Involuntary sudden contractions of the muscles, which are often found in children - this is cramps. Let's figure out what to do if the baby has cramps.
Causes of seizures in children
Seizures can occur in children at different ages. Often, their occurrence is associated with adverse effects during pregnancy, during childbirth and in the first period of a child's life. The immaturity of the brain in young children causes them a tendency to rapid edema of the brain when they get into the body of infection, toxins and the occurrence of seizures.
All seizures in children are divided into epileptic (with epilepsy) and not epileptic, which, in turn, are divided into the following types:
- convulsions in the asphyxia of newborns;
- convulsions in the hemolytic disease of the newborn;
- convulsions in the head injury;
- convulsions in brain tumors;
- convulsions at the beginning of infectious diseases (influenza, SARS, encephalitis, meningitis and others);
- febrile convulsions - convulsions at high temperature in a child.
How do children get cramps?
- loss of consciousness (very often);
- tipping head,
- teeth tightly clenched, eyes rolled up;
- foam on the lips;
- twitching of hands and feet;
- lips turn blue, the child can wet himself.
Symptoms of seizures in children
- With epileptic seizures, the child has chills, fever, dizziness, he can hear different sounds that no one else hears. Then comes convulsions, at the end of which - the relaxation of all muscles and sleep. After the child has woken up, he does not remember what happened to him, is braked, his head hurts.
- Intrauterine asphyxia, which is a common cause of seizures in children under one year, arises from the lack of oxygen in the blood. As a result, blood circulation is disrupted, and cerebral edema occurs. Prolonged asphyxia contributes to brain atrophy. Cramps stop after the removal of a newborn from asphyxia and the disappearance of cerebral edema.
- Seizures caused by birth trauma are caused by intracranial hemorrhages. Seizures have a local character in the form of contractions of certain muscles of the limbs or face. However, more often convulsive seizures are expressed in tonic tension with breathing disorders, blue eyes, high fever. The big fontanel of the child swells, there is vomiting.
- Seizures in infectious diseases are more common in young children and are due to cerebral edema and increased intracranial pressure. With flu and ARVI cramps can be at the beginning of the disease, at high temperature. With childhood infections (measles, rubella, chickenpox), cramps can appear during rashes.
- Febrile convulsions in a child can occur at elevated temperatures or even with prolonged exposure to the sun. Such children should be given antipyretic drugs even when the temperature rises to 37.5 degrees, they can not be taken to a hot bath, they should be sunbathing better in the shade.
Help the child with cramps
With cramps, first of all, you must call for emergency help. Before the arrival of the doctor, put the child on its side, unbutton the clothes. Between the teeth, put a tightly twisted handkerchief so that the child does not bite the tongue. If the attack occurred at high temperature - give an antipyretic preparation, you can wipe the body with vinegar. If a small child "zashelsya" from a strong crying and turned blue, you have to wipe it with cold water, and bring the cotton wool with ammonia.
Often during a period of growth, children develop cramps in their legs. In such cases, you need to pull heavily on your toes and the pain will immediately recede. Seizures or flinches in children in a dream for a long time are with emotionally excitable children and if the child does not complain about anything in the morning, he does not need urgent help.
All kinds of seizures in children, one way or another, are associated with adverse childbirth or congenital diseases. Therefore, in any convulsive seizures, it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor to eliminate the causes of seizures and to treat a possible disease that caused seizures.