Saturday, August 9, 2008

Zara's One year Doctor appt.

Our little skinny mini had a rough appointment, poor thing, her weight was only up about one pound from three months ago, which the Doctor really concentrated on...(In fact, i have been given instructions to see a nutritionist).
Since the Doctor wanted to draw blood to see if there was any reason for her poor appetite, we tried both arms and her left foot to find a vein; but no luck. Since we didnt get any bloodwork and the poor Zara was crying.. obviously, we opted not to try again.. thank goodness. We will attempt in three weeks time.
The doctor really felt that Zara should be at least cruising along furniture and was concerned that when standing Zara locks her knees and becomes quite rigid. Also, when she sits she splays her legs out to support her body, showing no core strength...Turns out we believe she may have a mild form of hypotonia... I found a nicely written explanation below...Matt and I both believe this makes sense and she is a classic case when looking at some of the symptoms.
Anyway.. sorry the description is long- check it out if you have time...

A child is said to have low muscle tone — hypotonia — if his muscles are on the loose, floppy side. You may find it unusually easy to move your child's arms and legs when they are relaxed, or that he seems to slip through your arms when you pick him up. Although hypotonia is not a well-understood phenomenon, children with low muscle tone often have delayed motor skills, muscle weakness, and / or coordination problems. While low muscle tone in an infant can be caused by a variety of fairly serious problems including hypothyroidism, Down syndrome, or a neurological problem, if your child was not diagnosed with the problem until after his first birthday, his problem is likely to be milder. In some cases, doctors are unable to identify a cause for a child's hypotonia and it gets better over time without treatment. The clinical name for this form is benign congenital hypotonia. Interestingly, many children with benign congenital hypotonia will have a parent or sibling who likewise had low muscle tone during their childhood, suggesting a genetic connection. Because your toddler needs to build muscular strength and agility, it's important that he be as active as possible. It doesn't much matter what he does — whether it's swimming, gymnastics, or general running around — as long he does something that gets him going. Pick an activity he likes to do, simply because he's more likely to stick with it if it's fun. Although physical therapy is sometimes recommended for children with low muscle tone, few studies have been done and experts disagree on how effective it is. Mild hypotonia typically improves over time with or without therapy. You may, however, have to lower your expectations for your child's future athletic prowess, since children with mild hypotonia are more likely than other children to have coordination problems and may well be less adept at — and therefore less interested in — sports during their grade-school years. A non-competitive environment that focuses on enjoyment and self-improvement rather than performance or winning will help your child participate enthusiastically without feeling penalized if he's less agile than some of his peers. And it's important to keep in mind that even if your child isn't destined to be a Little League star, he'll be able to have a fine life in many other ways.

2 comments:

  1. Hey Joc,

    I know you were worried about Zara's growth. Looks like you are on the safe side with this diagnosis after her 1st birthday. I am so sorry! I saw her eat though so you never know...things might pick-up soon. Did the doctor check her tonsils? Kiara had trouble eating throughout the first 6 years of her life. After the operation she did much better. Jus something to check. Hang in there....she will be OK, Zara is a very healthy looking baby.

    Love Aisha

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  2. Jocie:

    Thanks for posting the hypotonia explanation. I was unfamiliar with it. Sounds like Zara has a really good prognosis. From the looks of it...maybe she's been holding out for ice cream and cake! : ) We'll lace up our shoes and get her running around Ft. Myers in Nov.!

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