My Baby Has Tremors/shivers??

Updated on March 21, 2011
C.A. asks from New York, NY
6 answers

My daughter is 20 days old, we've noticed she has some sort of tremors when she sleeps which is normal but on 3 occasions she has had them for 10-15 minutes every 3 - 5 seconds always on her arms and legs, only there. Can this be some type of neurological disorder or something else??

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A.H.

answers from Chicago on

Here's some info I found. I'd also check in with my pediatrician on this based on her young age. Good luck.

Babies make a lot of movements that are often mistaken for seizures, including having a quivering chin, trembling hands, and jerky arm movements. Fortunately, these types of movements are usually normal. Babies can have seizures though, so if you baby is doing something that you think might be a seizure, you should discuss it with your Pediatrician.

General ways that you can tell if a movement is normal or a seizure include:

* that the movement always occurs at a certain time, like when you change her diaper. You wouldn't expect a seizure to occur only when you change her diaper, so these shaking movements might be simply because she doesn't like her diaper being changed. Infantile spasms are more likely to occur when a baby is going to sleep or waking up, so that is an exception to a movement being normal even if it occurs at the same time each day.
* whether or not you can stop the shaking or jerking. If an infant's arm is jerking and you can stop it by gently hold her arm, then it probably isn't a seizure. With a seizure, you would expect the jerking to continue as you held her arm.
* that your baby is otherwise healthy and growing and developing normally, which would also go against having seizures. Keep in mind that when a baby first begins having seizures, she may be otherwise fine, but over time, you would expect some other symptoms or problems with her development if she was having frequent seizures or spasms.
* having movements that are bilateral (on both sides of her body), symmetric (for example, both arms do the same thing at the same time), and/or rhythmic, which may be a sign of a seizure.

Keep in mind that some seizure disorders in young children can be rather subtle, like a simple head nod, lip smacking, or starting. So talk to your Pediatrician any time that you suspect your baby has a seizure. It is often helpful to record the suspicious activity with a video camera if you can, and bring the tape for your Pediatrician to view.

Updated

Here's some info I found. I'd also check in with my pediatrician on this based on her young age. Good luck.

Babies make a lot of movements that are often mistaken for seizures, including having a quivering chin, trembling hands, and jerky arm movements. Fortunately, these types of movements are usually normal. Babies can have seizures though, so if you baby is doing something that you think might be a seizure, you should discuss it with your Pediatrician.

General ways that you can tell if a movement is normal or a seizure include:

* that the movement always occurs at a certain time, like when you change her diaper. You wouldn't expect a seizure to occur only when you change her diaper, so these shaking movements might be simply because she doesn't like her diaper being changed. Infantile spasms are more likely to occur when a baby is going to sleep or waking up, so that is an exception to a movement being normal even if it occurs at the same time each day.
* whether or not you can stop the shaking or jerking. If an infant's arm is jerking and you can stop it by gently hold her arm, then it probably isn't a seizure. With a seizure, you would expect the jerking to continue as you held her arm.
* that your baby is otherwise healthy and growing and developing normally, which would also go against having seizures. Keep in mind that when a baby first begins having seizures, she may be otherwise fine, but over time, you would expect some other symptoms or problems with her development if she was having frequent seizures or spasms.
* having movements that are bilateral (on both sides of her body), symmetric (for example, both arms do the same thing at the same time), and/or rhythmic, which may be a sign of a seizure.

Keep in mind that some seizure disorders in young children can be rather subtle, like a simple head nod, lip smacking, or starting. So talk to your Pediatrician any time that you suspect your baby has a seizure. It is often helpful to record the suspicious activity with a video camera if you can, and bring the tape for your Pediatrician to view.

4 moms found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

This can be normal, they are probably not seizures, they are just her adjusting to not being all cocooned in your womb. I suggest you swaddle her, Google it, there are instructions.. this will keep her from startling herself when she does this,.
Congratulations on your new baby!

1 mom found this helpful
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K.A.

answers from Dallas on

Ask your doctor about it, but I really think it is just an immature nervous and musculature system. My son is 10 weeks old, and his leg still occasionally vibrates. It did it more when he was younger, and seemed to almost be a stress response to someone unfamiliar holding him or new situations (first time at church, his leg shook the whole time and he was being passed around a lot)

1 mom found this helpful
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S.D.

answers from Tampa on

I just want to say my son does it too. He's 3wks today and its never more than one extremitity at a time - and no real regular time he does it either. I forgot to mention it to the pedi at his 2wk checkup. I've just figured its due ti the nervous system still developing. Let us know what the pedi says if you ask them! I've been curious about it too.

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V.S.

answers from Chicago on

i noticed the same thing in my son when he was younger, hid dr told me to tape it. that way they ca see exactly what it is and if its normal.

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R.B.

answers from New York on

Always check with your ped. 3 out of 4 of my kids had this- as people said it has to do with immature nervous system. their arms and legs would spasm in and out for short time to a long time. Usually while they were sleeping. One of my kids did have a seizure and so the first time i noticed this i thought she was having another one. Her neurologist said the way to tell the difference between them is with a seizure you can't wake your baby up- (I would try undressing her and tickling her) and like someone else said you can't stop the jerking when you hold that body part. You can take a video of it and show your dr. That was what the neurologist suggested if we noticed my daughter having another seizure. Good luck.

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