Hypotonia is often a sign of abnormality in the case of a newborn or older infant, and may suggest the presence of central nervous system dysfunction, genetic disorders, or muscle disorders. Hypotonic infants rest with their elbows and knees loosely extended, while infants with normal tone tend to have flexed elbows and knees. Head control may be poor or absent in the floppy infant with the head falling to the side, backward or forward.
Review Date: 4/23/2004 12:00:00 AM
Reviewed By: Samuel Blackman, M.D., Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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