Question
My baby was born only half a month ago, and recently I’ve noticed that the baby frequently has seizures while sleeping at night. I’m really scared. What are the differences between a newborn’s seizures and shivers, Dr.?
Answer
The symptoms of infant shivers typically appear within the first month after birth, and the affected areas are not fixed, commonly seen in the upper arms, lower limbs, and chin, but not at the corners of the mouth or eyelids. Shivers are usually more noticeable during crying or fussing, with a higher frequency and smaller amplitude, and the baby’s eyes usually appear normal. In contrast, the symptoms of infant seizures involve limb twitching accompanied by staring, with relatively larger amplitude than shivers, lower frequency, and regularity. The twitching cannot be stopped by pressing on the affected area.