Mild hypotonia?

[mshanson]

I am wondering about my almost 20-month old daughter. Due to some serious health issues as a baby, she has been followed by a therapy team since she was 4 months old, and was evaluated at 6, 12 and 18 months. At 6 months she was listed as having excellent muscle tone/quality and was perfectly on track in gross development. at 12 months, they still stated excellent muscle tone/quality, but was only borderline normal on gross motor because she was still not standing on her own, had a foot turning out etc... Up until then however, she'd met all milestones on time: holding up her head, rolling over, sitting, crawling etc... She finally started standing on her own at 14 months, and then started walking at 15.5 months. We do find she has phenomenal upper body strength, and seems to use her upper body more than her lower body (ie. if she's trying to climb onto something she pulls herself with her arms, instead of pushing with her legs).

Now, recently, she had her 18M assessment (she was 19 months at the time), and while they listed her as being on track with gross motor, they did say that "muscle tone appears to be mildly hypotonic" and "she appears to have mild hypotonia". I do know that the assessing physiotherapist mentioned that her foot muscles appeared to be very tight, and that she wasn't balancing well with her feet - that she was compensating with her upper body, that despite having been walking for almost 4 months, that she looked and wakled like a "new" walker).  But that was all she said. Nothing was mentioned about hypotonia.

It wasnt until I got the full report in the mail today that I saw this.

So... WHY would she go from having excellent muscle tone... to being mildly hypotonic? Would it just be in her lower extremities? What could cause this? The report did say that they would reasses her at 24 months, but I'm not sure I'm comfortable waiting another 4-5 months, if therapy may help NOW?

[specialmom]

I think if they are mentioning hypotonia, that you can request physical therapy.  Development is one of those things where you catch up and then stall, catch up and then stall with some children.  My son is a mixed bag as well.  His core muscles are weak in some regards based on assessments by occupational therapists but then he has quite incredible arm stregnth.  The tests that they do involve many facets.  

Typically, a physical therapist can help a child increase their tone.  We work on it through occupational therapy as our son has sensory integration disorder.  But we do exercises to increase his ability and strength at home.  

Wishing you luck and let us know how the follow goes.  

[margypops]

Take a look at the thread 2 below this one called '7 month old delayed' by MommyNix  ..there is some information on the posts there.. .

[mshanson]

Anyone else have experience?

[margypops]

Mild muscle weakness.often of unknown origin  ..Here is a link with some answers   www.answers.com>Library>Health    put in Hypotonia   also www.dcurbanmom.com>Forum Index>Special Needs Kids