Exercises for babies from tone. Muscular skeleton

All people have muscle tone - this is the muscle tension that is necessary to maintain the body and ensure its movements. Impaired muscle tone is evidence of trouble in the body and a sign of many diseases, and not only the nervous system.

How do you know if a child has muscle tone?

Whether the child has muscle tone is assessed by specialists - a pediatrician, a neurologist, an orthopedist. Examining the baby, the doctor pays attention to the active and passive muscle tone. About active tone he judges by observing how and in what position the baby lies on the changing table or with his stomach in the palm of his hand and what movements he makes at the same time, what motor skills he has acquired by his age. Passive tone in a child, the doctor checks by successively bending and unbending the arms and legs of the baby, feeling them, evaluating and comparing the resistance exerted by the muscles.

In the first year of a baby's life, a pediatrician evaluates the child's tone every month during preventive examinations, a neurologist and an orthopedist do this at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months, and more often if there are violations. However, watching the movements and development of her crumbs, the mother herself can judge the state of his muscle tone.

How to determine normal muscle tone?

before birth the baby is in a limited space of the uterus, his arms and legs are compactly pressed to the body, the head is tilted forward (this is the so-called “fetal position”), and the crumbs have almost no opportunity to actively move. All his muscles are in a state of tension. Therefore, most of the muscles of the newborn by birth are in a state of physiological hypertonicity. This is the norm.

normal healthy posture newborn baby- lying on your back, legs bent at the knees, slightly apart and pressed to the tummy, arms bent at the elbows, pressed to the chest, fingers clenched into fists, the head is slightly thrown back, the position of the right and left sides is symmetrical.

• The kid can actively move the legs, bend and unbend them, push them off the hand of an adult or cross them. The volume of movements of the handles is less: basically, he moves them at chest level, bending at the elbows and wrists, the baby rarely opens his fists.
• If you take the baby by the wrists and gently pull towards you, trying to plant, his arms will straighten a little at the elbow joints, and then he will reach for them with his whole body.
• When trying to spread the legs of the newborn bent at the knee and hip joints, the angle of breeding does not exceed 90 ° (45 ° on each side), and resistance to this movement is felt due to the physiological increase in tone in these muscles. When you try again to breed them normally, the resistance decreases. The clenched fists of a newborn can also be unclenched.
• In the position on the stomach, the baby will turn the head to the side, placing the arms under the chest and bending the legs, as if making crawling movements. By the end of the month, the baby tries to raise and hold his head for a few seconds.
• If you hold the child with your palm in the abdomen, face down, then his head hangs down, at times the newborn tries to raise it; arms and legs are in a bent position. If you take the baby vertically under the armpits, then his legs make alternating movements of flexion and extension, but more often they are bent. Put on a support, the baby straightens up and stands on legs half-bent in all joints, leaning on a full foot. By 1.5 months, this support reflex normally disappears.

The kid is growing- muscle tone also changes: what was considered the norm for a newborn, at an older age may be a sign of disorders. Ideally, muscle tone in a child aged 1.5–2 years should be approximately the same as in an adult. But the uneven course of pregnancy and childbirth, stress, poor ecology can quite often provoke violations of the child's tone.

There are some of the most common disorders: a decrease in muscle tone in a child is called muscle hypotension, or hypotonia; increase - muscle hypertension, or hypertonicity; improper distribution of tension and relaxation of muscle groups - muscular dystonia. Let's talk about them in more detail.

Muscle hypertonicity in a child

The baby, who has an increased tone from birth, is overly tense and pinched. Often, parents note in the baby causeless anxiety and crying, poor sleep, chin trembling. Such a child does not relax even in a dream, his arms are bent and tightly pressed to his chest, his legs are pulled up to his stomach, his fists are tightly clenched, you have to make an effort to unclench them. There is marked resistance during flexion-extension of the arms and legs. When examining the support reflex, the baby does not stand on his full foot, but on tiptoe, presses his fingers, the reflex lasts longer than 1.5 months. When sipping his arms, he does not unbend his arms at all, completely rising behind them with his whole body. In the position of the stomach on the palm face down, the child keeps the head in line with the body. Such children can hold their head upright almost from birth.

Increased tone can be symmetrical (in all muscle groups, only in the arms or legs) or asymmetrically - on one side of the body. With a prolonged increased tone of the flexor muscles, the baby maintains the flexion "fetal position". The extreme expression of the increased tone of the extensor muscles is the pathological posture of opisthotonus in certain diseases, when the head is thrown back, the back is arched, the legs and arms are extended and tense, the fingers are clenched into fists, the legs are crossed in the lower third of the legs, flexion and extension in all joints is difficult .

Why is hypertension dangerous in children?

The danger of hypertonicity in a child is to reduce the pace of motor development of the baby. If treatment is not started in a timely manner, then such a child will later sit down, crawl, walk, when moving, he will quickly get tired, and while walking, it will be difficult to redistribute the center of gravity. The general condition is also disturbed: due to excessive muscle tension, such children are overly excited, sleep poorly, and often burp. At an older age, fine motor skills of the hands are disturbed.

Muscular hypotension in a child

The reverse situation, when the tone is less than normal, is called muscle hypotension. At the same time, the arms and legs of the baby are unbent, the arms lie along the body. This is a common occurrence for premature baby, it is associated with the immaturity of the nervous system. A pronounced manifestation of muscle hypotension is the so-called "frog pose", when in the position on the back the baby's arms lie sluggishly along the body, the fingers are not clenched into a fist, the legs are widely separated at the hip and slightly bent at the knee joints, the stomach is flattened. These children often have reduced reflexes. When bending the joints, there is no resistance, the amount of movement in them is increased, the joints seem to “dangle”, the handle raised up and released falls. The child's legs can be parted at the hip joints by almost 180 ° without any effort.

With hypotonicity, the child does not lean well or does not rest on the feet at all when he is supported under the armpits. When sipping on the handles, they are completely straightened, the head leans back. When a newborn lies on his stomach in the palm of an adult, the head and limbs of the baby hang down. When laid out on his tummy, he does not bend his arms and sticks his face into the surface, looks limp.

Typically, such babies are excessively calm, rarely cry, suck poorly, gain weight worse, and move little.

What is dangerous hypotension in a child?

Hypotension in a child is dangerous because such children later begin to hold their heads, take objects in their hands, sit down, walk, but already due to insufficient muscle strength. In an upright position, they do not maintain a pose, because of this, work internal organs tense. The lack of movement slows down the growth of the bones and muscles of the child, physically the baby looks younger than his age, in the future, the formation of scoliosis, kyphosis and other skeletal deformities, gait disorders is possible.

Muscular dystonia in a child

Most often, a mixed violation of tone occurs, when in some muscle groups it is increased, while in others it is reduced, or during a test it passes from a state of hypotonicity into hypertonicity. This is called muscular dystonia. Signs of muscular dystonia can be, for example, incorrect positions of the hands - straightened and widely spaced fingers, sometimes the hand is turned inward. Another type of muscular dystonia is the asymmetry of muscle tone. At the same time, it may be higher on one side of the body than on the other. Sometimes at the same time the body can be curved in an arc and the head is more often turned to one side. In this case, the baby begins to roll over only in one direction, clearly preferring it to the other, crawling, pulling up one leg, etc.

Why is muscular dystonia dangerous?

The danger of muscular dystonia lies in the fact that in the process of development, such children may experience a delay in the formation of motor skills: they begin to roll over from their back to their stomach only after 5-6 months, sit down after 7 months, and begin to walk after 12 months. Severe dystonia can lead to body asymmetry and gait disturbances.

Examination methods

The identified violations of tone are observed in dynamics and compared with other signs of impaired development of the child. Based on this, the specialist can determine whether this is a pathology or an individual feature of the baby. If the mother has doubts about the tone of the child, you should definitely consult a pediatrician and a neurologist.

For a more accurate diagnosis of the cause of the disorders, additional research methods may be required, for example, neurosonography, electroencephalography, electroneurography, etc.

The study of the chromosome set and a special blood protein alpha-fetoprotein makes it possible to exclude chromosomal diseases, and a blood test for intrauterine infections (herpes, cytomegalovirus, etc.) - infectious diseases of the brain.

Getting Started with Muscle Toning

The earlier a child's tone disorders are detected and treatment is started, the better, because the regenerative ability of the cells of the nervous system at an early age is very high.

There is no need to self-medicate or treat on the advice of the parents of other children, since the degree of violations in each individual baby is different, and the prescribed therapy depends on this. The complex of treatment should be prescribed only by a specialist. In case of violations of tone, movement treatment is used - massage, gymnastics, swimming; physiotherapy - ultrasound, electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, heat and hydrotherapy, etc. If necessary, medicines are used.

Massage with tone by influencing the nerve endings in the skin changes nervous excitability - it increases or decreases depending on the impact, and also revitalizes reflexes, improves the conduction of nerve impulses along the nerves.

Massage with tone can be done in a clinic or at home, after teaching parents its basic techniques. The procedure should bring only positive emotions to the baby. After all, if he cries or is in pain, this can further increase the tone.

In the first month of life, therapeutic massage is not prescribed - the baby will have enough light stroking movements mother's hands. To prevent violations of muscle tone, it is necessary to change the position of the child's body more often, make multidirectional movements with him, more often take him in his arms: this stimulates the development of motor skills.

Massage with tone should be carried out in a comfortable environment for the crumbs, affectionately talking to him. With hypertonicity, a relaxing massage is done, which includes stroking from the periphery to the center, clasping stroking the limbs, and light rubbing. Chopping and flapping movements are unacceptable: they will increase muscle tension.

After the massage, carefully and gently do special exercises aimed at stretching tense muscles. The effect will be better if such a massage is performed before evening bathing: warm water will additionally relax tense muscles, enhancing the effect of the massage.

Babies who have hypotension are given a stimulating massage to activate the muscles. In this case, chopping, clapping movements, rolling with the knuckles are justified - they tone the muscles.

With dystonia, an experienced massage therapist knows which muscle groups need to be relaxed and which, on the contrary, to be stimulated, so parents are not recommended to do such a massage on their own: wrong actions can harm the baby.

Gymnastics and swimming reinforce reflexes that maintain the correct posture, even out muscle tone (increase low and vice versa), develop muscles, and have a powerful tonic effect. Classes on a gymnastic ball (fitball) have a good effect, and you can swim either in a large bath at home (after training with an instructor) or in a pool for babies, which are often found at children's clinics.

Physiotherapy using physical factors improves neuromuscular conduction, depending on the type of exposure, tones or calms the nervous system, respectively increasing or decreasing muscle tone.

Causes of violations

Violation of muscle tone is not an independent disease, but only a separate sign, a symptom of trouble. Most often, the cause of the violations is hypoxia - a lack of oxygen and a violation of the blood supply to the child's brain before or after birth. Hypoxia often occurs with gestosis, circulatory disorders in the placenta, smoking, alcohol consumption, as well as stress, a long anhydrous period, etc. Hypoxia of the brain is a common, but not the only cause of impaired tone. It also increases with infections, injuries, vascular diseases of the brain, cerebral palsy and some other problems.

Muscle tone is muscle tension, the strength of which is regulated by the brain and spinal cord. Correct muscle tone- an extremely important indicator that determines the ability of a person to maintain a vertical position of the body, to move, changing his position in space.

An increase in muscle tone leads to the fact that human muscles are in constant tension, his body is constrained, as a result of which a person cannot fully move, experiences discomfort, anxiety during moments of physical activity.

Meanwhile, normal muscle tone is a prerequisite for the correct and full development of the child.

With increased tension in the chest worse motor skills, which negatively affects his intellectual and physical development. We will talk about the symptoms and treatment of hypertension in infants in the article.

What is the cause of dystrophy in children early age, you can learn from our .

General concept

In a newborn child, the brain and nervous system can work with certain failures, which is explained by the immaturity of their development.

This has a negative impact on regulatory function responsible for muscle tension.

As a result, there are various kinds of deviations (increase or decrease in muscle tone). This phenomenon is considered a kind of norm, and in most cases, over time, it goes away on its own. In other cases, we can talk about pathology.

There is such a thing as physiological hypertonicity of the flexor muscles. This phenomenon occurs as a result of the fact that the baby has been in the fetal position for a long time, when its arms and legs, due to natural causes, were bent during the prenatal period of development, and the fingers of the hands were tightly clenched.

Naturally, after the birth of a child, it takes some time for him to adapt to new, freer living conditions.

As a rule, this problem is resolved by itself when the child reaches 3 months of age, at this moment the tone begins to gradually decrease, and returns to normal by the age of six months.

In the event that the child’s muscles are not tense enough, that is, if desired, the baby’s limbs can be easily brought into a straight position, nothing to worry about.

If this cannot be done, it is necessary to consult a specialist, since the reasons for the development of this condition may be pathological character. In this case, the development of various deviations is possible, which in the future will negatively affect the development of the child, the quality of his life.

Causes

The following factors lead to an increase in muscle tone in newborns:

1. Physiological causes, that is, a long stay of the child in the same position during the prenatal period of its development. Hypertonicity in this case is considered a normal phenomenon, and, over time, the problem disappears.
2. Individual characteristics the functioning of the body. In this case, an increase in the tone of muscle tissue can also be considered a variant of the norm, characteristic of the child. In other cases, this phenomenon is pathological in nature, being a consequence of deviations in the work of the central nervous system.
3. Injuries received by the baby during childbirth. This factor is considered the most common cause of increased muscle tone. In the process of prolonged, complicated childbirth, the baby can get serious head injuries, leading to internal hemorrhage, or experience oxygen starvation, asphyxia. This leads to a disruption in the activity of the nervous system, and, as a result, to a violation of muscle tone.
4. Anomalies in the development of the fetus in the prenatal period, congenital pathologies of the central nervous system. An unhealthy lifestyle can lead to this problem. future mother(e.g. smoking, alcohol, drugs or medicines), as well as diseases that a woman suffered during pregnancy.

Symptoms and signs

Hypertonicity can be determined by evaluating the clinical picture that accompanies the development of pathology. To the number symptoms increase in muscle tone include:

Reflex tests

In order to identify hypertonicity of muscle tissue, they resort to certain diagnostic measures, during which the condition of the child is assessed up to a year ( reflex tests):

In this case, we are talking about pathology when these symptoms do not go away when the child reaches six months of age. In this situation doctor's consultation required.

What are the signs of cerebral palsy in a child? find out right now.

What is hypertonicity of the arms and legs?

Hypertonicity of the lower extremities can be determined by simple manipulations. For example, if you put the child in an upright position so that his legs are in contact with the surface, the baby begins to move his legs, as if taking steps. At the same time, he arches his toes, relying only on them.

Increased tone in the arms the child is manifested in the fact that the baby constantly keeps the arms bent, pressed to the chest. It is difficult to bring them to a normal position (straighten). When trying to do this, the child begins to worry and cry. At the same time, the baby's fingers are always tightly clenched into a fist.

Is there any danger in this phenomenon?

By itself, increased muscle tone observed in a child first months of life does not pose any danger.

However, serious causes can lead to the appearance of this problem, such as disruption of the brain and central nervous system, asphyxia and birth injuries, other adverse factors that may be dangerous for the health of the child.

In particular, diseases of the nervous system and brain negatively affect mental and physical development baby, which will undoubtedly lead to certain problems in the future.

Treatment Methods

Therapy for increased muscle tone is determined by the doctor, based on the age of the small patient, the severity of the disease. Well, if the treatment is complex. The most common methods:

• special massage;
• herbal baths;
• electrophoresis;
• paraffin therapy.

Among other things, communication with the mother is very important for the baby. A gentle voice, gentle touches soothe the baby, helping him to recover.

Massage and therapeutic gymnastics

At first, it is good if a specialist will carry out these procedures. Over time, when you have already mastered all the necessary skills, can continue to practice at home.

Massage and gymnastics includes the following exercises:

1. Hand massage. The child must be placed on his back with his feet towards you. fingers right hand gently massage the brush and palm of the right hand of the crumbs, on the left side everything is the same.
2. Get your baby to wrap their fingers around yours. thumb. Gently pull the baby towards you so that he moved to a sitting position. You need 5-7 repetitions.
3. Foot massage. Carefully, with stroking movements, massage the child's feet.
4. Back massage. The child is placed on the stomach, the back is massaged with stroking movements. Movements up are carried out with the back of the hand, movements down - with the inside.
5. Hand and foot massage carried out with light strokes.
6. The child is placed belly on a large inflatable ball, holding the crumbs by the back, shake the ball in different directions.

For the treatment of umbilical hernia in children, you will find on our website.

About how they do massage for a child with hypertension, you can learn from the video:

herbal baths

It is best to bathe a child in a special baby bath. The water must be comfortable temperature. If the child is very small, it is best to put a diaper folded several times in the bath.

It is useful to add a decoction to the water succession, chamomile, infusion of motherwort, valerian.

These ingredients can provoke, so for starters, use only 1 variety of herbs, carefully monitoring the condition of the crumbs. The duration of the bath is 5-15 minutes.

Forecasts

Accurate only a doctor can give a prognosis of recovery who monitors the condition of the baby. It all depends, first of all, on the age of the crumbs (if the problem disappeared in the first 3-6 months of the child's life, you should not worry), as well as on how regular and timely the assistance provided to the baby was.

Prevention

Increased muscle tone in children in the first months of life - normal phenomenon. In order for the disease not to develop into a more serious problem, it is necessary to take preventive measures in time.

First of all, it is the observance of the sleep and wakefulness regimen, the rules of hygienic care.

Important set up a process breastfeeding , because in this case the baby not only receives the numerous nutrients contained in mother's milk, but also invaluable minutes of close contact with the mother.

Also, starting from 2 weeks of age, the child is recommended to do massage, gymnastics.

The first year of a baby's life is the most difficult and hectic for young parents.

And, many mothers are frightened when they hear that the crumbs have an increased muscle tone. There is no need to panic, as the baby sensitively captures the mood of the mother, and her anxiety is transmitted to him.

And this only aggravates the situation. It is important to calmly and regularly follow all the instructions of the doctor., in this case, the probability that the problem will disappear without any consequences is very high.

We kindly ask you not to self-medicate. Sign up to see a doctor!

The diagnosis of hypotonia in infants is made if the child does not have a normal reaction to muscle contractions. Muscle weakness syndrome, as this dysfunction is also called, is manifested by a slow contraction of muscle fibers in response to nerve stimulation.

The main causes of hypotension

With this disease, the baby cannot keep the arms and legs in a tense state for a long time. It is difficult for such babies to learn to crawl, grab toys,. It is difficult for them to sit upright and they start walking late. At what age do children start walking, read.

Reduced muscle tone in infants may appear immediately after birth, but such manifestations can be diagnosed even after a few months. Directly related to the central nervous system, muscle weakness syndrome is caused by a number of factors.

Smoking during pregnancy leads to oxygen starvation of the child and neurological problems, including hypotension

Provoke the development of the disease:

1. Complications of diseases of the expectant mother in the process of carrying a baby.
2. Difficult or emergency childbirth.
3. or alcohol, hectic lifestyle.

Among the most common causes of weak muscle tone in a baby are:

• violations in the organization of nutrition of the baby;
• lowered at birth;
• congenital diseases;
• significant weight loss by an infant after viral and infectious diseases;
• use in large doses;
• various malformations of the crumbs, leading to pathological changes.

Hypotension in infants can develop against the background of diseases such as polio, botulism, congenital myopathy or muscle atrophy.

8 ways to identify the syndrome

Characteristic manifestations of a violation of normal muscle activity make it possible to determine the presence of muscle weakness at an early stage:
1
First of all, this is a relaxed state of the newborn, who lies in a calm position, with open palms.
2
The position of the baby's legs with weak muscles in the supine state, which is 180 °, is quite comfortable for the crumbs.
3
During breastfeeding, such an infant may often fall asleep, the feeding process is very sluggish.
4
underdeveloped muscles chest negatively affect the strength of the sounds produced. When the baby starts cooing, read.
5
Frequent dislocations of the joints with such a disease are not uncommon.

6
Decreased reflexes also indicate muscle hypotonia.

7
In severe cases, the baby is found to have heavy intermittent breathing, a drooping lower jaw, and prolapse of the tongue.
8
Signs of hypotension in infants are its appearance. Such a baby is constantly forward or in different directions, not having the strength to keep it straight. For support, the baby uses elbows and knees, only slightly apart in different directions.

About what is hypotension, says the head of the department for newborns of the Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology. V.F. Snegireva O.V. Parshikova in the video:

What is the danger of muscle weakness syndrome

Hypotension in infants is not considered a life-threatening disease. However, the consequences of the disease, if not treated in a timely manner, can become serious:

1. Violation of the normal development of motor skills leads to lagging behind their peers in physical development.
2. The weakening of the ligamentous apparatus leads to damage to the ankle, knee, hip and other joints.
3. In difficult cases, the baby cannot chew and swallow food on its own. Then he is fed through a tube or parenterally.
4. In the future, the child has a curvature of the spine, which leads to a violation of posture, scoliosis.
5. Muscle hypotension in a baby in infancy leads to a strong weakening of the musculoskeletal system and the likelihood of developing complete muscle dystrophy.

Diagnosis of the disease

When the first signs appear, you should consult a neurologist. The doctor's conclusion about the condition of the newborn is made after some simple manipulations.

Name of manipulation	Normal reaction	Reaction to violations
Lay the baby on the back and pull the handles	When trying to seat the baby, he resists	There is no resistance, the child hangs on the hands of the doctor, and the head is thrown back
The infant is supported and lowered onto a solid support (up to 2 months of age)	He straightens up and tries to stand on his full foot.	The child tends to immediately sit on bent legs
Reflexes are checked for hanging horizontally and vertically	The child holds his head straight in a vertical position, and in a horizontal position, the limbs are bent at the joints, the back and head are kept straight	The head and legs hang down, and the child slips out of the hands of the doctor. The child hangs the limbs and head, resembling an inverted letter U

To clarify the cause of the disease are carried out:

• Magnetic resonance imaging;
• electromyography and;
• study of cerebral blood flow;
• laboratory blood tests (, biochemical);
• biopsy of muscle tissue of the affected nerve fibers;
• genetic research.

Khadzegova S.R., pediatrician, Candidate of Medical Sciences, City Clinical Hospital No. 33, Maria

Weakened muscles in an infant may indicate the possibility of developing serious diseases associated with the brain, so you can not self-medicate. At the first sign of the disease, you should urgently run to your doctor.

The district pediatrician writes out referrals to a neurologist and other specialists, appoints laboratory research to find out the causes of pathology.

The peripheral nerve, cerebellum, and peripheral motor neuron are examined. Such complex studies are carried out in order to exclude the presence of a more complex disease.

Diagnosis should be carried out in a complex way: by a therapist, a cardiologist, a neuropathologist, a geneticist and a children's physiotherapist.

How to help the baby

With the exclusion of other diseases, the treatment of muscle hypotonia in children is aimed at restoring normal muscle function.

Massage for hypotension - stimulating, consisting in strong pressure, kneading, pinching

The mainstay of infant therapy is massage, which has a stimulating effect.. Physiotherapeutic techniques, and first of all, electrophoresis, magnetotherapy painlessly contribute to the normalization of the response of muscle fibers to a nerve impulse.

Exposure to electric and magnetic fields normalizes metabolism, increases blood flow and reduces inflammatory processes. The use of electrophoresis in conjunction with pharmacological preparations greatly enhances the effect of treatment. Good results are also achieved by the use of acupuncture, complex physiotherapy exercises, aromatherapy.

Depending on the underlying cause, in the treatment of muscle hypotonia in infants, prescribe drug treatment. These can be drugs from the group of antioxidants, neuroprotectors and muscle relaxants. Highly qualified medical staff, doctors with PhDs prescribe gentle treatment based on the individual developmental characteristics of the baby.

Melnikova I.V., exercise therapy doctor, trainer-teacher, exercise therapy instructor, masseur, GBDOU "Correction kindergarten", Saint Petersburg

Muscle dystonia in the baby is eliminated with the help of a good massage therapist. I advise you to contact the clinic about this issue traditional medicine. Here they make an excellent massage, and the treatment is carried out only with natural preparations.

Comprehensive treatment without the use of medicines allows you to cope with the problem in a short time.

Correction of muscle weakness in a child with massage

When hypotension is established in the baby, it is recommended that a massage be performed by a specialist. Professional massage will give the best results, and besides, a pediatric specialist will be able to carry it out safely. The skin of the baby is very delicate, and the movements should be quite sharp and intense.

The masseur, slightly pressing on certain parts of the muscles, also conducts acupressure bioactive points. At least 10 sessions are required to achieve a positive result..

Revitalizing massage at home

Massage with hypotension can be carried out at home. The main methods are general strengthening exercises and individual exercises for the limbs. General strengthening exercises include:

1. "Lulechka". With this exercise, with smooth movements, summed up under the head and torso, in the upper and then in the lower part, the hands shake the baby in all directions.
2. Exercise "Swing", when the child is gently rocked, taking it under the armpits, it has a general strengthening effect.
3. An effective technique is the squeezing movements of the baby's arms and legs, light stroking of the limbs.

After watching a video of massage for hypotension in infants, do not try to learn how to do exercises no worse than a professional children's massage therapist. At home, it is recommended to carry out only a general strengthening massage:

Simple exercises to strengthen the muscles of the limbs at home

Dr. Komarovsky believes that muscular dystonia in infants must be eliminated with the help of a good massage therapist. But some special gymnastic exercises for the limbs can also be performed at home by the mother herself.

Professional massage for hypotension makes the child's muscles work and become stronger

• alternate breeding and mixing of arms and legs;
• imitation of the movements of a boxer by the baby's handles;
• movement as when riding a bicycle with both legs;
• stretching the handles up above the body as high as possible.

Fitball exercises

1. Put the child on the ball with his back and holding his stomach to make up and down movements.
2. Put the baby on the ball, holding firmly, make bouncing movements.
3. Put the child's stomach on the ball and roll. The exercise is repeated until he learns to pull his legs up when he touches the floor.

A good way to fight the disease is aqua gymnastics. Swimming lessons, which are very popular with babies, are conducted by a doctor. At home, in the bath, you can repeat the most simple exercises. It is also useful to develop fine motor skills baby with toys.

Preventive action

The main method in the prevention of muscular hypotension in newborns is a healthy pregnancy. Complete rejection of bad habits, a healthy balanced diet, constant supervision by doctors will ensure the normal development of the child in the womb. Even minor signs of muscle flaccidity cannot be ignored. With the timely start of treatment, the pathology is easily eliminated and does not leave consequences in the development of the child.

Zhukova O.V., pediatrician, Clinic " children's doctor”, Voronezh

For any baby, especially in the first months of life, it is very important proper nutrition especially during treatment.

The menu drawn up by the doctor, which guarantees that the baby receives all the necessary nutrients, must be strictly observed.

Psychotherapy is also an important part of the healing process.

conclusions

Treatment of the disease can take quite a long time, up to several years.. But the symptoms noticed in time, the diagnostics carried out and the treatment started will speed up the recovery process, reducing it to a few months, and will allow the baby to fully develop in the future.

In contact with

In this article, we will consider what hypertonicity is, what manifestations of hypertonicity in a child, at what age to pay attention to these manifestations, how hypertonicity is diagnosed and corrected.

What is hypertension in a child

In order to understand what hypertonicity or increased tone is, you must first understand what muscle tone is in principle. And then you can already talk about "elevation", "norm" and so on.

In simple terms, tone is the tension in the muscles. Such a tension that persists even in a state where there is no movement. This tension (tonus) changes its severity depending on the age of the child.

A more pronounced tone y is considered a normal indicator, and a gradual decrease in the severity of the tone in such a way that by 1.5-2 years the baby's tone becomes approximately as pronounced as the tone of an adult healthy person.

By itself, the tone in the muscles is necessary, since it is thanks to the normal tone that all movements (of both the newborn and the adult) are realized. Even seemingly static poses still need a certain amount of muscle tone (just to keep the body in one position in space).

When does hypertension go away?

Let us consider in more detail the process of "gradual weakening of the severity of tone."

When the child is still in the mother's tummy, he lies there very compactly, all his limbs are pressed (at long stages of pregnancy) and the child does not completely straighten his arms and legs. The body of the baby also moves a little (little space). All the muscles of the body are in tension with the child. This explains the state of hypertonicity at birth. The tone remains elevated for about 3-4 months of a child's life, and then begins to decrease in severity. Such a manifestation is commonly called "physiological hypertonicity", in other words, a normal phenomenon. Physiological hypertonicity is observed, as already mentioned, in all newborns, and persists for up to about 3-4 months. Manifestations of physiological hypertonicity:

• The baby's arms clenched into fists;
• Bent legs;
• Head thrown back;
• The legs of the child are moved apart by 45 degrees each, when moving apart, the resistance of the muscles is clearly felt.
• If desired, with an effort, you can open the fists, straighten the legs.

I repeat, the listed signs in a child aged 0-4 months are normal, and only after 3-4 months the physiological tone begins to subside (if there are no pathologies).

More, as a rule, the muscles are tense - flexors (than extensors). It is in this muscle group that the tone begins to decrease first of all, this happens in the period from 4-6 months.

If the manifestations of physiological hypertonicity do not decrease by 3.5-4 months (during this period the child already begins to move much more actively), then the doctor has reason to talk about the child's hypertonicity. This is not a disease, but rather a signal that not everything is normal with the child's nervous system. Further in the article we will analyze everything regarding the hypertonicity of the child.

Note. It is necessary to distinguish whether the state of hypertonicity in a particular baby is “situational”, or permanent. Let me remind you that we are talking about a baby older than 3 months. Perhaps, at the very moment of examination, the child is hungry, or he is cold, or his tummy hurts, or he is tormented by gases. All these factors affect the overall muscle tone, and it becomes elevated - hypertonicity..Thus, if a child shows symptoms of hypertonicity in a particular situation, this does not mean that the child has this condition in principle.

Hypertonicity in a child causes

The main reason, as a rule, is the constant oxygen deficiency in the fetus during pregnancy. The lack of oxygen is called hypoxia. It can be caused by various reasons, we will consider them below.

• Stably elevated during pregnancy;
• Strong early (at this time all the main systems of the fetus are formed);
• Lack of iron in the body of the mother (anemia);
• Frequent illnesses during pregnancy (ARI, flu);
• Sedentary lifestyle during pregnancy;
• placental insufficiency.

Also, the manifestation of hypertonicity can be affected by:

• Rhesus conflict.
• Birth trauma.

Hypertonicity in infants symptoms

As already mentioned, many of the symptoms that "frighten" parents are completely normal, and are indicators of physiological (normal) hypertonicity (from 0 to 4 months). Below we will list the symptoms and conditions by which parents may suspect hypertonicity. And the final diagnosis will still be made by the doctor.

• The child constantly behaves uneasily, often "goes" with crying.
• With strong crying, the chin may tremble.
• The baby can often arch back in an “arc”, or throws his head back;
• The child sleeps poorly and little.
• All the time while feeding;
• Reacts by crying to changes in sounds (even quiet ones), and to changes in the brightness of light;
• He sleeps in a characteristic position: the head is thrown back, the arms and legs are pressed. At an attempt to change the position of the arms and legs, the child cries (and there is a strong tension in the muscles).
• The arms and legs do not move evenly (one is tightened, the other moves more).
• The head turns only in one direction (on the hands).
• Head tilted more to one side than the other
• Walk test. The child is taken under the armpits, and placed (holding) with the legs on a flat hard surface. If the tone is normal, then the baby steps with the whole foot on the surface. If the tone is increased, then the baby "walks on tiptoe."
• The same test, only standing (without walking), the baby standing does not rely on the entire foot, but only on the fingers.
• Hand sit test. When performing, it is impossible to take the baby's arms away from the chest.
• Preservation at the age of more than 3 months symmetrical and asymmetric. If the baby's head is tilted to the chest (in the supine position), then the baby's arms are bent, and the legs are unbent. It is this manifestation that should disappear by the 3rd month. And an asymmetric reflex. If the child's head is turned to the left (lying on his back), then the left arm will stretch forward. The left leg is extended, the right leg is bent. It is this manifestation that should disappear by the 3rd month.

If you notice something from the list above in a child (aged 0-3 months), be sure to tell the doctor about it. Most likely, your fears are unfounded, but it is better to check and calm down.

If after the age of 3-4 months the above manifestations do not go away, then this is a reason to inform the doctor about it. Most likely, you will need a consultation with a pediatric neurologist.

As a rule, a neurologist can diagnose hypertension simply by examining a child. But sometimes (in rare cases) an ultrasound of the brain may be needed.

Treatment of hypertension in a child

The main requirement is not to disregard the manifestations and symptoms of hypertonicity (described above). If the doctor diagnosed hypertonicity in your baby, then it is the doctor who will prescribe the procedures necessary for correction. These are usually the methods listed below.

• Relaxing massage. The massage course should be 10-15 sessions. You need to repeat it once a month, until complete recovery. If the massage "works", then you will notice that the child's motor skills are added, and motor activity improves.
• Physiotherapy.
• Soothing baths. Like all corrective procedures, a doctor prescribes. These can be baths with valerian, motherwort, sage, pine needles. They are usually held for 4 days, and then repeated after 10 days.
• Aromatherapy (sedative).
• Therapeutic exercise, such as exercises on a large ball. During these exercises, the baby (with the help of mom and dad) rolls on the ball (on the tummy), alternately touching the floor either with his head or with his legs.
• Electrophoresis.
• Paraffin baths (thermal).
• . Great relaxing remedy. And it is not necessary at the same time to look for a special pool and swim there. For babies aged 0 to 3 months, an ordinary adult bath is perfect. You can swim on the tummy and on the back, with parental support. You can use a special one for swimming. It is only necessary to make sure that the circle does not cause negative emotions, whether the baby is tense. Any excess stress is contraindicated, it is better to swim less (in the arms of mom or dad), but with benefit.
• Drug treatment (relaxing drugs, sometimes diuretics, to reduce the amount of fluid in the brain, sometimes B vitamins);

Important points in the presence of hypertension

• With impaired leg tone (hypertonicity), walkers and jumpers are contraindicated, which, in principle, are harmful to all children.
• With general hypertonicity: It is not recommended to dive while swimming, as this, on the contrary, increases the tone.
• Not recommended dynamic gymnastics as tonic.
• When performing all the above procedures, it is very important to monitor the condition of the child. From the procedures (be it massage or baths), the child should in no case strain. What is important is the relaxing, soothing effect. If you go through 10 sessions with the best massage therapist, and at the same time the child will cry every time, then believe me, there will be much more benefit from the same procedures performed by mom or dad.

Therefore, a good prevention of hypertonicity will be the daily parental massage of the baby (from birth).

What is the danger of the state of hypertonicity (without correction)

Hypertonicity occurs when the areas of the brain that are responsible for the motor functions of the muscles lag behind in their development. If after 3-4 months the child's hypertonicity persists and is not corrected, this can lead to negative consequences.

• Violation of the coordination of future movements;
• Incorrect formation of posture and gait (scoliosis, clubfoot);
• Lagging behind in motor skills and motor activity;
• Delayed motor development;
• Speech disorders;
• Already in adulthood, pain in the head, lower back, back, and neck may occur.

How to prevent hypertension

Unfortunately, there are no guaranteed measures. There are recommendations.

• Put your health in order not during pregnancy, but before conception. This will make it possible not to take unnecessary drugs during pregnancy.
• Healthy lifestyle during pregnancy itself. Definitely fresh air. Definitely good. These three factors (air, physical activity and nutrition) lead to the prevention of hypoxia, and hence to the prevention of hypertonicity.
• After the birth of a child, do to him and do to him.
• (after healing of the umbilical wound) in a large bath, "swim" it.
• Don't skip doctor visits.
• Carefully monitor the development of the child, do not skip or ignore the symptoms and manifestations that alerted you.

In conclusion, I would like to call on future and accomplished parents: do not panic if there are manifestations of hypertonicity. With timely correction, they almost in all cases completely disappear by the year (approximately). Health to you and your baby!

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The body of a newborn man cannot be called fully formed. The first months the child only adapts to life outside the mother's womb. There are many things he still doesn't know how to do. In addition, already during this period, the child may experience various disorders, which include, for example, hypertonicity of newborns.

In some cases, the child's muscles are in unnatural tension, which hinders the baby's motor activity. This condition worries the baby, causes anxiety.

In addition, in a child of the first months of life, motor activity is of great importance for development, including the development of the brain. If hypertonicity is not noticed and cured in time, then subsequently such children may lag behind in development, they begin to speak later.

However, not always hypertonicity in a child is a pathology. Especially when it comes to short-term manifestation of symptoms. The child may be frightened, he may be disturbed by the very fact of being examined by a doctor. Therefore, after the first examination, such a diagnosis is never made.

Parents of a baby with a suspicion of this disease will be advised to observe him in a calm environment, and if signs of hypertonicity in a newborn are observed at home, then doctors will prescribe further studies, in particular, an ultrasound of the brain.

It is important to understand that in children of the first three months life hypertonicity of the muscles responsible for flexion is quite natural. You remember that for a child in the womb, the so-called fetal position is natural: the arms are bent at the elbows, pressed to the chest, the legs are also bent and pressed to the tummy. Even the fingers of the children's hands are most often clenched into fists. The body of the child tends to take the same posture after childbirth. Roughly speaking, the muscles of a newborn are used to being in one position. Only by the third month, this condition begins to gradually disappear.

Therefore, if the hypertonicity of the flexor muscles is not excessively expressed, that is, the arms and legs are unbent without strain and resistance, then you have nothing to worry about.

Signs of muscle hypertonicity

To check muscle tone, doctors do the following test: they take the child under the armpits and lower them with their legs on a hard, flat surface. If the baby is slightly tilted forward, then he will begin to sort out his legs, as when walking. This is the reflex of the newborn. In the normal state, children try to put their foot on the whole foot, but in the case of muscle tension, only on the toe. But remember that this test shows the condition of the muscles only at the time of examination.

What signs should parents pay attention to so as not to miss hypertonicity in their baby? First of all, on his behavior . A child with hypertonicity, as a rule, is restless, whiny, constantly feels the need to suckle the breast, and does not sleep well. By the way, about sleep, when a child with muscle hypertonicity sleeps, his head is often thrown back, and his arms and legs are extended and pressed to the body or to each other. If you try, for example, to spread your legs, you will feel a strong tension in them. If you continue to persist, the child will wake up and cry.

When a child under the age of one month already holds his head , then this is also an occasion to think about contacting a pediatrician. Perhaps the point is not in the rapid development of your child, but in the fact that tense muscles arch the back and neck of the child back.

Even if the manifestations of hypertonicity seem insignificant to you, do not let the situation take its course. Firstly, the sooner treatment begins, the sooner you will get the result. Secondly, often hypertonicity is just a symptom, but what caused it, mild disturbances in nervous system or, for example, cerebral palsy, only a doctor can determine. And only an experienced specialist can prescribe an adequate, suitable for your baby, treatment.

Treatment

Muscle hypertonicity can be complete, can cover all the limbs, or affect only the arms or only the legs of the child. Distinguish also the degree of damage, from mild to severe.

In most cases, the course of treatment of hypertension in newborns includes massage, therapeutic exercises, herbal baths, aromatherapy and physiotherapy. In different quantities and different intensities.

The most important thing in all these procedures is that they should not cause discomfort to the child. To many this seems strange, but that's the whole point. If the child feels discomfort of any kind, he begins to tense up, which only aggravates his condition. And massage, and exercises, and other procedures are designed, first of all, to relax the muscles of the child. That is why most doctors advise mothers to master the art of baby massage themselves. It is not difficult to do this now, practically at any clinic or children's center they conduct courses for children's massage.

It is beneficial in every way. Massage courses for children with hypertonicity can be very long, and if you pay for the work of a massage therapist all this time, such treatment can make a hole in any family budget. In addition, small children are reluctant to accept strangers. Yes, and your child for a massage therapist is just one of many.

Mom is always more affectionate and gentle, more caring and attentive. She will not hurt, she is not in a hurry and accompanies her every move. kind word, which will calm the baby, even if the procedure is not entirely pleasant for him. In addition, doing massage on your own, you are not constrained by someone else's schedule and you can choose the time of the day when the baby is in the best mood.

When it comes to exercises , doctors also advise parents to master them themselves. And this, of course, is also not from the desire to push their work onto their parents. The main thing in all medical procedures is the comfort of the child. And what could be more comfortable than mom's hands. But remember that both massage and gymnastics should only be relaxing, and in no case tonic. The reason is the same: why tone up what is being treated for it?

Child's day routine

Many parents think that since they have a special child, he needs a special regime. In fact, the daily routine of children with increased tone differs not much: you just have to find time for massage, exercises and baths.

But to teach the baby to eat and sleep by the hour is not worth it. During the period of establishing the rhythm you are interested in, the child will constantly face a stressful situation: refusal to eat and sleep, forced bedtime at an uncomfortable time for him. While crying, the child will once again strain. And this, as we have already found out above, is highly undesirable.

The baby has its own biological clock, you should not impose your attitude on him. Of course, if there is a serious failure in the mode, for example, a child mixes up day and night, then the mode will have to be corrected. But even then it should be done gently and gradually, and not abruptly, causing stress and negativity in the child.

Massage for hypertension

Massage with hypertonicity of the muscles of the legs or arms is not only some specific techniques, but also the appropriate atmosphere, environment. Everything from temperature to sounds should set you and your child up for relaxation.

Therefore, first of all, the child should be warm . Cold causes involuntary muscle tension. But the baby will have to undress for a massage. So make sure that the room was at least 20-22 degrees. It is also important that the room is well ventilated. The child must breathe freely.

Masseurs in specialized clinics do massage on special tables. It is not necessary to buy one for yourself. For a baby, a changing table or even a regular table is quite suitable. The main thing is that it has a suitable height, and mom does not have to bend over too much. Otherwise, she will already have problems with her back muscles. Put a blanket on the table, oilcloth on top so that the child does not stain the blankets. The last put a regular diaper.

It is also important what condition the child will be in. Do not massage immediately after eating or when the baby has just woken up. In both cases, let him recover a little. Keep an eye on your child's mood as well. He must be calm.

Before starting the massage, wash your hands thoroughly and remove all rings from your fingers. It is also better to cut your nails short so as not to damage the skin of the child.

Now you can start the massage.

1. First, do some general relaxation techniques. For example, "Swing". Take the child for armpits and gently rock it to the right and left.
2. The next technique is called "Cradle" and is performed separately for the upper and lower body. Lay your child on their back, place your hand under their head and upper back, and rock them from side to side. Then do the same with your hands under the lower back.
3. Then, with light stroking movements, walk all over the body; from chest and tummy to arms and legs. This will improve blood flow, relax muscles, and therefore relieve pain.
4. Now you can do separate arms and legs. To relax them, the so-called piston rubbing is used. Take the child's arm or leg in your hands and gently rub it back and forth.

These are not all possible massage techniques for hypertonicity, there are others. But even before using these techniques, check with your doctor or massage therapist to make sure you are doing everything right.

And remember, if you think your child is doing much better, don't stop treatment. Only an experienced specialist, having fully assessed the condition of the baby, can decide whether you really got rid of the problem or whether this is just a temporary relief.

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