Diagnosis of hypotonia occurs early after your child is born or before they turn six months old. Your healthcare provider will examine your baby for physical symptoms of the condition in your child's muscles by observing their: Balance and coordination.

What is hypotonia associated with?

Muscle tone is controlled by signals that travel from the brain to the nerves and tell the muscles to contract. Hypotonia can result from damage to the brain, spinal cord, nerves, or muscles. Hypotonia does not affect intellect. The opposite of hypotonia is hypertonia.

Can hypotonia be caused by autism?

Hypotonia, or low muscle tone, is common in autistic children. Some studies have shown that over 50% of children with ASD experienced hypotonia. Because of its prevalence among autistic children, hypotonia often serves as an early indicator that your child may fall on the autism spectrum.

What part of the brain causes hypotonia?

The most common cause of cerebral palsy that leads to hypotonia is caused by damage to the cerebellum of the brain. The cerebellum is responsible for receiving messages from the spinal cord and other areas of the brain to control motor movement.

What is life expectancy with hypotonia?

Generally, 5 to 8 percent survive beyond one year and even fewer past 18 months [6].

Do kids with hypotonia talk?

Hypotonia can also affect speech and oral motor muscles cause difficulties in speaking, eating, or swallowing. When referred to outside therapy PT, OT, and speech will do the necessary evaluation to determine what services will best benefit your kiddo.

What genetic causes hypotonia?

Genetic causes of hypotonia

Prader-Willi syndrome is a rare genetic disease that causes restricted growth and learning difficulties. Tay-Sachs disease is another rare and fatal genetic disorder that causes progressive damage to the nervous system.

Can hypotonia be misdiagnosed?

Hypotonia, or abnormally low muscle tone, is by itself not a disorder but a symptom of an enormous array of issues—many of which can be difficult to diagnose accurately. Even in the absence of a specific underlying diagnosis, however, children with hypotonia can benefit from clinical intervention.

What happens to kids with hypotonia?

Low muscle tone is used to describe muscles that are floppy. It is also referred to as hypotonia. Children with low muscle tone may have increased flexibility, poor posture and get tired easily. Warm-up activities can increase muscle tone by activating the muscles.

Does hypotonia affect speech?

Other symptoms of hypotonia include problems with mobility and posture, breathing and speech difficulties, ligament and joint laxity, and difficulty with acquisition of gross motor skills.

Can kids with hypotonia play sports?

The problem with low tone kids is that their core muscles don't support them well. This can cause problems with sitting still and focusing at school, coordination problems with sports, and more.

What can help hypotonia?

Muscle tone is regulated by signals that travel from the brain to the nerves and tell the muscles to contract. Hypotonia does not affect intelligence. Pediatric therapy helps children overcome hypotonia; the primary treatment for most children with congenital hypotonia is occupational and physical therapy.

What blood tests for hypotonia?

Blood tests

Assessment of thyroid hormone in the blood can help detect hypothyroidism that may have caused the symptoms of hypotonia. A complete blood count reveals if there is an infection in the body.

Will a child with low muscle tone walk?

Babies with hypotonia will feel floppier than other babies. Children with hypotonia may have increased flexibility, poor posture, get tired easily and have delays in reaching motor milestones like sitting, crawling or walking.

What sports are best for hypotonia?

Swimming is supposed to be the best exercise, as it exercises all muscles without risking damaging joints (all hypotonic people are more at risk of bending their joints the wrong way, which is why hypermobility often goes along with hypotonia).

Can hypotonia be genetic?

Hypotonia is not a specific diagnosis, but can be part of over 500 different genetic disorders, with many other conditions waiting to be identified.

How do you help a child with hypotonia?

What famous athletes have hypotonia?

You might not believe it from the above description, but several athletes actually have low muscle tone – Michael Phelps, Michael Jordan and many Olympic gymnasts, to name a few! Increased flexibility at some joints is actually helpful for performing some athletic events.

What is the differential diagnosis for hypotonia in newborn?

The differential diagnosis includes congenital myopathies, congenital muscular dystrophies, congenital myotonic dystrophy, and multisystem disorders such as muscle-eye-brain disease.