Why does a child jerk his legs in his sleep at night? Why does a child startle in his sleep and wake up? How to Make Your Bedtime Relaxing

Most often, a child's startling occurs at the moment of falling asleep. This phenomenon also occurs in adults, and is easily explained from a medical point of view.

Mothers of babies sleep lightly, waking up from any sound from the crib. They care about everything: how the baby breathes, which side he sleeps on, body temperature. And if a clogged nose is a completely predictable phenomenon, then when a child twitches in a dream, every woman panics. Why do shudders happen, and is it so dangerous?

Baby 3 months old - wakes up and cries

Transition between sleep stages

Most often, a child's twitching occurs at the moment of falling asleep. This phenomenon also occurs in adults, and is easily explained from a medical point of view.

Human sleep is periodic, consisting of slow and deep phases, with a cycle that replaces them one month old baby lasts only 50 minutes. When falling asleep, an adult goes into deep sleep almost immediately, while a baby sleeps lightly for the first 20-30 minutes.

Thematic material:

When the phases change, the so-called shudder occurs. An adult at this moment may dream that he is falling into an abyss or flying quickly. A muscle spasm that causes the body to twitch is a defensive reaction to the body slowing down its processes.

In medicine, this is called hypnagogic fear. Both the adult and the child sometimes wake up at this moment.

Harmless reasons

There are other reasons that cause shuddering in babies in the first months of life. But for the most part, they are not a symptom of any disorder.

Dr. Komarovsky does not see anything dangerous in the fact that a baby sometimes twitches when falling asleep, and considers this phenomenon to be quite normal.

When to sound the alarm?

First of all, determine the nature and regularity of the child’s winces. If during sleep the baby twitches no more than 10 times, and after waking up quickly falls asleep, there is nothing to worry about.

When, at the same time as this phenomenon, you observe the baby’s general anxiety, increased excitability and signs of ill health, you should contact your pediatrician. It will help determine the nature of dysfunctions in the body and direct to to the right doctors.

Why do shudders appear against the background of neurology? Similar disorders are observed in premature newborns or children who have suffered hypoxia during childbirth.

Excess vitamin D, as well as calcium and iron deficiency, can cause unexpected shuddering.

Increased intracranial pressure, like a number of other pathologies nervous system, is a consequence of a difficult birth, accompanied by sleep disturbances and a general restless state of the newborn.

Trembling or convulsions?

It is extremely important to separate these two concepts, because seizures are symptoms serious illnesses and a reason for inpatient observation.

If a child twitches rhythmically and continuously in his sleep, and when he is picked up, the phenomenon does not stop, we are talking about the second.

By the way, in ordinary children, without a predisposition to epileptic seizures, convulsions occur rarely, mainly during elevated body temperatures.

Why is this dangerous? Reaching critical levels, the temperature in infants can cause brain damage. And convulsions in this case are a precursor to an impending threat.

Monitor body temperature especially carefully in children in the first months of life. The younger the child, the more serious the consequences may be.

"Recipe" for flinching

Of course, there are no instructions or medications that would help eliminate the causes of the unpleasant phenomenon. But you can improve your sleep and make it last longer.

Observe temperature conditions. Cool, moist air, according to Komarovsky, will save you both from and during illnesses. Science has also proven that the sleep hormone is better produced in the cold. Therefore, ventilate even in frosty conditions, do wet cleaning and remove heaters that dry out the air.
Control your emotional background. Think about it: if your baby is constantly wincing, maybe you are too aggressive with him or are not paying enough attention while he is awake.
Dose your impressions. It is difficult to guess what will amaze your baby more during the day - an unfamiliar aunt or a butterfly fluttering in front of his face - all this will come back to haunt him. But to reduce activity before bedtime, to help the baby relax, to tune in to peace is the task of parents.

Don't teach infant from birth sleep in silence, swaddle when you wake yourself up with your arms, be on the floor more often fresh air. And if you still think that your child shudders too often, consult a doctor.

The little man falls asleep. What could be better for parents? Standing over the crib, mom and dad admire the sniffling baby. Suddenly the child shudders and twitches. It scares them.

Medical specialists have defined this phenomenon as myoclonus. What is it? Why is this happening? Should you panic and see a doctor if your child starts in his sleep?

A child's flinching during sleep and when falling asleep may be due to the immaturity of the nervous system

Physiology of nocturnal shuddering

Myoclonus or flinching is a sudden twitching of muscles (mainly in the legs, arms, face). Occurs during complete relaxation of the body. There is a shudder:

Synchronous and asynchronous;
Spontaneous;
Rhythmic and arrhythmic;
Reflex.

If a child starts in his sleep immediately after falling asleep, this is not a pathology. If the baby twitches throughout his sleep, this is a reason to consult a doctor.

What are the types of twitches when falling asleep?

Physiological:

occur when a sleeping child is unexpectedly touched;
the nervous system is overstimulated during the day or just before bedtime;
may be a reaction to sharp sounds;
may occur during feeding in infants;

Pathological:

spontaneous cessation of breathing;
epilepsy;

spinal cord injuries;
often during the transition from one phase of sleep to another - compensatory twitching of the lower extremities;
Ekbom syndrome (syndrome restless legs), which is characterized by unpleasant sensations in the feet and calf muscles;
hereditary causes, consisting in poor blood supply to the joint apparatus; when jerking the legs, blood flow to the joints improves.

When do they arise?

The appearance of physiological twitching occurs due to a conflict between the period of complete relaxation of the body and muscle tone. Often, in young children, this may be a transition from one phase of sleep to another (indicating that deep dream hasn't arrived yet). The not yet fully formed nervous system also affects. Parents watch as the baby twitches its arms and legs, smiles and mutters in its sleep. At this moment, it is strongly recommended not to wake the baby.

That's why, if these symptoms occur, you should provide more comfortable conditions for falling asleep:

It is advisable to take a bath with herbal infusions;
in the room where the baby sleeps, turn on diffused light;
organize your daily routine;
The temperature in the bedroom should not be higher than 21˚C.

Optimal temperature in the baby’s bedroom – 18-21 °C

It is imperative to remember that only a doctor can reliably distinguish pathology from the norm. If twitching during sleep is prolonged, you should consult a specialist.

What are the causes of shuddering in sleep in infants?

Startling when changing phases of sleep is not a pathology (little children also have dreams). If this happens more than 10-15 times a night, this is a reason to consult a neurologist.

The cause of twitching may be a too stormy previous day, activity, or excessive crying in the evening. A premature baby twitches more often than a healthy baby.

When a child is teething or has trouble with gas, this can also be a reason for flinching. Formation and establishment of functioning digestive system may cause discomfort in the stomach - another reason. Be sure to remember that often shuddering during sleep in infants combined with high temperature can cause convulsions.

Some children experience febrile seizures due to high fever

That is why, in order to avoid the frequent occurrence of twitches of a physiological nature, it is necessary:

avoid active games before bedtime;
give a relaxing and soothing massage;
do not dry out the air in the bedroom with electric heaters;
avoid the appearance of mosquitoes and flies in the place where the child sleeps;
Clothing and bedding should, if possible, be made from natural fabrics;
undershirts and rompers should be loose-fitting and not restrict movement (tightness can cause shuddering);
bathing the baby in a warm decoction of herbs: calendula, mint, chamomile, pine needles, sea salt(aimed at relaxing muscles);
avoid both overfeeding and underfeeding before bedtime;
Try to put your child to bed at the same time every day.

Why are there reasons for concern?

In some cases, this phenomenon may be a manifestation of serious diseases. Why should you sound the alarm and consult a doctor? What recommendations should be followed?

There are situations when it is necessary to consult a doctor regarding a child’s shuddering in his sleep.

You need to worry in the following cases:

when the baby twitches throughout the rest;
on restless sleep and startling, symptoms of fear are superimposed (the child cries or screams in his sleep);
laboratory detected increased content vitamin D or calcium deficiency;
shudders appeared in the background earlier good sleep;
Twitching of arms and legs can be a symptom of a metabolic disorder, and if left untreated can lead to spontaneous seizures.

In this situation, it would be good to consult a neurologist or local pediatrician for full examination. Mom must remain calm. Do not make sudden movements and avoid sounds that are too sharp (they can scare you).

Why is drug treatment not used in children?

Application medicines justified only as prescribed by a doctor. This is a last resort measure in treatment.

They say that if a baby smiles in a dream, then he dreams of angels. But if during rest he whines and shudders, then he sees how his mommy is taken away from him. This is how our ancestors explained the anxious behavior of our children at night. But doctors have a different point of view on this matter. And not in all situations the reasons are as harmless as a simple night plot.

In the first year of life, a child spends more time sleeping.

And until the newborn is three months old, this period takes approximately 17 hours. And this is considered the norm. At this time, the nerve cells of the brain mature. It’s not for nothing that people say that sleep is the best healer. Children who sleep well gain weight better and are in a good mood.

Why is it dangerous that a child starts in his sleep?

It will not surprise experienced parents that during the period of night rest the baby makes various sounds, gestures and twitches. But parents of their first-born are very often frightened when they see something like this in their baby. There is good reason for this excitement. After all, if a newborn shudders at night, this may be a symptom of some dysfunctions in the body.

Why does a child flinch in his sleep: possible deviations

If the child’s movements during sleep are rhythmic, similar to convulsions, and do not stop throughout the rest period, then you need to start worrying. A situation where there is complete silence in the room, and the child twitches as if from sharp sounds is also a bad sign. In such situations, the baby must be shown to specialists as quickly as possible. Doctors can diagnose the following situations:

If a newborn shudders at night, this may be a sign of serious health problems. Periodically, such movements indicate pathology of the nervous system. First of all, the risk group includes children with birth trauma or those born ahead of schedule. The reason for the deviations may be hypoxia. If a child twitches convulsively at night, then he needs to be shown to a neurologist and pediatrician.

What is necessary for the normal development of a newborn

Newborns experience polyphasic sleep. During the fast phase, newborns dream, but during the deep phase they do not. The newborn should sleep soundly and calmly. rest in daytime required. This is the only way the newborn will develop normally and correctly. To do this you need:

Why else can a newborn startle during sleep?

There are some other reasons why a child twitches in his sleep. These reasons do not relate to medical factors, but to the factors that surround the child.

The sleep jerks described above are considered normal and do not require treatment.

How to organize a restful, healthy sleep for a newborn

There are several rules that should be followed so that your baby can sleep peacefully. To do this you need:

Usually children's sleep represents a peaceful, calm process. But sometimes the child twitches in his sleep, snores, smacks his lips, and moans. The causes of shuddering are varied, but do not always require medical intervention.

When resting at night, an adult goes through several alternating phases: falling asleep, episodes of rapid (shallow) and slow (deep) sleep. In adults, shallow sleep takes about 2 hours. The rest of the time is spent in the deep sleep phase. In children, the opposite happens - slow-wave sleep does not last long. During fast dreams, the baby sometimes squints his eyes, smiles, may cry, and twitches with his whole body. This behavior is considered normal.

Important! As the child's body matures, the slow phase increases. By the age of three, rest normalizes, becomes calm and measured.

Sometimes a newborn twitches in his sleep due to the Moro reflex. Congenital unconditioned reflex manifested by separation of the limbs, occurs as a response to external stimuli. A loud knock, scream, or clap that frightens a baby can provoke a defensive reaction in the body. The baby's behavior does not pose any danger. By 2 months, the child’s body adapts, the reflex disappears.

Sometimes a newborn jerks his arms and legs at the time of urination or defecation. When defecating, the baby may grunt, sob, or strain. Night colic worsens the situation. The unformed digestive system is not adapted to the new regime, type of nutrition, which causes the accumulation of gases. They compress the fragile intestinal walls, causing attacks of pain. Children's body answers to sharp pain twitching of limbs, low screams. Overeating provokes restless behavior in the baby. Therefore, parents need to follow the rules and diet.

A newborn baby twitches in his sleep also because he goes through a period of adaptation to the new atmosphere. In the womb, the baby was in optimal conditions and felt protected. Birth has shaken up the baby’s body; the child is forced to adapt to a microclimate that is foreign to him.

Causes of twitching

Children of two and three years of age twitch when they fall asleep if before rest they actively ran, watched cartoons, or emotionally communicated with household members. An excited state does not allow the nervous system to relax, so difficulties arise in the phase of falling asleep.

Children of preschool and school age twitch during sleep due to ordinary fatigue of the muscles and nervous system. Sudden movements of the arms and legs during sleep occur during transitions from one phase to another. Scientists suggest that dream periods differ in their level of dynamism nerve cells, muscle tissue.

Uncomfortable position causing disturbance blood supply to tissues is another reason that a child twitches violently in his sleep. Nerve receptors respond to weakened blood flow and send an impulse to the brain that promotes contraction of the muscles of the numb limb. A sharp twitch can cause the child to wake up and change body position.

Hazardous factors

Sometimes a child twitches in his sleep due to pathological disorders in organism. Common factors in the development of twitching are:

epilepsy;
lack of calcium;
metabolic disorders;
increased intracranial pressure;
syndrome of increased neuro-reflex excitability.

Children may wince when high temperature body when the thermometer reaches 39 degrees. The body gives a signal of danger, since this condition is fraught with the development of complications.

When a baby sleeps jerkily, this is not normal. To reassure themselves, parents should undergo an unscheduled examination with their child from a neurologist and pediatrician.

Consulting a doctor is also important in the following cases:

the child wakes up 7-10 times;
in the process of resting or waking up, he cries, screams;
convulsive states appear;
twitching is accompanied by a long rhythmic trembling;
the newborn experiences frequent regurgitation (sometimes in a fountain).

In most cases, children wake up in the middle of the night, twitching in their sleep physiological reasons, disappearing on its own as the small organism grows up. Correction of violations is carried out after a complete examination of the baby and identification of the exact causes of twitching.

Organizing your child's rest

To improve your baby’s rest, it is important to create optimal conditions, especially temperature conditions. The optimal air temperature in a child's room is 18-21 C. Before resting the baby, you need to ventilate the bedroom, regardless of the season.

It is important to place the child’s bed as far as possible from heating appliances. This eliminates accidental skin burns and improves the baby's rest, since the heat does not disturb the child's restful sleep. If the parents think that the child is cold, the baby is dressed in warm pajamas. Do not cover your child with too many blankets.

Follow these simple rules:

limit watching TV, tablet, computer;
active games should end 1.5 hours before rest;
must be done water treatments(bath, shower, rubdown);
Change your baby's position every 3-4 hours.

It is better to swaddle a newborn baby, providing intrauterine feelings of peace and stability. If the above methods for organizing restful sleep are unsuccessful, you should seek medical help.

Mom pays a lot of attention to her baby’s sleep, and any deviations from the norm cause alarm. Parents often notice that their child twitches during sleep.

Why does a child twitch in his sleep?

Startling during sleep is observed in almost all children, especially under 1 year. This phenomenon occurs in growing children and even in adults.

Parents want to understand and understand the reasons why the child twitches in his sleep. Many doctors advise not to panic, because there is nothing terrible, it’s natural process.

The child twitches in his sleep - what are the reasons:

I'm having a dream. A start occurs at the moment when light sleep gives way to deep sleep;
excited state. Before going to bed at night, emotions and active games activate the nervous system and difficulty falling asleep and restless sleep arise;
loud and sharp sounds frighten children;
painful sensations with gas formation, colic, teething. These symptoms bother the child and interfere with sleep;
at elevated body temperatures, shuddering or even convulsions may begin;
During the process of urination or defecation, the child shudders.

Why does a child twitch in his sleep video:

Having analyzed the reasons, it is clear that there are no serious reasons for concern. If you organize the installation process correctly, the problem will gradually solve itself.

The child twitches before going to bed

A peculiarity of the sleep of young children is the duration of the deep phase - 1 hour, compared to 3-4 hours for adults. The rest of the time, deep sleep alternates with shallow sleep. In these moments Small child may smile, talk and flinch.

To prevent flinching, ensure:

calm atmosphere in the house;
ventilate the room before going to bed;
turn on the night light.

Perform a daily ritual before bed. Put your child to bed at the same time, bathe him, read a fairy tale.

The long phase has not yet begun and a sharp muscle contraction occurs. “Sleepy twitches” are very common and are characterized by a sudden contraction of the muscles of the legs and arms. This is a natural phenomenon and is not dangerous.

What to do if a child twitches in his sleep and wakes up?

If parents notice that the newborn is worried, shuddering, crying and waking up, then the most important thing is to remain calm. There is no need to scream or grab the child by the hands, as this will only scare him. Stroke your hand and calm him down in a quiet, gentle voice.

Children from 3 months can be placed on their tummy. You should get used to the new position gradually and without a pillow. The newborn's arms and legs will always be pressed, shuddering will not wake the baby and sleep will be restful.

Pay attention to the frequency of startles and awakenings. If this happens more than 10 times, then you need to consult a doctor. This will help prevent the development of serious diseases.

A 3 month old baby twitches in his sleep. Babies up to 3 months old may shudder due to lack of contact with their mother. In this way, excitement and experience are expressed. Involuntary movements hands and feet can wake up the child. If this happens, then you need to swaddle the baby with your arms. This way he won’t be able to scare himself and will feel warm and protected. Sing a lullaby, talk gently and the baby will fall asleep peacefully.

How to solve the problem of restless sleep video:

The formation of the digestive system is reflected in the child’s night sleep. Colic and gas formation interfere with restful sleep and cause discomfort. Will help relieve pain medicines, taking a warm bath before bed and getting a massage.

The child twitches in his sleep for 10 months. Before the age of 10 months, teething comes to the fore. This period manifests itself in the fact that the child sleeps poorly, twitches, gums itch, the temperature rises, and cries.

Special gels that cool the gums and relieve symptoms will help relieve pain. The mother should be nearby and monitor the child’s condition.

Sharp sounds and bright lights can frighten children; when leaving the deep phase, the child twitches violently in his sleep. Teach your baby to sleep in the presence of extraneous noise; there is no need to maintain perfect silence, this way you can avoid frightening. Overexcitement and vivid emotions do not allow the baby to sleep peacefully. Provide a quiet atmosphere, limit visiting guests before going to bed, bathe your child in water with herbs.

A 2-year-old child twitches in his sleep. Vigorous activity before bedtime, strong emotions excite the nervous system. In an excited state, a small child cannot relax or calm down. There are difficulties falling asleep, restless sleep. To prevent this from happening, play board games and draw before going to bed. A warm bath with herbs and a lullaby will help you relax.

What to do if a child has seizures Komarovsky video:

A 3 year old child twitches in his sleep. Various diseases affect the duration and quality of sleep. Fever body causes twitching and convulsions. Parents should make sure that the temperature does not rise too high, as this is very dangerous. Convulsions should not be allowed, as this can lead to brain diseases. Noticing sharp increase temperature, you need to give an antipyretic and consult a doctor.

A 5 year old child twitches in his sleep. The cause of shuddering in the sleep of children 5-7 years old can be nightmares. At this age, children remember their dreams and are afraid. Twitching of arms and legs, muttering indicate an excited state, the child wakes up from fear.

The child twitches after sleep

If after waking up the child begins to twitch, then this fact needs to be addressed. close attention. Such manifestations may be a sign of a neurological disease.

Observe your child's behavior throughout the day. These symptoms are a reason to consult a neurologist:

causeless convulsions are possible;
freezing while playing;
frequent headaches.

It is necessary to conduct an examination and find out the cause. If epilepsy or damage to the central nervous system is detected, then you will need drug treatment. The main thing is to recognize the disease in time and not start it.

Rules healthy sleep and what to do if a child twitches in his sleep Komarovsky video:

Parents do not need to panic and worry in advance if the child often twitches in his sleep. This is a natural process that will take place by 7-10 years. Attention and care for your baby will help you overcome temporary difficulties.