Baby shaking head when feeding


Why Do They Do This?

Baby Shakes Head: Why Do They Do This?
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Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M. D. — By Kristeen Cherney on March 10, 2016

Overview

Over the course of their first year of life, your baby will reach various milestones related to reflexes and motor skills.

When a baby starts shaking their head, you may be concerned that something is wrong. You might even wonder if your baby is too young to be shaking their head.

Some cases of head shaking are related to neurological or developmental disorders. However, the majority of cases are normal.

Learn why your baby shakes their head and the types of scenarios you should be worried about.

Understanding baby’s motor skills

As a parent, it’s normal to experience protective instincts. After all, your newborn is delicate and unable to defend themselves.

Still, this doesn’t mean that your baby can’t move on their own. According to the March of Dimes, by the end of the first month of life, babies have the ability to move their heads from side to side. This most often occurs when they lie on their sides.

After the first month, head shaking in babies is most often accompanied by playfulness as well as other forms of interaction. Babies who develop “normally” will be able to shake their heads “yes” or “no” by their first year.

During the first few weeks of life, your baby’s movements might be more “jerky” as they develop muscle control.

Shaking head when nursing

One of the first times babies shake their heads is when they nurse from their mothers. This may first occur out of your baby’s attempt to try to latch. As your baby gets the hang of latching on, the shaking may then be a result of excitement.

While your baby might be gaining neck muscles and is able to shake side to side when nursing, you should still support their head for at least the first three months.

You may also find feeding times to be more successful by calming down your newborn’s reflexes so they can latch on more easily.

Shaking head when playing

Beyond the first month, babies might start shaking their heads while playing. In some cases, they might even move their heads around when resting on their tummies or their backs. You may notice that head shaking increases when your baby gets excited.

As your baby grows, they will start to notice behaviors of others and try to interact with them. If you have other children at home, your baby might start to imitate their behaviors through head and hand gestures.

Testing movement

Babies are extremely brave, and they will start to test how much they can move. At around the 4- or 5-month mark, some babies will start rocking their heads. This may move onto rocking the whole body.

While the rocking movements can look scary, it’s considered normal behavior in most babies. In fact, it’s often a precursor to your baby figuring out how to sit up on their own. Rocking and shaking behaviors usually last for no longer than 15 minutes in this age group.

Another cause of worry in many parents is head banging.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, this practice is more common in boys. It also starts around 6 months of age. As long as the banging is not hard and your baby seems happy, most pediatricians don’t worry about this behavior.

Head banging usually stops by the 2-year mark.

When to worry

Head shaking and other related behaviors are often considered a normal part of a baby’s development. However, there are instances in which the behaviors might extend beyond simple shaking. Call your pediatrician if your baby:

  • doesn’t interact with you or their siblings
  • doesn’t move their eyes normally
  • develops knots or bald spots from head banging
  • shaking increases during moments of anxiety
  • seems like they want to hurt themselves
  • fails to reach other developmental milestones outlined by your doctor
  • doesn’t respond to your voice, as well as other sounds
  • continues these behaviors beyond 2 years of age

The takeaway

While head shaking is not usually a cause for concern, there are some instances in which you should consider talking to your pediatrician.

Frequency is often a telltale sign of whether the shaking is normal or not. If you find that your baby shakes their head a little during feedings or playtime, this is likely not a medical emergency.

On the other hand, if the head shaking is frequent and lasts for a long time, you should see a doctor right away.

Last medically reviewed on March 10, 2016

  • Parenthood
  • Baby
  • 06 Months 1 Year

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

  • Developmental milestones for baby. (2012, June)
    marchofdimes.org/baby/developmental-milestones-for-baby.aspx
  • Guide to your child’s symptoms: Rocking/Head banging. (2001)
    springspediatrics.com/headbanging.htm
  • Movement: Birth to three months. (2009, August 1)
    healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/Movement-Birth-to-Three-Months.aspx
  • Repetitive behaviors in blind children (2015)
    familyconnect.org/info/browse-by-age/infants-and-toddlers/social-life-and-recreation-iandt/repetitive-behaviors/1235
  • Wiessinger, D. (2004, February). The world of latch-on: One leader’s journey. LEAVEN 40(1), 3-6
    lalecheleague.org/llleaderweb/lv/lvfebmar04p3.html

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Mar 10, 2016

Written By

Kristeen Cherney, PhD

Edited By

Nizam Khan (TechSpace)

Medically Reviewed By

Karen Richardson Gill, MD

Share this article

Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M.D. — By Kristeen Cherney on March 10, 2016

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Reasons to Look into It & When to Be Concerned

This blog has been viewed by: 117,681

Is your baby shaking head side to side? Are you concerned that it could be a symptom of a problem?

What you don’t expect is for your child to shake their head

Understanding your baby’s head movements and why they occur will assist you in identifying developmental milestones as your child grows and develops.

We know your most important concern: should I be concerned if my infant shakes his head from side to side?

The answer is most likely no! During their first year, babies grow quickly. Therefore, the development of gross motor skills is a crucial part. Gross motor skills refer to how your kid functions and interacts with the world around them using their body’s major muscles and appendages.

By the time they are seven months old, most new-borns can sit up, roll over, reach for objects, and explore things with their hands and mouths. Although it can be alarming to observe your infant begin to shake his head, most of the time, they are doing it for one of the reasons listed below

Exploring

Your infant could be experimenting with how their body moves and functions. For example, have you ever taken a moment to notice how your head feels when you shake it? All of these things cause babies to react and explore their increasing range of motion.

Is your kid getting a positive response from others when they shake their heads? They may be doing it to catch your attention.

When they become drowsy, some new-borns move their heads to self-soothe.

Imitating

You may not realise it, but you’ve probably shaken your head at your child. Of course, they may be merely copying what you’re doing. As babies get older, they’ll learn to shake their heads to express “no” in the same way that adults do.

Fatigue

Tired babies may shake their heads, causing dizziness and making it easier to fall asleep.

Ear Infection

 Ear infections are most common in children under the age of three, and your baby may be attempting to communicate the problem to you.

Breastfeed

Your baby’s attempt to be breastfed may have caused you to shake your head. Your baby’s head will frequently shift back and forth as they try to latch. As a nurse, they may become enthused. To indicate that they have had enough feeding, the baby may shake their head at the end of the breastfeeding session.

Autism

A baby with simply the symptom of head shaking is unlikely to have autism. Autism-affected babies exhibit different characteristics such as difficulty making eye contact with caretakers or being unresponsive to their names when called.

When Does Baby Shaking Head Indicates That Something Isn’t Right?

It’s natural for a mother to be concerned about her child’s development and some new things they do as they become older. For example, there are a few times when your infant shakes their head to convey discomfort or pain.

It’s time to see your paediatrician if you detect any of the following in connection with your baby’s strange movements.

  •       Fever, visible scrapes and bruises, or a rash are all symptoms of an infection or injury.
  •       Evidence of a fall may have resulted in your baby’s head is injured.
  •       Baby shaking head gets worse when they are stressed or agitated.
  •       Your child hits their head on the crib or a wall.
  •       Adults are having difficulty making eye contact with the baby.
  •       Other delays in development.
  •       Is exhibiting sluggish behaviour or is having difficulty waking up.
  •       Legs and muscles are stiffening, uncontrollable shaking or jittering motions, or breathing difficulties.

These are the signs and symptoms of a myoclonic seizure. It’s incredibly uncommon, but it can be catastrophic or even fatal when it does happen. Therefore, parents must be aware of these characteristics and contact their doctor as soon as possible.

An ear infection is the most prevalent reason new-borns shake their heads. A temperature of 102 degrees Fahrenheit or higher is one of the hallmarks of an ear infection in infants who cannot convey their suffering verbally.

Your infant may also grow agitated when placed on their backs, have problems responding to sounds, or have fluid flowing from their ears. Another sign that your kid has an ear infection is if you notice them tugging on their ears.

Trust your mother’s intuition in any situation. After watching the situation, if baby shaking head is happening in a way that it concerns you, seek advice from your paediatrician. They will be able to provide you with additional assistance.

Habitual behaviours

Unusual repetitive activities include slamming one’s head against objects or other self-harming manoeuvres.

Lack of interest

Even at a young age, babies can interest in what is going on around them. Bring it up with your child’s doctor if your infant appears to be out of it and unable to interact.

Slower development

Your baby may have autism if they frequently miss developmental milestones compared to other infants their age, particularly delayed speech production or understanding, as well as poor social interactions.

Fortunately, unless your infant exhibits any of the other symptoms described above, there is minimal cause to be concerned about head shaking. However, bringing it up with your child’s healthcare provider might help soothe your concerns or confirm whether any other indicators you’ve noticed in your child could be a sign of autism.

How to Stop Your Child From Shaking Their Head

If the baby shaking head causes the child injury or discomfort, you may wish to put a stop to it. The frequent vibration, for example, may cause them to become highly dizzy or disoriented, resulting in falls and spills.

You also don’t want your kid to bump their head on something like the crib’s side, a table corner, or a wall.

Follow these steps to prevent baby shaking head

Pay attention

If your child shakes their head, do not react. It’s cute, but don’t laugh and keep your phone down. Any reaction will energise your infant if they shake their head to grab your attention.

Timing

Please keep track of how long your child shakes their head. If you experience shaking while nursing or before going to bed, there may be underlying causes that you can address. Also, learn more about various ways to assist your baby in sleeping if they do it for self-soothing reasons.

Environment

If baby shaking head happens due to anxiety or tension, try to establish a quiet environment for them. Remove them to a calm area and rock them gently. Place your hand on the back of their head and gently cradle it in an attempt to calm them down.

Massage

Do you know what a baby massage is? To relax your baby’s muscles, get some baby lotion or oil and try some techniques. The head and neck can be settled in a variety of ways.

Consult your physician

Call your paediatrician if the baby shaking head is extreme or other indicators of concern, including developmental delays. Early detection of abnormalities or confirmation that your baby is fine will benefit both you and your baby in the long term.

So… Are you starting to feel better?

What’s the good news to remember? First, it’s unlikely that anything is wrong with your baby if you don’t notice any other symptoms, so you may relax and enjoy your little one’s antics.

If you detect any other signs or symptoms, make an appointment to see a doctor. A doctor can confirm ear infections, autism, or other significant conditions, and you’re an excellent mother for making sure your queries are answered!

Managing pregnancy and child health is easy with Nurturey PinkBook. This is the smartest digital upgrade for the NHS red book. With Nurturey’s smart and intuitive tools, you can manage and track your child’s vaccination schedule, and receive guidance from the NHS. Additionally, you can track your child’s growth and development using growth charts, Z scores, BMI, and receive health insights directly from the NHS. Monitor your child’s progress and receive guidance on key developmental milestones. Managing your child’s development and milestones is easier with Nurturey by your side

 

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Newborn shakes his head while feeding

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20 July 2016 17:29 at Personal journal

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Good afternoon! My post is not a question about what it is and how to get rid of it, this is a description of my experience in solving this problem. It has been 2 weeks since the first day of the experiment and the dynamics are positive. Now the child shakes his head only when he wakes up at night and in the morning, as I understand it, when he is between sleep and wakefulness. But not every night. I do not pretend to be scientific, I will not argue with anyone in the comments, this is our exclusive experience, maybe something else will help your baby. Over these two years, I have collected information bit by bit, if everything I knew now I read at the very beginning in one article, now everything would not be in such a neglected state. On…

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December 19, 2017 09:44 at Personal journal

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13 January 2015 07:44 at Personal journal

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18 February 2017 20:03 at Personal log

I'm completely lost. The last few days the baby constantly hangs on the chest. It might hang for an hour or two. He regularly falls asleep in the process, but as soon as I take the breast, he wakes up, starts crying and in every possible way portrays that he is hungry! And I give him breast again. So he throws himself on his chest and starts sucking furiously! Or even when he eats, at one moment he spits out his chest and starts shaking his head, puffing, and then digs into it again. Girls what is it? Is he not eating? Overeating? Playing around? She sleeps well and poops and pees regularly. But it exhausts me that I don’t have time to do anything and why he behaves this way. A note of milk seems to be enough. After it, I express a little more ... (but n ...

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November 3, 2017 00:48 at Personal journal

Well, I can’t call it otherwise. Is it just us? He sucks his breast, then there comes a moment when he lets her go, then he starts looking for her again, shaking his head in search, growling, grunting, I shove it into his mouth and he doesn’t grab her, but he still looks for it and so on for several minutes and then sticks and again all around

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November 21, 2017 11:48 am at Personal Journal

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December 27, 2011 11:31 pm at Personal Journal

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When breastfeeding, all is exhausted

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May 27, 2019 16:38 at Personal journal Moves in different directions and shakes his head while eating .... long cycles of chest oars. Okay, I ate, I put it in the crib, I started shaking my head from one side to the other and so on until I fell asleep, today this is repeated when feeding ... my chest already hurts, eats, but I myself mate with my head

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Feeding tantrums

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June 14, 2016 2:59 pm at Blog

The third day we can't eat normally. This disgrace began during the first feeding after the night, so the option immediately disappears that I ate something. The child demands food, pounces on the chest, sucks for a few seconds and jerks his head back. This is repeated over and over again. Milk flows down the mustache, does not enter the mouth. Then the daughter releases her breast and starts yelling or yelling through her chest. Just a good mother. I lift her lying on my stomach on my arm - she looks forward, stretches out with a string (she loves to fly very much ✈ by airplane) I just put her back on her back or feed her on her side - she yells. At the same time, she kicks me with her feet (she is generally strong with us, the neurologist did not find the tone), shakes her head. And it is clear that there is something like ...

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Crying while feeding!

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16 July 2017 23:34 at Personal Journal Or does someone just know why this could be? I put it on my chest, the child eats calmly and well, and after 20 minutes (by the end of feeding) he starts screaming loudly, spitting out his chest and immediately takes it again, while being nervous, waving his arms and shakes his head! This has been going on for the second day, almost every feeding ((( I eat right, milk is enough

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Breastfeeding position and colic

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22 October 2015 12:24 at They ate in the cradle position and lying down. But when we were 13 days old, I went to the hospital, where they gave antibiotics that were not compatible with HB. We switched to IV for 10 days and colic began. Now we have breastfeeding again - for about 5 minutes we suck normally, then we shake our heads, throw the nipple, we start crying and tucking our legs, suffering from the tummy. We tried to eat lying down, from under the arm, in the “cradle” position and lying on my mother’s stomach - the result is the same Please advise the position for feeding

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Girls, about feeding

Complain

20 May 2016 19:23 at Personal journal

Swallows very rarely. Then he starts to get angry, shake his head, throws his chest, again eagerly looking for it. And the same thing is repeated, then with tears. What could it be? Maybe not enough milk? I was able to pump 15 ml after it. I fed it with the expressed bottle, ate everything and calmed down. Help me figure it out girls! Nerves to the limit. There is another version that she does not like or is already too lazy to suck, as sometimes she was fed from a bottle.

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about feeding

Complain

February 16, 2012 19:16 at Personal journal

when applied to the chest, he sucks a little and begins to shake his head. angry, kicking, yelling. Toli colic or not eat up. I do not understand

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About relatives

Complain

3 February 2014 05:47 at Personal journal

I wonder how often inadequate? My husband has a younger sister. Weird... to put it mildly. A person who is hysterical and sticks her nose into other people's business. First, he will arrange a conflict out of the blue, when you try to escape from her all-comprehending attention, he will finish off with a showdown "to clarify the situation." My husband is a super non-confrontational person, usually he cannot protect himself and his loved ones so as not to be involved using tactics *it’s better to quickly hush everything up than put a person in his place*. For this, I often received scolding from me “why did you stand silently and watch how your mother / sister attacked me?”. I don’t want to spoil relations with my husband’s relatives, because he had them long before me, usually sti ...

0 65872

Share your experience))))

Complain

October 7, 2012 18:50 at Personal journal

When my baby sits in a chair and I feed him when I put a spoon after swallowing for some reason, he seems to twitch as if he doesn’t like it) and still squint his nose and sniffs like a hedgehog and began to shake his head in a chair while feeding, regardless of whether I give Should I eat for him or just sit… is everything normal at other times? What could it be?

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What a feeding!!! How to be?

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August 20, 2010 2:46 pm at Personal Journal

I have this problem! Feeding time is coming up, I give the baby a breast, he sucks, sucks a little, then starts to spin, first shakes his head in different directions, while tearing off my nipple (it annoys me crazy, plus it hurts), then the whole bends, spins and starts to whine !!! I suppose that my tummy hurts, I give Espumizan (before that I gave Plantex), zero sense !!! Because of such “feeding”, I had to switch to mixed feeding according to the scheme: first, the breast (until the first roar), then the mixture, and, if possible, I express milk and give it from a bottle !!! When you give him a bottle of formula, he calms down and eats willingly!!! Milk is enough, breasts are full for every feeding!!! So…

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how to help with colic

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5 January 2015 16:30 at Personal journal

What helps us: 1. Massage. Most of the time he helped! The most banal clockwise, how to “shake” the stomach with two fingers in a circle, just put your palm on your stomach and “listen” to how the bubbles run there. With sentences-rhymes that distract the baby. 2. Bend the legs. It helped at first, now it doesn’t, but any activity helps the muscles of the intestines to work, whether it’s lying on the stomach, swimming, or independently waving with all arms and legs. Previously, they did gymnastics, regular school physical exercises and an arbitrary set of movements taken from a video about gymnastics for babies. 3. Baby Kalm. Helped the baby to sleep more peacefully, because. There are soothing herbal oils. The belly was still inflated ...

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Memories of childbirth and daughter's development from the old page

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27 June 2019 09:06 at Personal journal Hello! While the baby is sleeping, I will tell you how everything went. In general, on the morning of the 30th, my stomach ached, I just had my last appointment with the doctor. CTG showed nothing, went home to prepare for NG. At lunch I noticed that every 20-25 minutes some kind of pain comes. Well, I began to guess that perhaps today is that day. By 18-00, the pain began to become more tangible and regular, she wrote an SMS to her husband that, it’s scary to me and that, probably, begins. He arrived home from work in 5 seconds and together we counted the contractions: they were irregular (every 3-20 minutes) and not long (about 30 seconds). Well, it became clear that I needed to call an ambulance, but I was afraid and we went to cook pasta)))) After eating, ...

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If the baby bites the breast

Complain

30 August 2012 09:34 at Breastfeeding

Baby teeth can be a serious problem for their future. When a pregnant woman talks about her plans to breastfeed, no, no, and someone will come across who will ask with a smile: “What will you do when your teeth come out?” Some believe that with the appearance of teeth, the child should be weaned . They may think that baby teeth make breastfeeding painful for the mother. However, if the baby suckles properly, the mother will not be hurt with two, four, or a full mouth of teeth that have erupted from the baby. As with many things in motherhood, the anticipation of teeth is often scarier than the teeth themselves. It is important to remember that a heavily suckling baby cannot bite.…

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If the child bites - Article (Ksyusha, thank you!!!)

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23 September 2014 15:58 at Personal journal

Bara Taylor bites Revised and updated by Nancy Jo Bykowski from an original article published in NEW BEGINNINGS, November-December 1990 Published in: NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 16 no. 2, March-April 1999, pp. 36-39 Children's teeth can seem like a serious problem for expectant mothers and their acquaintances. When a pregnant woman talks about her plans to breastfeed, no, no, and there will be someone who will ask with a smile: “What will you do when your teeth go?” Some believe that with the appearance of teeth, the child should be weaned. They may think that baby teeth make breastfeeding painful for the mother. However, if the child p…

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Bites and gw, from the site akev

Complain IF A CHILD BITES Children's teeth can seem like a serious problem to expectant mothers and their acquaintances. When a pregnant woman talks about her plans to breastfeed, no, no, and there will be someone who will ask with a smile: “What will you do when your teeth go?” Some believe that with the appearance of teeth, the child should be weaned. They may think that baby teeth make breastfeeding painful for the mother. However, if the baby suckles properly, the mother will not be hurt with two, four, or a full mouth of teeth that have erupted from the baby. As with many things in motherhood, the expectation of teeth is often scarier than the teeth themselves. Important to remember…

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This page contains the most popular posts and comments of our users on the topic "He shakes his head when feeding. " This will help you quickly get an answer to your question, and you can also take part in the discussion. Find out and participate Are you depressed Tired of being a good mom?

Baby shakes his head from side to side: causes and treatment

New parents always carefully monitor their newborn child. That is why the question often arises: why do babies shake their heads from side to side? This condition happens both for harmless reasons, and appears as a result of serious pathological disorders.

Contents

  • 1 Causes of head shaking
  • 2 Neurological diseases
  • 3 Getting help

Causes of head shaking

There are many completely harmless reasons why a newborn may shake his head while feeding. Quite often, when breastfeeding, the baby enjoys. According to studies, it has been proven that if the balance center of the patient's brain is overexcited, then the child enjoys shaking his head. In some cases, when performing this action, the child laughs. This is normal, so parents should not worry.

If a newborn has headaches, the baby starts to shake his head to eliminate them. In this case, the child becomes excessively capricious. About why the baby shakes his head, only a competent doctor will tell.

The reasons for this condition may be as follows:

  • abdominal colic;
  • teething;
  • otitis media

By shaking the head in these pathological conditions, the baby tries to distract himself from pain. Physiology can tell why the baby shakes its head. After the birth of a newborn, strengthening of the neck muscles is observed for several months.

Head shaking is sometimes observed during meals. That is why it is necessary to feed the baby so that his head is fixed in the hands of his mother. After the baby becomes confident in holding his head, mothers should not hold it during the feeding period.

If the child often shakes his head, especially at bedtime, then this may indicate the development of rickets. During this period, the baby observes general weakness and twisted limbs. The child cannot hold his head up to 4 months. When this pathology appears, the baby’s sleep is disturbed, the child becomes whiny.

Quite often, loss of appetite is a symptom of pathology. If signs of this disease appear, the baby must be urgently shown to the doctor. Only a specialist can correctly diagnose and prescribe rational treatment. Otherwise, the development of flat feet, scoliosis, protrusion of the chest forward is possible.

Rarely, babies have this condition due to curiosity. In infants, this phenomenon may occur if the back of the head sweats. The reason for this is improper control of the temperature in the room, excessive wrapping of the baby. With the appearance of disturbing dreams, head shaking in the baby may be observed.

There are many reasons for the development of pathology. Among them may be completely harmless or indicative of the development of serious ailments.

Neurological diseases

Quite often a child shakes his head in his sleep due to neurological diseases. In most cases, this phenomenon occurs against the background of:

  • hydrocephalus;
  • epilepsy;
  • autism.

Head shaking can be observed in the evening after a strong emotional outburst. During the period of head shaking, the child screams or cries, after the attack ends, exhales. After this, breathing may stop for a certain time.

This phenomenon can be observed in reflex tetraparesis, which is accompanied by a tilt of the head to one side. Since the child has muscle hypertonicity and pathological reflexes, the child cannot hold his head evenly for a long time. Because of this, the child begins to shake his head even in a prone position.

If the symptom is observed when falling asleep, then this indicates the development of Krabbe disease. In this case, the child has a weak weight gain, the appearance of convulsions and allergic reactions to milk. Quite often the disease is accompanied by vomiting and hyperpyrexia. The newborn becomes excessively whiny.

Opticomyelitis is quite often accompanied by this symptom. During the period of falling asleep, the child experiences dizziness during the development of this pathological process. There may be damage to the distal parts of the hands and feet. The disease is accompanied by optic neuritis. The newborn has frequent headaches, so the head is shaking. In some cases, the performance of the pelvic organs is impaired.

If a child has epilepsy, then during the period of falling asleep, the limbs may twitch, the head may shake periodically . In a dream, there may be an increase in these signs, because of which the baby begins to cry. But the baby quickly calms down on its own. The severity of the disease directly affects the frequency of attacks and the intensity of headaches.

The causes of the symptom are not only varied, but also quite dangerous. Therefore, parents should closely monitor the behavior of the newborn.

Seeking help

If there are no other symptoms associated with head shaking, parents have nothing to worry about. In some cases, the cause of the appearance of pathology is a surge of emotions that occurs against the background of stressful situations. In this case, you need to try to calm the baby. If the actions of the parents do not bring the desired result, then you need to seek help from a doctor.

During the period of involuntary head shaking, head injury may occur. Parents need to take this fact into account and avoid it. If the newborn shakes his head and other symptoms are observed, then the child must be shown to the pediatrician without fail. Only a specialist can correctly diagnose a baby and, if necessary, prescribe a rational treatment.

Newborn baby head shaking can have completely harmless causes.


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