Anatomical and physiological features of the musculoskeletal system in children. Clinical significance

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Muscular system in the process of ontogenesis undergoes significant structural and functional changes. Formation of muscle cells and muscle development as structural units of the muscular system occurs heterochronically, i.e. are first formed those skeletal ones muscles thatnecessary for the normal functioning of the child’s body at this age stage. The process of “rough” muscle formation ends by 7-8 weeks of prenatal development. After birth, the process of formation of the muscular system continues. In particular, intensive growth of muscle fibers is observed up to 7 years and during puberty. By the age of 14-16 years, the microstructure of skeletal muscle tissue is almost completely mature, but the thickening of the muscle fibers (improvement of their contractile apparatus) can last up to 30-35 years.

The development of the muscles of the upper extremities is ahead of the development of the muscles of the lower extremities. In a one-year-old child, the muscles of the shoulder girdle and arms are much better developed than the muscles of the pelvis and legs. Larger musclesare always formed before small ones. For example, the muscles of the forearm are formed before the small muscles of the hand. The muscles of the arms develop especially intensively at 6-7 years of age. The total muscle mass increases very quickly during puberty: for boys - at 13-14 years old, and for girls - at 11-12 years old. Below are data characterizing the mass skeletal muscles in the process of postnatal ontogenesis.

Significantly The functional properties of muscles also change during ontogenesis. Increases excitability and lability muscle tissue. Changes muscle tone. The newborn has increased muscle tone, and the flexor muscles of the limbs predominate over the extensor muscles. As a result, the arms and legs of infants are often in a bent state. They have a poorly expressed ability of muscles to relax (some stiffness in the movements of children is associated with this), which improves with age. Only after 13 - 15 years of age do movements become more flexible. It was at this age The formation of all sections of the motor analyzer ends.

In the process of development of the musculoskeletal system, the motor qualities of muscles change: speed, strength, agility and endurance. Their development occurs unevenly. First of all, speed and agility are developed.

Speed (speed) of movements characterized by the number of movements that a child is able to produce per unit of time. It is determined by three indicators:

1) the speed of a single movement,

2) time of motor reaction and

3) frequency of movements.

Single movement speed increases significantly in children from 4-5 years of age and reaches adult levels by 13-15 years. By the same age, the adult level also reaches simple motor reaction time, which is determined by the speed of physiological processes in the neuromuscular system. Maximum voluntary frequency of movements increases from 7 to 13 years, and in boys at 7-10 years it is higher than in girls, and from 13-14 years the frequency of movements in girls exceeds this figure in boys. Finally, the maximum frequency of movements in a given rhythm also increases sharply at 7–9 years of age. In general, the speed of movement develops to its maximum by the age of 16-17 years.

Until the age of 13-14 years, most development is completed dexterity, which is associated with the ability of children and adolescents to carry out precise, coordinated movements. Therefore, dexterity is related to:

1) with spatial accuracy of movements,

2) with temporal accuracy of movements,

3) with the speed of solving complex motor problems.

The preschool and primary school periods are the most important for the development of dexterity. The greatest increase in movement accuracy observed from 4 - 5 to 7 - 8 years. It's interesting what sports training does beneficial influence on the development of dexterity and in 15-16 year old athletes the accuracy of movements is two times higher than in untrained adolescents of the same age. Thus, until the age of 6 - 7 years, children are not able to make subtle, precise movements to the maximum extent possible. short time. Then spatial precision of movements gradually develops, A behind it is a temporary one. Finally, Lastly, the ability to quickly solve the engine is improvednew tasks V different situations. Agility continues to improve until age 17-18.

Largest strength gain observed in middle and older school age, strength increases especially intensively from 10-12 years to 16-17 years. In girls, the increase in strength is activated somewhat earlier, from 10 to 12 years, and in boys, from 13 to 14 years. However, boys are superior to girls in this indicator in all age groups.

Endurance develops later than other motor qualities. characterized by the time during which it persists sufficient level performance of the body. There are age, genderhigh And individual differences in endurance. The endurance of preschool children is low, especially for static work. An intensive increase in endurance for dynamic work is observed from 11 to 12 years old. So, if we take the volume of dynamic work of 7-year-old children as 100%, then for 10-year-olds it will be 150%, and for 14-15-year-olds it will be more than 400%. Also, from the age of 11-12 years, children’s endurance to static loads increases intensively. In general, by the age of 17-19, endurance is about 85% of the adult level. It reaches its maximum level by 25 - 30 years.

Development of movements and mechanisms of their coordination It is most intense in the first years of life and adolescence. In a newborn, the coordination of movements is very imperfect, and the movements themselves have only a conditional-reflex basis. Of particular interest is the swimming reflex, the maximum manifestation of which is observed approximately 40 days after birth. At this age, the child is able to make swimming movements in the water and stay on it until 1 5 minutes. Naturally, the child's head must be supported, since his own neck muscles are still very weak. Subsequently, the swimming reflex and others unconditioned reflexes gradually fade away, and are replaced by motor skills. All basic natural movements characteristic of a person (walking, climbing, running, jumping, etc.) and their coordination are formed in a child mainly before 3 - 5 years. At the same time great value They have the first weeks of life for normal development of movements. Naturally, in preschool age coordination mechanisms are still very imperfect. Despite this, children are able to master relatively complex movements. In particular, it is V At this age they learn tool movements, i.e. motor skills and skills to use tools (hammer, wrench, scissors). From 6 to 7 years old, children master writing and other movements that require fine coordination. By the beginning of adolescence, the formation of coordination mechanisms is generally completed, and all types of movements become available to adolescents. Of course, improving movements and their coordination with systematic exercises is also possible in mature age(for example, athletes, musicians, etc.).

Improving movements is always closely related to the development of the child’s nervous system. In adolescence, coordination of movements is very often somewhat disrupted due to hormonal changes. Usually by 15 - ] 6 years this temporary deterioration disappears without a trace. The general formation of coordination mechanisms ends at the end of adolescence, and by the age of 18–25 they fully reach the level of an adult. The age of 18-30 is considered “golden” in the development of human motor skills. This is the age at which his motor abilities flourish.

Any doctor will tell you that a baby’s body is significantly different from an adult’s: it has its own unique diseases, and its own operating principles - physiological characteristics. Knowing these features is very important for parents, because many nuances of caring for the baby depend on them. We will talk about the special “device” of a newborn in this section.

Movement, being one of the functions of the human body, from the very beginning of its formation becomes the basis of active life. From the first weeks of intrauterine development and throughout life, the human body is in motion. Even during sleep, short-term contractions of skeletal muscles and permanent job involuntary muscles internal organs. Contractions of skeletal muscles, which are directly involved in organizing the motor activity of the body, in addition to this function, take part in heat exchange processes, protect internal organs from external damage, and develop the nervous system. Therefore, human health from the first days of life depends on the state of the muscles.

Skills given at birth

At the time of birth, the newborn's muscle mass is about 23% of the total body weight. This is two times less than in adults. The muscles of the upper extremities are better developed than the muscles of the lower extremities, which increase their mass by more than 16% in relation to the total body weight by adolescence. Before this, the muscles that support the act of sucking mature. - muscles of the tongue and lips, and the act of breathing - intercostal muscles, back muscles and diaphragm. The muscles of the upper extremities mature a little more slowly, and the muscles of the legs are the last to complete development. This explains the sequence of formation of motor skills. By the time of birth, the baby can suck effectively and for a long time - this is necessary to maintain his life. The ability of a newborn baby to suck suffers only in diseases accompanied by a pronounced impairment general condition. The same can be said about the respiratory muscles: their effective and complete contractions are necessary for the normal functioning of the respiratory system. Impairment of the function of these muscles occurs only in the most severe cases of pathology in the early neonatal period.

Heads up!

Sufficiently good development of the back muscles ensures that one of the child’s first motor skills is the ability to hold his head in an upright position. This happens between 1.5 and 3 months of age. Until the moment when the child begins to confidently hold his head, it is necessary to protect his neck in every possible way from possible damage, carefully holding the baby’s head during any manipulations. The cervical spine should not be allowed to bend or straighten when washing and swaddling; any movements of the baby in space should be carried out very carefully. It must be remembered that the baby’s neck is very vulnerable, that the canals of the spinal column contain blood vessels that supply the brain, and severe flexion or extension of the neck can cause spasm of these vessels, which, in turn, will cause a disruption in the nutrition of the brain.

Freedom of movement

By the end of the second month of his life, the child begins to make more or less purposeful movements with his hands: he tries to reach a toy that interests him, he can hold an object placed in his hand. A little later (at 3-4 months), he takes the toy in his hand on his own, while lying on his back, he leans on his forearms, and then on his outstretched arms. At 5 months, a well-developing baby can freely reach with his hand the object he needs from any position and can play with toys for a long time, transferring them from one hand to another.

The ability to roll over from back to stomach (from 4 months) and back (from 5-6 months) is ensured by the coordinated actions of the muscles of the back, abdominals, upper and lower extremities, so this rather complex motor skill can be considered one of the first victories little man. From this moment on, you need to be extremely careful and not leave the child out of the crib unattended for even a minute. It's amazing how quickly your baby can end up on the edge of a changing table or sofa!

Learning to sit

At 4 months, the child’s development reaches the stage when the lying position ceases to satisfy him - the baby needs to see as much as possible around him. This leads to a contradiction: the child has an urgent need to sit, desperately strives to take this position, but neither his spine nor his muscles are yet ready for this. Parents should understand this and encourage the child’s curiosity in every possible way, without, however, sitting him down until he can sit down on his own. Until this age, you cannot use strollers, kangaroo backpacks, in which the child is forced to constantly sit, and it is undesirable to leave the baby in the so-called “jumpers” for a long time (longer than 3-5 minutes).

Before the baby begins to walk, you should put him in a walker, and after he begins to walk, you should not leave the child in it for a long time. You should not sit the baby down or try to lead him by the arms until the child himself begins to make such attempts. Prolonged stress on the spine when the back muscles are not yet strong can cause curvature of the spine and disruption of brain nutrition due to vascular spasm.

After 6-6.5 months, when the formation of the thoracic curve of the spine is completed and the back and abdominal muscles mature sufficiently, a joyful event occurs: The baby sits up on his own for the first time. Most children sit up from a prone position by turning onto their side. Now you can let your baby sit for as long as he wants. You can walk with him in a summer stroller, feed him in a high chair and enjoy this wonderful opportunity with him - to play while sitting.

We're crawling

But this achievement cannot satisfy the little researcher for long. By 7 months, he understands that in order to reach some distant object, he needs to learn to move in space. This can be achieved with the help of a complex act - crawling.

At first, babies try to crawl on their stomachs “on their bellies,” but after a couple of weeks of such exercises, their arms and legs become so strong that the child can get on all fours and crawl quite boldly. Now he can crawl to some support in order to grab onto it and stand up. By this point (at 8-9 months), thanks to tireless training and growing muscle mass The leg muscles have become sufficiently strong and the lumbar curve of the spine has completed its formation. By standing at a support and moving along it, the child learns to maintain balance.

At this time, many parents are interested in whether it is possible to use devices that help the child walk (walkers). This question cannot be answered unambiguously. On the one hand, these devices expand the child’s range of activities and make his games more meaningful. Of course, it is interesting for the baby to move around the room independently. But, on the other hand, a child’s prolonged stay in a walker inhibits the development of independent walking skills: the child gets used to mechanical support, and his vestibular apparatus is not trained. In addition, often, after moving for a long time in a walker, the baby gets used to placing his legs incorrectly. The position of the child in this device encourages support on the fingers. Therefore, the child’s time in a walker should be limited to 30 minutes a day (2-3 times 10 minutes each). The rest of the time, it is necessary to encourage in every possible way his exercises aimed at improving balance and walking.

First steps

And now, finally, he can give up the support in order to take his first independent step. Normally, this monumental event occurs between 10 and 13 months of a child’s life. Now his possibilities are truly limitless: he can completely independently explore the world, that is, do what is most interesting to him.

By the year the formation begins fine motor skills. This is a very complex process that directly depends on the state of the child’s nervous system. Parents, starting from 8-9 months, should offer their child games aimed at stimulating the development of fine motor skills. These can be games with lacing, balls, objects of various shapes and textures. There are a wide variety of toys specifically designed to develop this function of the nervous system. But a child may also be interested in a toy sewn by his mother from scraps of fabric that differ in texture and filled with peas or beans. In addition, in the cerebral cortex, the centers responsible for fine motor skills are located next to the speech centers, which makes the development of these two essential functions closely interconnected. So, in case of violation speech development exercises aimed at stimulating fine motor skills help improve the development of speech function.

This example clearly demonstrates how closely the development of the nervous and muscular systems is intertwined. With disorders of the nervous system, motor function always suffers to a greater or lesser extent. Conversely, when a child is inactive, associated with obesity or limited opportunities for active movement due to excessive parental care, the cognitive function of the nervous system cannot but suffer, muscle nutrition deteriorates and, as a result, their performance decreases.

What can be done to ensure optimal conditions for the development of newborn motor skills? Every mother can master the skills of restorative and hygienic massage. Its sessions should be carried out daily starting from the 1st month of the child’s life. Massage techniques and gymnastics complexes for babies change as the baby grows. It will have enormous benefits for the development of both the nervous and muscular systems. early learning child swimming and regular visits to the infant swimming pool.

Everything that arouses the baby’s interest has a stimulating effect on the development of a child’s motor skills in the first months of life: bright toys that make a variety of sounds, active games with adults, an active life position of parents, a proper daily routine and good nutrition. It is very important to organize the child’s living space in such a way that he has the opportunity to constantly move without putting himself in danger.

Exercises to stretch and maintain muscle tone are important not only for adults, but also for children.

Doctors assure that regular strength training sessions, adapted to the child’s capabilities, increase his self-esteem, have a good effect on discipline and the development of intellectual abilities.

Schoolchildren who play sports adapt more easily to society. And this is just a list indirect impacts on socialization and mental health. Properly planned loads also improve and physical condition child.

Muscle exercises for children: who needs them?

Stretching muscles and improving their tone increases the child’s overall endurance. It becomes easier for him to maintain general activity, go for walks and hikes, and study at school. This type of exercise is suitable for all children who have no medical restrictions for it.

Of course, this kind of exercise should not become the intense training that is prescribed for professional athletes. Classes should be planned taking into account the recommendations of physical education teachers or experienced trainers.

Children need muscle exercises in several cases:

In the presence of general muscle weakness;

With unstable muscle and tendon tone;

If there is a problem with coordination against the background of increased activity;

Just to increase the overall tone of the body and improve endurance.

Caution: Make sure your child is physically able to handle the training program. If under medical supervision, consult your doctor before starting an exercise regimen.

In fact, every child would benefit from such a complex. It is not necessary to make an athlete out of your child, but to increase his endurance when performing school assignments and home tasks makes sense.

Muscle exercises for children: what is important to do before starting training

Fitness for children differs from the training system for adults. It's important to consider a few things before you and your child hit the gym.

1. Motivate your child. Children have difficulty with routine, but love to play. Use it. For example, there are sets of exercises for developing coordination that can be imagined as if they were the tricks of a magician in a circus. Every child dreams of temporarily turning into a circus fakir or clown. Try playing this with him during training.

2. Use competitions. It's easier to do this in a group of children. It is only important to ensure that each of them is a winner. If you're working with a group of kids or coaching a few of your own, observe who does what better. And hold competitions so that each of them wins from time to time. This motivates well, sets goals for improving skills, increases the child’s self-esteem, and helps him look at his achievements from the outside. At individual lessons you can keep a table of achievements and surpass yourself, achieving better and better results.

3. Quality over quantity. Muscle exercises should be given to children so that they can perform them. Let better baby will do one push-up, but better than three times, but with support. There is no point in repeating exercises many times if they turn out poorly. The increase in load should be gradual and take into account the child’s capabilities.

Muscle exercises for children: a list of exciting options

Motivation to play sports in children is the most important component of success. You shouldn’t agree with your child’s reluctance to do muscle exercises, but you also shouldn’t push. Having worked through the motivation system, it is important to select a list of specific options that will suit the child’s age and the state of his muscular system. You will have to be creative so that your child does not lose interest in the activities before any results are achieved.

You can list several interesting exercise options; they are appropriate to carry out both at home and on the street.

Nimble monkey. This type of exercise is suitable for walking on the playground, or at home if you have a special wall. You will need a horizontal grid, the distance from which to the ground or floor more growth child. The child must walk across the entire grid in his arms, swinging to catch himself from one beam to another. This type of exercise develops coordination, improves muscle strength in the upper body, and increases endurance. The ultimate goal may be to move the entire length of the grid without stopping. The child can imagine himself as a monkey moving forward, grabbing tree branches. At the beginning of training, you need to stand next to the baby so that you can catch him if he starts to fall.

Wheelbarrow. This exercise can be done by two people and will require the support of a friend or parent. Good option for group classes. The exercise is performed like this: the child rests his hands on the floor, another child or parent takes him by the legs from behind, and he begins to walk with his hands along the floor. It turns out something similar to a wheelbarrow that builders use to move cement and bricks. The child's body should be smooth, without bending. If two children do the exercise, they can change places. IN large group schoolchildren or kids kindergarten You can add an element of fun if you organize car races: check which pairs can cover the required distance faster. The exercise develops the pectoral muscles and triceps.

Caterpillar. Another way to strengthen muscles, based on simulating animal activity. This type of exercise strengthens the muscles of the chest, arms, shoulders, hips and abs. The exercise is performed like this: the child spreads his legs shoulder-width apart, bends over and rests his palms on the floor in front of him. The result will be an inverted letter V. He should walk forward with his hands, leaving his feet at the same point, this is done until the distance between the stomach and the floor is about 8-10 cm. After this, the child leaves his hands at one point and moves his legs. This way you can move a certain distance, which involves performing the exercise several times.

Tightrope walker. Muscle exercise for children that develops the lower body. The rope must be laid on the grass near the house or on the floor. The rope should not move, but lie on the floor, there is no need to pull it even at a low height. The development of coordination of the movements of the legs and torso is carried out gradually. First of all, the child must simply learn to walk exactly on the rope. If he is not motivated enough, play as a circus tightrope walker who supposedly walks along a tightrope at some height. Or let him imagine that he is crossing a puddle or a river. Then the tasks can be made more difficult. Place an empty one plastic bottle in the middle, the child must pick it up and carry it to the end. Then there may be several such things that he must collect along the way, bending down to pick them up. The exercise must be repeated until the child learns to easily walk in a straight line, without staggering, falling, or retreating from it. Depending on the age of the child, this may take from several days to several weeks.

Muscle exercises for children: general principles training

Perhaps the listed exercises are too complex, boring, or, conversely, too simple for your child. It is important to understand the general principles of training, which are aimed at strengthening muscles and tendons and increasing endurance.

Many outdoor and playground activities promote muscle development. Whether it's climbing slides and children's structures or walking in the mountains with your child. For a visible effect, classes must be conducted at least three times a week. Their duration should be selected individually.

There is a general list of activities that develop muscles and improve endurance.

Climbing rocks, trees, ropes.

Boating with a child sitting on the oars.

Pull-ups, push-ups, squats.

Gymnastics.

Tug of war (in team work).

Exercises with dumbbells or expander.

Even if the child does many of these things in everyday activities or on a walk, it is worth encouraging more active use individual practices. To do this, you can enter an invoice or time tracking. How many times does he do push-ups or squats? How many times can a dumbbell lift? Keeping a diary and noting achievements can be an added incentive. It would be even better if such a record of progress in training would be posted on the wall on some beautiful form, where all the results for the day would be entered into the training calendar. This option can be found in a bookstore or printed on a printer.

Muscle exercises for children: exercise while playing

It happens that parents do not want to independently invent and develop muscle training systems for children. Either because there is no time to study everything in detail and take into account the nuances. Either because of distrust of myself as an amateur in the field of sports. In such a situation, you can choose some type of sections or circles where endurance, muscle strength, and coordination will develop.

Several similar options for activities can be listed.

. Yoga. Children's yoga has become popular. It is suitable for children who are not interested in active sports, who have certain restrictions on athletics or participation in sports sections.

. Martial arts. This is one of the best ways take a comprehensive approach to the development of muscles in a child. Professional trainers know how to properly plan loads and what set of exercises to choose for each child. The result will be not only the overall improvement of health and the development of physical culture, but also the ability to protect oneself if necessary in the future.

. Dance groups. This version of circles may be interesting for girls. In addition to developing general endurance and muscles, dance classes also improve grace and develop coordination of movements. They teach a variety of movement patterns - from sharp and jerky to smooth, feminine. Boys can also benefit from this type of activity. Indeed, in addition to other advantages, dancing allows you to develop a craving for art and improves the child’s aesthetic perception.

. Gymnastics. This type of section is usually chosen by children who dream of connecting their lives with sports. But even in the absence of such ambitions, gymnastics sections can be useful for a student.

It is recommended to select a section taking into account the interests of the child. And if the motivation for classes weakens, you need to convince him in dialogue with him not to quit them. All these types of activities require a long time to polish skills. Sometimes the child will do worse, sometimes better. By helping him through periods of failure, you encourage him to move on, to explore new depths of mastery.

Children can do any type of muscle exercise both outdoors and at home. Group or individual formats, homeschooling or working under the supervision of professional trainers, all these options should be considered on an individual basis. Teach children to develop their physical strength and endurance. And it will be much easier for them to adapt to adult life!

From birth, your child begins to struggle for existence. On the path of evolution, the strongest wins. Nature helps in the development of your baby from a tiny creature into a full-fledged and strong member of human society in all respects. It may seem to you that your baby is wasting a lot of time - just lying there and doing nothing. But in reality this is not so - at this time the body grows and develops at a fast pace. And when the baby moves his arms and kicks his legs, he trains and develops his body. His muscles and bones get used to receiving stress and the child develops and becomes stronger. Muscle strength will help him hold his head, sit and hold his back, crawl, and hold heavier objects with his hands. And the vertebral muscles and legs that have grown and trained with such movements and movements will later help him take his first steps. Caring parents are interested in harmoniously and gradually making their child stronger, helping him in this with the help of a useful set of exercises recommended by pediatricians, described below. Become a personal trainer for your baby - help him become strong from the first months of life. These 4 simple exercises will help your baby become big and strong.

1. Tummy time

Usually the child spends most of the day on his back. And his muscles in this position are loaded and trained mediocrely. But when the baby is turned onto his tummy, muscle groups that have not previously received any load are immediately put into work, and the tone and load for the body muscles - the back, abdomen, neck and shoulders - increases many times over. Already in the first days after birth, you can use such exercises as approved by the Association of American Pediatricians. Start with several times for 3-5 minutes. The exercises are best done in game form, place the baby on his tummy on a blanket or mat. Lie down next to him and practice in an atmosphere of cheerful communication. Make a face, show the baby a toy, attract attention in another way so that the child moves and works different muscles. And the training he needs to develop strength will become a joyful game and entertainment for him.

By distracting the baby here and there, you force him to make more movements, therefore straining different muscle groups.

At first, during such classes, the child may perceive the exercises without enthusiasm. But after several sessions, the environment of training with dad or mom will become joyful and familiar for him, and strengthened muscles will allow him to enjoy both exercise and movement. After some time, the baby will be able to spend more and more time on his tummy (up to 20 minutes a day). Over time, he will begin to grab objects and become strong enough to crawl. Experts recommend not stopping such exercises, even after the baby begins to roll over from back to tummy on his own.

2. Pull-ups

Another important and useful exercise for muscle development in children, this is pulling up to a sitting position. This exercise helps strengthen the muscles of the shoulders, abdomen, arms and back. Even if you do all the work for the baby, pulling him up, the baby's abdominal muscles contract. And attempts to straighten the head help the baby gain a sense of balance.

Note to moms!

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To perform this exercise correctly, you need to place the child on his back and securely grab him by the arms, carefully and smoothly lift him up. This exercise should be carried out no earlier than one and a half months after the birth of the baby. If the baby still has trouble holding his head, instead of pulling him by the arms, support him by placing one hand behind his back and the other under the back of his head.

You need to start the exercise by lifting the baby a few centimeters from the surface. The exercise will be more fun if your face is close enough to the baby's face, or it will be more fun for the baby if you kiss the baby every time he gets up.

3. Exercise “Bicycle”

You've probably already heard about one of the methods to relieve the suffering of newborns during colic - pulling the legs towards the tummy. This exercise has other bonuses - strengthening the muscles of the legs, knees, hip joints and abdominal muscles, increases flexibility.

Place your baby on his back and make circular movements with his legs, imitating riding a bicycle. Make jokes, smile, voice everything in a fun and joyful way of communication - the child should enjoy the activities. Repeat the movement 3-5 times - pause. Continue training until it is interesting and joyful for the child.

4. Weight lifting exercises

The baby by nature must have developed grasping movements. Grabbing objects is great way develop grasping skills, coordination of movements, and also helps to develop muscles in the shoulder, arms, and hands. After the baby begins to independently grab objects with his hands, select for him and use during such training objects that are safe for him and moderately heavy as weights. Motivate your baby to pick up objects, lift them and put them down.

Muscular hypotonia in children- this is a decrease muscle tone, the condition develops primarily in children. Weakened muscle fibers contract very slowly in response to nerve stimulation and cannot produce the same degree of muscle response as normal muscle tissue. Muscle hypotension in children is a symptom that can be caused by many diseases of various etiologies.

Hypotonia in children, also called muscle weakness syndrome, is one of the causes of muscle tissue dystrophy. Low tone muscles may be caused for various reasons. Often this condition indicates the presence of disturbances in the central nervous system, genetic disorders or muscle malformations. Muscle tone is the tension or degree of resistance to movement in the muscles. Hypotonia is not the same as muscle weakness, which manifests itself as decreased muscle strength, but it can be accompanied by this symptom. Under normal conditions, muscle tone determines the ability of muscles to respond to stretching of fascia and muscle fibers. For example, the bent arms of a child with normal level the tones are quickly straightened, the flexor muscles of the shoulder (biceps) quickly straighten in response to this action. Once the action is completed, the extensor muscles relax and return to their normal resting state.

In a child with low muscle fiber tone, the muscles are in no hurry to begin contracting. They give a delayed response to nerve stimulus and cannot hold a limb in a certain position for a long time.

Main signs of hypotension in children

The hypotonic state of infants affects their appearance. The main signs of hypotension in children are visible to the naked eye. They rest slightly apart different sides elbows and knees, while children with normal muscle tone, as a rule, use bent elbows and knees with sufficient amplitude at right angles as support. Such a child cannot hold his head for a long time due to weakness of the occipital muscles. The head is constantly tilted forward, backward or to the sides.

Normally toned infants can be lifted up by placing their hands under their arms, but hypotonous infants tend to slip between their arms. At the same time, their arms involuntarily rise upward, parallel to the plane of the body.

Most children younger age during sleep and rest, bend the arms and legs at the knees and elbows. Children with symptoms of hypotension hang them limply while relaxing.

How does muscle hypotonia manifest in children?

Infants suffering from hypotension have a delay in physical motor activity. Muscle hypotonia in children can manifest itself in the form of the following signs:

they cannot roll over from their tummy to their back on their own;
cannot learn to crawl;
have difficulty holding the head;
do not have the ability to hold a toy in their hands;
do not maintain balance in a sitting position;
have difficulty supporting their body weight on their feet.

As a result of muscle hypotonia, children quickly develop muscle weakness, which negatively affects the baby’s posture and mobility. The level of reflexes decreases, weakness of the ligamentous apparatus occurs, and permanent dislocations of large and small joints can be provoked. The most common ones are the jaw bones, hips, knees, and ankle joints. In severe cases, problems with the swallowing and chewing muscles may occur. Such children cannot suck, chew and swallow food independently. They must be fed using a special tube or parenterally.

Long-term inability to produce speech in patients with hypotension is not associated with intellectual impairment and mental abilities. This condition is directly related to poor development of the muscles of the chest, glottis and disturbances in breathing processes.

When does hypotension develop in children?

The distribution of this condition is not related to the gender of the baby and his place of permanent residence. A weak connection can be traced between the development of hypotension and the behavior of the child’s mother during her pregnancy. At the same time, according to practical observations of control groups of sick children, it can be argued that the age at which symptoms of hypotension first appeared matters. Most dangerous age a child is the period from 3 to 7 years. It is at this time that there is a risk of the baby developing limited physical abilities due to the development of muscle hypotension.

In infancy, the condition is more successfully corrected through the use of modern medical supplies rehabilitation. At the age of over 7 years, hypotension is an extremely rare condition and is directly related to the influence of the underlying disease. In this case, successful therapy of the underlying disease leads to the complete disappearance of symptoms of hypotension in children.

Causes of hypotension in children

Doctors do not know the reliable reasons for the development of hypotension. Scientists believe it may be caused by injury, environmental stressors, or other genetic changes in muscle and central nervous system disorders.

The causes of hypotension in children may be as follows:

Down syndrome, in which the DNA chromosomes take on a changed appearance, usually due to extra copies of the twenty-first chromosome.
Myasthenia: Neuromuscular disorders in this disease are characterized by variable muscle weakness, which often improves with adequate rest and increases with physical activity. The condition may be caused by immune disorders.
Prader-Willi syndrome- a congenital gene defect characterized by the absence of approximately 7 genes on chromosome 15 of the DNA helix. Accompanied by obesity, severe hypotension, and decreased mental abilities.
Severe forms of reactive jaundice as a result of a conflict between the Rh factor of mother and child.
Cerebellar ataxia with movement disorders characterized by a sudden onset, often a complication after infectious diseases viral diseases. May cause hypotension in severe cases.
Botulism, in which Clostridium can multiply within the child's gastrointestinal tract. During their life, they produce a toxin that paralyzes muscle fibers and is potentially life-threatening.
Marfan syndrome- hereditary cell disease connective tissue with the destruction of collagen fibers that form muscle ligaments and supporting apparatus. This has negative impact on the musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular system, eye and skin condition.
Muscular dystrophy is a group of disorders that is characterized by progressive muscle weakness and loss of muscle fiber volume.
Achondroplasia is a disorder of the physiological growth of the child’s skeletal bones, which causes the most common type of dwarfism. Accompanied by moderate hypotension.
Sepsis and other serious, life-threatening diseases of the child that cause massive blood poisoning with toxins and live forms of bacteria.
Congenital hypothyroidism causes hypotension as a result of decreased levels of thyroid hormone production.
Hypervitaminosis D- a condition that appears fully several months after taking excessive doses of vitamin D to prevent rickets.
provokes softening and destruction of bone tissue in children. Caused by a deficiency of calcium or phosphate. Accompanied by symptoms of hypotension.
Spinal muscular atrophy type 1- a group of hereditary diseases that cause progressive muscle dystrophy and weakness, ultimately leading to the death of the child.
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Common symptoms of hypotension in children

The following are common symptoms of hypotension in children. Each child may experience different manifestations of this condition, depending on the underlying cause of hypotension:

decreased muscle tone - muscles feel soft and loose in structure;
the possibility of spreading the limbs in opposite directions goes beyond the physiological norm;
inability to acquire developmentally appropriate motor skills (such as holding one's head without parental assistance, rolling over independently, sitting without support, crawling, walking);
inability to breastfeed or chew food independently for long periods of time;
shallow breathing without the ability to take more than two deep breaths in a row;
the lower jaw may sag, and the tongue may prolapse.

When to see a doctor

Normally developing children tend to develop motor skills and control their own posture in accordance with medical standards at a given age. Motor skills fall into two categories. Vasomotor skills include the baby's ability to lift his head while lying on his stomach and roll over from his back to his stomach. Typically, at a certain age, a child develops motor skills to such an extent that he can hold his body in a sitting position, crawl, walk, run and jump. Reaction speed includes the ability to quickly see the child transfer a toy from one hand to another. The baby points to an object, follows a toy or a person’s actions with his eyes. Children with hypotonia are slow to develop these skills, and parents should seek medical care see their pediatrician if they notice such developmental delays.

If their child does not have muscle control, especially if such conditions have not previously been observed, contacting a doctor should be done immediately.