4 Year Old Figgity and Shaky Hands

I doubt it was diaper cream...but if you're concerned about certain quirks, a great book to read is "Quirky Kids" it talks about hand shaking in there as one of the quirks. :) If a teacher, child care provider or other parent has noticed something different, it's always worth investigating...it's probably nothing, but if it is something the sooner you get the child help the more likely you can resolve the issue and help them.

Here is a link to the book I have picked up a few times when my children do something out of the ordinary. It's a good reminder to see if the difference is a worrisome difference or just a little phase. :)

http://www.amazon.com/Quirky-Kids-Understanding-Helping-D...

PS ~ I totally agree with the woman above my message...OT is worth looking into and she might just be working really hard on developing those ine motor skills...as for busy, by 3 year old and my 1 year old are both VERY BUSY and going all the time!!! They have more energy then us lazy adults ;) However, it's ALWAYS a good idea to not dismiss something, it's ALWAYS better to look into it. :)

PSS ~ I have heard of some people putting diaper cream on chapped lips...I really wouldn't worry about that at all...

my 4 year old grandson does the same when he is doing hand skills like working puzzles and ect . his pre school notice it also and thinks he needs motor skill activities to improve it .

I don't have any experience with the shaking hands. I think you should definitely see the Ped and have her checked out. Just a note about the school...schools cannot diagnose ADD; this must be done by your pediatrician. They also cannot put anything like that in your child's record unless there is a medical note from your doctor. I'm a teacher and these matters are taken very seriously and comments/notes put in a child's record are made with caution and care.

I hope that your daughter turns out to be well and healthy. I'll keep you in my thoughts.

Hi J.,
I don't have experience with shaking hands. I just want to extend my compassion as a mom, and tell you not to be hard on yourself. As moms it's so easy to feel guilty or think it's our faults when something goes wrong. The truth is that if kids didn't have caring mothers like us, there would be a whole heck of a lot more things to worry about!
Just take this one step at a time. Have your daughter's situation assessed by the right people. I don't remember who to call for things like this. Having things checked will either diagnose something for which you can get assistance early, or rule things out.
Sometimes kids have challenges with small motor, just as kids can have problems with anything else.
Your pediatrician would be the first step, but also keep in mind that sometimes they write things off as no big deal. I would encourage you to trust your instints. If you think there is anything wrong, then get your daughter to the appropriate place for diagnosis. That way you'll know that you're getting good information.
Lots of love and prayers to you and your family.
M.

Yes! Im having some trouble with my 5 year old son. He has ADHD and was diagnosed a year ago. His hands shake when doing fine motor skills and he i studdering. I thought it may be the ADHD medicine (aderall XR) so he has been of the med. now for 4 days and still has these symptoms. Dont know what to do?

I know it's worrisome, but try not to spend too much time jumping to conclusions right now. First of all, I seriously doubt it's the ointment she had on her lips. If that stuff can go liberally onto the privates of babies, it shouldn't do any harm if a little was ingested. I've even heard it's good for chapped lips, so don't worry (but do check with the Dr. just in case!). But I'm writing because sometimes things like that are just a phase. My son, when he was about 2, got a very scary little facial tick and I was freaking out, and within 6 mos. it was gone (no treatment) and has never returned. He's 17 now! So stay calm and see what the doctor says. Let me know.
M. (good luck)

Here are some links:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=2007090208221...
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/sym/shaky_hands.htm

It could be anything from just anxiety to medical issues.

Best see what the Doctor says.... and please, I hope your Dh does not "blame" anything on you. He is obviously as scared about it and anyone would be.

If you are so inclined, just pray about it, and think positively. I don't mean to sound "cliche" or make light of it, but it does help.
I really wish you all the best... and big hugs,
Susan

Don't rule out cleaning supplies. Please checkout this story:
http://www.bluedominoes.com/whats-in-your-schools-cleanin...

Whatever you do - don't blame yourself! My kids have eaten things and have been fine. Sometimes it's other triggers. Also, talk to her and see if she can provide any clues. Sometimes, it can also be something as simple as vision therapy. My younger son had issues with cutting and he was nervous. He needed vision therapy because he couldn't stay on the lines. My older son also had trouble with cutting, but there was no other issue.

D.

Take a deep breath and relax. Don't get yourself worked up over something that may be nothing. Wait and see what the Dr says. Don't worry about the school diagnosing ADD, they aren't doctors and it's not their job to do so. And, so what if it goes on her record? No big deal. Good luck and God Bless!

I don't have any experience with what you are observing, but don't be so quick to blame yourself for anything. Talk to the doctor about your concerns. Also, a school cannot diagnose anything... they are not doctors. If they do "diagnose" they are overstepping their boundaries. The only thing they can do is tell you what they have observed and see if you have ruled out anything like ADD or ADHD. I am a teacher and we have to be really careful about things like that.

my four year old son gets really shaky when doing fine motor and a lot during gross motor. He was seen by a neurologist who said he had hypotonia (weak muscles) and ataxia (lack of coordination and balance.

You noticed this a couple of yrs ago ? well time to catch up with the doctor have her tested, ADD does not shake the hands, at least that I have seen, don't assume anything until you have spoken with the doctors let the pro's work on her

Good Luck

It's probably not this, but when my thyroid was really overactive one of my symptoms was shaky hands. Just make sure your doctor does blood work to rule it out. Does it happen all day long? If not, maybe it's a low blood sugar thing.

Shaking hands during fine motor skills might just mean that her hand muscles are a little weak and she is trying really hard. My 4 year old is having occupational therapy through the school district for fine motor skills. His are really bad- he has a hard time holding a crayon right or using a fork. But, with his therapy he is getting much better. It is just a matter of training his muscles and brain to work together. As for the figiting, it could be just a normal high energy 4 year old, or maybe some kind of sensory need not being handled. My son focuses much better after about 15 minutes of physical activity, so we got him a small trampoline he jumps on every day and it calms him. We also make a point to walk to school in the morning (we are lucky to live just a few blocks away) so that when we get there, he has moved his body enough. Don't panic, nothing you describe sounds serious. If anything, she may just need a little help. OT is free thru LAUSD for kids of school age if your ped thinks its a good idea.
L.

At four, children are still developing their motor skills so it may be nothing but her working on gaining muscle control. I am a pre-k teacher and see children struggle with cutting, etc. all the time. Children develop at different rates. do sctivites at home to help her use her fine motor skills (lacing, stringing beads or fruit loops, cutting magazines). My son had terrible fine motor skills for most his early years. He is 6 and only recently can manage to tie his shoes and his coloring still borders on scribbling.

Four year olds also wiggle and move-hello-they are 4! Some have shorter attention spans that will change as a child matures. It does not mean ADD (4 is a bit young for that diagnosis anyway). Find out the situations of when she becomes fidgety-during group activites, a long circle time (more than 15 minutes), after free play, nap time. She could be nervous or over excited.

I highly doubt diaper cream gave her any neurological damge though a neurological disorder could be possible. Is there any family history? Tourette Syndrome is one neurological disorder that can show symptoms as early as 3 and is characterized by involuntary motor movements and vocalizations, aka tics. I bring this up because my daughter has this and my son is showing more symptoms. However, I never noticed any hand shaking in either of them. I can pass on more info about symptoms to you if you like.

Honestly, though, she seems like a normal four year old based on my 12 years of teaching and my own two kids. I wouldn't fret too much.

My stepfather, his brothers and sisters, my sisters all have shaky hands. We laugh that they could never be surgeons. For them, it's a genetic trait that's been passed down. People ask them if they're nervous, but of course, they're not.

Have her check out to rule anything out, and ask around your families to see if it may just be an unusual family trait.

As for always being wiggly, she's 4! Some kids are like that. It wasn't until about 10 did I see my daughter ever stop moving around.

Hi J....look up Familial Essential Tremor on google. It can start in childhood. You can get more information from the Essential Tremor foundation. Basically what ET is is a movement disorder which manifests when fine motor skills are being used. It sounds like you should have a neuro consult just in case. Good luck.
S.