Ask Our Expert - Twitchy Newborn

October 10, 2008

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Specialist in pediatric behavior and development.


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Ask Dr. Needlman Twitchy Newborn

QUESTION


Dear Dr. Needlman, Is it normal for a newborn to twitch (a lot) and have his eyes flutter and roll around? — Janice in Panama City, Florida

ANSWER	April 6, 2001


Dear Janice, Healthy newborns do wriggle, twitch, blink, and flutter their eyes. If your baby is full term, normal sized, eating well, and behaving as you would expect in every other way, then you are probably describing normal behavior. If your baby is ill or premature, or looks different to you from other newborns you have known, you should certainly bring your concern to the doctor's attention. In fact, I'd encourage you to ask the doctor in any case. The movements you are describing can be signs of abnormal brain activity in a newborn. Without seeing the movements first hand, I can't say one way or the other (even seeing them, it is often quite difficult to tell!). I think that this is exactly the sort of question that a baby's pediatrician, family doctor, or nurse practitioner should be more than happy to answer. — by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P.

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