Infantile spasms, formerly known as West syndrome, is a rare and severe epilepsy type that affects babies. These seizures are short repeated jerks that can cause developmental problems in the future if not addressed and treated immediately. As a parent, being aware of the signs of infantile spasms can make all the difference to your child’s development.
Find the symptoms These symptoms are: infantile spasms
Infantile spasms can be subtle and easily mistaken for normal baby movements. There are some specific indicators to be aware of.
A sudden jerk. The spasms are generally experienced in the neck and upper body of a baby, which causes them to quickly bend inward. Legs and arms may also flex or extend rapidly.
Clustered episodes: These spasms typically occur in an extremely short amount of time (seconds or even minutes). The clusters can occur repeatedly throughout the day.
Expression changes: Babies may cry or look a bit shocked in the event of spasms.
The Power Of Video: Capturing Spasms of infants for diagnosis earlier
You must act swiftly when you suspect your child is suffering from spasms in the infant. To ensure prompt diagnosis and effective treatment, every second counts. Video recording could be lifesaving:
Visual evidence. Documenting your child’s experience with spasms in a series can be incredibly useful to doctors in diagnosing the issue. The short-term events are often missed by doctors during an appointment.
A clear video helps doctors identify infantile seizures, and help distinguish them from other kinds of seizures, or normal movements for babies.
Rapid treatment: Early detection can facilitate treatment in a short time, potentially minimizing developmental delays caused by untreated spasms that occur in infants.
Take Action Now if You Are afraid of infantile spasms
If you observe your baby experiencing infantile spasms, you should be concerned.
Record a video using your phone or camera to take an accurate video of spasms. Make sure you record the most detail you can.
Call your pediatrician promptly. It’s essential to get your child front of a pediatrician. Show the video and explain your concerns.
You should seek immediate emergency treatment, if necessary. If you can’t reach your pediatrician right away, take the baby and video recording to an emergency room nearby for children.
Early intervention is key in ensuring your child’s future
Infantile spasms can be a trigger to cause significant developmental delays which can result in a range of difficulties, such as autism spectrum disorder, and cerebral palsy. It is important to diagnose your child’s symptoms quickly and intervene immediately in order to maximize the chance of healing and milestones your child will experience. Infantile spasms can be treated in a variety of ways including diet changes, to medications. In more severe cases surgeries may be required. By promptly addressing this condition with the appropriate medical treatment, parents increase the chance of mitigating long-term consequences and assist their child’s progression toward improved motor and cognitive functioning.
Keep in mind: Don’t dismiss your gut feeling if you think there’s something not right with your child. Always be cautious. It’s important to be aware of the infantile spasms and symptoms, take footage of them in case you happen to see them and seek immediate medical attention.
