Tone in a child 3 months symptoms. Muscle hypertonicity in infants - how to treat

Muscle tone is a state of some kind of excitation of nerve receptors and muscle tissue. We need tone to maintain the position of the body in space, to take a certain posture or to create pressure in the cavity of the internal organs. This tension is regulated by impulses that the nervous system sends.

What is hypertension in infants? And where is the line of the normal state, and when are they already talking about pathology? Our article will answer these questions in detail.

Norm or pathology?

Increased tone in a newborn is an absolutely physiological phenomenon. The baby was in the fetal position for 9 months, so it is not surprising that at birth the arms and legs are compressed, brought to the body. You have probably noticed that the baby's head is slightly tilted back. And the hips, although they can be separated by 45 degrees each, are somewhat tense.

Muscular hypertonicity in newborns persists throughout the first month of life. But if you wish, you can unclench the cams, as well as unbend the handles. That is, there is not too much stress. By the 3rd month, as a rule, normotonia sets in, when all the flexors and extensors work well.

But if muscle tone does not weaken by 6 months, you should definitely consult a neurologist. The following symptoms should be alert:

• the baby is only 1 month old, and he already holds his head very confidently;
• at 3 months, the little one does not open the brush to grab the toy;
• head tilted almost always to one side;
• standing on legs, the baby leans on socks, and not on a full foot;
• having reached six months, the baby prefers to roll over only in one direction.

In the smallest, hypertonicity is suspected by the following signs:

• the child is nervous, cries often, reacts uneasily to sounds, even soft ones, and to dim lights;
• while crying, the chin trembles;
• strongly throws the head back, arching the whole body;
• spitting up all the time after feeding;
• sleeps poorly, sleep is superficial;
• in a sleepy state, the arms and legs are tense, closed; resists if they are tried to breed.

A neurologist can determine if a child has problems with muscle tone

The second group of symptoms requires special attention, as it may indicate the development of a serious illness, such as cerebral palsy, encephalopathy, or congenital metabolic disorders. In fairness, it should be said that in such cases, increased muscle tone is far from the only symptom.

So, hypertonicity in newborns is manifested in increased muscle tension, the cause of which lies in the violation of brain functions and the peripheral nerve. Distinguish:

• general hypertonicity affecting the entire body;
• hemit hypertonicity - restrictions affect one arm and leg;
• increased tone of only the legs or only the arms.

Hand hypertonicity

It is expressed in increased resistance when the handles are removed from the chest. Such children tightly clench their fists, which indicates neurological problems.

Hypertonicity of the legs

Manifested in limited movements of the lower extremities. The condition inhibits the physical development of the crumbs and in the future may affect his gait and vital activity. If the leg muscles are too tense, it is forbidden to put the baby in a walker. This will negatively affect the spine, carrying an unnecessary additional load on the main muscle groups.

Focus on reflexes

With birth, children have various reflexes that come and go at certain times. Therefore, according to reflex tests, you can understand whether everything is in order with the tone:

1. Support reflex. Placed on a solid foundation, the child rests on the entire foot.
2. tonic reflex. In the supine position, the limbs are unbent, and lying on the stomach, on the contrary, they are bent. If you need to lie on your stomach to turn your head to the right, the right arm will stretch forward, and the left will bend at the elbow.
3. Step reflex. In an upright position with support, the baby tries to make stepping movements.
4. Sitting by the hands. From a prone position, lift the baby by the arms, as if trying to seat him. Normally, you will feel moderate resistance in your elbows.

Monthly development: what to look for

How should physical condition change from month to month? Pediatricians urge parents to observe their children and evaluate their psychophysical development according to certain criteria. What can a child normally do in the first year of life?

3-4 months

• Put the baby on the tummy and straighten the legs: are the right and left folds on the knees and buttocks symmetrical; Are they the same depth?
• The knees bend effortlessly, during sleep the child turns his head both to the left and to the right side equally.
• Lying on his back, the little one plays with his hands, trying to take them into his mouth. Draw an imaginary line with your eyes through your nose, chin, chest, navel and pubis. Is there symmetry on the left and right sides?

6 months

• From a position on the stomach, the baby raises the body, confidently leaning on outstretched arms. The palms are fully open. He presses his stomach to the table, and bends his knees. Assess the line of the spine: no curvature.
• Turns from back to stomach are becoming more professional every day, lightness is felt in movements.
• Being on his back, the baby plays with his feet, reaches them to his mouth, his head easily leans forward.

9-10 months

• The baby knows how to stand on all fours, leaning on open palms and knees. Turns head freely in all directions. Begins to crawl, although some children skip this stage, which is not a pathology.
• Holding on to a support, he can rise and stand for a while.
• Able to sit up on his own. While sitting, the back is straight.

Open palms and crawling are a good sign of development

Factors contributing to the development of hypertonicity

Muscle tension that does not go away for a long time is influenced by circumstances that come from intrauterine existence or the characteristics of birth. The nature of the course of pregnancy affects muscle tone:

• toxicosis, especially in the last trimester;
• pathology of the mother, her chronic diseases;
• uterine hypertonicity;
• constant threat of miscarriage;
• smoking, alcohol abuse;
• treatment of infections such as toxoplasmosis, chlamydia, etc.;
• baby due to hepatic pathologies or Rh conflict;
• prolonged or rapid childbirth, accompanied by asphyxia.

Treatment

Massage

It is good when muscle hypertonicity is diagnosed on time and there is an opportunity to have time to treat the child in a period of up to a year. The main therapeutic method is massage, the purpose of which is to relax the muscles. The first course, as a rule, includes 10 sessions, and for a successful result, it is important to find a good massage therapist. Subsequently, it may be necessary to take several more courses, and in some cases, the mother is taught massage techniques for homework.

Massage is the main method of helping children with hypertonicity

The first sessions are always short - no more than 5 minutes. All movements are gentle, very light. Any of them starts from the edge to the center, for example, from the hand to the shoulder, from the toes to the groin.

At home, you can do massage movements in order to prevent, but first you need to consult with a massage specialist and make sure that your actions are correct. Three types of influence are applied: rocking, stroking, rubbing; moreover, the last movement is not permissible in all areas.

1. It all starts with a light stroking of the surface of the arms, legs and back.
2. Then the baby is laid on the stomach and the skin is rubbed in a circle with the fingertips in the direction from the bottom up.
3. When stroking the inner thigh, bypass the genitals.
4. When rubbing, move your fingers over the skin as if sifting sand through a sieve.
5. Take the baby by the hands just above the wrist and shake them from side to side. Keep rhythmic movements, but avoid harshness.
6. A similar exercise is done with the legs: they are swayed, holding on to the shins.
7. The massage ends with a soothing stroke.

Elements of gymnastics

Hypertonicity in infants is also treated with gymnastics. Its purpose is to enhance the effect of massage and accelerate the release of muscle tension.

1. Raise your baby's legs up while the back and shoulder blades are still touching the table, and rock the legs out to the sides.
2. If your baby doesn't know how to play with his feet yet, help him learn.
3. Baby on the belly. Bend your knees so your heels point up. First press on the soles, then on the ball of your big toe. She reflexively closes. Run the edge of your palm along the outer edge of the foot - it will straighten up. The exercise aims to teach the child to rely on the entire foot when walking, and not on the fingers.

Action of paraffin

If hypertonicity of the legs is diagnosed, along with the massage, the “wax boots” procedure is prescribed when warm paraffin wraps are made. A neurologist may recommend taking appropriate medications to relax the muscles.

Water procedures

Perfectly relax herbal baths with valerian, motherwort or lingonberry leaf, as well as coniferous ones. The child is bathed in herbal decoctions for four days, then they take a break for a day, after which the procedure is repeated. Swimming and aqua gymnastics are very useful.

Classes on fitball are useful and bring a lot of joy to children.

Fitball exercises

Great way to relax your muscles. A medium-sized ball without horns will do. The baby is placed on the fitball with the tummy down, one hand fixes the back, the other holds the right thigh. Swinging to the sides and circular movements begin with a small amplitude so that the baby is not scared.

Lay the child on his side and rock him, holding his arm and leg. You can jump on the ball with your feet. To do this, the mother holds the baby by the armpits and puts him on the fitball, making springy movements that relax the foot.

Prohibited in hypertonicity:

• dive while swimming;
• engage in too active gymnastics, leading the muscles to tone;
• perform gymnastic exercises forcibly.

We saw what are the signs of muscle hypertonicity and what they can indicate. We also looked at how you can help newborns. Parents are expected to strictly follow the doctor's recommendations, for this you need to put aside laziness and take a close look at the child. Fortunately, in the vast majority of cases, hypertonicity can be corrected.

Tone is the minimum muscle tension required to maintain body position at rest. A baby who has lived in the fetal position for 9 months after birth tends to have increased muscle tone. However, such muscle tension is considered the norm when an adult can easily straighten the baby's legs or unclench his fists. An important criterion is the symmetry of the tone and its predominance in the flexor muscles. With age, the tone gradually decreases.

To control muscle tone, it is necessary to regularly show the child to the doctor. The pediatrician checks the reflexes and evaluates the condition of the baby's muscles.

Self-control: the norm of muscle tone

Up to 1 month
Lying on his back, the child assumes a “fetal position”: arms are bent and pressed to the chest, fingers are clenched into a fist, legs are apart at the knees, skin folds are symmetrical.
Lying on his stomach, the baby turns his head to the side, placing his arms under his chest. At the same time, he bends his legs and imitates crawling movements.

1 to 3 months
The baby can pull the handles forward, bring them to the eyes or mouth. Closer to the age of three months, he begins to reach for a toy - for play and development. If you put a rattle in his open palm, he holds it tightly. He lifts and holds his head well while lying on his stomach, turns his head in different directions.

3 to 6 months
In the position on the back, the arms and legs of the baby are half-bent, the palms are open. The child purposefully reaches for the toy and takes it. Closer to 4 months, the baby learns to roll over from his stomach to his back, closer to 6 months - to sit down and crawl. By six months, the child leans on open palms, rising on outstretched arms.

6 to 9 months
The child actively moves, rolls over from the stomach to the back and vice versa. Sits down, crawls and makes the first attempts to get up.

9 to 12 months
The baby crawls, gets up and tries to walk first with support, and then on his own.

Muscle tone disorders

Many babies of the first year of life have various tonic disorders: hypertonicity, hypotonicity and dystonia. There are "alarm bells" that can alert mom. If you find such symptoms, you should visit a neurologist.

hypertonicity

An increase in muscle tone develops as a result of damage to the nervous system and brain. Causes: hypoxia during childbirth, birth trauma, cerebral hemorrhage, meningitis.

Symptoms
Hypertonicity is characterized by stiffness and tightness of the baby. The child does not relax even in a dream, his legs are pressed to the body, and his arms are clenched into fists. In newborns, head retention may be observed, which is uncharacteristic for this age. It occurs due to the increased tone of the neck muscles. Attacks of intestinal colic, anxiety and sleep disturbance are noted, frequent regurgitation, trembling of the arms and chin may be characteristic.

What is dangerous?
Reduces the rate of psychomotor development of the baby. Children with hypertonicity later than their peers begin to sit down, crawl and walk.

Hypotension

A decrease in muscle tone is less common than hypertonicity. The condition is typical for premature babies, children with endocrine and infectious diseases. Severe pronounced hypotension may indicate an intracranial hematoma or serious birth trauma.

Symptoms
Children with hypotension have prolonged sleep, a sedentary lifestyle, rare crying and whims. During sleep, the baby's arms and legs are extended along the body, and the stomach has a "flattened", frog-like appearance. Such babies do not suckle well and gain weight, they begin to hold their heads late.

What is dangerous?
With hypotension, the processes of sucking and swallowing can change. A serious threat to life is a possible respiratory failure.

Dystonia

Represents asymmetrical muscle tone. At the same time, some muscle groups are in hyper-, while others are in hypotonicity.

Symptoms
With dystonia, the child lies unevenly, arched, in an unnatural position. The asymmetry of the skin folds and the rotation of the head and pelvis in the direction of pronounced muscle tension are characteristic.

What is dangerous?
Muscular dystonia is fraught with the occurrence of a delay in psychomotor development and a violation of posture.

Treatment of tonic disorders

Complex therapy of tonic disorders is prescribed by a pediatric neurologist. As a rule, doctor's prescriptions include:

• kinesitherapy (treatment by movement, includes a course of massage and special gymnastics - active and passive);
• physiotherapy (magnetotherapy, electrophoresis, mud, water and heat treatment, etc. - are prescribed in courses, as a rule, with alternation);
• drug treatment (in some cases, vitamins are prescribed, drugs to reduce intracranial pressure, drugs that improve metabolic processes).

Timely diagnosed tonic disorders respond well to complex treatment. After therapy, they disappear without a trace and no longer bother either the child or his parents.

Children with tonic disorders need a massage from a competent specialist.
Children's masseurs determine the tone of each muscle and carry out the corresponding
correction: relieve spasm or contribute to an increase in tone. unprofessional massage,
performed by a mother or grandmother can lead to a deterioration in the child's condition.

With the advent of a first-born child in every modern family, a lot of questions arise. And the most important question is the health of the baby (he is healthy or not), will he walk, run, jump, what is the condition of his muscles. And what is muscle tone in the baby and why is it dangerous in general? And with these questions, young parents often come to the pediatrician for a consultation. The simple concept of “muscle tone” is the natural state of the muscles that maintains the position of the whole body and plays a large role in the process of movement. Muscle tone, both in adults and in infants, should be physiologically correct.

The baby still in the womb makes its own unique movements. He does it chaotically, reflexively, with muscle contraction. At the birth of a child, muscle tone helps its overall development. The most obvious muscle tone can be attributed to holding the baby's head, turning it in different directions. Later he learns exactly: to sit, crawl, walk, jump, run, dance ... And a certain muscle tone is responsible for all this. Depending on the action of the child, the muscles can be in a strong medium and minimal tension. In the camp of sleep, the muscles completely relax.

You can watch a child (with healthy development) such an interesting situation: if the baby, at first glance, is in a relaxed state, then his muscles in turn or in pairs simultaneously experience tension. This tension allows you to hold the whole body or individual parts of the body. All muscles are not equally tense. It depends on the level of performance of the task that the child has to do.

Children, in the first months of their unconscious life, have a higher muscle tone than older children. All this is due to the fact that, being in the womb, as an embryo, the unborn child grows and develops every day, and there is very little space for active actions every day. And this continues throughout the pregnancy until the birth of the child. At birth, all the muscles of the baby are tense. And certain muscle groups can be in hypertonicity. Moreover, the strength of tension in different muscle groups, at the same time, is different. The peculiarity is that they have a strong tension during flexion of the limbs than during extension. When examining a baby, you can see how the arms and legs are pressed against the body, and the head is tilted back. The muscles of the thighs are also in good shape and perform a resisting function when, in the first months, the baby is doing health-improving, daily gymnastics for the legs (each leg can be deflected from the hip by 45 degrees, as a result, a right angle can form between the hips). Gymnastics pediatricians recommend doing several times a day.

After a 3-4 month period of a baby's life, muscle tone decreases (with healthy physiological development). From the beginning, this is noticeable on the limbs of the arms and legs, the muscles of which perform flexion and extensor functions. And in a 5-6 month old baby, the tone decreases in all other muscle groups. And up to a year or a half, the tone of the muscles of the child is identical to the tone of adults.

Examination of the baby

There is a muscle tone in a child or it can normally be determined during sleep. The work of individual muscle groups is determined only in motion. An important factor is how the baby was born: natural or surgical (via caesarean section) way. It is also necessary to know the position of the child, how it was placed in the womb, in what presentation the child was all these 9 months. For facial presentation, a characteristic strong tone of the cervical muscles, as a result of which he throws his head back. In the breech presentation, the baby can keep the legs extended for a long time.

There is also a physiological muscle tone (fetal position), which manifests itself during the baby's sleep. The arms are bent and clenched into fists (the thumb is always in the middle of the fist) and lie firmly in the chest area. The legs, like the arms, are bent at the joints and pressed to the tummy. The hips are slightly apart to the side, and the feet are raised up. Hypertonicity slows down the movement of the child. He can actively move his legs: bend, unbend, push off from a hard surface. And the handles have their own rhythm and remain for a long time in the chest area, while from clenched fists, into which the thumb is bent. A tilted head indicates that the baby has hypertonicity of the neck muscles.

Muscle tone depends on: the nervous system, genetic disorders, the physical condition of the child. When crying and screaming, muscle tone increases. An overestimated tone occurs in easily excitable guys.

How to determine if the tone is normal?

Each baby, after birth in the maternity hospital, should be examined by a neurologist to determine, at an early stage, whether the baby is healthy or has any abnormalities. With physiological tone, it is difficult to see large nervous deviations at an early stage. The period of physiological tone can last more than 4-6 months. After six months of the baby's life, you need to contact the doctors again: a pediatrician or a neurologist. At the doctor's appointment, the child undergoes a thorough examination (checking reflexes according to age criteria), as a result of which the doctor makes a diagnosis that shows whether the child is healthy or has pathological disorders. In any case, the doctor must inform the parents or relatives of the baby about this. Observant parents themselves can see serious deviations by comparing their baby and another healthy child of the same age.

The health of the child and his muscle tone could be affected by many extraneous factors independent of the baby itself: the mode of the pregnant mother and her state of stress, experienced during pregnancy, medications taken, natural or artificial (with caesarean section) childbirth. Of great importance is the period and postpartum. As the baby develops, so does the nervous system. It is necessary to constantly observe how the child reacts to: objects around him, words, silence and screaming, music. In time, you need to determine how the new skills of the baby are formed and fixed, having learned about this, you can decide how to further develop your child.

If in time to identify a deviation from the norm in a separate muscle tone and begin to correct it correctly (correct according to the doctor's recommendations), then the result will soon please the parents. Don't wait for it to go away on its own. Go to the doctor for professional help. The main thing is to prevent the lag in the overall development of the child. The first year of a baby's life is conditionally divided into five uneven periods of its development. And in each period of time he must learn certain skills. If everything is fine in development, then up to a year the baby will be drawn to walk. And if there is a deviation, then you need to see a doctor.

Period from birth to one month

In the first conditional period, the lying baby has a “fetal position”, in which the arms, constantly bent, are all the time in the chest area. The hands are movable and are constantly compressed into a fist, the thumb is always in a bent form, in the middle of the fist. The legs are also bent and slightly apart. The head, for a small crumb, is heavy. The right and left halves of the body should be symmetrical.

With the correct laying out of the baby, lie on his tummy, you can watch how he turns his head in any direction. You can help him a little: turn him in turn to the left side, and then to the right side. He holds his arms under his chest, squeezes his legs under him, as if he wants to crawl. Until the end of the first month, the baby can keep his head at the level of the spine for a few seconds.

Period from one month to three

In this period, the child makes more movements: lying on his back, he bends his arms less, can move them to the sides and up, and reach out to his face, lips, eyes. Turns head to sound, to light, to finger games near the eyes. Holding the baby by the hands, he can already pull himself up. By the end of this period, he already holds his head well. Legs, with the help of adults, can do gymnastic exercises.

Lying on the tummy, the child raises his head confidently, holds it for a long time and independently turns in any direction. Legs, arms are also gaining strength, and the baby can already imitate the movements that crawling children make.

Three to six months

This period of the baby is more active. Lying on his back, he can already: unclench his fists, open his palms, put his hands together, take and throw toys that are nearby. Makes attempts to sit up on his own (sits well in pillows). Until the end of this period, he can pull himself up well on the handles, keep his head straight, while having bent legs.

Lying on his tummy, the child holds his head well at the level of the spine, resting on his forearms, open palms of his hands are visible. By the end of this period, the 6-month-old baby begins to rise on outstretched arms, while keeping his back straight and legs straight. From the 4th month, he manages to roll over from his back to his side. And by the age of 6 months, he freely somersaults from side to back, rolls over on his stomach, on his back. Can easily sit down and use his hands to hold his body for balance. At the end of the period, he can actively crawl on all fours, on his stomach, on his side, on his buttocks and tries to stand on his legs (there are children who jump on their legs, pumping up their muscles for walking). In the period from 8 to 9 months, the child can already stand, leaning against some kind of support, no matter what it will be: a wall or a bed, a parent's hand or a chair - everything will suit the baby.

Period from nine months to a year

This period of the baby differs from the previous ones in that he crawls well, gets up on his own, and no longer wants to sit, walk, holding on to a support. By about a year, the child begins to walk on his own, and take toys in his hands.

What are violations of tone?

In medicine, there are three types of tone disorders: hypertonicity, hypotonicity and dystonia. Hypertonicity is a large muscle tension, it can come from damage to the nervous system or brain. A harbinger can be: birth trauma, meningitis, various hemorrhages. The reason for hypertonicity is that the baby is not yet asking to be born, he is not ready to appear, and he is artificially driven, stimulation drugs are injected, in cases of long-term bearing of children, or when the child is very excitable. Violation of muscle tone does not pass without a trace. When it is violated, the child is all clamped and his movements are constrained. Even in sleep, his body does not relax. Hands tightly pressed to the chest, and legs to the tummy. The child in such a situation often screams, cannot fall asleep, and frequent bouts of colic begin. In such children there is profuse regurgitation, and with a little irritation the chin may tremble.

On examination, if you repeat the same movement several times: spreading the arms and legs in different directions, then with each repetition the muscle tone increases. When they put the child to stand on his feet, he shows with his whole body how painful it is for him to complete this task. When they want to pull him up by the handles, he tries to pull himself up with his whole body. This is a pronounced pathological hypertonicity. If at birth the cervical spine was injured, then such children can carry their heads behind one side, and the process of general development will slow down. They do everything later, for healthy children: crawl, sit, walk.

Hypotension in the chest

Hypotension is insufficient muscle tension. It occurs less than hypertonicity and usually occurs in premature babies who have suffered endocrine or infectious diseases and with brain disorders. Children born with intracranial hematoma may suffer from diffuse muscular hypotension. In severe cases, children simply do not survive: their muscles are weakened so that they can neither suck, nor swallow, nor breathe. But in cases where hypotension has affected individual muscle groups or only limbs, the doctor fixes nerve damage.

Children who live and are diagnosed with muscle hypotonia are very quiet, drowsy, lethargic, eat poorly and gain weight poorly, do not hold their heads for a long time. And no matter what they do with them, they just look like very tired crumbs. The body of such people is not adapted to an active life. Dystonia is tension in some muscle groups and relaxation in other muscle groups. Children with dystonia are doomed all their lives to take a position independent of them, in one part of the body to be in an increased tone, and in another part of the body - reduced.

What are the consequences of muscle hypertonicity?

If in the early stages you notice a violation of muscle tone, and immediately, do not postpone, for later, a trip to the doctor, and full treatment, the violations, as quietly as they came, so quietly go away. Hypertonicity is best treated early. If the child, on time, was not examined, and the parents themselves did not reveal that he has hypertonicity, this can result in serious violations: posture, gait, scoliosis, torticollis and clubfoot. And on a global scale, hypertonicity can provoke a serious illness - an incurable cerebral palsy.

Methods for the treatment of muscle tone disorders

When muscle tone is detected, the neurologist writes out a prescription exclusively for this diagnosis, with the help of which muscle tone is stabilized. The doctor can offer a comprehensive treatment with the help of kinesitherapy - treatment through movement. Active complex: swimming and therapeutic exercises. The passive complex includes: massage and various helping procedures. In order to treat children, they are prescribed to undergo several physiotherapeutic procedures, such as: treatment with water, heat, mud, magnetotherapy, ultrasound. Very useful electrophoresis with the use of certain drugs. In a more difficult situation, violations are corrected with the help of medications. They use medications that normalize intracranial pressure, these are: B vitamins, mydocalm. Dibazol is used to relieve spasms and dilate blood vessels. Quiet, soothing music and healing, herbal baths help well. Homeopathic and osteopathic preparations are no exception.

To get rid of hypertonicity, you need to remove excessive muscle tension. You can prepare a therapeutic bath for your child with relaxing medicinal herbs or go for a comprehensive massage at the clinic. But parents should also take a closer look at the movements that the massage therapist does and make it exactly at home. Usually, with hypertonicity, a calming massage is needed, which is done with light hand movements throughout the problematic body of the child. You can alternate stroking the limbs of the arms and legs with stroking the tummy and back of the child. Doctors also allow light rubbing. The baby experiences a relaxing effect when he is rocked in his arms and pressed to his body, and in addition, a quiet lullaby sounds.

With muscle hypertonicity, chopping, clapping movements cannot be used in massage, they will only increase tension. Doctors prohibit the use of walkers, which put excessive stress on the spine and unevenly distribute muscle tension. With hypotension, a stimulating massage is necessary, with chopping and flapping movements, activating the natural work of the muscles. Well normalizes the tone: swimming, various active exercises, therapeutic exercises. And if physiotherapy methods do not give a special effect, the doctor uses medication. In most cases, a violation of muscle tone is corrected by a neurologist and as a result passes without a trace. And if, having noticed a strong tension in your baby, you definitely need to consult a doctor.

Video: muscle tone in a child.

Normal muscle contractility ensures the harmonious physical and mental development of the child. Muscle tone in infants can be physiological and pathological. Physiological conditions include increased muscle tone in the first weeks after birth. Further, the tone should be normalized. If a child still has increased muscle tone two weeks after birth, this phenomenon is called hypertonicity and belongs to the category of pathological conditions.

Hypertonicity of the muscles of the newborn is an understandable phenomenon. Inside the womb, the child was in a shackled state. His limbs were tightly pressed to his body, there was no room for movement.

After birth, the baby's body gradually gets used to the new conditions. During the first two weeks, the muscles gradually relax, the limbs come to a new state. However, if the baby has CNS lesions of varying severity, the brain will not be able to fully control muscle activity. In this case, the state of the muscles will deviate from normal.

Preservation of hypertonicity during the first month of life should be the reason for the examination of the child by a neurologist.

Age norms

The following development of the situation is considered normal.

Pathology can be suspected from birth. Problems with the central nervous system are often expressed in the syndrome of muscle hypertonicity. In such children, all movements are constrained, the dilution of the lower extremities is no more than 45 o. The arms and legs are firmly pressed to the body, and the fingers cannot be unclenched.

What should alert

The syndrome of hypertonicity prevents the further development of the child, the formation of joints and ligaments is disrupted. Preservation of the state can lead to impaired motor skills, motor activity and the formation of the spine, posture.

If after the first month of life, muscle hypertonicity in an infant persists, in the future it has the following symptoms.

1. The child is restless, sleeps poorly, wakes up in less than an hour, and cries frequently.
2. The baby burps profusely after every meal.
3. During sleep, the child arches its back and throws back its head. This is a characteristic feature of hypertonicity. At the same time, his arms and legs are bent and pressed to the body.
4. During a tantrum, the child is tense and bends. In a nervous state, trembling of the chin is noted.
5. The baby is able to keep his head in an upright position from birth.
6. When breeding the legs to the sides, a strong muscle tension is felt. When you try again, the tension intensifies. The child resists, protests with a cry.
7. In an upright position, the baby does not rest on the surface with the whole foot, it stands on its toes.

The existing signs of hypertonicity should encourage parents to seek advice from a neurologist.

On examination, the doctor reveals the presence or absence of certain reflexes in the child and their compliance with the age norm.

1. Walk reflex. In an upright position, the baby tends to take steps. Normally, this ability disappears after 2 months of age.
2. Symmetry of reflections. In the supine position, the child's chin is pressed against the chest. At the same time, the behavior of the limbs is observed - flexion of the arms and extension of the legs should occur. When the head is tilted to the right, there is straightening of the limbs on the right side and tension on the left. When you turn your head to the other side, everything happens exactly the opposite. This reflex should disappear after 3 months.
3. The ability to tone. In the prone position, the baby should tighten the limbs. In the supine position, the arms and legs are relaxed. After three months, the ability disappears.
4. When examining a newborn, the doctor places the child on his arm face down. In this position, the baby should experience contraction of the arms and relaxation of the legs. The head and back should normally be in a straight line.

Parents can detect symptoms on their own. If they suspect a violation, they should consult a doctor. A neurologist will be able to determine the presence or absence of a diagnosis and establish its type.

Nature of violations

Muscle tone can be either increased or decreased. Sometimes there is an imbalance - a combination of the first and second. In other words, increased tone of the muscles of the arms and reduced tone of the lower extremities may be present at the same time, or vice versa. This symptom is called dystonia.

With asymmetry, muscle hypertonicity occurs only on one side. This condition is also called torticollis. The child is placed in a prone position and viewed from the back. With asymmetry, the head is turned towards that half of the body where hypertonicity is manifested. On the same side, there is a bend in the back and tension in the arms.

Hypotension is also considered a violation. This phenomenon has symptoms inverse to hypertonicity, manifests itself in lethargy and impaired motor activity.

Muscular hypertonicity and hypotonicity may not appear systemically, but in separate parts of the body. In this case, there is a decrease or increase in muscle tone only of the arms, legs or back.

Violation of muscle tone is not an independent disease, but indicates other, more serious pathologies of the nervous system. That is why the symptoms of hypertension should not be ignored. When a child's syndrome is detected, it is necessary to comprehensively examine it. In this case, an ultrasound of the brain is done, and in rare cases, a tomogram.

Possible reasons

The causes of CNS damage can lie both in problems associated with pregnancy and in complications during childbirth.

The list of possible causes of CNS damage in a child that caused a violation of muscle tone:

• infectious diseases of the mother during pregnancy;
• wrong lifestyle of a pregnant woman;
• taking medications by the mother during pregnancy;
• Rh-conflict of the future mother and fetus;
• injuries received by the child during childbirth;
• genetic incompatibility of parents;
• unfavorable environmental situation.

The presence of these factors can only indirectly confirm the presence of a symptom of hypertonicity in a child.

Treatment should be aimed not only at correcting muscular dystonia, but also at identifying and eliminating the underlying cause that caused the condition.

Methods of treatment

In the treatment of muscle tone disorders, non-drug methods are primarily used:

• massage techniques;
• water procedures (bathing in herbal infusions of valerian, motherwort, sage, excluding diving);
• gymnastic exercises, with the exception of dynamic gymnastics;
• physiotherapy;
• osteopathic techniques.

When prescribing drugs, those that can improve cerebral circulation, improve metabolic processes and reduce muscle tension are selected.

Minor violations can hide serious causes. The harmonious development of the child should spread in all planes. Deviation in one area may lead to a violation in another area. Alarming symptoms of changes in muscle tone should not be ignored. On examination, the doctor will be able to determine in which direction to move on, what examination and treatment the child may need.

Each parent, when visiting a neurologist with a baby, heard about such a concept as muscle tone. All children are born with an increased tone, this is due to the fact that during development the child was in a confined space and did not move enough. Muscle hypertonicity in a child usually disappears during the first months, and does not affect the development of the baby.

But there are situations when the tone in the legs persists for a long time, then there may be disturbances in physical development, because the baby cannot move normally. To avoid serious health consequences, it is better to periodically show the child to a neurologist to make sure that development is proceeding correctly and there are no violations of muscle tone.

Muscle tone is a condition in which the fibers are slightly tense in order to always be ready for work. It allows a person to move normally, keep a pose in a static position, if there are violations in the work of muscles, then a person cannot develop normally.

There are three types of muscle tone disorders in children: hypertonicity, hypotonicity and muscle dystonia. All three cases can be physiological, then they do not require special treatment and go away on their own. But sometimes muscle disorders indicate a serious illness that can greatly harm the child.

hypertonicity

With hypertonicity, the muscles are greatly overstrained. This condition is typical for children up to months, it is called physiological hypertonicity. The fact is that the conditions of existence inside the uterus and outside are very different.

Inside, the child is in the fetal position, his chin is pressed to his chest and his limbs are in a bent form. When he is born, he gradually learns to move his limbs, the muscles relax, and everything returns to normal. Usually by 3-6 months everything is normal, but if the signs of hypertonicity persist later, then this is a violation and requires treatment.

There are many reasons for the occurrence of hypertonicity, these are intrauterine development disorders, birth injuries, sometimes such a symptom accompanies serious pathologies. Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis, and for this you will have to pass a lot of tests. The sooner parents turn to a neurologist with hypertonicity, the less the consequences of such a condition will be in the future.

Hypotension

Hypotension is the exact opposite of hypertonicity, that is, the muscles in this case become sluggish, not tense enough. Such a pathology can also be physiological in newborns, it passes quickly, just a massage course is enough.

But there are times when hypotension is a sign of a serious illness. So a similar symptom can occur with Down syndrome, with poliomyelitis, insufficient blood supply to body parts due to birth injuries, and general exhaustion of the body. In any case, if there are signs of hypotension in a child, there is no need to be afraid and panic, most often this situation is caused by physiology and is easily corrected, you just need to consult a doctor.

Dystonia

Muscular dystonia occurs mainly in children of the first year of life, it is a permanent change in muscle tone. That is, the muscles do not work evenly throughout the body, hypertonicity occurs somewhere, hypotonicity somewhere. Sometimes dystonia can disappear and reappear, this condition usually does not provoke complications.

In other cases, uneven muscle tone in a child persists for a long time, then serious complications can occur. A child with muscular dystonia should be regularly shown to a neurologist, and, if necessary, undergo treatment to restore normal muscle tone.

Symptoms

As a rule, the symptoms of hypertonicity and hypotonicity are very noticeable. If parents are attentive to their baby, then any violations should alert them, with any questions you should immediately go to the pediatrician and neurologist.

The following symptoms occur with hypertension:

• The child sleeps less than the age norm, often wakes up;
• The kid tightens his arms and legs, throws his head back;
• The child walks on tiptoe;
• If the baby is laid on his back, and try to spread the legs and arms to the sides, resistance will be felt;
• There is a tremor of the chin, that is, when crying, the child's chin trembles;
• The baby burps frequently and profusely;
• He holds his head from birth, this is due to overstrain of the neck muscles;
• The kid is frightened by bright light, noise, immediately begins to cry.
• The step reflex in a child with tone is present even after two months;
• Other reflexes of newborns persist for a long time, for example, flexion of the limbs while lying on the stomach, etc.

We will also consider the signs of hypotension in detail.

• A newborn child should have a step reflex, that is, they lift it vertically and hold it so that the legs touch the table, then the baby straightens and bends them, as if taking steps. Normally, such a reflex is present for up to two months, so later this method is not informative. With hypotension, muscle weakness does not allow you to take steps.
• In children older than 4 months, hypotension can be tested with a simple exercise. If you take the child by the wrists when he is lying on his back, and pull him slightly towards you, a healthy baby will begin to strain, try to sit up. A child with hypotension will be soft and lethargic, in this case there is no muscle tension.
• In this condition, the child is lethargic, quiet and calm. He rarely cries, sleeps a lot, and is very slow when awake.
• Normally, in a newborn baby, the legs are slightly bent, and the fists are clenched. An infant with hypotonicity is very relaxed, arms straight, palms open, and legs spread at an angle of 180 degrees.
• During feeding, the child may be lazy to suckle the breast or completely refuse the breast, the baby takes the bottle well. This is due to the fact that when sucking the breast, you need to make some efforts, and if the muscles are weak, the child cannot do this.
• The kid is behind in development, he does not hold his head, like his peers, does not roll over, does not sit down.

It is worth noting that any developmental disorders, and a longer preservation of reflexes, can sometimes speak not of pathology, but of the characteristics of the child's body. All the data that doctors are guided by are approximate, since the development of hypertonicity occurs in the majority. Therefore, you should not immediately make diagnoses, you need to go to a neurologist and undergo an examination. The doctor will tell you exactly what the cause of such symptoms is, in physiology or in the presence of pathology.

Diagnostics

Only a specialist can accurately diagnose a violation of muscle tone. Usually, doctors observe the child from one month old, and track the dynamics of changes in tone over time. So in the first month, hypertonicity is very pronounced, but over time everything returns to normal.

If the doctor constantly observes any deviations, then he prescribes the appropriate treatment. If the doctor suspects the presence of any pathology, then the necessary diagnostic methods are prescribed:

• electroencephalography;
• electroneurography;
• neurosonography;
• Doppler study of cerebral blood flow;
• consultation with an ophthalmologist;
• blood test for infections;
• chromosome set analysis.

Based on all the necessary studies, the doctor can establish or refute the diagnosis, and prescribe a specific treatment. It is impossible to detect a pathology without an examination, if the doctor has made some kind of diagnosis without sending the child for tests, it is worthwhile, just in case, to demand a referral for research to make sure the doctor is right. Do not forget that doctors are people too, sometimes they can make mistakes.

As a rule, medicines are rarely prescribed for babies; usually, muscle tone can be normalized with the help of physiotherapy. The child is prescribed a number of procedures that allow you to normalize muscle tension, improve blood circulation in the tissues and accelerate the physical development of the child:

• Gymnastics;
• heat treatment;
• electrophoresis;
• water procedures.

It is worth noting that the younger the child, the more likely it is that he will recover quickly and without consequences. If the parents went to the doctor with similar problems after a year or older, then we can talk about the presence of developmental delays. In more severe cases, medication may be needed:

• Diuretics. This is necessary to remove excess fluid from the brain.
• Dibazol is prescribed to normalize blood circulation.
• The drug Mydocalm treats increased tone, relaxes muscles.
• B vitamins are also prescribed.
• Baths with herbs will also help calm the child and relieve tone: with chamomile, sage, motherwort. A child with hypertonicity after a bath will sleep better.

Massage

Many parents are interested in the possibility of massage the baby at home. Unfortunately, not everyone can pay for the services of a children's massage therapist, and the queue for a free massage at the clinic usually lasts several months. To help the child right now, you can carry out a light massage yourself.

In order not to harm the child, it is strongly recommended to consult a doctor about this, you need to ask a neurologist to explain how to properly carry out such a procedure.

• It is necessary to perform soft and calm strokes, lightly rub the skin in circular motions.
• You can not knead the muscles, pat and press hard.
• Massage is best done before bedtime, using baby oil.
• You should not do a massage through force, if the child cries a lot during the procedure, you need to stop and repeat the next time. Sometimes addiction can last for several days, then the child gradually stops crying.

With hypotension, on the contrary, it is necessary to stimulate the muscles to contract. To do this, perform chopping movements, run the edge of the hand over the body of the child several times. It is also recommended to massage with the knuckles, moving them along the back of the baby, but without pressing.

With dystonia, massage is recommended to be carried out by a specialist, since it is necessary to use different techniques in different parts of the body. Where the muscles are very tense, a relaxing massage is carried out, and where they are too relaxed, a tonic massage is performed.

Gymnastics

For children, starting from 3 months, it is recommended to combine massage with physiotherapy exercises. The fact is that at this age, babies begin to roll over, their body is actively preparing to start crawling and walking. To strengthen the muscles and help the child start walking on time, they carry out special gymnastics.

It is best if the course of massage and physiotherapy exercises is carried out by an experienced specialist. Also, gymnastics can be done at home, but it is recommended that you first consult with your doctor and clarify how to do the exercises correctly so as not to harm the baby.

For children 3 months old, the following exercises are carried out:

• Hands and feet are rubbed and shaken.
• Perform spreading of the arms to the sides and reduction to the chest, as well as movements up and down with each handle separately.
• The legs are bent at the knees in turn and together.
• There is a good exercise for training the muscles of the back and neck. You need to put the child in the palm of your hand, stomach down, hold the legs with your hands and hold in this position for several seconds.
• Steps with sliding prepare for walking. The child is laid on his back, taken by the legs and perform sliding steps.
• Pull-ups help strengthen the muscles in your arms, back, and neck. The child is placed on the back, taken by the handles and pulled over, as if sitting down. The baby should strain and try to sit up. It is impossible to plant a child at 3 months completely.

Also, with muscle tone, fitball exercises help well. How to properly perform such exercises, a specialist can tell. It is not recommended to experiment with a fitball on your own, since there is a risk of not holding the child and injuring, you must first familiarize yourself with the technique of conducting such gymnastics.

Complications

In itself, a violation of muscle tone is not dangerous if you massage and treat the child in time. In such cases, the prognosis is almost always favorable. If hypertonicity is not treated when it is required, then there are delays in the physical development of the baby, he cannot sit down, roll over and walk in time.

If the cause of the problems with tone was a serious illness, for example, poor blood supply due to a birth injury, then if left untreated, the consequences can be very sad. In this case, there may be a violation in the work of internal organs, delays in mental and physical development.

Hypertonicity - is it a real diagnosis (video)