And her type is a more rare subtype with IIM- Intense Imaginative Movement's where her movements come along with vivid imaginary scenes basically like a day dream that you can't control. Doctors will provide necessary diagnoses and treatments in cases where medical intervention is required, such as in epilepsy and infantile spasm. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy. Your child may need to be seen by a We strive to provide you with a high quality community experience. Causes of pathway damage that lead to a hypertonia diagnosis include: Several conditions affect how your brain communicates with your bodys nerves and muscles, leading to a symptom of hypertonia. Around 4.5 years her movements changed and became more concerning, lasting for longer periods of time, and happened more frequently. Keep us posted! Some seizures only last a few minutes and occur once, leaving no lasting damage. The truth is that infantile spasms is an emergency. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. She alternates back and forth every few seconds while holding her breath, turning her eyes into an upward gaze and making strange facial grimaces. However, in rare cases, these movements may be a sign of a serious condition called infantile spasms. I was out of town when my husband called to tell me that Adelaide was doing a weird repetitive head drop and seemed to be losing consciousness each time it happened. Head trauma. Many think that when babies are overtired, they will lapse into a comfortable sleep. Seeks your attention infrequently 8. Read more about Adelaide's journey and the ongoingfight to end infantile spasms on Kelly's blog Inchstones atwww.kellycervantes.com. It may take longer for your baby to build their motor skills, like grasping objects, reaching for objects and crawling, but working closely with your babys healthcare provider and following recommended treatment will alleviate their symptoms and allow them to reach developmental milestones for their age. If you can, try to video any episodes of your baby having a spasm and show this to your child's doctors. Totally normal. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Birth injury like lack of oxygen when moving down the birth canal. Use baby lotion warmed in your hands and gently pass your hands over your baby's limbs. Trust me, they are very distinct from a baby's excited quivering. As your child gets older, long-term care will be necessary, like continuing physical therapy, to improve their mobility as they engage more with the world around them. Use some light oil and massage gently but be regular. Sleep position can be important in reflux disease. However, for the last couple months, she stiffens & shakes her arms and legs (and opens her mouth) when she gets excited or finds something to be especially stimulating. Pediatric neurologists look for a distinct EEG pattern called Childrens Health is proud to become the first pediatric health system in the country to offer Amazon Lockers, self-service kiosks that allow you to pick up your Amazon packages when and where you need them most 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It only occurs when she is excited, Never out of frustration or other emotions. Some babies may need long-term treatment to prevent seizures from recurring. A more violent seizure might make them stiffen up, fling their arms out, and bring. Infantile spasmsIt sounds so innocuous right? Remember, the children you work with are developmentally delayed so they are exhibiting behaviors that a baby would. In most cases, this is a normal reflex known as the startle, or Moro, reflex. When this happens your baby will shake and tremble or sometimes flap their arms . Infantile spasms can cause serious, permanent changes to a child's developing brain without early diagnosis and treatment. MNT is the registered trade mark of Healthline Media. Please select a reason for escalating this post to the WTE moderators: Connect with our community members by starting a discussion. I'm a step father, I don't have any children of my own, how do I deal with a teen boy that acts extremely feminine? Hypertonia is a lifelong condition and the prognosis is dependent on the cause of the diagnosis. Group Leaders communicate with staff moderators and escalate potential violations for review, but they dont moderate discussions. 2. Policy. Causes and risk factors of cerebral palsy. Learn more about our advanced services and treatments. Hypertonia is too much muscle tone. Baby stiffens arms and legs when excited? A communication error in your central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), which regulates how nerves and muscles interact, causes hypertonia. I seem to remember some other weird movements that also went away over time. Infantile spasms, first described with a group of symptoms known as West syndrome,is a form of epilepsy that occurs in 1 in 2,000 children. She now curls her arms and wrists into her chest then straightens her arms and holds them behind her sriffening them out with her fingers stiff and straight but pulled in toward her palm. Is 78 Degrees Too Hot For Baby To Sleep? Talk to your baby's pediatrician right away. One tip is if you're holding her to keep her legs away from your groin area (or anything breakable) when she's likely to get excited. Photo credit:Lori Sapio. What to Expect supports Group Black and its mission to increase greater diversity in media voices and media ownership. Your baby may sweat, vomit, become pale, and experience spasms or rigidity in one muscle group, such as fingers, arms, or legs. development, epilepsy, infant, neurology, seizure, treatment. Your post will be hidden and deleted by moderators. Aug 11, 2017 at 9:00 PM. It definitely only occurs when she's super excited. Situations where they are frustrated about something (diaper changes, being put in the car seat, etc.). Both drugs work well, but your child's doctor will talk with you about which medicine may be the better choice for your child. Some may occur due to an event such as a head injury, while others could be symptoms of an infection or an underlying health condition. The American Academy of Neurology and the Child Neurology Society Something like keeping your arm from shaking seems easy, but is actually quite complicated from a control systems point of view. My baby is hitting all her milestones, some a little early. During an infantile spasm, a baby may stiffen and extend their arms, while scrunching up their knees or bending their neck forward. Learn more about our program and services. From there, your doctor may recommend a treatment plan. Create an account or log in to participate. Did you go in sooner or wait until the appointment. Group Leaders communicate with staff moderators and escalate potential violations for review, but they dont moderate discussions. Signs include: Hypertonia is too much muscle tone and hypotonia is the opposite, with too little muscle tone. Sometimes babies that have a fever or high body temperature may develop a febrile seizure. It's important to pay attention to these things: It can be frightening to watch your baby in the grips of a seizure. He is fine now. intellectual or other Learn more here. Twins & Multiples: Your Tentative Time Table. She now draws her dreams for me and explains them to me. Stiffening of the body. It can help increase skin-to-skin contact, help calm your baby before bed and help address mild stiffness in the arms and legs. In the best-case scenario, babies can get seizure control and live nearly normal lives with maybe just a few delays or learning disabilities. Babies often exhibit strange behaviors that can scare their parents. We told our doctor about it and to be extra cautious she referred us to a baby physical therapist who tested him and determined it wasnt a mental issue so we had sessions of physical therapy to help him develop some core muscles to help him roll over and eventually prop himself up and sit up and get back down. Science couldn't catch up to Adelaide, but I promised her that I wouldn't give up the fight. Group Owners uphold the core values of the brand by reporting content that violates the community guidelines. Find advice, support and good company (and some stuff just for fun). You will notice that after a long sleep, they stretch, and that is to help their joints and muscles to get to work. Parenting Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for parents, grandparents, nannies and others with a parenting role. Please whitelist our site to get all the best deals and offers from our partners. A Group Owner is a member that has initiated the creation of a group to connect with other members to share their journey through the same pregnancy & baby stages. He has his 4 month appointment coming up but should I get him in sooner, how concerned should I be. You may also observe gagging, lip smacking, screaming, crying, and loss of consciousness. Our next apointment will be in July unless I take her in for this. Xoxox. Your baby might make their whole body appear stiff and tense by almost straightening themselves out completely. You may be told to goto the In addition, their arms are flung outwards that straighten along with their legs. rev2023.3.1.43269. One of my daughters has seizures and neurologically-caused muscle tremors. She also trained in labor rooms and pediatric wards while in nursing school - helping soon-to-be mothers and little kids in the process. Looking at every ones posts 6 months seems to be the age it happens maybe its there way of showing there excitement. And updates? Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy. There are many causes of infantile spasms; almost any brain abnormality or brain injury can cause them. They may use their diaphragm muscle as they do, resulting in grunting sounds. My daughter has just started doing the same thing!! I was advised to take pictures lol your little one is fine! My son is 10 months old right now and does the exact same thing as described in the original post. Thanks for contributing an answer to Parenting Stack Exchange! My baby is hitting all her milestones, some a little early. 2004-2023 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK, a Red Ventures Company. Infantile spasms most often begin when a baby is 3 to 12 months old. Learn more about our program and services, Documenting when episodes happen, how long they last and how your baby reacted, Tracking changes in developmental milestones, such as smiling and interacting. Hi - do you have an update? Muscles feel tight to the touch, especially when your baby is resting. So well done, you just made her happy! From last two weeks my LO is holding his hands in the front and tensing his arms and legs. The signs of seizures in babies will depend on the type of seizure. Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 12/29/2021. Since your child will need to continue to get ACTH shots for about 6 weeks, you will be instructed on how to give your child the injections at home. Imaging tests to observe their brain and spinal cord like an MRI or CT scan. Adelaide, unfortunately, was not. But if anyone has any updates that would be great. Learn more about, Twins & Multiples: Your Tentative Time Table. Other signs your baby may have colic include: clenched fists an arched back legs drawn toward the stomach seeming. They do this a lot to get their muscles to move and work. Infantile spasm is caused by improper brain development, infection, brain injury, or abnormal brain blood vessels. My baby is hitting all her milestones, some a little early. There are many causes of seizures in babies. Early recognition leads to better outcomes; waiting to seek treatment canincreaseyour baby's risk of permanent brain injury. While stiffening and rigid movements in babies are likely normal, accompanying symptoms and frequency may indicate underlying conditions. Terms of Service & Privacy Policy, Baby Stiffens Legs and Arms and Grunts (4 Possible Causes & What It Could Mean). Treatment for epilepsy depends on the type of seizure and your childs age. This refers to a type of seizure that starts with stiffening (tonic phase) followed by jerking (clonic phase). Coming to a Cleveland Clinic location?Hillcrest Cancer Center check-in changesCole Eye entrance closingVisitation, mask requirements and COVID-19 information, Notice of Intelligent Business Solutions data eventLearn more. Seems like its only when hes excited but he makes a big O with his mouth, gets stiff and depending on how excited a little shake. Your child may have to be admitted to the hospital to have a test called video-electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring. Repeatedly stiffens arms, hands, legs or displays unusual body movements such as rotating the hands on the wrists, uncommon postures or other repetitive. An abnormal electrical discharge in the brain causes a seizure. She has a little more motor control than your 11m/o probably does, but she still shakes, bounces, sways etc when she sees something she likes. As parents, you are the better judge of your childs behavior. The doctor told us its just a phase and a lot of babies go through this. Should I be worried? Cerebral palsy is the impaired movement and balance that occurs in the brain even before birth. She experienced handling and assisting deliveries of newborns into the world. Is my childs diagnosis the result of an underlying condition? Is Your Baby's Physical Development on Track? I know this is a very old post, Im wondering if the original poster or anyone who replied had an update on their child? Thanks for the reassurance all is well, it definitely isn't as uncontrollable as a seizure. A group of muscles, usually in the baby's neck, shoulders, or upper arms, starts to jerk. Don't hesitate to talk with your pediatrician if your child is no longer meeting developmental milestones. 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