Reply to What activitie are good for kids with low muscle tone/low core strength?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP here. I live in Gaithersburg/Rockville area. Open gyms sounds like a good idea. So kids can improve muscle tones/core strength by just playing at open gym, no instructor's supervision is needed? Would they get injured more easily at open gym because of low tone/core without instructior's presence? The last time my kid was at open gym was at gymboree & my gym when he was under 2 years old, but those places are too kiddy for him now.

I don't know if he has hypotonia, who can make this diagnosis? It was OT therapist telling me that he has low muscle tone/core strength.[/quote]

Hypotonia is the techincal term for low tone.  They're the same.

Hypotonia/low tone generally doesn't improve, however, someone with more strength can compensate for it better.  It sounds like your kid's low tone is complicated by lack of strength in his core, which is absolutely something that can be improved.

To develop core strength, you want your kid to be working their core muscles against either gravity or resistance.  Activities that involve a lot of balance are good for core strength, whether that's walking on a balance bean, or pumping a swing, or riding a scooter, or practicing kicks in Tae Kwon Do.   Horseback riding is particularly good for this. Activities like yoga that involve lifting your upper body with your trunk/core can be really good.  And activities in the water where you've got resistance all around can be good.

Whether an open gym or a playground would work really depends on what activities your kid chooses to do.  Sometimes kids with low core strength don't feel successful in the activities that would help them develop skills, whereas other seem driven to develop.  For example, you might have two kids who choose to play statue tag.  One kid choose positions that look like yoga poses here he's working his balance.  The other kid chooses poses with both feet on the ground and just waits to be tagged.  Or one kid chooses to pump the swing as high as he can, or to ride it on his stomach like an airplane and stretch his feet out, while the other chooses to let mom pump, or to get off the swing altogether.   So, plan lots of outdoor time or open gym time, and watch your kid, and see what they choose.  It won't hurt and maybe they'll choose what they need.  If not, watch your therapist and see how he/she has them move, ask her what activities to encourage to get similar movements in a fun away.

Activities with an instructor can be good, or they can involve a lot of waiting around.  Swimming lessons are great for learning how to swim, but running around in the pool playing tag, or swimming with a puddle jumper, or whatever is probably going to do more for core strength.  So, when you choose what activities look at how much the kids are actually moving.  [/quote]

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