Paed says 6mo ds has fairly low muscle tone. Is this always bad news?

[inameeting]

I'm worried sick. He's referring him to be assessed by a physio, Thing is, the paed took less than a minute to test him - ds was very tired and crying - it was well past his nap time. Says he's equivalent of a 4 month old.

www.babycenter.com/expert/toddler/toddlerdevelopment/12189.html

Any help?

Friends' baby had this - he was about 8 weeks premature but put on weight very quickly. Had physio and speech therapy for about a year.

Thanks mp-that's an interesting site. Lizs-howis your friends' babynow?

tbh haven't seen him for a few years (think he's 5 now). He was discharged by the paed before he'd turned 2.

bump

inameeting don't know that much about it but my sister's dd has Down's which often means poor muscle tone. My sister had physio for her from an early age and she walked at IIRC 20mo which was great.
I think the earlier you find out the better. Another friend haas a DS with undiagnosed difficulties (ie they don't know what it is) including poor muscle tone, he was a late walker (2.5?) but I think that is partly because they had no early diagnosis IYSWIM.
So yr diagnosis at 6mo is good news, please lobby for all the physio help you can get and do all the exercises etc you are given.
HTH

That reminds me - my cousin has severe Down's (no speech) and was described as being like a rag doll when he was a baby - He can walk unaided now and is fairly strong.

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my dd2 has low muscle tone, always has, but somehow was rolling by 4months, crawling at 6months and walking at 10months! because she did things early it has been hard to get people to listen to me abot how problems with walking. she is still walking like she did at 10months old, lots of falling and walking into things, tho has improved slightly over the last year. she walks like a baby/toddler but is 3years old. only foubd out she had low muscle tone and is hyperfelxable in the last few months. we have a list of strengthening/balencing exercises to do.

i wish we'd had an early diagnosis, it would've saved me 2 years of being told i was paranoid.

Thanks for your post FTNY - she sounds like she's doing wonderfully! Is she ok in other respects? Hyperflexible - That's "double jointed" isn't it?

in other respects? hard to say, she is currently being referred for assesment for AS type stuff (pre-school have raised concerns as well as my own wories), but not sure if thats at all connected with her low muscle tone.

dd1 is more hyperflexable than dd2, dd1 can do full splits and bend fingers right back, dd2 can to a certain extent but not as much as dd1, dd1 doesnt have any muscle problems.

I asked that because of my fears for ds - he's been under the paed since birth - he had a very difficult birth,spent a few days in nicu and we've been watching him like a hawk for ongoing problems. So far nothing's flagged up until now. I guess I'm wanting to know if low muscle tone can mean there might be other problems too, like developmental delays/problems with speech and learning, or if it's common for low muscle tone to be an isolated problem

i think that generally low tone is a sign of other possible problems, but sometimes it can occur on its own. (but dont quote me on that, i may be wrong and i dont want to worry you)

was he early at all?

no - on time

what were his problems at birth if you dont mind me asking?

got stuck, decreased heart rate then convulsions

oh blimey, how scary.

has he had brain scans etc?

no - because he did so well they didn't think it was necessary. He had an eeg though which was ok.

ask for a brain scan to be done (CAT scan?? i am useless at this stuff,), that will hopefully show if there is or isnt a problem.

Paed's referred him to a neurologist as well as a physio, so we'll see what he says. I'm scared to ask for a scan in case something shows up.

i know what u mean, dh had a scan the other month (totally different situation, he had had a small stroke) and the idea of what it may or may not show freaked me a bit.

i also need to get my kids scanned (echocardiograms) and ihave put off getting appointments sorted as i am scared of what they may show.

I'm sorry to hear that - I hope he's ok. Good luck with you kids' tests when you get round to having them.

I was beginning to feel so relaxed and happy with ds before this. Kind of wish we hadn't kept the appointment.

One of my DT had low muscle tone and saw physio for a few months for strngth and central core stuff.

He couldn;'t run like his brother and do other stuff like stand up without using his hands to help (he was a bit older).

Now he's five and charges around like the rest.

In his case it was isolated low muscle tone - he's 5 and nothing developmentally has shown up yet. Well ahead at school, good socially. will probably not be the school sports champ but who cares about that anyway.

Thanks mumof3. Was he a bit slow to sit up/stand etc?