How do I know if my baby has hypertonia?

Hypertonia is also known as “floppy infant syndrome”. A child with hypotonia will have problems lifting their limbs and performing fine and gross motor activities. This means they may have trouble sitting up with no support, feeding themselves, and using coordinated and controlled movements.

What does it mean if a baby is hypertonic?

Hyper-tonia: ‘tonia’ refers to muscle tone or muscle tension and ‘hyper’ means over, above, or more. Hypertonia is increased muscle tone, and lack of flexibility. Children with Hypertonia make stiff movements and have poor balance. They may have difficulty feeding, pulling, walking, or reaching.

What is hypertonia a symptom of?

This can occur for many reasons, such as a blow to the head, stroke, brain tumors, toxins that affect the brain, neurodegenerative processes such as in multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease, or neurodevelopmental abnormalities such as in cerebral palsy. Hypertonia often limits how easily the joints can move.

Is hypertonia cerebral palsy?

Hypertonia is a more common type of muscle tone in cerebral palsy patients. The most common form of hypertonia is spasticity (stiff, jerky muscle movement), which is the main symptom of spastic cerebral palsy.

Does high muscle tone always mean cerebral palsy?

Although hypertonia in cerebral palsy patients is common, high muscle tone does not always mean your child has developed cerebral palsy. Other conditions that are linked with high muscle tone are: Brain bleeds. In-utero strokes.

At what age is hypotonia diagnosed?

Diagnosis of hypotonia occurs early after your child is born or before they turn six months old. Your healthcare provider will examine your baby for physical symptoms of the condition in your child’s muscles by observing their: Balance and coordination. Motor skills (grasping, rolling over, sitting up).