The Perfect Baby, Quiet Crier, Extra Sleepy & Surprisingly Calm

"Floppy Baby Syndrome" - Hypotonia

A healthy human's muscles are never completely relaxed. They maintain a particular amount of tension and stiffness (muscle tone) that can be felt as resistance with any movement.

For example, a person depends on the tone in their back and neck muscles to retain their position when standing or sitting up.

Muscle tone decreases during sleep. Your muscles are hardwired to your neurological brain network, so if you fall asleep sitting up, you may begin to relax enough to flop a bit forward, but you will awake when your head physically nods fully along. Like this, your brain and muscles respond to awareness, such as one's gentle touch, causing "goosebumps" or a physical twitch of the muscle. This is always a manor of tension and muscle strength, combined with neurological brain function. If your baby seems quiet or has a weak cry, seems calm or overly asleep, contact your family physician.

Not Muscle Weakness

Hypotonia is not the same as muscle weakness, although it can appear similar. It can be challenging to use the affected muscles. These are identified as "floppy" arms or bodies. Limp or lack of muscle strength is some of the symptoms of concern. Observe your children at all stages of development to ensure they are meeting their milestones on time. If a baby is a bit behind - there is a reason. In some circumstances, muscle weakness sometimes develops in association with hypotonia. It's most typically detected in babies soon after birth or at a very young age, although it can also develop later in life.

Signs of Hypotonia

• Hypotonia existing at birth yet is often noticeable before a child six months old.
• Newborn babies and young children with hypotonia are described as being "floppy."
• Signs of Hypotonia in a Child:
• Appear to have little to no control of their neck muscles; their head seems to flop from side to side.
• They feel limp when you hold the infant, as though they could be described as limp, or weak, even overly relaxed.
• If the infant is presenting as unable to place weight on their leg or shoulders.

If you notice that their arms and legs dangle straight down by gravity to their sides, rather than bending at their elbows, hips and knees like induced by tension.

• If your baby is finding sucking and swallowing difficult in general.

A weak cry or quiet voice in infants and young children may be an indicator, or if the child makes unusual vocal sounds that present as odd in any way. Not in line with the typical traditional babies' cry. (Every baby sounds different. It would help if you were listening for oddities in the cry, such as weakness or squeaking, that seems to take an unusual about of energy to produce the cry. The baby may have difficultly physically crying) Quiet babies are a symptom that needs to be brought to the attention of a physician as soon as it's recognized.

Source: Hypotonia - NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hypotonia/

"A child with hypotonia often takes longer to reach motor developmental milestones, such as sitting up, crawling, walking, talking, and feeding themselves."

A person grows, and if they exceed childhood to become an adult with hypotonia, they may have the following issues:

• Cluand falling frequently
• Difficulty getting up from a lying or sitting position
• An unusually high degree of flexibility in the hips, elbows and knees, or joints in general
• Difficulty reaching for or lifting objects (in cases where there's also muscle weakness)

What Causes Hypotonia?

Hypotonia is a symptom rather than a condition or illness. It can be caused by a variety of various underlying health problems, some of which are inherited. Hypotonia can also occasionally occur in those with cerebral palsy. Several neurological (brain-related) issues affect a child's movement and coordination and after serious infections, such as meningitis.

Diagnosing Hypotonia

If your child is identified as having hypotonia, they should be referred to a specialist healthcare professional, determining the cause. A child specialist will ask about your family history, pregnancy and delivery, and whether any problems have occurred since birth. Several tests may also be recommended, including blood tests, a CT scan, or an MRI scan.

Treating Hypotonia

Depending on the cause, hypotonia can begin to improve with the guidance of a dedicated health care team. This condition will either stay the same or get worse over time. Yet, it's not often that the cure to the underlying cause of hypotonia is found.

Life-Long Challenges

Hypotonia inherited by its parents will persist throughout a person's life span; However, the child's motor development may increase or improve over time, in most cases, which are non-progressive. (meaning it doesn't get worse).

Treatment can also assist in graining functions such as mobility and speech. In this case, treatment may involve physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy.