Does anyone's premature infant/toddler have an occasional intention arm/hand tremor?

This sounds exactly the same as my child. I would be interested to know what you find out. Mostly in the morning her hand tremors when she is eating her cerial or whatever. It varies from day to day how bad it is. As you say mostly when she wakes up. We haven't found anything either. I ask our doctor if such a thing was common and she said no. I'll post what I found out here.

I figured this might be the right topic to write this under. I have a 27 weeker she is now by birth date 5 months I don't know if this would be something to worry about and I don't think it is tremors but she moves her hand and awful lot in a steady motion I have my appt. on monday and I will inquire about this I do know that babies will move around alot but I just wondered if this certain movement that she does is something that all preemies might do? it will just be a steady motion with one arm and then sometimes it will be the oppisite arm and then she may do it with her legs sometimes too.. but it is like a back and forth kind of motion but it will be steady for a while and then she will stop. I will find out on Monday but I figured if anyone knew what I was talking about could ease my mond a little.

Kristina~ Mom to a 27 weeker

One of my daughters ( i have 267 wkr twins)came home with a LOT of meds and breathing treatments from the NICU...sometimes those meds have side effects which may cause tremors...My daughter Sofia would have them all the time (10 times a day min.)....after we weaned her off most of her meds and her treatments became more spaced apart, we figured out that what was causing this...it was the albuterol...so now we give her Xopenex instead and they have completely gone away...By the way...I had been telling ALL of her docs and specialists about the tremors and no one really had much to say about it and when we finally figured it out the pulmonologist said..."oh yeah! sometimes kids are very sensitive to albuterol and they have tremors and all we do is switch them to Xopenex..." DUH! later I found out that Xopenex is more expensive and insurance companies give a hard time about covering it so that is why they always start off with Albuterol and if the child has reactions to it then they will change it....but her I am months and months thinking somehting was seriously wrong and no one could give me a straight answer....any way...hope this helps.

*also her therapist (OT) told me that sometimes when kids have a lot of aversion due to long hospital stays and much medical intervention ( which is Sofia's case) they get a very nervous when exploring or handling new things or toys...so they shake a little...I noticed that she shakes a little when she is learingin something new or tolerating a different texture in her hands more...so anyway...again, I hope it helps

My son is 6 months old & receiving OT for indwelling thumbs. He also has this hand tremor when he is trying hard to do something. he has just started reaching out for toys/rattles etc/. I have noticed that he has a tremor when he's trying hard to get it. I mentioned it to his OT and she saw it as well.
 He sometimes seems to do it if he gets real excited.
Just wanted you to know your not alone.

I have noticed that Kellar will have a "tremor" like movement when he is trying to reach for a toy and get it to his mouth, his head will also sort of shake, it's notta violent shake, but noticeable..This was mentioned to his OT and she thinks it's just him learning to use the muscles..We go to Dallas tomorrow to have it checked out...I pray that it's nothing serious or neurological...

www.kellarreid.com

I too have a 16 month old son who since 6 months has been having some sort of hand tremors. He has them mostly when reaching for something and they are the worst when he has just woken up. The doctors keep telling us everything is probably fine since he is developing right on schedule. If anyone has recieved a diagnosis or any new information please pass it on, I have been so worried about him and have been reasearching everything on the internet and have found nothing. Thanks

Hi Dipsy, my 27 weeker was also doing that a lot at about 5 months. She was trying to tell us she was about to spit up, or that something felt funny. Anytime her arm movements got really animated she spit up.

My 27 weeker has very frequent hand and arm tremmors and it is affecting her ability to grab. For us it is part of her sensory issues, part of having been born too early and messing up her nervous system. The doctor said it should clear up in about a year but reading all your posts alerts me to the fact that this could stay with her longer.

My 23 weeker who is now 2 doesn't have hand or arm tremors but tremors with his feet. He too seems to do it when he is working hard...like at walking. Occasionally his head will also shake (not violently) when he is really concentrating hard on something or learning a new skill.

I am very fortunate to come across this website after several hours of searching. I am a very proud mom of a 32 weeker who is now 8 months old. My baby girl was in the hospital for a very long and stressful 36 days. She had problems with her oxygen and circulation in all parts of her body. We've had and EEG and other tests done to factor out seizures. Just yesterday I noticed that her arms and legs were shaking quite a bit. This happened immediately after she started crying and continued even after I picked her up. Lately she has been doing a lot of back arching when she gets upset as well. I was hesitant to bring her to the doctor for it because everytime I go away more frustrated than I went in. Thanks so much for the advice and info that you have given.

I don't know if anyone will find this helpful but thought I would pass it on anyway. As you will read from my previous posts , my daughter(2yrs, 10 months) has been having hand tremors basically since she was born. I only really noticed when she was about 8 months and started feeding herself and reaching for objects. I took her to a chiropractor 4 weeks ago to see if he could help at all with the hand tremor. After examining her he found that three of her verterbrae were out, 2 of them that affect the nerves running to the arms. She has now had 8 treatments and I can honestly say that I have seen an incredible improvement. As for the shaking on waking, she still does it occasionaly but not nearly to the degree she was a few months ago. I hope that someone finds this helpful.

Kellar suffered a cerebellum bleed as well, the cerebellum controls your balance and coordination..We went to a pedi neurologist and he said that kellars tremors are a result of this bleed, but that it should get better w/time, sort of a practice makes perfect type issue...it has gotten somewhat better but it is noticeable when he's excited or trying hard to grab something, once he gets it and it gets to his mouth he is pretty much done tremoring...

Thank God for this site.I am the proud Granny of a 19 month old little girl that is my pride,and joy.She too has tremors,or shaky hands.Mostly when she first wakes up,and,or reaching for a toy,cup,etc.She is scheduled for a sleep depravation EEG.The reason the Doc went ahead and ordered this is because there is a strong history of tremors in our family.Although its unusual in a child so young the doctor wanted her checked.Has anyone noticed that most of the post are pertaining to girls?I wonder if its more prevelant in girls?However this site has made me feel better because it doesnt seem to be an unusual occurance.The posts here describe her to a tee.God Bless all of you for sharing your storys.Believe me when I say that I know they are not diagnostic,but they do make me feel like we are not alone.And so far all of your doctors say pretty much the same thing about it.I am truly grateful I found this site.Megans test is on March 21st.I will keep yall posted.Thank all of you. I am now a GRATEFUL GRANNY!God Bless Everyone,and you are in my Prayers

Thank you so so much for posting about your granddaughter. My daughter, who has just turned 3, still has hand tremors but not nearly as frequently as she did about 6 months ago. When she wakes I give her breakfast immediately as this seems to reduce the tremor. It almost seems like low blood sugar although did have her tested for that and it was just on the lower side of normal. Any results from Megan's test would be greatly appreciated. All the best for the 21st.

I delivered a supposed full term baby via c-section weighing 7lbs 2oz, yet she had "underdeveloped lungs" and was in the NICU for 2 weeks (ventilator, then oxy hood etc). Starting at about 6 months (or when I noticed it) she tremors so badly upon waking. This is after nigh time sleep, nap time - anytime she has been sleeping. It seems to dissipate after 10 minutes or so, and in every other way, she seems perfectly normal. She is 21 months now and I have started expolring with her Paed. I have been looking all over the internet and finally found this site and am grateful. I can't say that it is specifically her hands - seems more all over tremors. Both my mom and sister, whp have kept her, have always commented that they are so uneasy and concerned about these shakes.
Just a stab at looking for other symptoms, but do any of your children sleep a lot? Mine has always been a "good sleeper" but it may even be excessive. Anyone out there notice similar?
My daughter doesn't seem to tremor any other time.
She did have one episode a couple months ago, but I am unsure if it is related. She was sitting on my lap facing me, and she made some funny noises. I looked at her and her eyes were rolled back in her head. It scared me and I shook her a little, sayong her name. Her eyes steadied, and she looked at me and began head butting me in the face. It really freaked me out. She hasn't done anything like that since and she isn't ill behaved or a tantrum thrower....very odd. Anyone else out there see similar behaviors?? We are just starting don the road of diagnosing, and am hoping to get insight before we start all the testing.
Thanks!

My daughter (just turned 3) used to be really shaky after every sleep as well. She was probably at her worst between 18 months and 2 and a half. I never received a diagnosis but am happy to say that she has steadily improved and we rarely see the all over shaking anymore.
She was not a good sleeper. As regards the episode your daughter had, I have only witnessed one occasion when my daughter had a similiar episode but this was after she had fallen backwards and hit the back of her head on our wooden floorboards. It's curious that so many children seem to have this shaking when they wake yet drs that I've encountered have never come across it.
Good luck with your testing .

My daughter is 6 months old and she has a leg tremor it is like really fast shaking now she does it with both legs sometimes, i dont know what it is but the home health nurse said i should ask the neuro dr when she starts seeing him in june.

When I wake my 9 month baby up (not when say wakes up on her own) has an all over body involuntary shaking for about 30 seconds. This doesn't happen all the time, but has happened 3 or 4 times, always same scenario: me waking her up from carseat-when she is in a deep sleep. Otherwise, very healthy, and doesn't have any other shaking or tremors. If anyone has any advise- I'll take it:)

My advice would be to call and ask your doctor. That's what they're there for! Your doctor probably has a nurse line or you can leave a message for a doctor. I know for ME - it is worth that call (even the ten minutes on hold!) for some peace of mind!

The word "shaking" concerns me - is it like just stretching and stuff when she's trying to wake up, or *shaking*. I would just call and ask the dr. They may want to see it in person!

Take care, hang in there!
Kara

Carson, is 3 months premature, and now almost 5 months old. He is very happy, and doing well. Kicks and moves, smiles. Wonderful. However, every once in a while, his leg tremors badly. Like a shaking.
No idea what it is, put a call into his developmental dr to try to find out.
Erin

Glad you're following up with the doctor! The doctors are probably *so* sick of me - I call when I have a question - any question!

Hope Carson is doing well - sounds like he's really interacting well! Hope the dr has some ideas about the tremors.

Take care, Erin - welcome to Share!
Kara

I would definitely call the doctor or seek a consultation with a pediatric neurologist. My daughter has shakes all over her body. They resembled seizures. We had her admitted with EEG and video survrillance. No seizures but diagnosed with spastic diplegia -which can occur in preemies. She is receiving earling intervention since 6 months and is currently 18 months. Doing well -no shakes. Some of her muscles were weak and tight. Spasms were so bad they interfered with her sleep. We swaddled her to age 1 to prevent the spasms from waking her up- so we could also sleep!

Consider seeing a specialist. Good luck.

Daisy

My daughter had some shakes when she was trying to do skills that required good fine motor skills. . .like putting a peg in a board. . .they are going away. I haven't see her do one in almost two months. Her ped recommended we watch it and if it got worse or didn't go away then we would do more testing. . .. When in doubt, call the doctor !!

Hope that helps!

Lori