Strong Kids: How Pediatric Therapy Can Address Muscular Weakness in Children
Is your baby not meeting motor development milestones–such as rolling over or sitting up on their own? Does your older child frequently tell you that they get tired quickly when they’re out playing? These are all symptoms of pediatric muscle weakness, a symptom of several neuromuscular diseases.
At Skills on the Hill, we understand that you’re worried about your child, especially if they don’t seem to develop at the same rate as their peers. Our pediatric therapists are here to help you understand your child’s decreased strength and muscle tone–including what might be causing it and how you can help address your child’s needs.
As with most childhood conditions, early intervention is essential. If you notice any of the symptoms of muscular weakness in your child, schedule an appointment at our Washington, DC or Arlington, VA pediatric therapy clinic today!
How Will I Know If My Child Has Muscular Weakness?
It can be challenging to know if your child’s struggling with muscular weaknesses. Even if they’re old enough to talk, they likely won’t have the vocabulary to verbalize what they’re experiencing. It’s important to recognize the signs of muscular weakness at various ages to know when to bring your child in for an assessment.
- Infants: If your child is still a baby, they may struggle to lift their head or feel “floppy” when you hold them. Abnormal breathing patterns are another potential symptom.
- Six Months To a Year: At this point, your child should be able to sit up by themselves. If they can’t (for example, if they need to be “propped up”), have them evaluated by a pediatric therapist.
- A Year or Older: Pay attention to gross motor development as your child gets older. They should progress from standing up to walking to running to skipping and hopping. If they struggle with any of these movements, it could be a sign of muscular weakness.
If you notice your child exhibiting signs of muscular weakness, don’t panic! Our pediatric therapists are here to help. Firstly, we provide an in-depth assessment that can give you greater insight into why your child may struggle with muscular weakness. Secondly, we can help your child improve their muscular strength in a way that works for them.
What Are the Underlying Causes of Childhood Muscular Weakness?
As a general rule, muscular weakness is a symptom, not really a condition in and of itself. Several neurological and muscular diseases can cause decreased muscle tone, including the following:
- Muscular dystrophy, a group of genetic diseases that cause progressive muscular weakness
- Cerebral palsy, a group of neurological disorders that make it difficult for someone to control their muscles
- Down syndrome, a genetic condition that causes developmental delays and mild intellectual disability
- Marfan syndrome, a genetic condition that causes your body’s connective tissues to become weaker than they should
In some cases, muscular weakness has no clear underlying condition. This is usually referred to as benign congenital hypotonia (BCH) and is caused by some issue with the nervous or muscular systems. Children with BCH will have it from birth and may struggle with gross motor development and hypermobility. Generally, their muscle coordination will improve with age.
How Pediatric Therapy at Skills on the Hill Can Help Your Child
Our pediatric therapists have plenty of tools to help address childhood muscular weakness! One of the most powerful is a comprehensive assessment that can help pinpoint the underlying cause. If your child does have a specific condition (as opposed to benign cognitive hypotonia), we can provide suggestions for how to address it.
However, we can also help your child improve their muscle tone and strength, no matter the reason for their weakness! Our therapists will develop a customized treatment plan that addresses your child’s unique needs, abilities, and interests so they build strength (and have fun doing it).
We’ll work on your child’s gross skills and help them build overall body strength through fun exercises and guided playtime that ensures they’re developing their muscles appropriately. We can also provide you with strategies to help your child keep working on their strength, coordination, and endurance at home.
What if your child’s decreased muscle strength affects their fine motor skills (the skills that allow us to use our hands) or the muscles in their face and mouth (which allow us to breathe, eat, and speak properly)? In that case, we’ll provide specialized exercises to address those challenges–again, making them feel as much like play as possible.
Reach Out to Skills on the Hill To Schedule An Appointment!
Our Washington, DC and Arlington, VA pediatric therapists are here to help your child thrive in school and social situations, no matter their unique challenges. Dedicated pediatric therapy can help your child build muscular strength and endurance so they can live a rich, healthy life.
Ready to get started? Schedule an initial consultation today!
Sources:
https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions/muscle-weakness-hypotonia