What causes baby cramps?

Most newborns are more likely to suffer from cramps because their cerebral cortex is thin and their central nervous system is not yet fully developed. Some newborns may also appear pale or flushed, and in severe cases, they may experience respiratory arrest and skin cyanosis. There are many reasons that cause baby cramps. So let’s take a detailed look at what causes baby cramps.

Diagnosis of neonatal convulsions

1. Infectious diseases such as sepsis, purulent meningitis, neonatal tetanus, pneumonia, etc. often cause convulsions, which usually occur 3-7 days after birth. These diseases often cause serious consequences in the neonatal period due to their atypical manifestations and the inability to diagnose and treat them in a timely manner.

2. Metabolic abnormalities, such as hypoglycemia, hypocalcemia, hyponatremia, hypernatremia, and vitamin B deficiency, are also common causes of neonatal convulsions. Other conditions, such as cerebral hypoplasia and kernicterus caused by hemolytic disease of the newborn, can also cause convulsions.

Causes of neonatal convulsions

Neonatal convulsions are one of the common symptoms with a high incidence rate. It is a symptom of many diseases. Its clinical manifestations are atypical and sometimes difficult to identify. They are often manifested as paroxysmal eye activities (blinking, eye movements or tremors) and oral and cheek twitching. Intracranial hemorrhage and brain tissue hypoxia caused by neonatal asphyxia are the most common causes of neonatal convulsions. It usually occurs within 12 days after birth, and survivors may develop epilepsy, hemiplegia, low IQ, hydrocephalus, etc. in the future.

Other reasons:

1. Central nervous system diseases are often seen in intracranial hemorrhage, meningitis, kernicterus and brain malformations;

2. Neonatal tetanus often causes convulsions 4 to 6 days after birth, accompanied by trismus;

3. Children with metabolic disorders, hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia and hypoglycemia may suffer from convulsions.

Newborn baby twitching while sleeping

In fact, this is a normal phenomenon. Neonatal convulsions are a manifestation of temporary brain function disorder. The cerebral cortex of the newborn is not yet fully developed, so the activities of the limbs are mainly controlled by the subcortical center, resulting in involuntary and purposeless shaking of the limbs. As the cerebral cortex gradually matures, the "control" of the child's limb movements gradually transfers from the subcortical center to the cerebral cortex, and the involuntary shaking of the limbs gradually disappears.

For example, if you suddenly hear a sound, your muscles will tremble all over your body; or if you are suddenly startled when you transition from sleep to wakefulness, these are all normal. In addition to systemic or local muscle twitching, more common manifestations include nystagmus, staring, repeated blinking, loud screaming, facial tremors, and swinging forearms back and forth, which are all manifestations of convulsions. Some newborns also show symptoms of respiratory arrest and cyanosis.

The above is a detailed introduction to the question of what causes baby cramps. When a newborn baby has convulsions, parents should pay attention to observe whether it is caused by physical problems of the newborn baby. In addition, for children who have convulsions while sleeping, parents should take them to the hospital for examination to see if it is caused by calcium deficiency. And calcium should be supplemented in time.