Final Answer:
The statement "Hypotonia is typical of newborns with Down syndrome; their muscle tone is flaccid" is True. Hypotonia, which is decreased muscle tone, is typical in newborns with Down syndrome, and it can result in a "floppy" or "rag doll" appearance because their arms and legs hang by their sides, and they have little or no head control. This condition is also known as "weak muscle tone" and is a common characteristic of individuals with Down syndrome.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question revolves around hypotonia, which is indeed common in newborns with Down syndrome, and is characterized by flaccid or decreased muscle tone. This condition occurs due to an absence of the low-level contractions that are necessary for maintaining muscle tone. Newborns with Down syndrome typically exhibit this feature alongside other distinctive physical and developmental traits. Therefore, the answer is a) True. Hypotonia can result from damage to the central nervous system or loss of innervation in skeletal muscles, causing functional impairments like weak reflexes. In contrast, excessive muscle tone, or hypertonia, involves hyperreflexia and can be seen in conditions like Parkinson's disease or after certain types of strokes. However, Down syndrome is typically associated with hypotonia.