Neurology in newborns: causes, signs and symptoms, treatment methods

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Neurological problems in newborns are observed in almost 80% of cases. This is a very high figure. Poor ecology, malnutrition, constant worries and psycho-emotional stress during pregnancy often negatively affect the he alth of the unborn child.

Neurology in newborns

This concept characterizes the pathology of the nervous system associated with any disturbances in the work of the central nervous system. Despite the fact that science does not deal with such problems, they are still referred to this medical field. Conditions associated with the functioning of the nervous system should not be left without the attention of a doctor. This is especially true for children under one year old. Diseases of the central nervous system often lead to serious consequences. And delayed speech development or psychomotor apparatus refers to an optimistic diagnosis compared to many others. Often there is hyperactivity, attention deficit and inappropriate behavior of children. It's all about consequences. Therefore, it is very important not to ignore the problem, but to treat it as soon as possible.

Whenpathology occurs?

What is neurology in newborns, we examined. There are problems in the work of the central nervous system from the 28th week of pregnancy in the womb, as well as in the first days after the birth of the child. You can often hear that a neurological pathology is called a perinatal lesion of the central nervous system.

Main reasons

There are quite a few reasons for the appearance of CNS pathologies. The most common among them is considered to be:

1. Injuries sustained during labor.
2. Hemolytic disease of the child.
3. Improper development of the spinal cord or brain.
4. Fetal hypoxia during pregnancy.
5. Lack of oxygen due to the umbilical cord wrapping around the neck of the fetus.
6. Intrauterine infections.
7. Heredity.
8. Severe toxicosis during pregnancy.

Signs of neurology in newborns

The development of a newborn is one of the main indicators of his he alth. When a child is at an early age, it is easy to determine where developmental disorders have arisen. If there are changes in the speech, motor or mental development of the baby, this is the first signal. The following functional changes may be signs of a problem:

1. Increased excitability, which is often caused by chin and limb tremors.
2. Sleep disorders.
3. Motor apparatus disorders.
4. Frequent and profuse regurgitation.
5. Hypertonicity and hypotonicity of muscles.
6. Increased intracranial pressure.

In case of neurology in newborns, the symptoms of the disease may manifest as follows:

1. Marble skin tone.
2. Epic convulsions.
3. Heightened sensitivity to climate change.
4. Pushing up the toes in a standing position.
5. Permanently cold and wet limbs.

Parents need to know that if one or more symptoms or signs appear, seek medical attention immediately.

CNS Disorder Syndrome

What is PEP in neonatal neurology? Perinatal encephalopathy is associated with vulnerability and weakness of the nervous system. PEP can manifest itself in different ways. Its signs are found in 8–9 children out of 10 at birth. Most often, the cause of the occurrence is associated with adverse effects on the nervous system during gestation, childbirth and in the first few days after the baby is born. Sometimes the diagnosis is associated with hyperexcitability, when the child is very irritable and has a poor appetite, as well as often spitting up and refusing to breastfeed. In addition, these children have disturbed sleep patterns, it is more difficult for them to fall asleep, they sleep less. A rare but severe manifestation of perinatal encephalopathy is the syndrome of depression of the central nervous system. Children with this diagnosis look tired, cry quietly and very weakly. They tend to get tired while feeding. In the most complicated conditions, the sucking reflex is often impaired. Signs of PEP are expressedslightly, but babies who have had this condition require increased attention and observation, and in some cases, perhaps therapy.

AED treatment methods

If perinatal encephalopathy is detected in time, and all measures are taken to eliminate the problem, then the chance of recovery is quite high. PEP is usually treated with medication, massage, and physical therapy. With a properly selected treatment regimen, perinatal encephalopathy resolves by 4-6 months, a maximum of a year may be required. With a simple form of the disease, consequences in later life are not observed. In more serious or undiagnosed forms, neurological problems often progress to minimal brain dysfunction after a year.

In the first month of a newborn's life, and then 3 more times during the first year of life, it is necessary to show the baby to a neurologist. If your clinic does not have such a specialist, then ask your pediatrician to give you a referral to a consulting and diagnostic center. And remember that it is always better to prevent a problem than to solve it later.

Intracranial pressure

A special cerebrospinal fluid - cerebrospinal fluid - circulates through the membranes of the brain. It performs the following functions:

• nutrition of nerve cells;
• cushioning during impacts or shocks;
• eliminate end products of exchange.

If for some reason more of this fluid is produced than is necessary for outflow, or there is serious pressure on the baby's head, as duringlabor activity, then ICP increases to a critical level. And since our brain consists of many pain receptors, the baby would suffer from a severe headache if it were not for the presence of sutures and fontanelles that allow the bones of the skull to diverge and equalize pressure at the same time.

Most often this diagnosis is made when the child is accompanied by frequent crying and spitting up. Neurology and a newborn baby are closely related, so a doctor's consultation is mandatory in any case.

Signs of ICP

If some specialist offers to measure your child's intracranial pressure with a special device, then do not agree. The fact is that medicine knows only two ways to measure ICP, and they both involve opening the skull.

There are several signs that can confirm an increased ICP in a newborn. The main ones are:

1. Protrusion of the fontanel.
2. The divergence of the bones of the skull.
3. Head circumference exceeded.

Methods of treating ICP

When your child is given an imaginary diagnosis, namely because of one tantrum, then no medication is needed. It will take some time, and the pressure will normalize on its own. But if your child's high ICP is a serious concern, the doctor may prescribe drugs to remove excess fluid from the body.

If the diagnosis was detected correctly, that is, it was made based on the results of the course of such dangerous diseases as neuroinfection,serious head injury or congenital hydrocephalus, then no medication to reduce intracranial pressure will help. To solve such a serious problem, the direct participation of a neurosurgeon, traumatologist and resuscitator in the treatment process is necessary.

Hypertonicity and hypotonicity

Violation of muscle tone in a newborn in one direction or the other requires mandatory correction. If this problem is left unattended, it can adversely affect the intensity of the child's development.

Straining muscles, called hypertonicity or excessive weakness, called hypotonicity, cannot be attributed to diseases. This is the state! Moreover, hypertonicity can exist for a certain time in the life of the crumbs and be a physiological norm. But the line between these indicators is very thin.

Hypotonicity refers to a condition that needs to be corrected. Moreover, there are cases when lethargy and muscle weakness is a symptom of a serious illness. Then, serious medical support may be required for recovery.

Symptoms of hypertonicity

Parents should be wary if, after three months, the child also continues to clench his hands into fists and bend his limbs. Pathological hypertonicity can manifest itself in different ways, and the signs depend on the tension of different muscle groups.

If neurological problems are identified in newborns, the symptoms of hypertonicity will be as follows:

1. Restless and very light sleep.
2. Chin tremor.
3. Bad appetite.
4. Severe stiffness in movement.
5. The ability to hold the head from birth.
6. Unreasonable and prolonged crying.

The causes of hypertonicity in a baby can be:

1. Infectious diseases of the mother during pregnancy.
2. Hypoxia of the newborn.
3. Swift labor activity.
4. Rhesus conflict between mother and child.
5. Intrauterine fetal intoxication.

Methods of treating hypertension

If the hypertonicity of newborns does not go away on its own, then the treatment should be prescribed by a neuropathologist. Most often, complex treatment includes:

1. Therapeutic gymnastics.
2. Relaxing baths.
3. Electrophoresis.
4. Paraffin therapy.
5. Massage.

If the problem is related to metabolic processes in the brain, then drugs are additionally prescribed.

Signs of hypotension

Hypotonicity also applies to neonatal neurology. What to pay attention to in this case? The baby usually lies in the crib with fingers straightened, it is not common for him to clench his hands into fists. If the baby is placed on the back, then the legs open at the hip joints very easily. In addition, babies in this condition weakly suckle the breast, and also often fall asleep during feeding. Babies who practically do not cry, but only eat and sleep, should be especially alert.

Hypotonicity treatment

No drugs in this caseappoint. With hypotension, it is enough to regularly perform therapeutic exercises and undergo a course of massage. In addition, comprehensive treatment may include acupuncture and special procedures in the physiotherapist's office.

We looked at the 3 most common conditions related to neonatal neurology. For a more detailed study of this topic, you can consult the available literature. Some experts recommend reading the publication of A. Yu. Ratner "Neurology of newborns", which deals with the problems of children in the first month of life, arising both in the case of pathological and physiological births.

Remember that it is necessary to show the baby to a neurologist. Very often, doctors who deal with development problems have to see desperate parents of schoolchildren at their reception. Most of these children were not diagnosed with birth trauma, and sometimes the mother and baby were simply not sent to a specialist in time. As a result, the children went to school, and there they faced the first difficulties associated with the fact that education is very difficult.