Almost all children are born with overstrained muscles. This condition is called hypertonicity. During three months the muscles should return to normal. For the tone to disappear, you will also need the help of your parents.

In the last stages of pregnancy, the baby is very cramped in the womb, he is constantly in the fetal position, which is why at birth he retains tone, that is, muscle overstrain. Gradually, children get used to the space, their muscles relax and, in the absence of pathologies, the tone in three-month-old children disappears.

It should be noted that the norm is to maintain the tone of the legs and arms for up to six months. At three months, children are already awake quite a lot; at this time, do not swaddle your child so that he can move his limbs freely. This contributes to the natural disappearance of tone. Modern pediatricians generally do not recommend swaddling children, but rather, from the first days of life, give them the opportunity to move their arms and legs at any time.

Muscle hypertonicity in a 3 month old baby

After 3 months in children, physiological hypertonicity should completely disappear. If the muscles of the arms and legs are still tense, then they already speak of pathological hypertonicity.

Its causes may be increased excitability, increased intracranial pressure, perinatal encephalopathy and a number of other pathologies. It is necessary to consult a specialist in time to identify the cause and eliminate it and increased tone.

The negative consequences of hypertonicity on the further development of the child are expressed in the following:

• Posture is not formed correctly, which can cause problems at an older age;
• The appearance of club feet or other gait problems;
• Motor skills are acquired and consolidated more slowly than normal,
• Coordination of movements is impaired,
• Problems with speech development.

Only a pediatric neurologist can prescribe and carry out treatment. To relieve pathological hypertonicity, massage, electrophoresis, exercise therapy, paraffin therapy, swimming, and in the rarest cases medications.
If your baby still has increased tone, then during the third month of life you can do gymnastics, swimming and games at home so that the tone disappears at the right time.

Decreased tone in a newborn at 3 months of life

Reduced hypotonicity in 3-month-old children is quite easy to determine. With this pathology, the baby sleeps a lot and hardly cries. Lies in a relaxed position with legs and arms outstretched. Due to muscle weakness, he may have trouble sucking and swallowing.
A baby with hypotonicity does not cause parents any trouble, but subsequently such muscle tone retards the rate of motor development.

To prevent and treat low muscle tone in a three-month-old child, it is necessary to carry out a stimulating massage. It should include chopping and kneading movements. Parents can do preventive massage on their own. And for massage in medicinal purposes It's better to consult a specialist.

The baby's first movements occur thanks to the muscle-joint sense, with the help of which the child determines its place in space long before birth. In the first year of life, muscle-joint sensation gives the child a powerful stimulus for development. It is thanks to him that the baby learns to make conscious movements (raise his head, reach for a toy, roll over, sit down, stand up, etc.). And the main characteristic of the muscular skeleton of newborns is tone.

The tone varies

First of all, you need to understand what muscle tone is and what is considered normal. Even in sleep, our muscles do not relax completely and remain tense. This minimum tension, which remains in a state of relaxation and rest, is called muscle tone. The younger the child, the higher the tone - this is due to the fact that at first the surrounding space is limited to the uterus, and the child does not need to perform purposeful actions. In the fetal position (with the limbs and chin tightly pressed to the body), the muscles of the fetus are under strong tension, otherwise the child simply would not fit in the uterus. After birth (during the first six to eight months), muscle tone gradually weakens. Ideally, the muscle tone of a two-year-old baby should be approximately the same as that of an adult. But almost everyone modern babies problems with tone are observed. Poor ecology, complications during pregnancy, stress and a number of other unfavorable factors provoke impaired tone in newborns. There are several common muscle tone disorders.

• Increased tone (hypertonicity).

  The child seems tense and tense. Even in sleep, the baby does not relax: his legs are bent at the knees and pulled up to his stomach, his arms are crossed on his chest, and his fists are clenched (often in a “fig” shape). With hypertonicity, a child holds his head well from birth due to the strong tone of the occipital muscles (but this is not good).

• Decreased tone (hypotonicity).

  With decreased tone, the child is usually lethargic, moves his legs and arms little, and cannot hold his head up for a long time. Sometimes the child’s legs and arms extend at the knee and elbow joints by more than 180 degrees. If you place the baby on his stomach, he will not bend his arms under his chest, but spread them to the sides. The child looks limp and spread-eagled.

• Asymmetry of muscle tone.

  With asymmetry, the tone on one half of the body is higher than on the other. In this case, the child’s head and pelvis are turned towards the tense muscles, and the torso bends in an arc. When a child is placed on his stomach, he always falls to one side (where the tone is increased). In addition, asymmetry can be easily detected by the uneven distribution of the gluteal and thigh folds.

• Uneven tone (dystonia).

  Dystonia combines signs of hyper- and hypotonicity. In this case, the child’s muscles are too relaxed and others are too tense.

Diagnosis of muscle tone

Usually, immediately after childbirth, the doctor, based on visual diagnostic tests, identifies disturbances in tone and motor activity. In addition, all infants have so-called “residual” (posotonic) reflexes, which can also be used to determine disturbances in muscle tone. In principle, you yourself can check how your child is doing with his tone. Here are a few basic tests that help determine abnormalities in the development of muscle tone and postural reflexes in a newborn.

• Hip spread.

  Place the child on his back and carefully try to straighten his legs and move them in different directions. But do not use force and make sure that the child does not get hurt. Normally you should feel moderate resistance. If a newborn’s legs are fully extended without resistance and easily spread in different directions, this is evidence of decreased tone. If the resistance is too strong and the child’s legs cross, this is a sign of hypertonicity.

• Sitting down by hands.

  Place the child on his back on a hard, flat surface (for example, on a changing table), take him by the wrists and gently pull him towards you, as if sitting him down. Normally, you should feel moderate resistance to extending your elbows. If the child's arms straighten without resistance, and in a sitting position the stomach is strongly protruded forward, the back is rounded, and the head is tilted back or lowered down - these are signs of decreased tone. If you cannot move your child’s arms away from the chest and straighten them, this, on the contrary, indicates hypertonicity.

• Step reflex and support reflex.

  Take the baby vertically under the arms, place him on the changing table and slightly tilt him forward, forcing him to take a step. Normally, the child should stand on his full foot with his toes straightened. And when bending forward, the child imitates walking and does not cross his legs. This reflex gradually fades and by 1.5 months it practically disappears. If this reflex persists in a child older than 1.5 months, this is evidence of hypertonicity. Also, increased tone is indicated by curled toes, crossing the legs when walking, or relying only on the forefoot. If, instead of standing, the newborn crouches, takes a step on strongly bent legs, or refuses to walk at all, these are signs of decreased tone.

• Symmetrical reflex.

  Place your baby on his back, place your hand under the back of his head and gently tilt the baby's head toward your chest. He should bend his arms and straighten his legs.

• Asymmetrical reflex.

  Place your baby on his back and slowly, without force, turn his head toward your left shoulder. The child will take the so-called fencing pose: extend his arm forward, straighten his left leg and bend his right leg. Then turn the baby's face to right side, and he must repeat this pose only in the opposite direction: he will extend his right arm forward, straighten his right leg and bend his left.

• Tonic reflex.

  Place the baby on his back on a hard surface - in this position, the newborn’s extensor tone increases, he tries to straighten his limbs and seems to open up. Then turn the child over on his stomach and he will “close” and pull his bent arms and legs under him (the tone of the flexors increases on the stomach).
  Normally, symmetrical, asymmetrical and tonic reflexes are moderately expressed and gradually disappear by 2-2.5 months. If a newborn does not have these reflexes or is too weakly expressed, this indicates decreased tone, and if by three months these reflexes persist, this is a sign of hypertonicity.

• Reflexes of Moro and Babinski.

  Watch your child carefully. When overexcited, he should throw his arms to the sides (Moro reflex), and when the soles are irritated (tickling), the child reflexively begins to straighten his toes. Normally, the Moro and Babinski reflexes should disappear by the end of the 4th month.

If muscle tone and associated reflexes do not undergo changes appropriate to the baby’s age, this is a very dangerous signal. You shouldn’t rely on the proverbial “maybe” and expect that problems with muscle tone will go away on their own. Violation of tone and development of reflexes often leads to delayed motor development. And with a strong deviation from the norm, we are talking about the possible formation of diseases of the nervous system, ranging from seizures to cerebral palsy. Fortunately, if a doctor diagnoses a tone disorder at birth (or in the first three months), the threat of developing serious diseases can be prevented with the help of massage, because in the first year of life the nervous system has enormous regenerative potential.

Healing massage

It is best to start massage when the baby is two months old. But first, it is necessary to show the child to three specialists: a pediatrician, an orthopedist and a neurologist, who make a diagnosis and give recommendations. If a child requires drug treatment, it is usually “adjusted” to massage. A correctly and timely course of massage helps to correct many orthopedic disorders (incorrectly turned feet, etc.), normalize muscle tone and eliminate “residual” reflexes. In case of serious deviations from the norm, the massage should be performed by a professional. But you can slightly adjust the tone at home.

It is better to massage during the day, at least an hour after feeding. You should first ventilate the room and make sure that the temperature is not lower than 22 degrees; the child should not be hot or cold. Hands should be washed with warm water and wiped dry (so that they are warm). You should not cover your child’s entire body with massage oil or cream; just apply a large number of cream on your hands. For massage, you can use special oil or regular oil. baby cream. When giving a massage, talk gently to your child and watch his reaction. When the first signs of fatigue appear (crying, whining, dissatisfied grimaces), you should stop exercising.

During massage, all movements are made from the periphery to the center, starting from the limbs: from the hand to the shoulder, from the foot to the groin. In the first lessons, each exercise is repeated only once. At first, the entire massage complex will take no more than 5 minutes. Gradually increase the number of repetitions and time to 15-20 minutes.

To eliminate hypertonicity and residual reflexes, manifested in the child’s excessive activity, the so-called gentle massage- it relaxes and calms. Start the massage by stroking your arms, legs, back with the back and palm surfaces of several closed fingers. You can alternate between flat (using the surface of your fingers) and grasping (with your whole hand) stroking. After stroking, the skin is rubbed in a circular motion. Place your baby on your stomach and place your palm along your baby's back. Without taking your hands off your baby's back, gently move his skin up, down, right and left in line movements, as if you were sifting sand through a sieve with your hand. Then place the child on his back, take his hand and shake it lightly, holding the child by the forearm. In this way, massage both arms and legs several times. Now you can move on to rocking. Grasp the baby's arm muscles (just above the wrist) and gently but quickly rock and shake his arms from side to side. Your movements should be fast and rhythmic, but not abrupt. Do the same with the legs, grabbing the child by the calf muscles. You need to finish the massage in the same way as you started - with smooth stroking.

With decreased tone, on the contrary, it is carried out stimulating massage, which activates the child. Stimulating massage includes a large number of “chopping” movements. After traditional stroking with the edge of your palm, lightly walk along the baby's legs, arms and back. Then place your baby on his stomach and roll your knuckles over his back, bottom, legs and arms. Then turn your baby onto his back and roll your knuckles over his stomach, arms and legs.

In addition to massage, it helps to normalize muscle tone physiotherapy , for example, exercises on a large inflatable ball. Place the child with his stomach on the ball, legs should be bent (like a frog) and pressed against the surface of the ball. Let dad, for example, hold the baby’s legs in this position, and you take the baby by the arms and pull him towards you. Then return the baby to the starting position. Now grab your baby's shins and pull them toward you until your baby's face is at the top of the ball or his feet touch the floor. Smoothly return the baby to its original position. Then tilt the child forward (away from you) so that his palms reach the floor (just make sure that the baby does not hit his forehead on the floor). Repeat this exercise several times forward and backward.

If you have asymmetrical tone, you should do a relaxing massage with force on the side in which the tone is lower. In addition, the following exercise on an inflatable ball has a good effect: place the child on the inflatable ball with the side in which it bends. Smoothly swing the ball along the axis of the child's body. Repeat this exercise 10-15 times daily.

Even if a child’s muscle tone is normal, this is not a reason to refuse preventive massage. Preventive massage includes both relaxing and activating movements. Massage techniques such as stroking (they begin and end the massage), rubbing, and kneading with stronger pressure are used. Use circular movements (clockwise) to massage your stomach to prevent constipation. Use your thumb to stroke your baby's soles and lightly pat them. Then, with your entire palm, preferably both hands, stroke the baby’s chest from the middle to the sides, and then along the intercostal spaces. From three months onwards, it is useful to combine massage with gymnastics. The main goal of preventive massage is to prepare the child for walking. From two months to a year healthy child must undergo at least 4 massage courses (15-20 sessions each). When the child begins to walk, the intensity of the massage is reduced to twice a year. It is advisable to take massage courses in spring and autumn to improve the condition, which is usually weakened at this time of year.

Natalya Aleshina
Consultant: pediatric neurologist Inna Viktorovna Knyazeva.

I have a question, my baby is 3.5 months old and he throws his head back a lot when he lies on his back, what could this be?

Thank you, the article is good, I agree with Lesya’s statement. Before visiting a neurologist, bring your baby back to normal. We were fast asleep - we undressed the sleeping woman, the doctor examined her - the baby was soft, like a kitten, weak reflexes, arms outstretched, sleeping... as a result - the diagnosis "Diffusion hypotonicity" Although I will not deny, the tone is still lowered, but since the doctor was scared, It’s better not to see anyone, then I got scared, and the baby didn’t eat well. At the second appointment, everything settled down - there is hypotonicity, but not strong. We do a massage (250 per session, x 20 times, the child has no price), eat Caventon (Vimpocetine) to improve cerebral circulation. Everything is recoverable, mothers, don’t worry.

02/09/2005 17:37:17, YuriK

This article helped us a lot. When my child, at 2 months old, went to the prof. for the first time. examination by a neurologist, by this time I was already pretty exhausted from previous examinations by a pediatrician and surgeon, and it was still time for feeding. Therefore, it is not surprising that when we entered the doctor’s office with him, he was a compressed bundle of nerves. No doctor, much less a neurologist, can properly examine such a child, who is fed up with everything and is screaming displeasedly. As a result, the child, with this condition, was diagnosed with hyperesthesia of the skin, hypertonicity of the muscles of the limbs and prescribed medication. Armed with information about these diseases and comparing them with the daily behavior of my baby, I could not agree with the neurologist’s diagnosis. Even the reflexes that are used to establish tone (they are used by neurologists, but we found them in your article and used them ourselves) did not confirm such a diagnosis. We did not carry out any prescribed treatment, especially since the medications prescribed by the doctor are used in the treatment of serious illnesses, but we waited until the child was three months old and went on a visit to an experienced neurologist. The main thing was that the child was prepared: he was well-fed and enjoyed the sound. As we expected, the doctor did not find any developmental abnormalities. Therefore, when going to a neurologist, you need to find the right time for the child so that his condition does not give rise to erroneous diagnoses.

Good afternoon, very useful article, thank you very much. Our Nastenka is 4 months old today. We have asymmetrical tone, which is now being corrected with massage. Local neuropathologist at 3 months. prescribed Cavinton, is it necessary to take it, what kind of drug is it, or would it be better to consult the child with another specialist?

Hello, dear reader. Today we will talk about what constitutes muscle hypertonicity in a child. In this article you will learn what the causes of this disease are, how it is diagnosed and classified. You will know which signs may indicate the likelihood of this pathology. Let's consider treatment methods and find out the possible consequences.

Classification

Hypertonicity in a child can be represented by three options.

1. Dystonic. This type combines hypotonicity and hypertonicity. In such a baby, some muscles will be too tense, while others will be very relaxed. It is a pathological condition.
2. Symmetric. Physiological manifestation. Characteristic is the clenching of the fists on both hands, as well as the toes.
3. Asymmetrical. Characterized by strong muscle tension on one side of the body and normal on the other. When observing such a child, you can notice that he falls on his side, often wriggles like a snake, and almost all the time turns his head in the direction where hypertonicity manifests itself. This condition is a pathology.

Possible reasons

There may be several prerequisites that influence the development of this condition.

1. Individual characteristics of the body. This option is not a pathology. If for one person constant muscle tone is a neurological deviation, then for such a child it is the norm.
2. Physiological hypertonicity. In the first time after birth, almost all children are in this state. Over time, the muscles return to normal. Hypertonicity of a physiological nature can persist until six months of age, and in some cases up to a year. In this case, it will also be considered a variant of the norm.

My son experienced physiological hypertonicity in the first 30 days of his life. Doctors did not prescribe any treatment. The proper functioning of the muscular system returned to normal on its own.

1. Consequences of birth injuries. It is considered the most common cause. They arise as a result of asphyxia of the newborn due to prolonged, difficult labor, and subsequently intracranial hemorrhages.
2. Pathologies of the central nervous system of a congenital nature, deviations during intrauterine development. May be due to the fact that future mom led an unhealthy lifestyle, especially if she drank alcohol or smoked.
3. Rhesus conflict between the expectant mother and child.
4. Frequent threats of miscarriage.
5. Infection, intoxication of the fetus from the mother during gestation.
6. Poor environmental conditions.
7. Perinatal encephalopathy.

Characteristic symptoms

A clear sign of hypertonicity is clenched fists.

Hypertonicity in children under one year of age is manifested by the presence of the following signs.

• Constant and strong clenching of the fists, the little one bends his legs;
• sleep problems;
• profuse and frequent regurgitation;
• chin tremor;
• poor appetite;
• begins to hold the head earlier than expected;
• movement too constrained;
• causeless prolonged crying.

Diagnostics

At the slightest suspicion of pathology, you should immediately consult a doctor. Only a specialist will be able to make the correct diagnosis, confirm the presence of pathology or make a conclusion about the physiological process. Otherwise, you greatly risk the health of your child, in particular the likelihood of developing serious complications.

The doctor you need to contact is a neurologist. In order to reliably determine the presence of pathology, he will need to conduct a series of studies. The fact is that symptoms characteristic of hypertonicity may also be evidence of hydrocephalus or cerebral palsy. Therefore, it is extremely important to differentiate the disease in time, so as not to start it, or start treatment for the wrong thing.

1. Electromyography. As a result of this study, the specialist receives information about the muscle strength of the toddler, the speed of transmission of nerve impulses, and the presence of symmetry of muscle groups at rest and during work.
2. Neurosonography. At the same time they carry out ultrasonography brain. In babies under one year of age - in the area of ​​the fontanel. This type of diagnosis allows you to assess the state of the brain and identify possible pathology.
3. CT scan. Rarely prescribed to children, but necessary in case of serious difficulties in making a diagnosis.

In addition to the main diagnostic methods, they may also prescribe:

• general analysis of urine and blood;
• examination of the thymus gland;
• tests for genetic diseases.

Checking the baby

Even before visiting a doctor, parents can conduct a series of tests that will confirm or refute the suspected illness. They are simple to perform and can be done at home.

1. Try to do a squat for your baby while holding his arms. The diagnosis will be confirmed if you cannot move his hands away from his chest.
2. If you lift the toddler vertically and try to lower him onto his legs, he will not stand on his entire foot, the baby will only support himself with his toes.
3. Step reflex. If the mother lifts the child upright, notice that he is trying to walk.
4. In a baby older than three months, when the head is tilted towards the chest, the legs straighten and the arms bend. If you turn the baby’s head to the left, then flexion and extension of the limbs are characteristic of the left side, and when turning to the right, the right side.
5. If a child older than three months has a tonic reflex (lying on his stomach, the baby bends his limbs, straightens up on his back), this is also evidence of hypertonicity.

Consequences

Why is it so important to detect diseases early? The fact is that the lack of proper treatment can lead to serious complications that will negatively affect the child’s future life.

1. Retardation in intellectual development.
2. Delayed motor development.
3. Incorrect coordination of movements.
4. Speech impairment or delay.

Features of care

In order to various methods treatments turned out to be effective, it is necessary to remember to follow special rules:

• do not use jumpers or walkers;
• create a favorable environment for the child, eliminate any stressful situations;
• provide soft lighting in the room where the baby is;
• rid your child of possible irritants, including bright toys and very loud sounds;
• take care of the presence of optimal levels of humidity and temperature, clean air.

Treatment

Therapy may include several different areas:

• massage;
• physiotherapy;
• taking medications;
• aromatherapy;
• physiotherapy;
• mud therapy;
• swimming.

It is important to understand that therapy, which includes all kinds of methods, will not be as effective without emotional contact with the toddler. To normalize the condition, one cannot do without maternal care.

Massage

This method of therapy is one of the main ones. The procedure includes the following exercises.

1. Hand massage. The toddler is placed on his back, with his legs facing him. Massage therapist or parent invests thumb hands in the baby's hand. At the same time, it is necessary that your right hand was held by the child's left hand, and the left by the right. It is necessary to stroke the upper limb of the baby in the direction from the hand to the armpit. The exercise is repeated up to 8 times.
2. The child continues to lie on his back. It is necessary to grab the baby’s palms and lift the little one a few centimeters. Within one minute you need to perform up to eight approaches.
3. Foot massage. The exercise is identical to those performed with the upper limbs.
4. We work with the back. The toddler is placed on his tummy, and his arms must be extended forward. And now you need to move your hands in the direction from the butt to the head with the back surface of your palms, and when moving in the opposite direction, use the palm surface. The exercise is repeated up to seven times.
5. We work with the feet. It is necessary to hold the baby’s leg by the shin with your middle and index finger, fix the foot with your other hand, and draw a figure eight with your thumb.
6. Shaking hands. It is necessary that the baby grabs your finger. While the child is holding on, gently shake him, while spreading his arms to the sides.
7. You can also use rocking on a ball.

I bring to your attention hypertonicity, massage in a child, video:

Physiotherapy

A child with this diagnosis needs to do the following exercises.

1. The first thing you need to do is relax him. To do this, place the child on his back and begin to stroke his legs and arms, going down from top to bottom.
2. It is necessary to smoothly bend and straighten the child’s limbs, starting with the upper ones, then moving to the lower ones.
3. Now you need to gently shake the arms and legs, holding only the fingers.
4. It is necessary to press the bent limbs tightly to the baby's chest. This exercise alternates with the previous one.
5. Practice walking on the surface. You need to make sure that the baby touches the surface with his foot.
6. Using the ball. The toddler is placed on it and rolled, holding it by the arms and legs.

It is important to know that classes will be effective only if they are performed consistently and regularly. It is also necessary that the child is in a good mood.

Water procedures

You probably know that water has a relaxing effect. For hypertension, taking a bath with the addition of medicinal plants is very effective. Have an excellent relaxing effect:

• valerian;
• motherwort;
• cowberry;
• eucalyptus;
• sage;
• lavender;
• oregano

Water procedures with pine needles also have a positive effect. However, it is not recommended to carry out such therapy without the consent of a doctor. It is the specialist who determines the required quantity water procedures, their frequency and the use of a particular plant. In this case, the individual characteristics of the toddler, as well as his age, are taken into account.

Taking medications

In cases where there is no positive dynamics, massage procedures are not effective, and hypertension persists even after six months of age, medication is prescribed.

1. Neuroprotectors. Helps improve blood circulation and also stimulates brain function.
2. Muscle relaxants. Affects the relaxation of muscle spasms.
3. Diuretics. They influence the reduction of fluid levels in the brain and also normalize brain functions.
4. Vitamin therapy. Special attention are given to drugs of group B.

Now you know how this pathology is diagnosed and what treatment methods are appropriate. Remember that massage for muscle hypertonicity in a child is an integral part of therapy. Don't forget the importance of your support, caring and love. Children feel their parents' emotions very strongly.

In general, any tone is the minimum necessary muscle tension in a calm state. Since in the womb the child is in a compressed and tense position for 9 months, that is, almost a year, by the 10th month, after birth, the tension does not disappear anywhere for several more months, this is especially noticeable in the compressed position of the legs. In order to quickly bring the muscular skeleton to a state of normal tone, infants need special therapy, for which you need to know how to massage the legs of a child.

Signs of tone

There is a joke among children's doctors: “If an increased or decreased tone is not detected in a baby under one year old, then the parents simply forgot to show him to the doctor.” It doesn’t sound fun at all, but it fully illustrates the prevalence of such phenomena as hypertonicity (increased) and hypotonicity (decreased), which occur in every first child under one year old.

And although for an accurate diagnosis it is necessary to show the child to a doctor, determining the tone of the legs in a child aged 3-4 months is quite simple, even by visual signs:

• tension and tightness of the limbs. When the child is toned, he constantly tries to tuck his legs under him;
• restless intermittent sleep, during which the baby tries to assume the fetal position - the head is thrown back, arms and legs are drawn up. If you try to separate your legs or arms, you will encounter noticeable resistance, and if you resist again, the baby may cry;
• with the tone of the legs, the baby may react too sharply to some external stimuli - for example, loud sounds or bright light;
• also, if the tone is distorted, the child may regurgitate too frequently;
• In order to determine for sure whether a child under one year old has leg tone, you can do a quick little experiment. You need to take the child by the arms and let him “walk” on a hard horizontal surface. If the baby, instead of standing on his entire foot, tries to walk “on tiptoes,” then the tone is definitely increased, and there is a good reason to contact a neurologist. You can also try to sit the child down while holding his hands. If you are unable to move your limbs away from your chest, this can also be called a sign of increased tone.

If the tone distortion persists after 3-4 months of life, the child’s development may be seriously affected: coordination of movements will be impaired, abnormal gait and posture will develop, and speech may also be impaired. That is why it is so important to consult a neurologist in a timely manner.

The doctor may prescribe the usual therapy for tone - special therapeutic exercises, several months of visiting the pool, and most importantly - massage. In the most common, non-pathological cases, children's foot massage can be done independently at home.

To do this, just watch a couple of educational videos and consult with a doctor about the specifics of the technique for tone in a child several months or a year old.

Massage techniques for legs and arms

Toning massage should preferably be carried out in certain comfortable conditions. The room temperature should be 20-25 degrees, the air in the room should be fresh, and the surface that acts as a massage table should not be too soft, but not too hard. For the procedure, it is not recommended to use any powders, creams, or oils so that the skin of infants can breathe normally. You need to choose a certain time so that the child is in a calm and peaceful state, for which it is better not to arrange the procedure immediately after sleep or feeding.

• up to 3 months, massage in infants with tone should last about 5 minutes. For children under one year old – 7-10 minutes. In general, the technique is divided into 2 types: general relaxation techniques and private relaxation techniques. The first are aimed at stimulating and relaxing all the muscles of the body. For example, a technique such as a “swing”, when a child is picked up by the armpits and gently rocked. The child can also be rocked in a lying position, supported by the head and back. After 10 repetitions, you can move on to acupressure;
• pens. A baby up to one year old is laid on his back, after which the hands are placed in the hands of a massage therapist and smooth progressive strokes are performed. You need to use both the inner and outer parts of the arm - 5-10 approaches for each;

• legs. The procedure is performed in a similar way: the child lies on his back, one leg is raised with one hand, and smooth stroking with the back of the hand is performed with the other. You need to start from the foot and move towards the thigh. It is also necessary to stretch your heels - they are massaged with your fingertips, pointwise, over the entire surface. Repetitions are performed about 10 times. Try to completely avoid slamming or chopping movements, as they can increase tension.

In general, to tone infants, a standard course of 10 sessions is required. If necessary, the doctor can prescribe another 10-15 procedures in a few months or throughout the year.

Some parents completely in vain neglect therapy for hypertension, believing that if this phenomenon occurs in all children under one year old, then special treatment is not necessary. However, no one can know for sure whether the increased tone will provoke any pathologies or go away on its own, so it’s better to be safe.

Video “Children's massage for tone”

To know how to carry out the necessary massage procedures for hyper- or hypotonicity, we recommend watching this video lesson.

This is explained by the fact that inside the womb they are constantly in an unnatural and uncomfortable fetal position, when the limbs and chin are closely pressed to the body. However, during the first months of life, hypertonicity in a child goes away with normal development.

Problems begin in cases where it persists for six months, a year, and even at an older age. To resolve them safely, parents must be aware of this pathology and know how to cope with it.

Age characteristics

Each age has its own development norms and deviations from them. There are such parameters for muscle tone. They should be monitored by the local pediatrician who monitors the baby.

Sometimes parents themselves may notice that something is wrong with their child’s body. But in order not to guess from the tea leaves, you need to know at what stage hypertonicity is normal, and from what moment it becomes a pathology.

Hypertonicity is most pronounced in a one-month-old baby, whose body is not yet at all adapted to the new conditions of existence. It can be seen in clenched fists, a thrown back head, and bent legs. The tone of the extensor muscles is much higher than the flexor muscles. When you try to spread the legs (this is only possible by 45°), resistance will be felt.

Normal: if month old baby, lying on his back, takes a fetal position - presses his bent arms to his chest, the skin folds on his legs, spread apart, are symmetrical. When he lies on his stomach, he does not raise his head, but turns it to the sides, and also imitates crawling movements with bent legs.

If the child’s body and muscles develop without pathologies, hypertonicity disappears in 3-4 months. However, if there are still any deviations, there is no need to panic: give the little organism a little more time.

Normal: the child holds the head, turns it easily in different directions, stretches out his arms, grabs the toy with his palm and holds it.

Up to six months, the nervous system adapts to the conditions of the surrounding world, which are so different from those in the womb. A child only at 6 months learns to more or less control the movements of his skeleton and muscles. If by this time hypertonicity persists, immediate consultation with a doctor and timely treatment is required.

Normal: when the baby lies on his back, his arms and legs are in a semi-bent state, his palm opens completely and actively reaches for the toy. He turns over on his stomach and back, sits down, tries to crawl, leaning on his outstretched arms, while opening his palms.

It is at this age that hypertension can be treated so well with baths and massage. If your baby is not even trying to crawl yet, and his motor activity leaves much to be desired (provided that he does not suffer from obesity or other serious diseases), be sure to make an appointment with a neurologist.

Normal: the baby has high motor activity, he sits down, crawls, and begins to stand up if there is support.

When hypertension in children persists after a year, treatment procedures continue to be carried out. But if the situation has not improved by 1.5 years, the doctor is obliged to conduct additional laboratory tests and, possibly, prescribe another treatment.

Normal: the baby crawls, stands up independently, takes the first steps with support and independently.

The situation becomes more complicated if hypertension persists for 2-3 years. It can manifest itself in walking on tiptoes (hypertonicity of the legs) and impaired fine motor skills (hypertonicity of the arms). Treatment and constant monitoring by doctors continue. Despite the fact that this prevents the child from fully developing, baths and massage can do their good work and eliminate this pathology.

If a child continues to tiptoe or cannot hold a pencil in his hands at 4-5 years old, literally on the eve of school, this can become a serious problem. He will not be able to master the curriculum with his peers and fully develop. In some cases, they give a disability, someone places the child in a special educational institution. In any case, you cannot do without the help of neurologists.

If hypertension is diagnosed in children under one year of age, there is a chance to correct the situation through therapeutic measures. If no help was provided at this time or the cause of the pathology is a serious problem (genetics, for example), the risk of disability in the future is very high. To prevent this, you need to pay attention to the main symptoms of hypertension, which can persist from the moment of birth for too long.

According to statistics. As practice shows, in 6% of children, hypertonicity never goes away. school age. Despite this, with constant treatment procedures, 4% manage to go to a regular school, keep up with their peers in development, and by puberty (12 years) completely get rid of this disease. The remaining 2%, alas, are deprived of the joy of life, most often becoming disabled and students of specialized schools.

Symptoms

To determine hypertension in a child, parents must be extremely attentive. There are general symptoms that indicate the presence of pathology - they can be seen with the naked eye. They concern the general condition of the child. If the muscle activity of certain limbs is impaired, the signs of pathology will be associated specifically with them.

General symptoms

• Poor sleep: restless, short, anxious.
• In a supine position, the arms and legs are tucked in, the head is thrown back.
• Try to spread the child’s legs or arms to the sides (only very carefully, without pressing): you will feel strong tension and resistance to your actions; During this procedure, the child begins to cry, and when trying to separate the limbs again, the muscle resistance increases.
• When crying, the head throws back strongly, the baby arches, and the chin muscles tremble.
• Anxious, painful reaction to any irritants: sound, light.
• Frequent regurgitation.
• Refusal of breast or formula.
• From birth, the baby manages to “hold” his head only due to constant, excessive tension of the neck muscles.

Hypertonicity of the legs

To see hypertonicity of the leg muscles in a child, place him in an upright position, supporting him by the armpits. He will try to take a step, and at this time you watch how he places his foot. If it’s on the whole foot, there’s nothing to worry about, everything is normal. If it’s on the tips of the toes, on the forefoot, there may be problems. This symptom is recognized only after 4-6 months. Previously, such experiments are not recommended.

If the child does not begin to crawl or walk, perhaps it is all about hypertonicity of the legs, but this is more likely a consequence of the disease, and not its symptom.

Hypertonicity of the arms

It is very easy to recognize hand hypertonicity in a child. Lay him on his back and try to spread his arms in different directions. You will feel resistance and your fists will be clenched tightly.

In addition to these main symptoms of hypertension in a child, a number of reflex tests can be performed. It is better if this happens under the supervision of a doctor, but if necessary, parents themselves can use them at home so that before going to the hospital they can be sure that there are problems with the baby’s muscles.

Medical terminology. Neurologists have such a concept as hemite hypertonicity - this is when the disease affects only one limb, and not the whole body.

Reflex tests

To carry out reflex tests, no special knowledge is required, however, if this does not happen in the presence of a doctor, adults should perform each movement as carefully as possible, without causing pain to the baby.

Still, only a qualified doctor can evaluate the results and draw the right conclusions. With the help of these manipulations, parents can only confirm or dispel their doubts.

1. Sitting down by hands. The arms cannot be moved away from the chest.
2. Step reflex. In an upright position, the baby tries, staggering, to take a step on tiptoe. If this is normal before 2 months, after that it is already a symptom of hypertonicity.
3. Support reflex. When a child stands, he rests only on his fingers. Many people are interested in when hypertonicity of the feet goes away in children: it depends on the individual characteristics of the baby, but by the age of 2 it should no longer be there (normal).
4. Asymmetric and symmetric reflexes. They are considered symptoms of hypertension if they persist after 3 months. The child should lie on his back. If you start pressing his head with his chin to his chest, his arms will automatically bend and his legs will straighten. Try to turn his head to the left - his left arm will involuntarily stretch forward, his left leg will straighten, and his right leg will bend. If you bend the head to the right, all his actions will be the same, but in a mirror image.
5. Tonic reflex. Indicates pathology if it still appears even after 3 months. When lying on his back, the child straightens his limbs, while lying on his stomach, he bends them.

Data from reflex tests form the basis for confirming or refuting the diagnosis of hypertonicity in a child. It’s good if it goes away with age, according to the norm. But why do annoying complications happen? Who is to blame for the fact that your baby’s peers have been holding their head level and straight for a long time, while yours still tilts it back? Why does someone start walking at 10 months, while others continue to sit in a stroller at 1.5 years? There are reasons for everything.

About diagnostics. The diagnosis of “hypertonicity” can only be made by a neurologist.

Causes

The causes of pathological hypertonicity can be a variety of factors. Here you need to blame ecology, genetics, accidents, doctors and even the parents themselves. This pathology persists in the child for too long a time due to:

• complications during pregnancy (intoxication, infection of the mother’s body);
• birth injuries and prolonged labor;
• Rhesus conflict;
• threats of miscarriage;
• incompatibility of parental blood;
• hypoxia;
• residence in a poor ecological area;
• alcohol, nicotine, drug addiction in a pregnant woman;
• increased intracranial pressure;
• increased excitability;
• perinatal encephalopathy.

Which of these factors played a decisive role in a particular case - only the parents or doctors themselves can know. In any case, you need to try so that all this does not affect the fetus, from conception to birth. This is the only way the pathology goes away on its own, according to the norms, during the first 6 months of his life. If a miracle does not happen, you need to treat hypertension with all the methods known to modern medicine.

Be careful. Hypertonicity in a child can be a symptom of a serious neurological disease (including cerebral palsy), which is why it is so important to identify it in a timely manner.

Therapeutic measures

When the diagnosis is confirmed after 6 months, the neurologist prescribes treatment for hypertension in children, which can be carried out in several directions at once:

• relaxing massage;
• electrophoresis, magnetic therapy;
• mud therapy;
• physical therapy, fitball;
• heat therapy - paraffin baths and applications;
• swimming;
• aromatherapy: essential oils lavender, mint, rosemary are used as an additive to bath water or in aroma lamps;
• drug treatment is prescribed last, if all else fails.

Usually, for hypertonicity in children, medications are prescribed to relax muscles, reduce their tone, and diuretics that reduce fluid levels in the brain. Dibazole and/or B vitamins can be prescribed as additional therapy to massage.

Massage

It would be better if the massage for hypertonicity of the child’s muscles is performed by a specialist. Although this procedure can be carried out at home. It is recommended from 2 weeks for the prevention of this pathology, and from 6 months - for its treatment. Usually 10 sessions are prescribed, which are repeated after a while.

Therapeutic massage involves 3 types of influence: rubbing, stroking, rocking. Below is one technique for doing it.

1. Use your palm (preferably the back) to stroke your arms, legs, and back. Alternate stroking with your fingers and grasping strokes with the whole brush.
2. Rub the skin in a circular manner. Place the baby on his tummy and rub with your fingers using stroke movements from bottom to top. Do the same with the limbs, first turning the baby onto his back.
3. Take the child by the hand and shake it slightly. In this case, be sure to hold your hand in the forearm area. Repeat the same with your legs.
4. Take the handles just above the wrist and rhythmically swing them in different directions.
5. Grab your legs by the shins and rock them.
6. Gently stroke your arms and legs.

Parents mastering the art of such massage should keep in mind that deep kneading, patting, and chopping techniques are contraindicated for hypertonicity. The movements should be rhythmic, but at the same time smooth and relaxing.

Particular attention should be paid to foot massage, which, if hypertonicity is detected in a timely manner, will help the baby quickly learn to walk with the correct gait - not on tiptoe, but with support on the entire foot.

Baths

Water has a relaxing effect on muscles, and together with herbs it becomes an excellent remedy from hypertension. Therefore, the doctor often prescribes for children with this diagnosis medicinal baths with medicinal plants:

Pine baths have also proven effective in treating hypertension in children. The course of therapy is selected by the attending physician. This can be a daily alternation of herbs with a break of 1 day and a total of 10 baths, or only one medicinal plant can be prescribed. Everything will depend on the age of the baby and his individual characteristics.

Appropriate care

Sometimes it is not enough to give a massage for hypertension or take the baby to medicinal baths. Often, competent care plays an equally important role in recovery and the success of therapy. But parents need to know the basics:

1. If the child has hypertonicity of the legs, walkers and jumpers are contraindicated, as they increase tension on the muscles of the pelvis and legs.
2. Creating and maintaining a favorable psychological climate.
3. Calm, friendly communication not only with the child, but also with adults.
4. The baby’s room should have soft lighting, no irritants (loud sounds, too bright toys), comfortable temperature, normal humidity, clean air.

Lately, for some reason, it has been considered normal for a child to start crawling and walking too late. To reassure themselves, parents attribute everything to the individual development of the baby. The result is advanced hypertension, which had to be eliminated after six months. Lack of timely measures leads to serious complications and dangerous consequences.

This is interesting. Paraffin applications for hypertonic legs are called “paraffin boots”.

Complications

Many parents mistakenly believe that hypertonicity is not dangerous, as it is caused by the embryonic position of the fetus in the womb. This is the command of Mother Nature herself. However, this is not quite true.

There is physiological hypertonicity, which disappears without a trace after 3 months. It does not entail any consequences or complications. But the causes of pathological hypertonicity are serious internal deviations, which over time can affect the development of the baby as follows:

• impaired coordination of movements;
• if the hypertonicity of the legs is not removed in time, an abnormal gait will develop;
• poor posture;
• problems with fine motor skills: awkwardness, inability to make precise movements;
• rachiocampsis;
• speech disorders;
• delay in the development of motor skills;
• If you do not relieve hypertonicity in the legs of a child under one year old, he will begin to crawl and walk much later than his peers.

The full development of a child in the first year of his life is one of the most important stages. Hypertonicity can seriously disturb it, which will lead to Negative consequences in future.

The sooner parents notice the symptoms of pathology and take the baby to a neurologist, the greater the chance of a quick recovery without consequences. Posture, gait, learning success, and even speech skills can all be affected by increased muscle tone. Don't let this happen.

There are a number of conclusions about the dangers of washing cosmetics. Unfortunately, not all new mothers listen to them. 97% of shampoos use the dangerous substance Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or its analogues. Many articles have been written about the effects of this chemistry on the health of both children and adults. At the request of our readers, we tested the most popular brands.

The results were disappointing - the most advertised companies showed the presence of those very dangerous components in their composition. In order not to violate the legal rights of manufacturers, we cannot name specific brands. The Mulsan Cosmetics company, the only one that passed all the tests, successfully received 10 points out of 10 (check out). Each product is made from natural ingredients, completely safe and hypoallergenic.

If you doubt the naturalness of your cosmetics, check the expiration date; it should not exceed 10 months. Be careful when choosing cosmetics, this is important for you and your child.

Muscle hypertonicity in children under one year of age: symptoms, consequences and treatment, massage for hypertonicity

Hypertonicity is a violation of the muscle tone of the body, which is expressed in muscle overstrain. Almost all babies are born with severe muscle hypertonicity. After all, while inside the womb, the baby is constantly in the fetal position. The limbs and chin in this position are pressed closely to the body and the muscles of the fetus are constantly tense.

hypertension in children under one year old

Until about six months, the baby’s nervous system “learns” to work in conditions different from those in the womb. The baby gradually develops and slowly begins to control the movements of his muscles and skeleton. U one month old baby Hypertonicity is very pronounced. This is reflected in clenched fists and bent legs, and in throwing the head back. The tone of the extensor muscles in a one-month-old baby is higher than the flexor muscles.

With physiological hypertonicity, the child’s legs move apart only 45 0 each. When moving your legs away, you feel a pronounced resistance to movement. By three months, muscle hypertonicity in a child without pathologies practically disappears. If muscle tension persists after your child reaches six months, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Symptoms of hypertension

Complications during pregnancy, birth injuries, Rh conflict, incompatibility of the blood of parents, residence in a poor environmental situation and many other factors will cause hypertension. It is worth paying close attention to the symptoms of hypertonicity, because this can be an expression of a serious neurological disease.

Signs of severe hypertension:

1. Restless and short sleep.
2. In the lying position, the head is thrown back, and the arms and legs are tucked.
3. When trying to separate the baby's legs or arms, strong resistance is felt. The child cries at the same time. Secondary dilution increases muscle resistance.
4. Vertically on a hard surface, the child tries to stand on the front part of the foot, that is, stands on tiptoes (Information: if the child walks on tiptoes).
5. When crying, the child throws his head back, arches, and at the same time his chin muscles tremble (See the article on chin tremor).
6. Frequent regurgitation.
7. Painful reaction to various stimuli: light, sound.
8. From birth, the baby “holds” his head due to constant tension in the neck muscles.

It is important to determine as early as possible that a child has hypertension. Finding at least one of the above symptoms in your baby is a good reason to contact a pediatric neurologist. The diagnosis of “hypertonicity” will be made if the flexion tone is higher than expected at a given age.

Muscle hypertonicity is determined by several reflex tests:

• Sitting by the hands: it is impossible to take the baby's hands away from the breast.
• Step reflex. When in an upright position, the child seems to be trying to take a step. Lasts after two months.
• Support reflex: a standing child leans on his toes.
• Preservation of asymmetric and symmetric reflexes after three months. When the child tilts his head to his chest while lying on his back, his arms bend and his legs straighten. When turning the head to the left in the same position, the left arm is extended forward, the left leg is extended, and the right leg is bent. When you tilt to the right, everything is repeated in a mirror image.
• Preservation of the tonic reflex after three months: lying on his back, the child straightens his limbs, and bends them on his stomach.

If by a certain age these reflexes do not weaken and do not disappear later, it means that the child has severe muscle hypertonicity. Therefore, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

Consequences and danger

Why is hypertonicity so dangerous if its occurrence is caused by the position of the fetus itself? Physiological hypertonicity disappears without a trace after three months. Pathological hypertonicity is caused by damage to brain tissue, which is responsible for the condition of the muscles. Such disorders occur with increased intracranial pressure, perinatal encephalopathy, increased excitability and other pathologies.

If, after three months, hypertonicity in children persists, the consequences, in the absence of treatment, are disastrous. Lack of regulation of muscle tone will affect the further development of the child:

• Impaired coordination of movements;
• Formation of abnormal gait;
• Incorrect formation of posture;
• Developmental delays, especially motor skills;
• Speech impairment.

Hypertonicity of the legs

It is especially dangerous if the child develops severe hypertonicity in the legs. It affects the rate of development of motor activity. Babies with this diagnosis later begin to crawl and walk. For children with hypertonic legs, the use of walkers and jumpers is especially contraindicated. These devices increase the state of tension in the muscles of the legs and spine due to the uneven distribution of gravity. The load increases specifically on the muscles of the pelvis and spine.

Hypertonicity of the arms

Hypertonicity of the arms is expressed in muscle resistance when moving the arms away from the chest and tightly clenched fists. This condition is most often observed with physiological hypertonicity. However, prolonged persistence of muscle tension should concern the child’s parents.

Treatment

Correct and timely treatment of hypertension is carried out exclusively by a specialist doctor - a pediatric neurologist. All procedures are prescribed only by the attending physician. The sooner you start treatment, the better and faster the positive results will appear.

There are several techniques and directions in medicine that allow you to relieve hypertension:

1. Relaxing massage.
2. Physiotherapy.
3. Electrophoresis.
4. Paraffin applications (heat therapy).
5. Swimming.
6. Drug treatment.

As can be seen from the list, to remove hypertension, medications are used last. These are drugs that relax muscles, reduce muscle tone and diuretics to reduce brain fluid levels. In addition to the massage, dibazole and B vitamins may be prescribed.

Massage

Massage for hypertonicity can be done independently at home starting from two weeks of age. Naturally, you first need to consult with a specialist in children's massage and get instructions and recommendations for massage from him. A total of ten sessions are carried out, which are best repeated again after six months.

The massage consists of three types of influence techniques: stroking, rubbing and rocking:

1. With the back of your hand we stroke the surface of your arms, legs and back. You can alternate superficial stroking with your fingers with grasping stroking with the whole brush.
2. Circular rubbing of the skin. The baby is placed on his tummy and rubbed in a circular motion with his fingers using stroke movements from bottom to top. Then the same is done with the limbs, turning the child onto his back.
3. Take the baby's hand and shake it slightly. In this case, you should definitely hold your hand in the forearm area. Carry out the procedure with both arms and legs.
4. Take the baby by the arms above the wrist and rhythmically swing his arms in different directions.
5. Grab the child's legs by the shins and rock them.
6. Finish the massage by gently stroking your arms and legs.

If you have hypertonicity, you should not use deep muscle kneading, patting or chopping techniques. All movements should be smooth and relaxing, but rhythmic.

Video: how to massage for hypertonicity

Baths

An excellent remedy for relieving hypertension are herbal baths. Water itself has a relaxing property, and in combination with herbs it becomes an excellent remedy for hypertension. Take turns for four days to take warm baths with valerian root, lingonberry leaf, motherwort and sage. A break is taken for one day, the procedures are repeated again, and so on for 10 days. Pine baths also have an excellent relaxing effect.

If a child at 2 years old constantly walks on tiptoes

The baby has grown up, and to the great joy of his parents, he begins to take his first independent steps. Adults are often touched by how their favorite little person carefully steps on his toes. Until a certain age, walking like a ballerina is considered normal. But if a baby who has reached the age of two continues to walk on his toes, this is a reason to consult a doctor.

Why does a child walk on his toes?

It is normal for a baby to move on tiptoe when the baby runs or walks quickly, tries to reach an object or look at something. The reason may be the baby's excited state caused by a surge of emotions. In other cases, a 2-year-old child should rest on his full foot when walking.

There are several reasons for deviation from normal foot placement when walking:

In addition, children run on their toes, who are always in a hurry to get somewhere and simply do not have time to step on the whole foot.

In addition, the baby can walk on his toes for more prosaic reasons. If a baby accidentally steps on his toys or other hard or sharp objects several times, experiencing unpleasant sensations, he instinctively reduces the area of ​​contact between the foot and the floor. The same thing happens if a child’s feet simply get cold when he walks barefoot.

• Muscle hypertonicity.
• Mental development disorder syndrome.
• Psychological trauma and fear of the child.
• Increased nervous excitability.
• Disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

To be sure that the health of your baby running on his toes is not in danger, you need to consult with specialists.

How to wean your child from walking on his toes

Before weaning your child from walking on his toes, you need to find out the reason for the baby’s ballet gait.

To do this, you should consult with specialists:

You should always be involved in the development of your child and at the first convenient opportunity:

For whatever reason, the baby begins to walk on his toes, you cannot focus his attention on this and scold him for the wrong gait. You need to make comments and correct the baby calmly and unobtrusively, otherwise you can achieve the opposite result.

Regardless of the reason, all children will benefit from activities such as:

It is enough to do a few simple exercises with your baby:

• Jumping with full foot landing
• Exercises to help normalize motor coordination
• Alternating walking on hard, soft and inclined surfaces
• Walking squat like a duck
• Walking on the inside and outside of the foot

A useful activity would be daily exercises in the morning.

Parents themselves can do a simple foot massage:

• Knead the calf muscles with your thumb and index finger
• Drawing eights on the baby's feet
• We move the child’s foot towards you and away from you

The first results can be noticed after just a few sessions.

If the reason for walking on toes is not associated with a serious illness, it is better to resort to other methods of eliminating it, since running barefoot at home is beneficial for the development of the child.

The procedure is contraindicated for children with diabetes mellitus and with problems of the cardiovascular system.

If a child does not show any abnormalities in the nervous system or muscle tone, it means that he is simply trying to imitate adults or is using the movement algorithm that he is used to while in a walker.

In this case, while walking or playing, you need to create a situation where resting your full foot will be the only convenient way to move:

• Jumping from low heights. You can invite your child to jump from a small height, for example, from a low bench, landing on both feet, to play heron, standing or jumping first on one leg, then on the other.

• Walking up the steps. The movement, in which the child's weight is completely transferred first to one and then to the other leg, also contributes to the fact that the child rests on his full foot.

• Using a fitball. You can use walking on a fitball as an exercise. In this case, there must be two adults next to the child. One supports him on the ball, and the second makes sure that the baby rests completely on his foot.

Komarovsky on video: what to do if a child walks on his toes

Possible consequences and complications of prolonged walking on toes

If a baby at 2 years old still continues to walk on his toes, it is necessary to take measures, since only full support on the foot is considered the norm when walking. Otherwise, without proper loading, the child's heel may stop growing and the forefoot may expand. In this case, the tendons and muscles of the ankle joint atrophy.

This leads to pathologies such as:

1. Incorrect posture. Disturbances in the development of reflexes of the musculoskeletal system are recorded by the nervous system, turning the body position when walking on tiptoes into incorrect posture. Curvature of the spine, in turn, leads to improper functioning internal organs child.
2. Deformation of the feet, which can lead to the curvature of the baby’s legs.
3. The child is lagging behind in general physical development.

The child walks on tiptoes: what to do?

A large number of children are born with neurological problems. Parents can watch how the child, lifting his heels off the floor, moves around the room on his toes. The fact that the baby walks like this all the time is alarming. The concern is justified, because the reason why a child walks on his toes may be serious brain damage, which negatively affects motor development child.

Occasional toe walking

Parents should not panic if the baby occasionally uses the front of the foot when walking. The baby’s behavior is often explained by the following reasons:

• Looks at an object that is located high up.
• Strives to imitate adults and look older.
• Repeats the movements of ballet dancers whom he saw on TV or copies the gait of women in heels.
• He wants to attract the parent's attention, so he reaches up.
• He is afraid to put his feet on the floor strewn with small parts from toys or crumbs of stale bread.
• Exploring the world, mastering new ways of movement. Pediatricians believe that this is natural for young children. When a child turns 3 years old, he will move on to gain experience in other areas.

It happens that children not only walk, but run on their toes. It seems to them that it is more convenient and faster to move this way. This is what distinguishes active little fidgets, who do not know how to throw out their energy.

The reason for walking on toes can be the walker with which the child learned to walk in the first year of life. Remembering the initial experience, the baby from time to time rises to his toes and takes steps.

If the baby periodically practices the ballet gait, this is good. Walking on toes is good for health, so this exercise is included in gymnastics for children in kindergarten. It, along with walking on your heels, trains the calf muscles and ligaments of the ankle joint, strengthens the arch of the foot and is a prevention of transverse and longitudinal types of flat feet. But healthy children benefit from such exercises. There is toe walking, which is diagnosed as a disease and requires the attention of a specialist.

Warning signs of a neurological disorder

The mother should be concerned that the child constantly walks on his toes. He may have muscle dystonia.

Reference: A condition in which muscle tone is impaired is called muscular dystonia. The baby may experience increased tone (hypertonicity) or decreased tone (hypotonicity). Muscular dystonia is associated with the term “hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy,” which indicates a neurological cause of the disorder - ischemic damage to the brain. Brain damage affects the development of motor activity. This explains why children walk on their toes.

This happens if the baby has suffered hypoxia ( oxygen starvation). The child could experience chronic hypoxia during fetal development or an acute lack of oxygen during childbirth.

Hypoxia can be caused by various factors:

• Complicated pregnancy.
• Intoxication of the fetus with drugs, alcohol, nicotine or chemicals.
• Rapid or prolonged labor.
• Use of a vacuum extractor during childbirth.
• Placental abruption.
• Narrow pelvis of the mother.
• Umbilical cord entwined around the neck.
• Risk of miscarriage.
• Anesthesia for caesarean section.

With hypertonicity, walking on toes is observed. Increased tone muscle tension varies from mild tension to severe restriction, when parents have difficulty bending and straightening the baby’s limbs. In some children, you can observe the foot turned inward or, conversely, outward.

Ischemic brain damage is the root of serious problems. Children with hypertonicity lag behind their peers. They later learn to hold their heads, turn on their side, sit up, and pick up toys. And when they start walking, they use the front area of ​​the foot.

Important! Muscle hypertonicity may be the first sign of cerebral palsy (cerebral palsy). In addition to walking on the toes, cerebral palsy is accompanied by a number of other symptoms. The disease can be diagnosed pediatric neurologist, so it is important not to miss consultative examinations by this specialist.

What does walking on toes lead to?

When a baby constantly walks on his toes, then problems appear. Posture is disrupted, pain in the back and legs occurs, and coordination of movements worsens.

Serious changes occur in the ankle joint. The Achilles tendon and calf muscle are unable to contract normally. The heel, deprived of load, does not grow, while the forefoot tramples under excessive pressure and takes on disproportionate dimensions. The shape of the foot develops, which is called equine.

If a child walks on his toes, what should he do? Is it worth letting the situation take its course? Parents should not ignore warning signs. In the first 3 months of life, muscle hypertonicity is normal, but if at 9 months the child walks on his toes, you need to visit a doctor. It’s better to do this earlier, when it becomes clear that the development of motor functions does not correspond to the norm.

Treatment of muscular dystonia

Timely initiation of treatment measures will help avoid complications. The baby needs to be shown to a pediatrician and a pediatric neurologist. Doctors will be able to clarify the diagnosis after examining and performing an ultrasound of the brain.

Procedures prescribed for the treatment of muscular dystonia:

• Physiotherapy.
• Electrophoresis.
• Massage.
• Herbal baths - relaxing infusions of motherwort, chamomile or string.
• Swimming lessons.
• Special gymnastics aimed at developing the ankle.

Often this is enough to forget about the disease. The baby will sit on his heels and walk, leaning on his full foot.

Advice! Children with increased muscle tone need to wear shoes at all times: outside and at home. The heel should be rigid, the toe should be closed, and the instep should be firmly secured with lacing or several Velcro fasteners.

If hypertonicity persists, the doctor will prescribe SMT (treatment with sinusoidal modulated currents), therapeutic applications called “paraffin boots,” and wearing orthopedic fixing splints. These procedures are performed only as prescribed by a doctor.

Lastly, children are prescribed medications to relax muscles and vitamins. It is possible to prescribe diuretic tablets that reduce fluid content in the body.

Exercises at home

The main components of success in the treatment of hypertension are time and patience of parents. You need to constantly massage and perform special physical activity, methodically stretching the tendons and the necessary muscle groups.

• Use your thumb to massage the sole from toes to heel.
• Place the baby on his back. Lift your legs one by one, holding the foot and using soft stroking movements to massage it towards the groin. After 10 days, rubbing movements are added.
• With light pressure, draw a figure eight on the sole of the baby’s foot.
• Using your thumb and index finger, knead the calf muscle.

Parents can conduct gymnastics classes with their child.

Exercises for little ones:

• The baby lies on his back, and the mother alternately bends his legs towards his stomach.
• Performs flexion and extension of the foot (toward and away from you).
• Places the child on a fitball and rolls the ball while the baby takes steps. It is best to involve both parents for this exercise.

Exercises for older children:

• Walking on your heels.
• Squats without lifting your heels off the floor.
• Moving on an inclined plane.
• Walking on the outer and inner sides of the foot.
• Jumping.
• Moving on your feet in a squat position.

In such exercises, the necessary leg muscles work, the ankle develops correctly, and the Achilles tendon is stretched.

Complex treatment of hypertension gives good results. Regularity and constant medical supervision is important. The baby will definitely learn to walk correctly, delighting his parents.