Why does my baby keep startling during sleep, and what should I do about it?
May 21, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Ma Yan
Introduction
Babies often startle during sleep, which may be caused by physiological reasons or pathological conditions such as neurasthenia or abdominal pain, requiring targeted treatment. Due to their young age and being in a critical period of physical development, babies experience growth in nerve, muscle, and bone tissues. Sometimes, rapid growth can lead to frequent startling during sleep.
Babies often startle during sleep due to either physiological or pathological reasons, such as neurasthenia or abdominal pain, which require targeted treatment. The specific analysis is as follows:
1. Physiological Causes
Due to their young age and ongoing critical development, babies experience growth in nerve, muscle, and skeletal tissues. Sometimes rapid growth can cause frequent startling during sleep, which is a normal physiological phenomenon and does not require special intervention.
2. Pathological Causes
1) Neurasthenia
If a baby does not nap during the day or becomes overly exhausted from play, their nervous system may remain highly tense at night, making it difficult to relax and leading to the aforementioned startles during sleep. Appropriate soothing and comfort may help improve the situation.
2) Abdominal Pain
A baby's digestive system is still immature. Milk-based foods are liquid and easily digested but may sometimes lead to diarrhea. If left untreated, this can result in abdominal pain, causing crying, restlessness, and sudden body movements during sleep. It is recommended to follow medical advice and use medications such as Bifidobacterium triple viable tablets or hydrotalcite suspension for treatment.
In addition to the above, deficiencies in vitamin D, gastrointestinal gas, or conditions like infantile paralysis may also cause babies to frequently startle during sleep. Close observation in daily life is important to better understand the baby’s condition.
