Baby Hypotonia physiotherapy treatment and rehabilitation London with our neuro-physio at home or at the practice
What is baby hypotonia?
Hypotonia is a medical word for low muscle tone due to a neurological muscle dysfunction. A baby or child with hypotonia doesn’t have the muscles tone to be able to hold their limbs and head. It’s also called floppy infant syndrome. It is then impossible for the baby to reach milestones at normal pace without stimulation.
That is why baby neuro physiotherapy is very important for these children, as stimulation and teaching them the correct movement to reach milestones will be the only and most efficient way to help them be more independent in the future.
Be aware that the earliest we can start doing muscle tone stimulation and milestones exercises on your baby, the more chance your child will have to learn how to use their muscle.
If you are an Axa or Bupa patient, you cannot book online. Please call our office with your authorisation number.
If you cannot find an appointment that suits you, call us or send us a message: we will do our best to find you a slot.
Paediatric neuro physiotherapist in London specialised in children and baby with hypotonia
Our neuro-paediatric physio is treating patients with hypotonia on regular basis, he has over 20 years’ experience in treating baby & children with neurological disabilities like hypotonia or cerebral palsy. Our paediatric physio has undergone many post graduate training using different technique in order to give your infant the best outcome possible.
Hypotonia physio treatment and rehabilitation at home in London or in our private paediatric physiotherapy practice in Moorgate Monument, Belgravia and Clapham covered by Axa, Bupa, Cigna and WPA health insurances.
It is often difficult for mums who have an infant with hypotonia to organise physiotherapy sessions at the practice. That is why we have made the choice to offer home visits in London for children with hypotonia. It is also a good thing as the baby is treated in their own environment, which is a plus for their stimulation.
But for parents who prefer to visit us in our private paediatric physio practice, our team of highly trained paediatric physiotherapists & osteopaths provide treatments at our practices in London:
- Light Centre Belgravia near Victoria Station: 9 Eccleston Street, SW1W 9LX
- Light Centre Monument near Moorgate, London Bridge & Bank: 36 St Mary at Hill, EC3R 8DU
- Make Me Feel Pharmacy Clapham between Clapham South & Clapham Common: 25 Abbeville Road, SW4 9LA
- Light Centre Clapham, right next to Clapham Common Station: 151-153 Clapham High Street, London SW4 7SS
Alternatively, we can also organise paediatric online video sessions.
Our physiotherapy and osteopathy treatments are covered by most health insurances and are Bupa registered & recognised (BUPA Global and BUPA UK), Axa registered & recognised (AXA International, AXA PPP), Cigna registered & recognised and WPA registered & recognised
For Hypotonia Physiotherapy & Osteopathy treatment in London: 0207 125 0262 / 0782 455 3765
Physiotherapy treatment for baby with hypotonia in London
No matter the cause of hypotonia, your child will need physiotherapy to strengthen their muscles and improve coordination.
Hypotonia physiotherapy will always start with a neuro assessment of your baby along with an orthopaedic assessment to know exactly which muscle, movement and coordination must be stimulated.
Physiotherapy will help your child get more control of their movements using a vast range of stimulation techniques and progressive control exercises on the parts of the body more affected by hypotonia. Our experience paediatric physiotherapist can use different stimulation techniques like Bobath or neuro-stimulation.
The exercises follow the usual milestones of the baby’s neuro-motricity development.
The physiotherapist will also teach you sets of exercises to do with your baby between session.
With regular weekly session, our physiotherapist will help your baby achieve their maximum potential over time.
How do I know if my baby has hypotonia?
Doctors can diagnose hypotonia in babies in the first few minutes of their life. The doctor who delivered your baby will do routine checks of newborns’ muscle tone at 1 minute and 5 minutes after birth. Sometimes hypotonia shows up a bit later, but it will usually be noticeable by 6 months of age.
What should I do if my baby has hypotonia?
Poor muscle tone tends to signal a problem with the brain, spinal cord, nerves, or muscles. But physiotherapy and other treatments can help your child build stronger muscles and better coordination if the rehabilitation is taken at an early stage of baby’s life. So as soon as you can, try to build a team of doctor, physiotherapist, occupational therapist and even osteopath to stimulate your baby as a team will have the best results.
What are the symptoms of hypotonia?
Most babies are born with good muscle tone. It lets them flex and extend their little limbs. Newborns with hypotonia won’t have strong arm and leg movements. Same goes for his head.
As they get older, “floppy” babies with hypotonia will miss important milestones, like being able to lift their heads when they’re on their tummies. Other common symptoms include:
- Poor head control. When your baby can’t control their neck muscles, their head will fall forward, backward, or to the side.
- Feeling limp, especially when you lift them. If you pick them up with your hands beneath their armpits, their arms may raise without resistance — as if they could slip through your hands.
- Arms and legs hanging straight. Babies usually rest with their arms and legs flexed — there’s a slight bend in their elbows, hips, and knees. But children with hypotonia don’t.
Sometimes, the condition can cause problems with sucking and swallowing. Also, your child’s joints may be extremely flexible, as if they are double-jointed.
Premature baby & hypotonia
Hypotonia isn’t always a sign of a major problem. When babies are born too early, they may have poor muscle tone because their bodies haven’t had enough time to develop properly. In this case, things should get much better as weeks and months pass. You just need to make sure your baby is meeting milestones and getting any treatment they need.
If you are an Axa or Bupa patient, you cannot book online. Please call our office with your authorisation number.
If you cannot find an appointment that suits you, call us or send us a message: we will do our best to find you a slot.