Nutrition For Children With Low Muscle Tone

Nutrition is important for children with low muscle tone because the condition itself may interfere with obtaining adequate nutrition and because improvement of low muscle tone may be achieved through nutritional intervention. It's not always the first line of treatment, so parents should talk to their doctor about nutritional issues if their child is diagnosed with poor muscle tone.

Definition

Low muscle tone, called hypotonia, may be caused by trauma but it is often the sign of an underlying medical condition. Potential causes include brain damage, disorders of the muscles, nerves or metabolism, and genetic disorders such as Down syndrome. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, infants with low muscle tone have very little head control and their arms and legs hang loosely. Symptoms in older children include poor posture, fatigue, breathing or speech difficulties, weak chewing and reflux. Treatment must address the underlying disorder. However, low muscle tone always has a nutritional component and maintaining good nutrition often helps the condition improve, according to nutritionist Kelly Dorfman of Developmental Delay Resources.

Dietary Guidelines

First, make sure your child is eating a healthy balanced diet, with sufficient proteins and fatty acids. The daily food requirements for children change as they grow older, but you'll find dietary guidelines in the children's food pyramid and other resources provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Metabolism

Children must properly metabolize the foods they eat into energy for the muscles to use, and sometimes this process needs extra nutritional support. A nutrient called L-carnitine is vital for the breakdown of fatty acids into energy. It's especially important for children with hypotonia because skeletal muscles use fatty acids as a primary source of fuel, according to Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute. L-carnitine is found in red meat and dairy products, and is produced by the body from amino acids. Coenzyme Q10 is essential for muscle cells and energy production. The body doesn't store much of this nutrient, so children with hypotonia may benefit from supplements or refueling with foods containing coenzyme Q10. Good food sources of coenzyme Q10 include beef, chicken, peanuts, oranges, broccoli and cauliflower.

Vitamins

Kelly Dorfman at Developmental Delay Resources recommends making sure your child has an adequate intake of the B vitamins and vitamin E. The B vitamins contribute to growth, development and the production of energy in the body. The B vitamins include B1 or thiamine, B2 or riboflavin, B3 or niacin, B5 or pantothenic acid, B6 or pyridoxine, B7 or biotin, B9 or folic acid and B12 or cobalamin. You'll find B vitamins in meat, eggs, dairy products and enriched cereals and breads. Vitamin E includes eight antioxidants that prevent the destruction of fats in the body. The developing nervous system in children is vulnerable to a lack of vitamin E, and deficiencies can cause muscle weakness, notes the Linus Pauling Institute.