NEUROMUSCULAR DISORDERS IN THE NEWBORN

The main manifestations of neuromuscular disease in the newborn period are hypotonia and weakness. Infants with severe hypotonia but only ma rginal weakness usually do not have a disorder of the lower motor unit . These infants may have genetic conditions, metabolic disturbances, c ongenital heart disease, hypothyroidism, sepsis, or other systemic dis orders. Early on, neonates with central nervous system pathology may p resent with profound hypotonia, decreased reflexes, and moderate to se vere but transient weakness. However, they also tend to have seizures, obtundation, cranial nerve signs, or history of perinatal asphyxia.