Question
The newborn is one month and twenty days old. When about to fall asleep, the baby will shake its head vigorously and swing its arms while kicking its legs, then stop and close its eyes for a brief nap before waking up again. This behavior repeats until the baby falls asleep. The baby also shakes its arms and kicks its legs playfully when awake, but not excessively forcefully. Additionally, the baby plays with its tongue. The baby’s spirits and feeding condition are good, and the baby currently drinks 100 milliliters of milk every three hours. Is this a normal phenomenon, or could there be concerns about epilepsy? In recent days, there have been multiple instances of blinking, should further attention be given?
Answer
Shaking the head can have two reasons: one is that sweating causes the scalp to itch. Since newborns have a fast metabolism, proper cleaning can resolve this. Considering that the child’s nervous system has not fully matured, these behaviors may be normal developmental phenomena or signs of a calcium deficiency. It is recommended to bring the baby to a local hospital for a detailed examination and trace element testing. If diagnosed with a calcium deficiency, calcium supplementation should be timely provided.