Suggest Treatment For Symptoms Of Sleep Myoclonus

Posted on Wed, 12 Nov 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 12 Nov 2014 Answered on

Tue, 9 Dec 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : Dear Doctor,
My baby (girl baby) is 5 1/2 months old. A week before when i was feeding milk, she was shaking her head for few seconds, she was sleeping and also drinking milk at that time. Now today, again when she was shaking her head somewhat fastly and now also i was feeding her and she is sleeping. When I tried to press her head, then also it was shaking bit lightly. Her hand also was shaking. This was only for few seconds. I used to feed her by lying down in the bed (not in the sitting position).
I got really scared. Is she shivering with cold or is it something else which i need to take seriously?
Pl. suggest. I am really worried. (She is my 2nd baby and now i am 38 years old).
Expecting your earlier reply,
Thanks
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Arun (15 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Many possibilities need more information

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for writing to us.

From your description it looks like your child can have multiple possibilities.
A. Benign sleep myoclonus.
This is common in babies at this age. Will settle on its own.
B. Jitteriness due to hypocalcemia or vit d deficiency.
Check her calcium and vit d levels.
C. Seizures but unlikely to present only during feeding.

Let me know more information.
Is the baby preterm or term? Any newborn issues? Any history of jaundice?
How is the baby other times when not feeding?

Do get back to help you more.
Regards
Dr Arun

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari

Follow up: Dr. Arun (40 minutes later)

Dear Doctor,

Thanks for your reply. She is not a preterm baby and she has not got any newborn issues or jaundice. When not feeding, she is normal and active only. I don't find any abnormal activities in her.

Also, 15 days before we had given Inj. Prevenar II dose vaccination. At that time she didn't had any fever and so we had not given crocin drops which the doctor has adviced to give.

Pl. help.

Thanks
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Arun (32 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
unlikely to be seizures

Detailed Answer:
Based on your history seizures are unlikely.
It could be one of the first two possibilities I mentioned before.
Do check calcium and vitamin d levels.
No issues with the latest vaccination
Domt worry.

Regards Dr Arun

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju