How to check muscle tone?

When parents are taking care of their babies, they must carefully observe the baby's physical condition. If they find that the baby's body is soft and the head cannot be lifted, this situation must be taken seriously. It is mostly caused by low muscle tone. If the baby shows symptoms of low muscle tone, it is best to take the child to the hospital for relevant examinations in time. The earlier the treatment, the easier it is to recover.

How to check muscle tone?

1. Adductor Angle

The infant lies in a supine position, and the examiner holds the infant's knees to straighten the lower limbs, slowly pulls the infant's lower limbs to both sides to the maximum angle possible, and observes the angle between the two thighs.

2. Popliteal angle

Place the baby in supine position, bend the thighs so that they are close to the chest and abdomen, then straighten the calves and observe the angle between the thighs and calves.

3. Heel-to-ear test

Place the baby in supine position, pull the foot as far as possible towards the ear on the same side without leaving the pelvis off the table, and observe the angle between the line connecting the heel and hip joint and the table.

4. Dorsiflexion angle

The infant lies in a supine position, and the examiner presses the thumb against the sole of the infant's foot and uses the other fingers to hold the calf and heel to dorsiflex the foot toward the calf, observing the angle between the dorsum of the foot and the calf.

5. Scarf sign

The examiner holds the infant's back and neck in a semi-recumbent position, pulls the infant's hand through the chest to the opposite shoulder, wraps the upper arm around the neck, and pulls it back as far as possible to observe whether the elbow joint crosses the midline. Newborns cannot cross the midline, but infants aged 4 to 6 months can cross the midline.

6. Pull test

The baby is in a supine position, the examiner holds the baby's hands and pulls the baby in the upper and front direction. In the neonatal period, when the baby is pulled forward, the head hangs back, and when the trunk is in an upright position, the head tilts forward. At 5 months old, the baby's elbows can flex and actively exert force. Pay attention to whether the strength on the left and right sides is symmetrical.

How to judge the muscle tone of babies?

Before 3 months old, put the baby on the bed, with both hands raised up to touch the bed and both hands open outwards to touch the bed, and cross the hands in front of the chest with elbows touching. Bend the baby's feet outwards to see how far they can open. If they are within 90 degrees, the muscle tension is severe; if they are below 120 degrees but above 90 degrees, the muscle tension is mild. Pinch the baby's feet and lift them up; the butt cannot leave the bed. See how high the legs can be lifted (the legs should be straight and cannot be bent). Above 110 degrees is normal. Hold your baby's ankle and gently push the foot upwards, bringing the sole of the foot as close to the calf as possible. If you cannot push or the resistance is strong, it shows that the muscle tone is high.

After 3 months, in addition to the above situations, put the baby on the bed, pinch his hands and pull him up to sit up. If his head still tilts back, it shows high muscle tone.

Babies over 4 months old will jump when standing on an adult's legs. Babies with high muscle tone will only stand straight and use their toes to sink into the adult's flesh. Cannot raise head when lying prone.

If parents judge that their baby has high muscle tone, it is best to take the baby to the hospital for examination.