What if the baby's lower lip is shaking?

When a child appears in the house, all the attention of the parents is focused only on him. Loving mom and dad celebrate everything: to whom it looks like, whose eyes are on it, where the newborn has a birthmark. Everything in the long-awaited child seems to parents especially attractive and native. But gradually the feeling of affection is replaced by some anxiety, because the reactions and movements of the child, which differ from the behavior of adults, may seem to the young parents to be wrong and encourage them to think about the unhealth of the baby. This happens when the baby starts crying for no reason (according to the parents) or the lower lip is shaking in the newborn. About whether you should worry about this, we'll talk in our article.

Why does the new baby have a lower lip?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions among young mothers and father. Being old enough, they understand that any shiver, unless it is caused by fear or exposure to cold, is considered pathological, and various diseases are associated with it. Such a conviction is the cause of unrest and an active search for an answer.

In fact, what is a pathology in adults is not always considered a deviation in childhood. After all, the formation and "adjustment" of many human systems ends after his birth. And this process can last not a day or two, but several months and even years.

So do not panic at once. We must first figure out whether there is cause for concern or after a short time everything will come back to normal.

So, in pediatrics, two types of causes are considered, the result of which can be the trembling of the lower lip in the baby:

• Physiological causes

There are two reasons for this, both of which are associated with insufficient development of the important systems of the baby's body, and in combination can cause tremors in the child's lips. First of all, we are talking about the nervous system. The immaturity of the central nervous system, among other things, is manifested in the fact that it is not yet fully capable of controlling the movements of the baby. After all, young parents have repeatedly noticed how discontinuous and aimless are the movements of the hands, feet, head, eyes of the newborn. The same can be noticed with respect to the chin, lips and tongue.

The second reason, which only enhances the effect, is the immaturity of the endocrine system. The adrenal glands of the infant are capable of producing a special secret - norepinephrine, which causes vasoconstriction and a reduction in smooth muscle (hypertonic muscle) in response to a strong negative effect. However, they are not yet able to control the amount of hormone produced.

Since norepinephrine is produced in stressful situations, we also note the physiologically conditioned tremor of the baby's lip and chin at the moments when:

• the child experiences pain (for example, during intestinal colic),
• the baby is hungry, so sometimes you can see how the lower lip is shaking in the newborn when fed,
• the baby is disguised (despite the fact that the kids value comfort and dryness, the very moment of disguise causes them negative emotions),
• the baby is bathed (you can see how all the muscles of the newborn are straining when it is slowly lowered into the water, so bathing is also a kind of stress factor, even positive)

To cause unpleasant emotions in a baby with all the consequences that may result from it can be bright light, cold wind, intense heat, loud music and even ordinary fatigue, which is manifested by vagaries and crying. The child still does not know how to convey his feelings in words, therefore he conveys positive emotions - with the help of a smile, an agukaniya, active joyful movements with legs and pens, and negative ones - by crying. When the baby is uncomfortable, he begins to cry, and the norepinephrine produced in large amounts contributes to the fact that when we cry, the lower lip of the newborn is shaking.

If you look closely, it can be noted that in such situations, a slight twitch of the lower lip is noted for a short time (usually not more than 30 seconds). With regard to the duration of the appearance of this symptom, it is believed that the normal jitter of the lips in a baby can be observed up to 3 months.

• Pathological factors

Alas, it is not always that the lower lip is shaking the lower lip, can only be attributed to the immaturity of the nervous and endocrine system. In the same way, some neurological pathologies may manifest themselves, which in the overwhelming majority of cases are congenital in nature and are associated with oxygen starvation (hypoxia) of the organs and systems (in this case of the nervous system) of the baby.

Risk factors

Risk factors for the appearance of tremor of the lips in newborns:

• birth trauma (head trauma that occurred during the passage of the fetus by birth, prolonged heavy labor, resulting in the child begins to experience a deficiency of oxygen, placental abruption, asphyxiated by cord cuffing, etc.)
• violation of the development of the fetal CNS during pregnancy, caused by the presence of infection in the mother's body, polyhydramnios, stress in the future mother, a deficiency in the body of women's vitamins and minerals (in particular, B vitamins and trace elements of magnesium).

Up to 3 months of age it is very difficult to say what causes the trembling of the lips and chin in the baby. Even doctors during this period prefer to wait and advise parents to closely monitor the child and report inadequate reactions, for example, if the newborn is shaking his chin and lower lip while he is calm and full.

Suspicious symptoms and normal reaction

If you seek advice from a pediatrician about tremor of the lips and chin, as well as trembling of the lower and upper extremities of the child up to 3 months, it is unlikely that the doctor will suggest a serious examination and treatment of the baby. If at the time of delivery there were no traumatic situations and no specific neurological symptoms were noted later, we are most likely dealing with a physiological tremor that goes by itself to 3 months, when the nervous and endocrine processes come back to normal.

In children born before the term, the physiological tremor of the body can make itself felt longer, and such babies need more time to ensure that the body's systems are formed completely and work smoothly.

Consider the symptoms of physiological tremor in newborns:

• a small, rhythmic tremor that is noted in the area of the lips, chin, pens and legs of the baby,
• the appearance of tremors is almost always associated with the effects of irritating factors such as cold, hunger, fear, pain, moisture, etc.,
• the symptom is observed for a short time (several seconds).
• in term infants, a symptom is observed no more than 3 months; in premature babies the process of formation of the nervous and endocrine systems can be delayed for another 2-3 months, during which the trembling will remind of itself.

And now we will dwell on the first signs of pathology in newborns:

• trembling of the lip and chin is noted in a full-term child over 3 months (for preterm babies the border is 6 months, although there have been cases that the symptom was observed up to one-year-old age)
• tremor of the lips and chin is not associated with stressful situations, i.e. Is observed in a calm state,
• if the symptom is pronounced and often repeated for no apparent reason
• the newborn is shaken not only by the lower lip, chin, arms and legs, but there is also a tremor in the head,
• tremor is observed for a long time, episodes are repeated regularly.

Knowing what is behind such symptoms, only doctors know the professionals. Do not immediately break the Internet and put your child terrible diagnoses only for the reason that the newborn is shaking his lower lip. The parents' task, when suspicious symptoms appear, immediately notify the pediatrician about them, which, if necessary, will give a referral to a neurologist.

Consequences and complications

If we talk about the consequences of tremor in the lips and chin of the baby, then the events can develop in two ways. Physiological tremor in a newborn does not cause fears of the doctor, because this phenomenon is temporary, which passes without leaving any traces. The child develops normally, and every day pleases parents with their successes.

The excitement of parents in this case will also be short-lived. Usually by the 3rd month the baby's nervous system gets stronger, and the various movements of the limbs and muscles come to normal. In some cases this process can be delayed for half a year and even for a year, especially if the baby was born much earlier than the term. But if the doctor after a careful examination of the baby does not detect any pathologies and abnormalities in development, the parents will simply need to have patience and, if possible, help their beloved child to grow stronger in all senses.

Pathological tremor - this is not a natural reaction, and therefore requires more attention, since it carries a certain danger to the life and health of the baby. The danger is that if the lower lip is shaking in the newborn, the chin, the head, such a symptom may indicate the development of severe pathologies.

Tremor of the lips, chin, head and limbs can be observed with a pathology such as perinatal encephalopathy, which in fact unites many pathologies that are expressed in brain dysfunction. Treatment of such pathologies must begin as early as possible, then the chance of restoring the child's mental abilities is much higher.

Tremor of the lower lip and chin can be observed in deficient states (lack of calcium or magnesium in the body), increased blood sugar (hyperglycemia), high intracranial pressure, cerebral hemorrhages, etc. Even with timely treatment, the consequences and complications of these pathologies largely depend on the severity of the disease and the lesion site in the brain.

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Diagnostics

An experienced pediatrician for sure will be able to immediately distinguish the physiological tremor in the baby from the pathological, especially if he is familiar with the medical card of the child, which describes the course of pregnancy and childbirth. But even if there is no reason to suspect a newborn's pathology, the symptom will not remain unnoticed anyway. The child will be taken to the control of the district pediatrician.

If after 3 months the tremor of the lips and chin remains, the pediatrician can prescribe a consultation with a neurologist, which will be carried out taking into account the baby's fullness, the features of the pregnancy, the duration of labor and complications during them.

Since the tremor of the lips and extremities is related to the operation of the central nervous system, the brain of the baby is subject to examination. However, the prescribed laboratory tests, and many of them (blood test with the determination of acid-base state, gas composition, sugar, electrolytes, study of cerebrospinal fluid), can determine in parallel deficient states, prediabetes and other pathologies associated with metabolic disorders, which can also flow with a symptom when the newborn is shaking the lower lip.

Various methods of instrumental diagnostics can be used to detect brain dysfunction: ultrasound of the brain (neurosonography), computer and magnetic resonance imaging, which will help assess the degree of brain damage.

Blood supply and nutrition of the baby's brain is studied through dopplerography of the cervical region and duplex scanning of the vessels of the head.

In addition, depending on the preliminary diagnosis and the available symptoms, EEG, EchoEG, rheoencephalography (REG) of the head, x-ray of the neck, electroneuromyography, etc. Can be prescribed.

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Differential diagnostics

The purpose of differential diagnosis is not only to distinguish between the pathological and physiological tremor in the baby, but also to identify the dangerous causes of jitter in the lips and chin. And here the results of laboratory and instrumental research come to the forefront.

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Treatment

The fact that the newborn is shaking the lower lip, and what many consider a cause for concern, is in fact quite common. Moms and dads of every second child are worried about this, and in most cases, in vain.

Physiological tremor that occurs during crying, when frightened or in the phase of fast sleep is not considered pathology, and therefore does not need treatment. Such babies have enough mother's love and care to get stronger and get rid of the disturbing parents of the symptom.

As a rule, until the time when the baby is 3 months old, the tremor goes away. If the symptom remains and further, the doctor will recommend to help the child normally and actively develop with the help of simple procedures, which include swimming, medical massage, gymnastics for newborns.

As therapeutic water procedures, baths with herbal decoctions of soothing action are prescribed. For this purpose, use mint grass, lemon balm, valerian. The water should be warm and pleasant for the baby. This bathing is recommended to be done every other day.

Relaxing medical massage to the newborn can be done when he is 1 month old, even if the child has no alarming symptoms. Such a massage, including stroking, kneading, rubbing and vibration, is useful for many organs and systems of the child.

Massage procedures can be led both in a medical institution and at home. The doctor will show how to properly perform them, so as not to harm the child.

If the episodes of jitter in the lips and chin of the baby appear more often and become more pronounced, there is every reason to be worried and conduct a thorough examination of the baby. Treatment is carried out after an accurate diagnosis and degree of severity of pathology is established.

The main emphasis is on ensuring rest for the baby and performing oxygen therapy. This is justified if we take into account the fact that virtually all perinatal pathologies of the brain and the central nervous system, in which tremors of the lips, head and extremities are observed, are associated with hypoxia (oxygen starvation) in the child during pregnancy and childbirth.

If deficit conditions have been established, infusional introduction of drugs, replenishing the lack of vitamins and minerals (solutions of potassium, calcium, magnesium, ascorbic acid, glucose solution) is required for the baby. Such therapy helps to normalize the metabolism of nervous tissues, reduce their need for oxygen.

If an increased intracranial pressure is detected, the body is dehydrated, corticosteroids are used, spinal punctures are performed. For the removal of seizures, anticonvulsant drugs are used, permitted during the period of newborn. In addition, prescribe drugs that improve blood circulation of the brain, nootropics, angioprotectors, physical procedures (amplipulse and electrophoresis), osteopathic procedures, speech therapy.

Any medication and treatment procedures are prescribed by the doctor in accordance with the age of the small patient and the diagnosis made.

Prevention

If parents notice that the lower lip is shaking in the newborn, it is not necessary to wait until the child turns 3 months old to make sure that this is a normal physiological reaction. Many treatment procedures prescribed for physiological tremor in newborns are both preventative.

For example, the use of herbal decoctions with a soothing effect, will bring the baby only benefit, promoting relaxation and a strong, calm sleep. At the same time, they are considered to be one of the effective means for preventing the jaws of the lips, chin and extremities in newborns.

Massage the child doctors recommend to do and those children who have a physiological tremor, and those who have such a symptom is not observed. Relaxing massage will help relieve neuromuscular tension and prevent jerking of the lips and extremities in the baby.

Another good preventive method is hardening, which in the absence of contraindications is recommended for healthy babies. Under hardening in infancy, one does not understand bathing in cold water, but wiping with a damp towel and taking air baths to help the baby create strong immunity and grow healthy.

Methods of preventing pathological tremor in newborns are first of all the care of a pregnant woman about her health. A balanced diet with sufficient amounts of essential substances, moderate physical activity, adequate rest, a healthy lifestyle, a positive psychological attitude, outdoor walks are those tips and instructions given to all future mothers and doctors and friends, because they want the health of a pregnant woman a woman and a child in her womb. Just listen to them, and you can avoid unpleasant and dangerous consequences for the child.

Forecast

The prognosis of the condition in which the lower lip is shaking in the lower lip depends on the cause of the symptom. Physiological tremor passes by itself, as soon as the baby's nervous system gets a little stronger, and the pathological may have different consequences. With effective treatment, a child can develop normally and become healthy even with a diagnosis of perinatal encephalopathy. But in some cases, nevertheless it is not possible to correct the state of the child, which means that it will lag behind in mental and physical development. And yet, the earlier the diagnosis is made and the treatment is started, the more chances of success.

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