Hypotonia is the term for the decreased muscle tone. The condition, which is usually diagnosed in infancy, causes children to have a rag-doll appearance because of their floppy limps and lack of muscle control. The causes of hypotonia include genetic conditions, brain or spinal cord damage, trauma, central nervous system disorders and environmental factors. Doctors cannot identify a cause in some cases. Treatment of the underlying condition is important for eliminating or alleviating the resulting poor muscle tone. Physical therapy helps children with developmental delays and physical problems that often accompany hypotonia.
Complications
Hypotonia can cause poor posture, mobility problems, poor reflexes and breathing difficulties. While hypotonia does not affect intelligence, children might have delays in developing language, social and reasoning skills. Infants that have hypotonia often experience dislocations to the neck, jaw and hip. Infants that have problems sucking, swallowing or chewing may have trouble feeding or eating. Poor muscle tone can also cause shallow breathing and speech difficulties. Infants are delayed in reaching developmental milestones, such as lifting the head while on the stomach, balancing the body or sitting without falling over.
Evaluation
After the cause of hypotonia is determined, your child’s medical team performs assessments of her motor skills, reflexes, nerve functioning and sensory skills. Diagnostic tests evaluate the functions of her muscles, nerves and brain activity and identify her physical therapy needs. Evaluation of your child’s condition helps her health care team develop an early intervention plan that includes different types of physical therapies. An individualized plan addresses your child’s specific symptoms and complications caused by hypotonia.
Physical Therapy
Early intervention programs start in infancy and progress to school-based physical therapy. Other therapies address speech, breathing and swallowing problems. Therapy might include sensory stimulation programs for infants or young children. Your child’s physical therapist might use special toys and assistive devices to encourage development of fine and gross motor skills, improve coordination and strengthen and stretch muscles. Physical therapy programs often include parent training to ensure that therapies are conducted correctly at home.
Advantages
For some children, hypotonia continues throughout their lives. Physical therapy for hypotonia can help children reach their full potential and achieve independence. Many of the underlying causes of hypotonia are lifelong conditions, such as Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, Tay-Sachs disease, muscular dystrophy and Prader-Willis syndrome. Physical therapy can improve muscle strength and fine motor control over time, according to the National Institutes of Health. Physical therapy also can improve a child’s overall body strength.
Physical therapy also treats complications caused by poor muscle tone, such as dislocation and tight muscles, and helps to prevents further deterioration and loss of movement. Physical therapy helps children achieve developmental milestones and continue to progress as they age. Early intervention through physical therapy can help improve your child’s self-confidence and motivation, according to Pat Winder, a physical therapist writing for the Kennedy Krieger Institute online.
