children s health issues
Myotonia Congenita
Symptoms of Myotonia Congenita
In children with myotonia congenita, there is delayed relaxation after muscle contraction, which can cause muscle stiffness. Parents may notice weakness or clumsiness in their children, as well as stiffness. The hands, legs, and eyelids become very stiff because of an inability to relax the muscles. Symptoms of myotonia lessen with age but do not disappear, and they are most noticeable after a period of rest. Unlike some other muscle disorders, myotonia congenita does not cause the muscles to become weak and waste away (atrophy). Instead, affected children typically have enlarged muscles. The increased muscle bulk gives them an "athletic" appearance. The symptoms of Thomsen disease begin in infancy or early childhood and first affect the upper limbs and face, whereas in Becker disease they begin later in childhood and first affect the lower limbs. Muscle enlargement is more noticeable in Becker disease. There is no weakness in Thomsen disease, but children with Becker disease sometimes have temporary weakness after a long period of rest and sometimes with weakness that gets worse over time. 