https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 26 Apr 2026 14:38:25 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187811 Sat, 23 May 2015 18:54:08 +0000 Torchwood 2187811@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is really interesting to read. It's possible this could be something I have a mild form of (loose joints, easily tired from physical activity, my parents called me "noodle baby" when I was little because I was so limp most of the time, etc). Not enough to pursue for me, but something to be aware of when LO gets here, since it might be genetic. Hopefully she gets DH's athletic abilities, not mine! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187770 Sat, 23 May 2015 14:43:09 +0000 charlotte 2187770@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son starting sitting unassisted at 9m and could roll but was making zero progress towards sitting up on his own, crawling, pulling up, cruising etc. he started PT at 12m and was army crawling 3 weeks later, real crawling soon after and walking by 17 months. He ended up using sock-height orthotics recommended by his PT for a couple months and that really got him the stability he needed to walk well. </p> <p>His low tone is really core-related and maybe some leg strength. He's considered all caught up now (2 yrs &amp; 2 Months old) besides jumping. (He's close though!). I think he's at the point where other people wouldn't notice his lower tone but I am aware of it sometimes since I know his history. He also had a more cautious personality than many kids we know his age. He is used to having a hand on the stairs, etc. </p> <p>We were also somewhat concerned about speech at 12 m because he wasn't babbling a ton and didn't have lots of words but that turned out to be no problem at all. His vocab has exploded over the last six months and now he's using 3-4 word sentences and seems to know the word for everything. He knows his letters, shapes, colors etc. it's kind of like once he didn't have to work as hard to move around the other stuff came naturally. </p> <p>We were so worried when we first started everything - especially after some low tone googling ! But he has done an amazing job and come so far and I no longer have any concern. I have also wondered if it could be genetic because I was always on track but kind of on the thin/ not athletic/ not the most coordinated side. My mom has a picture of me running as fast as I can, dead last in a field day race. :sad: but I went on to be great at dance and other things! I feel content knowing that even if my son is never the fastest he can still enjoy golf for example or whatever other activities he wants to do! And that maybe that won't even be the case and he will be fast! Who knows. But I do remember at the beginning feeling like he was going to be the odd one out or obviously weak and clumsy and that is just not the case now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187750 Sat, 23 May 2015 12:48:44 +0000 Mrs. Pencil 2187750@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow I never could put my tongue on what LO had, but this sounds a lot like it! Baby took forever to sit unassisted and I was surprised when my pediatrician suggested PT during his 6 month check up when he wouldn't sit up. I also think it's mostly just his abdominal muscles but I get worried that his limbs are so puny. He finally sat unassisted at around 9 months but he was difficult to hold because he would just slump over. I thought it was just laziness because when he was distracted he would sit very straight. At 13.5 months he is still cruising, not walking, but he's been at this stage for a long time. I'm wondering if he'll be able to start walking soon since it seems like most babies walk around their 1st bday. Seeing everyone else's response still makes me believe that all babies start at different times, but sometimes I worry that he'll also be a little smaller or weaker as he grows up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187732 Sat, 23 May 2015 11:34:56 +0000 wonderstruck 2187732@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: If she has rocked on all fours at her age, even once, I don't think I'd be concerned.</p> <p>My older son ha low muscle tone, and it's region specific for him too, but in his legs. So he rolled and sat unassisted on schedule, but he didn't attempt crawling until a bit after his 1st birthday, didn't pull to stand for a couple of months after that, etc. His pediatrician recommended I have him evaluated at 12 months old when I told her that he hated bearing weight on his legs. He started walking at 18 months. Second birthday was last week and now he runs all over the place, but we're still working on steps, jumping, kicking, etc.</p> <p>From what the physical therapist told me, low muscle tone doesn't really go away - it's just how they're built, and he'll adapt and learn how to do all the gross motor skills, but it's just going to take longer. I think there's some evidence it's genetic (I wouldn't be surprised if me or my mother has it, but they didn't really diagnose it back then unless it was severe.) but not enough evidence they're ready to state a definite link or anything. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187658 Sat, 23 May 2015 07:20:34 +0000 Foodnerd81 2187658@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@artsyfartsy: I also meant to say my brother had some similar issues and was a really late walker, like his son, and he has run several marathons now! But he's never been terribly coordinated and has terrible handwriting, just how he is (but he is crazy smart). My mom and one sister definitely also have low muscle tone, but are fine, just a little weaker (mom was never diagnosed because that just wasn't a thing in the 50s, by my older sister is an OT and says it's definitely the case). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187657 Sat, 23 May 2015 07:15:52 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 2187657@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>D has this, it used to be severe and now I guess is mild, he's totally caught up on gross motor skills although I think his gait is a little modified and he's worse at stairs. </p> <p>D's is from his cerebral palsy/brain injury at birth. We did PT for over six months and continue to do OT. Good luck with T :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187652 Sat, 23 May 2015 06:54:58 +0000 Mama Bird 2187652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son was diagnosed with mild low tone, and I just want to say, don't worry, it'll be ok! You might need to work a little harder to help your son hit his milestones, but he'll get there!</p> <p>We were diagnosed at 4 months and started EI therapy at 6 when he would not roll over at all. Physically, he caught up completely and you'd never know he needed help. He did later have a delay talking, but I'm not sure if low tone is the only reason. My neighborhood is very multilingual, and I hear that lots of kids start talking on the late side... probably just takes them a while to sort out all the languages they hear :happy: And he might have smaller problems come up here and there down the road, like taking longer to get good at writing, but I'm on the look out for them and we'll tackle them if they happen!</p> <p>From what I understand, low tone never really goes away, so you just build up stronger muscles to compensate. It might be genetic sometimes... I definitely have some signs, like really flexible joints and an inability to do pull-ups, so could be DS got it from me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187619 Fri, 22 May 2015 23:39:15 +0000 Mrs. Bee 2187619@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Olive had low muscle tone, but on the mild end so I was never worried about it. She crawled at 12 months and walked at 18 months. Our EI therapists actually noticed her low muscle tone at 15 months because she always stuck her tongue out (sign of low muscle tone), and I mentioned that she regularly gagged on her food. She also always sat in the w formation with her legs so we constantly corrected it.</p> <p>She's now 3 1/2 and you can see that she's still behind her peers physically - clumsy, can't run that fast, less physical - but the average person wouldn't notice and she seems perfectly normal.</p> <p>So I guess her low muscle tone was everywhere. She is generally much weaker/coordinated/physical than her peers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187537 Fri, 22 May 2015 20:35:07 +0000 regberadaisy 2187537@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@artsyfartsy: ok, thanks! Guess what baby girl will be working on tons till her check up! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187534 Fri, 22 May 2015 20:32:23 +0000 artsyfartsy 2187534@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: No you're fine! :) His doctor said that the fact that he couldn't hold himself up on his hands and knees was most concerning. Since he couldn't do that, that was a major road block and kept him from learning to do anything else. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187533 Fri, 22 May 2015 20:29:50 +0000 regberadaisy 2187533@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@artsyfartsy: hm. Thanks for sharing. Her 9m appt is coming up so definitely something I'm bringing up.</p> <p>What are some things to look for? Sorry, I'm hijacking! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187529 Fri, 22 May 2015 20:24:38 +0000 artsyfartsy 2187529@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karen: Thank you SO much for the info!! That was really helpful insight.</p> <p>@regberadaisy: At 9 months he could barely sit unassisted, but couldn't hold a hands and knees position at all. He could roll pretty well, but he didn't actually starting rolling back to front until 8ish months. Besides sitting and laying on his back, he couldn't do much else. He hated being on his stomach and playing. It was just clear that he wasn't able to do what he was supposed to on his own. He actually didn't make anymore progress until around 12 months and that's when he could hold a hands and knees position for about 5 seconds. He progressed well from there, but he still probably won't walk until at least 18 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187528 Fri, 22 May 2015 20:20:53 +0000 regberadaisy 2187528@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@artsyfartsy: so, how and why did your LO go for EI at 9m?<br /> DD2 is almost 9 months and honestly has only rolled a handful of times. She sits unassisted but sometimes I come back to the room and she is on her back. I don't know if it's lazy, tired or big sister knocked her over. Yesterday she rocked on all fours for the first time. She can't pull up to standing her. It's hard not to compare to her sister who I didn't think hit physical milestones *that* early. Most days I just think DD2 is on the slow end of physical milestones but then there are other days I get worried. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187513 Fri, 22 May 2015 19:54:03 +0000 karen 2187513@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also wanted to add that your LO sounds like he's doing great and probably a bit more on the mild end of hypotonia. Of course it's different for every kid, but moms whose kids are similar to yours have said that their older kids are doing quite well, and several years down the road (ages 5+), you can't really tell a big difference between them and other kids. The main thing they mention is getting tired more easily and maybe a little less coordination...no big deal! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187512 Fri, 22 May 2015 19:50:52 +0000 karen 2187512@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I could write a book on this! My 22 month old LO has hypotonia (low muscle tone). He's always been delayed on motor milestones. He sat independently at 12 months and just within the last two months started crawling and getting himself into a sitting position. He's working on cruising once we put him in that position...our best guess is that he'll walk sometime between 2 and 3. Physical therapy definitely helps! His low muscle tone seems to be all over, although his core and arms were especially weak. Hypotonia can absolutely be more localized, though.</p> <p>He also has global developmental delay, and is delayed in speech, fine motor and cognitive (although fine motor and cognitive have made big strides lately). Speech, both expressive and receptive, seems to be the big sticking point these days.</p> <p>Our little guy was also born blind in his right eye, so it's likely that there's some genetic component or possibly some brain issues that could be uncovered with an MRI. We haven't done an MRI or genetic testing yet, although we may opt to pursue that eventually.</p> <p>I belong to a facebook group for hypotonia (Hypotonia Parents Connection, definitely recommend joining!). I've learned so much from that group. There's a huge range of severity in hypotonia, from kids who are only mildly delayed and walk and run like other kids (maybe just getting a little more tired), to those who will probably never walk. Most kids seem to be somewhere in the middle and do great with PT and OT :happy: </p> <p>It's also my understanding that hypotonia on its own isn't a definitive diagnosis, but stems from something else which often goes undiagnosed (especially in the mild cases). There have been a couple threads on the facebook page where parents discuss what their LOs have been diagnosed with - lots of genetic mutations, brain malformations, some dystrophy, and a lot of us who are undiagnosed. Reading it over, that all sounds scary but for the most part, our kids are doing great! I feel very fortunate to live in the US with great access to health care and physical therapy.</p> <p>Sending a hug for you since I totally understand the stress and endless comparison games. Please feel free to reach out anytime if you want to talk more! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187502 Fri, 22 May 2015 19:40:24 +0000 artsyfartsy 2187502@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: Thank you for your input!! Yes it's almost like his is just specifically his abdominal muscles. His fine motor skills are excellent and his speech is fairly on track, maybe a little slower. I think that's kind of why this hasn't been explored much by his doctor because it wasn't a huge issue, although he desperately needed PT. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187499 Fri, 22 May 2015 19:37:37 +0000 Foodnerd81 2187499@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My nephew has low muscle tone and hit most of his physical milestones late- but hit them. He started doing PT pretty young, and wore a helmet for flat head, which was possibly related to the low tone. He's 3.5 now and runs and walks seemingly normally (I'm no expert and haven't talked to my brother in depth about it). </p> <p>He is currently having some issues with speech and sees a speech therapist. I think it is also related to his low muscle tone. He understands everything, just has a hard time voicing what he is thinking. </p> <p>Sorry that's not more helpful. It sounds like T has fewer issues than my nephew did overall. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-muscle-tone-experience#post-2187495 Fri, 22 May 2015 19:31:29 +0000 artsyfartsy 2187495@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I put this under milestones because it's partially involving milestones...but feel free to move it.</p> <p>Hopefully quick background (I'm bad at being brief): T is 15 months. At 9 months he was barely sitting, so we started the long process of beginning EI. Finally got accepted and started at 12 months (still could only sit). In 3 months he's now progressed to crawling, pulling up, and a little bit of cruising. Great progress!</p> <p>At his 15 month well visit, his doctor said his belly muscles were definitely weaker than they should be, and that it's probably just something he was born with. He told me this at his 12 month visit but I thought since he was doing much better with his milestones at 15 months that it would have gotten better (I don't know why I thought that necessarily). </p> <p>He didn't touch much on this, because he is making excellent progress and as long as he's walking by 20 months he doesn't feel like we need to be much more concerned about his physical delay. I feel the same way but I was just Googling about low muscle tone and have a lot of questions. I wish I had probed more information out of him at the appointment but we were busy discussing other things and it slipped out of conversation and my mind.</p> <p>If your LO has low muscle tone, is it just one region? T's arms and legs have always seemed strong enough. All of his physical delays have stemmed from his abdominal muscles.<br /> Is it genetic? I read it could be genetic, and I've always been a weakling, even when working out a lot, although my mom says I hit my physical milestones as a baby on time.<br /> If your LO is now older and fully walking/running/on track, do you still notice a lack of coordination or any sign that they have low muscle tone?</p> <p>I know these are questions for his doctor, but it's 9pm at night and I'm just curious. Also sorry if these questions are dumb. I'm a little clueless, so any info would be appreciated! :) </p>