Question
Occasionally, the head may involuntarily sway from side to side, the throat may produce strange sounds, the shoulders may unintentionally shrug, and the lips may involuntarily pucker. These movements may occur interactively but are usually not problematic. After the June 1 Children’s Day in 2007, such a nodding motion persisted for a month before disappearing. After the June 1 International Children’s Day in 2008, the same symptoms appeared again but soon vanished on their own. What could these be?
Answer
These symptoms may be related to activity disorders or abnormal movements, characterized by uncontrolled and repetitive contractions in a small part of the voluntary muscle, two muscles, or certain muscle groups. These contractions are not under the patient’s conscious control and can manifest as muscle fasciculation, fibrillation, twitching, myoclonus, tremors, choreoathetotic movements, dystonia, and torticollis. Treatment should be tailored to different symptoms and etiologies, including medication, physical therapy, and behavioral therapy. For pediatric patients, it is advisable to avoid excessive reliance on medication treatment and to adopt Western medical treatment methods.