Neonatal convulsions

Introduction The movement of various parts of the human body is under the control of the brain, and the corresponding muscles are regularly reduced and relaxed. When the brain cells function disorder due to some reason, not only can the systemic and local movements be controlled in a coordinated manner, but also the brain cells are abnormally discharged, causing muscle contraction (tonic convulsions) or local muscle contraction (localized convulsions). Sudden loss of consciousness during the attack, head tilted back or turned to one side, the eyeball fixed or upturned, strabismus, foaming at the mouth, facial, hand and foot muscles strong or involuntarily twitching, stopping for a few seconds to a few minutes, and then lethargic. Due to the thinning of the cerebral cortex, the development of the central nervous system is not perfect, and it is more prone to convulsions. Neonatal convulsions are more atypical, often manifested as two-eye gaze, nystagmus, local muscle twitching on the face, or irregular twitching of the limbs. Some are only pale or flushed, sweating, irregular breathing or breath holding, apnea, and purpura. Twitching is a serious condition in childhood, especially in newborns. Not only will the manifestation of convulsions make parents feel horrified, but he can actually cause serious consequences. On the one hand, the causes of neonatal convulsions are often serious diseases, which themselves can be fatal or maiming.

Cause

Brain tissue hypoxia caused by intracranial hemorrhage and neonatal asphyxia is the most common cause of neonatal seizures. Most occur in 12 days after birth, survivors may have epilepsy, hemiplegia, low IQ, hydrocephalus and so on. It is characterized by pale or flushing, sweating, irregular breathing or breath holding, apnea, and purplish skin.

an examination

Related inspection

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Eyes gaze, nystagmus, local muscle twitching on the face, or irregular twitching of the limbs. The body is in anoxic condition and the glucose metabolism is disordered. The longer the duration of convulsions, the more severe the levels of hypoxia and low sugar. The brain cells have the worst tolerance to hypoxia. After complete oxygenation for 6 minutes, the brain cells undergo irreversible changes.

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnosis of neonatal convulsions:

1, infectious diseases, such as sepsis, purulent meningitis, neonatal tetanus, pneumonia, etc. also often cause convulsions, mostly occurred 3-7 days after birth. These diseases are atypical in the neonatal period and cannot be diagnosed and treated in time, and often have serious consequences.

2, metabolic abnormalities, such as hypoglycemia, hypocalcemia, hyponatremia, high blood sodium, vitamin B deficiency, etc., is also a common cause of neonatal convulsions. The rest, such as brain hypoplasia, neonatal hemolytic disease caused by nuclear jaundice, etc. will also occur.

On the other hand, convulsions themselves can have serious consequences. Oxygen consumption and heat consumption of the smoldering fire are greatly increased, and the body is in anoxic condition, which causes disorder of glucose metabolism. The longer the duration of convulsions, the more severe the levels of hypoxia and low sugar. The brain cells have the worst tolerance to hypoxia. After complete oxygenation for 6 minutes, the brain cells undergo irreversible changes. The effect of hypoxia on the cerebral cortex can not only cause many sequelae, such as epilepsy, low IQ, but also may cause abnormalities in personality and behavior in children, and become a factor of social instability.

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