What is Hypotonia?

What is Hypotonia?

Hypotonia is a medical term for low muscle tone. In other words, it is the decreased amount of tone in a child’s muscles.

 

What is the Difference Between Muscle Tone and Muscle Strength?

Muscle Tone: is the level of tension in a muscle at rest¹ 

• It is the potential ability to respond to an outside force, stretch or change in direction²
• Examples: protective responses, balance reactions, righting reactions

Muscle Strength: is the amount of force the muscle exerts against resistance¹ 

• Ability to actively contract and create force²
• Examples: pushing, pulling, lifting, etc. 

 

Characteristics of Low Muscle Tone

• Joint hypermobility and instability 
• Poor Posture
  • “W” sitting
  • Difficulty holding head upright (propping head with hand)
  • Slouched sitting posture
  • Difficulty sitting for long periods of time 
• Impaired Mobility
  • May appear clumsy with gross motor activities
  • May fatigue quickly; preference for sedentary activities
• Delayed Development of Gross Motor Skills (examples: crawling, jumping, climbing, etc.)
• Delayed Development of Fine Motor Skills (examples: grabbing toys, moving objects between hands, etc.)
• Breathing and Feeding Difficulties 
• Ligament and Joint Laxity 

 

Treatment Options

• Occupational Therapy: teach skills to help address day to day activities
• Physical Therapy: addresses muscle strength, coordination and posture
• Speech Therapy: addresses swallowing, feeding and speaking

Goals for Treatment: 

• • Improve postural responses and righting reactions
  • Improve posture control
  • Improve functional strength
  • Facilitate motor planning 

 

If you have concerns your child may be displaying signs of low muscle tone, please call our office today. We are happy to help. 

 

Sources:

1. SureStep 
2. DinoPT

Photos: pixabay, SureStep, Living With Cerebral Palsy