Patient's question:
Hello expert, I recently noticed that my baby has some issues. Sometimes she suddenly shakes for a few seconds, but she looks fine and doesn't have a fever or anything. I'm worried about her having frequent spasms. How can I test an infant's muscle tone?What kind of help I want: How to test an infant's muscle tone?
Doctor's answer:
Low muscle tone is generally caused by inflammation in the brain's nervous system. Various factors such as a shortened labor process, dystocia, intrauterine growth restriction, fetal distress, and respiratory difficulties can lead to brain edema and aspiration, resulting in ischemic and hypoxic damage to the brain, which manifests as abnormal muscle tone after birth. Typically, normal newborn infants have relatively high muscle tone due to the underdeveloped nervous system, and this tone gradually decreases after 1-2 months, allowing limbs to move freely.