Occasional head shaking

For many children, their spine is not fully developed when they are young, so when we pick up babies, their heads are easily shaken. Many new parents don’t know why their baby shakes and are always worried about whether their baby has a physical illness, so they go to the pediatric department of the hospital for treatment. In fact, a baby’s head shaking is a normal physiological reaction and is not necessarily a disease. So, what are the reasons why babies occasionally shake their heads?

1. Incomplete development of the nervous system

The functions of all organs of a newborn baby are still incomplete, including the baby's nervous system. The main reason why the baby shakes his head is because the substance wrapped around the baby's nerve fibers is developing rapidly, so it will cause the baby to have a series of behaviors. These behaviors are very normal and will gradually improve and finally disappear over time. So don’t worry too much!

2. Uncomfortable sleeping

Just like we adults will feel uncomfortable if we fall asleep in an uncomfortable environment, if the room temperature is too high or the quilt is too thick, these situations will make the baby sleep uneasy, and the protest method of uneasy sleep is to shake the head in various ways. So if the baby shakes his head when sleeping, the first thing the mother should do is to make sure whether the baby's sleeping environment is suitable, including the indoor temperature, the thickness of the quilt, the height and hardness of the pillow, etc.!

3. Expression of Will

Babies aged 6-10 months are also more likely to shake their heads, which often happens when they are happy, unhappy or about to fall asleep. Babies usually shake their heads while laughing or having an irritated expression, and each time they shake their heads quickly a dozen times, lasting about five or six seconds. Doing this can make the baby feel happy or relieve unhappy emotions, so in most cases this is just a way for the baby to express his wishes and enjoy himself.

In addition, when the baby is seven or eight months old, he will be very interested in imitation. When babies see adults shaking their heads, they will find it very interesting and will keep imitating them. Also, when babies hear their favorite music, they will express their feelings about the rhythm of the music through actions such as shaking their heads and waving their hands. These are normal and healthy behaviors. If the baby is just shaking his head and his mental state, appetite, etc. are normal, there is no need to worry. However, you can teach your baby some other movements, which can help the baby's growth and development.

4. Imperfect development of the vestibular system

If your baby often shakes his head or even bangs his head or sways his body, it may be due to incomplete development of the vestibular system. The vestibule is an organ that maintains balance and is located in the petrous part of the temporal bone of the skull, which is also the inner ear. There is usually a stage of self-stimulation in the process of improving vestibular function, which will make the baby feel dizzy. At this time, this discomfort can only be slightly relieved by doing some more intense actions, such as shaking the head, pulling the ears, swaying the body, jumping up and down, or even hitting the head against other objects. This vestibular self-stimulation stage usually occurs when the baby is 6-8 months old. It can disappear in a short period of time or last for a longer period of time, but it will mostly disappear when the baby is around 1 and a half years old. Mothers can promote the development of the vestibular system by massaging their baby's ears, spinning around in their arms, swinging their baby in a swing or playing in a swivel chair.