The hypotonic infant Flashcards
What’s the difference between hypotonia and muscle weakness?
- Tone: passive resistance to muscle movement. Cannot be changed by voluntary control or exercise.
- Hypotonia: lowered resistance to passive movement when an infant is alert, but not stimulated.
- Weakness: decreased max muscle power than can be generated
***Weak infants are always hypotonic while hypotonic infants may have normal strength
What’s the difference between phasic and postural tone?
- Phasic tone: The passive resistance to movement of the extremities/appendicular structures
- Postural: The resistance to passive movement of the axial muscles (neck, back, trunk, “core”). The prolonged contraction of antigravity muscles in response to low intensity gravity stretch of gravity.
If you have rapid contraction of a muscle in response to high intensity stretch, this is mediated by which type of motor neurons?
Alpha motor neurons
The prolonged contraction of antigravity muscles in response to low intensity stretch of gravity is mediated by _________ and ________ motor neurons.
The prolonged contraction of antigravity muscles in response to low intensity stretch of gravity is mediated by gamma and alpha motor neurons.
The cerbellum is a muscle tone (facilitator or inhibitor). Therefore, damage to the cerebellum results in (hypertonia or hypotonia)
The cerebellum is a muscle tone facilitator. Therefore, damage to the cerebellum results in hypotonia
Midline cerebellum facilitates (axial or appendicular) muscle tone, while lateral cerebellum facilitates (axial or appendicular) muscle tone.
- Midline cerebellum facilitates axial muscle tone
- Lateral cerebellum facilitates appendicular muscle tone.
Red nucleus is a muscle tone (facilitator or inhibitor). Therefore, damage to red nucleus results in (hypertonia or hypotonia)
Red nucleus is a muscle tone inhibitor. Therefore, damage to red nucleus results in hypertonia
Basal ganglia/striatum is a muscle tone (facilitator or inhibitor). Therefore, damage to basal ganglia/striatum results in (hypertonia or hypotonia).
Basal ganglia/striatum is a muscle tone inhibitor. Therefore, damage to basal ganglia/striatum results in hypertonia.
Damage to the motor strip initially causes (hypertonia or hypotonia), followed by ___________.
Damage to the motor strip initially caused hypotonia followed by spasticity.
Tone is passive resistance to muscle tone maintained by which 4 brain structures?
- Cerebellum
- Red nucleus
- Basal ganglia
- Motor strip
When thinking about hypotonia in infants, it may have a cause due to ________, ________, ________, or ________.
When thinking about hypotonia in infants, it may have a cause due to:
- CNS: chromosome disorder (i.e. Prader-Willi, Down syndrome), metabolic dz, spinal cord injury, hypoxic-ischemic injuries (usually during birth)
- Motor neuron
- Peripheral nerve: congenital hypomyelinating neuropathy, familiar dysautonomia, infantile neuraxonal degeneration
- Muscle/NMJ: Muscular dystrophies, myopathies, congenital myasthenia gravis, ifantile botulism
Your history must include TORCH exposure. What does TORCH stand for?
Toxic plasmosis
Other: syphilis, varicella
Rubella
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Herpes
Another word for joint fixation at birth
Arthrogryposis. Seen in Zellweger syndrome.
Primitive reflex: what is the moro reflex?
While supporting infant’s neck, quickly lower its head/back to the table and should notice 3 distinct components:
- Spreading out the arms (abductions)
- Unspread the arms (adduction)
- Crying (usually)
*Present up to 6 months
Primitive reflex: You turn the infant’s head to the side and you observe tonic contracture of the arm on the ipsilateral side. This is called a normal ______________ reflex.
Tonic neck fencing reflex. Should be present up to 6-7 months.