What to do if a newborn baby's lower lip is shaking?

When a baby appears in the house, all the parents' attention is focused only on him. Loving mom and dad notice everything: who he looks like, whose eyes he has, where the newborn's moles are. Everything about the long-awaited child seems especially attractive and familiar to parents. But gradually the feeling of affection is replaced by some anxiety, because the child's reactions and movements, different from the behavior of adults, may seem wrong to young parents and prompt them to think that the baby is unwell. This happens when the baby starts crying for no reason (in the opinion of the parents) or the newborn's lower lip trembles. We will talk about whether it is worth worrying about this in our article.

Why does a newborn's lower lip tremble?

This is one of the frequently asked questions among young mothers and fathers. Being old enough, they understand that any trembling, unless it is caused by fear or exposure to cold, is considered pathological, and various diseases are associated with it. This conviction becomes the cause of anxiety and active search for an answer.

In fact, what is considered a pathology in adults is not always considered a deviation in childhood. After all, the formation and "tuning" of many human systems ends after birth. And this process can continue not for a day or two, but for several months and even years.

So there is no need to panic right away. You need to first figure out whether there is a reason to worry or if everything will return to normal after a little while.

So, in pediatrics, there are 2 types of reasons that can result in a baby's lower lip trembling:

• Physiological reasons

There are two such reasons, and both of them are related to the insufficient development of the baby's important body systems, and together they can cause lip tremors in the baby. First of all, we are talking about the nervous system. The immaturity of the central nervous system, among other things, is also manifested in the fact that it is not yet able to fully control the baby's movements. After all, young parents have noticed more than once how intermittent and aimless the movements of the arms, legs, head, and eyes of a newborn are. The same can be noticed in relation to the chin, lips, and tongue.

The second reason, which only increases the effect, is the immaturity of the endocrine system. The adrenal glands of the baby are capable of producing a special secretion - norepinephrine, which causes vasoconstriction and contraction of smooth muscles (muscle hypertonicity) in response to strong negative impact. However, they are not yet able to control the amount of hormone produced.

Since norepinephrine is produced in stressful situations, we also notice physiologically conditioned trembling of the baby’s lip and chin at moments when:

• the child experiences pain (for example, during intestinal colic),
• the baby is hungry, so sometimes you can see how the lower lip of a newborn trembles when feeding,
• the baby is changed (despite the fact that babies value comfort and dryness, the very moment of changing clothes causes negative emotions in them),
• the baby is bathed (you can see how all the muscles of the newborn tense up when he is slowly lowered into the water, so bathing is also a kind of stress factor, albeit a positive one),

A bright light, cold wind, intense heat, loud music and even ordinary fatigue, which manifests itself in whims and crying, can cause unpleasant emotions in a baby with all the ensuing consequences. A child cannot yet convey his feelings in words, so he conveys positive emotions with a smile, cooing, active joyful movements of the legs and arms, and negative ones - through crying. When a baby is uncomfortable, he begins to cry, and norepinephrine, which is produced in large quantities, contributes to the fact that we see how the lower lip of a newborn trembles when crying.

If you look closely, you can see that in such situations, a slight trembling of the lower lip is observed for a short time (usually no more than 30 seconds). As for the duration of the appearance of this symptom, it is believed that normally trembling of the lips in an infant can be observed up to 3 months.

• Pathological factors

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to attribute a newborn's lower lip to trembling simply due to the immaturity of the nervous and endocrine systems. Some neurological pathologies, which in the vast majority of cases are congenital and associated with oxygen starvation (hypoxia) of the baby's organs and systems (in this case, the nervous system), can manifest themselves in the same way.

Risk factors

Risk factors for lip tremors in newborns:

• birth injuries (head injuries that occur during the passage of the fetus through the birth canal, prolonged difficult labor, as a result of which the child begins to experience oxygen deficiency, placental abruption, suffocation due to umbilical cord entanglement, etc.),
• disruption of the development of the central nervous system of the fetus during pregnancy, caused by the presence of an infection in the mother's body, polyhydramnios, stress in the expectant mother, deficiency of vitamins and minerals in the woman's body (in particular, B vitamins and the trace element magnesium).

Until the age of 3 months, it is very difficult to say what is the reason for the trembling of the lips and chin of an infant. Even doctors during this period prefer to take a wait-and-see attitude and advise parents to carefully observe the child and report inadequate reactions, for example, if the newborn's chin and lower lip are shaking at a time when he is calm and well-fed.

Suspicious symptoms and normal reaction

If you consult a pediatrician about lip and chin tremors, as well as trembling of the lower and upper limbs of a child under 3 months, the doctor is unlikely to suggest a serious examination and treatment of the baby. If no traumatic situations were recorded at the time of birth and no specific neurological symptoms were noted later, we are most likely dealing with physiological tremors, which pass on their own by 3 months, when the nervous and endocrine processes return to normal.

In children born prematurely, physiological tremors of the body may make themselves felt for a longer time, because such babies need more time for the body systems to fully form and function smoothly.

Let's look at the symptoms of physiological tremor in newborns:

• a fine, rhythmic tremor that is felt in the area of the baby's lips, chin, arms and legs,
• the appearance of tremors is almost always associated with the influence of irritating factors such as cold, hunger, fear, pain, moisture, etc.,
• the symptom is observed for a short period of time (several seconds).
• in full-term babies, the symptom is observed for no more than 3 months; in premature babies, the process of formation of the nervous and endocrine systems can drag on for another 2-3 months, during which tremors will be a reminder of themselves.

Now let's take a closer look at the first signs of pathology in newborns:

• trembling of the lip and chin is observed in a full-term child over 3 months old (for premature babies the limit is 6 months, although there have been cases where the symptom was observed up to one year of age),
• tremor of the lips and chin is not associated with stressful situations, i.e. it is observed in a calm state,
• if the symptom is pronounced and often recurring without any apparent reason
• the newborn not only has a shaking lower lip, chin, arms and legs, but also a head tremor,
• tremor is observed for a long time, episodes are repeated regularly.

Only professional doctors know what lies behind such symptoms. There is no need to immediately search the Internet and give your baby terrible diagnoses just because the newborn's lower lip is shaking. The task of parents, when suspicious symptoms appear, is to immediately notify the pediatrician about them, who, if necessary, will give a referral for a consultation with a neurologist.

Consequences and complications

If we talk about the consequences of lip and chin tremors in infants, then events can develop in two directions. Physiological tremors in a newborn do not cause concern for the doctor, because this is a temporary phenomenon that passes without leaving any traces. The child develops normally, and every day pleases parents with his successes.

In this case, the parents' anxiety will also be short-lived. Usually, by the age of 3 months, the baby's nervous system gets stronger, and various movements of the limbs and muscles return to normal. In some cases, this process can drag on for six months or even a year, especially if the baby was born much earlier than expected. But if the doctor does not find any pathologies or developmental abnormalities after a thorough examination of the baby, then the parents will just need to be patient and, if possible, help their beloved child get stronger faster in all senses.

Pathological tremor is not a natural reaction, which means it requires more attention, since it poses a certain danger to the life and health of the baby. The danger is that if the newborn's lower lip, chin, head are shaking, such a symptom may indicate the development of serious pathologies.

Tremor of the lips, chin, head and limbs can be observed in such a pathology as perinatal encephalopathy, which in fact combines many pathologies that are expressed in brain dysfunction. Treatment of such pathologies should be started as early as possible, then the chance of restoring the child's mental abilities is much higher.

Trembling of the lower lip and chin can be observed in deficiency states (lack of calcium or magnesium in the body), high blood sugar (hyperglycemia), high intracranial pressure, cerebral hemorrhages, etc. Even with timely treatment, the consequences and complications of these pathologies largely depend on the severity of the disease and the area of damage in the brain.

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Diagnostics

An experienced pediatrician will certainly be able to immediately distinguish physiological tremor in an infant from pathological, especially if he is familiar with the child's medical record, which describes the course of pregnancy and childbirth. But even if there is no reason to suspect pathology in a newborn, the symptom will still not go unnoticed. The child will be taken under control by the local pediatrician.

If after 3 months the lip and chin tremors persist, the pediatrician may prescribe a consultation with a neurologist, which will be conducted taking into account the full-term status of the child, the characteristics of the pregnancy, the duration of labor and complications during it.

Since lip and limb tremor is associated with the work of the central nervous system, the baby's brain is subject to examination. However, the prescribed laboratory tests, and there are many of them (blood tests to determine the acid-base balance, gas composition, sugar, electrolytes, cerebrospinal fluid analysis), can simultaneously determine deficiency conditions, prediabetes and other pathologies associated with metabolic disorders, which can also occur with such a symptom when the newborn's lower lip trembles.

To detect brain dysfunction, various instrumental diagnostic methods can be used: ultrasound of the brain (neurosonography), computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, which will help assess the degree of brain damage.

The blood supply and nutrition of the baby's brain are studied using Doppler sonography of the cervical spine and duplex scanning of the vessels of the head.

Additionally, depending on the preliminary diagnosis and existing symptoms, EEG, EchoEG, rheoencephalography (REG) of the head, X-ray of the neck, electroneuromyography, etc. may be prescribed.

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Differential diagnostics

The purpose of differential diagnostics is not only to distinguish between pathological and physiological tremors in a child, but also to identify dangerous causes of lip and chin tremors. And here the results of laboratory and instrumental studies come to the fore.

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Treatment

The fact that a newborn's lower lip trembles, and which many consider a cause for concern, is actually quite common. Moms and dads of every second baby worry about this, and in most cases in vain.

Physiological tremor that occurs during crying, when frightened, or in the REM sleep phase is not considered a pathology, and therefore does not require treatment. Such babies only need their mother's love and care to get stronger and get rid of the symptom that worries their parents.

As a rule, by the time the baby is 3 months old, the tremor goes away. If the symptom persists, the doctor will recommend helping the child develop normally and actively with the help of simple procedures, which include swimming, therapeutic massage, and gymnastics for newborns.

Baths with herbal decoctions with a calming effect are prescribed as therapeutic water procedures. For this purpose, mint, lemon balm, and valerian are used. The water should be warm and pleasant for the baby. Such bathing is recommended to be done every other day.

Relaxing therapeutic massage for a newborn can be done when he or she is 1 month old, even if the child does not have any alarming symptoms. This massage, which includes stroking, kneading, rubbing and vibration, is useful for many organs and systems of the child.

Massage procedures can be performed both in a medical facility and at home. The doctor will show how to perform them correctly so as not to harm the child.

If episodes of lip and chin trembling in a baby appear more and more often and become more pronounced, there is every reason to worry and conduct a thorough examination of the child. Treatment is carried out after an accurate diagnosis and the severity of the pathology are established.

The main emphasis is on ensuring the baby's peace and oxygen therapy. This is justified if we take into account the fact that virtually all perinatal pathologies of the brain and central nervous system, in which tremors of the lips, head and limbs are observed, are associated with hypoxia (oxygen starvation) suffered by the child during pregnancy and childbirth.

If deficiency conditions have been established, infusion administration of drugs to the baby that replenish the lack of vitamins and minerals is required (solutions of potassium, calcium, magnesium, ascorbic acid, glucose solution). Such therapy helps to normalize the metabolism of nerve tissues, reduce their need for oxygen.

If increased intracranial pressure is detected, dehydration of the body is performed, corticosteroids are used, and spinal punctures are performed. Anticonvulsants permitted in the neonatal period are used to relieve seizures. Additionally, drugs are prescribed to improve cerebral circulation, nootropics, angioprotectors, physical therapy (amplipulse and electrophoresis), osteopathic procedures, and speech therapy.

Any medications and treatment procedures are prescribed by a doctor in accordance with the age of the little patient and the diagnosis.

Prevention

If parents notice that their newborn's lower lip is shaking, it is not necessary to wait until the child is 3 months old to make sure that this is a normal physiological reaction. Many treatments prescribed for physiological tremor in newborns are also preventive.

For example, the use of herbal decoctions with a calming effect will only benefit the baby, promoting relaxation and deep, restful sleep. At the same time, they are considered one of the effective means for preventing trembling of the lips, chin and limbs in newborns.

Doctors recommend that children who have physiological tremors and those who do not have such symptoms receive a massage. A relaxing massage will help relieve neuromuscular tension and prevent twitching of the baby's lips and limbs.

Another good preventive method is hardening, which is recommended for healthy children in the absence of contraindications. Hardening in infancy does not mean bathing in cold water, but wiping with a damp towel and taking air baths, which will help the baby build strong immunity and grow up healthy.

Methods of preventing pathological tremor in newborns are, first of all, the pregnant woman's concern for her health. A balanced diet with a sufficient amount of substances necessary for the body, moderate physical activity, adequate rest, a healthy lifestyle, a positive psychological attitude, walks in the fresh air - these are the tips and instructions that doctors and friends give to all expectant mothers, because they wish health to the pregnant woman and the child in her womb. You just have to listen to them, and you can avoid unpleasant and dangerous consequences for the child.

Forecast

The prognosis for a newborn's lower lip shaking depends on the cause of this symptom. Physiological tremor goes away on its own as soon as the baby's nervous system gets a little stronger, while pathological tremor can have various consequences. With effective treatment, a child can develop normally and become healthy even with a diagnosis of perinatal encephalopathy. But in some cases, it is still not possible to correct the child's condition, which means that he will lag behind in both mental and physical development. And yet, the earlier the diagnosis is made and treatment is started, the greater the chances of success.

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