Hypotonia means decreased muscle tone. It’s often the symptom of an underlying medical condition. Hypotonia is a condition of abnormally low muscle tone (the amount of tension or resistance to movement in a muscle), often involving reduced muscle strength. Hypotonia is not a specific neurological disorder, but a potential manifestation of many different diseases and disorders that affect motor nerve control by the brain or muscle strength. Since hypotonia is most often diagnosed during infancy, it is also known as "floppy infant syndrome" or "infantile hypotonia".

CLINICAL FEATURE:

FLOPPY BABY SYNDROME - Severe hypotonia in growing children is commonly known as floppy baby syndrome. These children have difficulty in feeding, as their mouth muscles cannot maintain a proper suck-swallow pattern. The kids are unable to maintain flexed ligaments; movement of the head is uncontrollable, etc.

• baby is unable to lift their head or control neck muscles.
• baby feels limp when held.
• baby cannot place weight on their legs.
• baby’s arms and legs hang straight at their sides without a bend at their elbow or knee.
• baby has difficulty swallowing or sucking.
• baby has a weak cry.
• baby shows muscle weakness.

ITIOLOGY:

• Brain damage due to lack of oxygen right before or after birth
• Problems with the way the brain formed in the womb
• Disorders that affect nerves
• Achondroplasia
• Spinal cord injury
• Cerebral palsy
• Severe infections

DIAGNOSIS:

• CT or MRI scan of the brain
• Blood tests
• Electromyography (EMG) to measure how well the nerves and muscles work
• Electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure electrical activity in the brain
• Spinal tap, which can measure the pressure inside the spine
• Muscle biopsy
• Genetic tests

TREATMENTS:

No matter the cause of Hypotonia, the child needs therapy to strengthen their muscles and improve coordination. There are many options, including:

Sensory stimulation programs

Occupational therapy, Physical therapy, Speech-language therapy.

HOMOEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT

KALI PHOS – NUMBNESS OF HANDS AND FEET

Kali Phos is an effective medicine for nerve damage cases with numbness of hands and feet. The numbness can also be present in arms and legs. Sometimes burning sensation may be felt on toes and soles. It is also indicated if the numbness is localised specifically to the fingertips.

HYPERICUM – TINGLING AND BURNING SENSATION IN LIMBS

This medicine is prepared from a plant Hypericum Perforatum also known by the name of St. John’s Wort. This plant belongs to family hypericaceae. It is a very suitable medicine for nerve damage with tingling and burning sensation in limbs.. Hypericum is one of the best medicines for managing cases of nerve damage that arise from injury.

MAGNESIUM PHOS –  NERVE DAMAGE ATTENDED WITH PAIN

This medicine is well indicated for managing pain from nerve damage. In cases requiring it the pain can be sharp, shooting, stitching. Lightning – like or cutting in nature. They tend to come and go and can be unbearable. Sometimes they are wandering in nature that keeps on changing its location from one body part to another.

ARSENIC ALBUM – BURNING PAINS IN LIMBS

It is a very useful medicine for cases in which there are burning pains in the limbs. Weakness and heaviness of the limbs can accompany this. Next it is indicated for managing tingling sensation felt in the fingers. Other than these indications numbness and weakness in the feet is suggestive of its use.

CAUSTICUM –  CASES PRESENTING WITH MUSCLE WEAKNESS

Causticum is a top grade medicine for cases that have muscle weakness. People who need it have muscle weakness in limbs. The limbs also feel heavy to them. They may have dull tearing pain in the arms along with weakness. Numbness in hands can attend above symptoms. Unsteady walking with a tendency to fall easily can be another complaint for them.

PLUMBUM MET –MUSCLE WEAKNESS, PARALYSIS ALONG WITH WASTING OF MUSCLE

Plumbum Met is a well indicated medicine that plays a supportive role to manage cases in which there is severe muscle weakness or paralysis which is accompanied with wasting (atrophy) of muscles. In some cases that require it pain in limbs of tearing or lightening like may be felt. Along with pain, numbness, tingling or twitchings can also be present in the limbs.

AGARICUS AND ZINCUM MET –  MUSCLE TWITCHINGS

Both these are great nerve medicines and remain very effective to manage muscle twitching. In cases needing Agaricus the twitchings are marked in the eyes, eyelids, and facial muscles, cheeks, limbs.

CUPRUM MET – MUSCLE CRAMPS

It is very helpful medicine for managing muscle cramps. For using it the cramps can be present in legs, feet, calf muscles, fingers or toes. The pain in cramps is very intense where it is required. With cramps the limbs may be hot and very sensitive to touch. Other than cramps this medicine also helps cases of tingling sensation in limbs and also muscle twitching.

COLOCYNTH –  PAIN RADIATING FROM LOWER BACK TO BACK OF LEGS (SCIATICA)

Colocynth is prepared from the pulp of the fruit of a plant named Citrullus Colocynthis or Bitter Apple. This plant belongs to the family cucurbitaceae. It is highly effective medicine to manage sciatica pain arising from nerve damage irritation or compression. Persons needing it have pain in the lower back that radiates down the back side leg even to the toes. For using it the pain can be shooting, drawing, tearing or cramping in nature.

GNAPHALIUM –  SCIATICA PAIN AND NUMBNESS

This medicine is prepared from fresh plant Gnaphalium polycephalum also known as old balsam and sweet – scented everlasting Flower. It belongs to the family Compositae. It is a highly beneficial medicine for sciatica pain attended with numbness.

GELSEMIUM –  LOSS OF BALANCE AND COORDINATION WHILE WALKING

This medicine is prepared from the bark of the root of the plant Gelsemium Sempervirens having the common name yellow jasmine. It belongs to the family loganiaceae. It is very significant medicine for managing cases where a person has loss of balance and coordination while walking

MERC SOL –  FREQUENT AND URGENT URINATION FROM OVERACTIVE BLADDER

Merc Sol gives good results in cases of an overactive bladder with frequent and urgent need to urinate. Persons needing it have a frequent urge to urinate day and night. The urge to pass urine is also sudden. urgent and they have to rush and hurry to pass urine. If delayed urine tends to leak involuntarily.