My Son Sleeps like a Frog

Hi M.,
Both of my girls slept like this as well. It doesn't look comfy, but it's normal.

Take care,
K. :~)

I used to sleep like a frog myself! And I had no problems. Kids are flexible and rubbery.

My son does this too - sometimes sprawled out like a frog and sometimes all tucked in with his bottom in the air. FWIW, he started crawling at 10.5 months, pulling himself up at 11 months, and walking at 11.5 months.

I think this has more to do with joint laxity than strength. I wouldn't worry about it - little kids are made of rubber (how else could they get their feet into their mouths so easily?)

Mine does the same thing still! I think it is cute. The doc never said she had muscle weakness, but she crawled after 12 mo. and walked at almost 18 mo. Some just take their time!
E.

So does mine and he's one year, and he doesn't have any muscle weakness (as the doorstop pulled out the wall yesterday can testify!)
He's only started crawling proper in the last month or so and now that he has, I can't say I'm that eager for him to walk.
It sounds like you are on the right track with the PT, and I'm sure he will be right in no time!
Give him a wee hug and take a photo of your little frog for the baby book

My 14 month old sleeps like this fairly often. She wanted to do it even when she was a very small infant. I think we all would have gotten better sleep had I let her do it early on as well. From what I remember, my 9 year old brother slept like this too. Neither one had muscle weakness issues.

Oh sure, most if not all kids at one time or another sleep like frogs. both of mine did it, and they are fine.

Yep, my 19 mo old sleeps like that on occasion, I think it's so cute! I always want to take a picture of it, but don't want to wake him up.

My son does too. He actually sleeps on his tummy, arms under tummy, legs tucked, and tush in the air...very cute!!

Dear M.,

I don't think you have to worry about Muscular Dystrophy. That is a serious, progressive, degenerative disease. Low muscle tone, on the other hand, is more of a descriptive condition. It applies more to the conditions you've described -- your child (and mine) are the limp, heavy sacks of potatoes while other kids cling to their mommies like baby monkeys. I always felt like there was some giant, internal spring that just never got wound up tight enough in my kids! However, you should mention to your pediatrician about the family history with the cousin with MD. I'm not sure if that's a genetic disease, or how closely that person is related to you, but I'm pretty confident that your pediatrician would have noticed something and mentioned it to you.

About the frog thing -- I don't think you have anything to worry about as far as your son's safety while sleeping in this condition. Hyperextension of all joints, but hip joints especially, is a hallmark of low muscle tone. Usually it evidences itself in the form of the child sitting in the "W" position -- sitting on the bottom with the thighs pointing forward and the ankles/ calves bent out and back. If you look down from above, the shape the legs make is like a W with the child's bottom in the middle. This is a favored position because 1) the muscles/ligaments are so weak that the hip joints can allow the legs to get in this position to begin with and then 2) the wide spread of the legs provides a good base of support which offsets lack of trunk stability. I sometimes still have to correct my kids if I see them sitting like this on the floor. I think that the "frog" position is just the prone on tummy version of the same thing. Don't worry, those muscles will tighten up over time, especially with PT. Also, if he's on his tummy, then he's off the back of his head (helps with flatness) and he's getting the opportunity to push up with his arms. Try not to worry, he will be just fine!

Oh, totally normal. My daughter sleeps like that on her front and back.

Hi M.. All three of my kids sleep like this! No worries.