Hypotonic Cerebral Palsy

The Child With Hypotonic Cerebral Palsy

Hypotonic or flaccidity is characterized by fluctuating low muscle tone. This may be seen in either an infant or a toddler, the child is flaccid but later, with maturation, he or she may be classified as spastic, athetoid, or ataxic. Involvement is usually quadriplegic.

The child with hypotonic cerebral palsy may no head control, may not be able to move, eye movement may not be smooth unless they are supine. These babies don’t cry much. When they do cry, it is shallow and low. Hypotonic cerebral palsy in child have little to no sensory or stretch feedback to stimulate movement and therefore stay passive.

The physiological flexion seen in the normal neonate doesn’t occur.  The infants may look like premature and hypotunus infants. However, they do not build up muscle tone as “ premies “ do ; they may stay flaccid until 2 years of age. The longer the child is hypotonic.  As this infant matures, It si important to watch for signs of hypotonic cerebral palsy

Some infants may stay hypotonic until 6 months of age, then the process is reversed and by 18 months they may have passed the appropriate developmental milestones. These infants are usually more responsive to their environment and seem more visually alert.