Facial Spasms

[Kome_Lika]

I have a wonderful baby girl named Makenna. She is 10 months old. We noticed her teeth are finally cutting a few days ago. It seems like since that day she has been having facial spasms. My wife and I are very concerned. It happens very quick (between a half second to two seconds), often when she is either excited or frustrated, but sometimes just out of the blue. She doesn't seem to notice them at all and just continues about her business. After a serach on the internet I am terrified. Could she have Infantile spasms? Prognosis is poor for IS. Her spasms don't look like the IS spasms I am seeing online, but I don't know if they start small and then progress. We have an appointment with her Ped tomorrow morning. We have no idea what to expect.

She has been a miracle baby since she was born. She has been breastfed since day one, she has slept through the night for months, she eats anything we give her, and she is really the happiest baby I have ever seen and rarely cries unless she is tired. I can't imagine anything actually being wrong with her.

[connam06]

Our 7.5 month old baby girl is showing the same symptoms as many others have posted about. Its almost like shes making a funny face, and occurs normally when shes irritated or eating. It lasts about 1-2 seconds and doesnt appear to bother her. She's been the best baby anyone could ask for and is developing right along. At first we thought the faces were the funniest thing ever until it kept repeating and we noticed it doesnt seem voluntary. It happens a few times a day and we are beyond worried but this thread brought a little peace of mind. I've got an appointment with the Pediatrician in 3 days but I don't have much hope for any relief as it seems doctors are about clueless these days (Judging by the experiences in the thread and my own personal experiences with doctors). I hope with time this proves to be a phase but i'm a worry freak and wont be right until it stops. Thank you all for the encouraging words and I am happy it seems most people who have followed up turned out everything to be OK.

[River2012]

My five month old just started doing the same thing.  Her mouth pulls back on the sides and her neck stiffens up.  It is clear that she isn't in control over this, but it doesn't seem to bother her either??  We had an EEG done last week, which came back with abnormal brain activity, but they couldn't tell us it was seizure activity for sure. We have an appointment in the morning with a pediatric neurologist and are hoping (and praying) for the best.

[River2012]

My five month old just started doing the same thing.  Her mouth pulls back on the sides and her neck stiffens up.  It is clear that she isn't in control over this, but it doesn't seem to bother her either??  We had an EEG done last week, which came back with abnormal brain activity, but they couldn't tell us it was seizure activity for sure. We have an appointment in the morning with a pediatric neurologist and are hoping (and praying) for the best.

[margypops]

Try not to worry as you will see on this thread that its considered a normal pattern at this age some think it is a tic, ,but disappears before long I understand your concern and be good when you have her checked out, let us know what the doctor  says ..good luck

[Clair1972]

My daughter is 12 weeks old and in the last few days has started having these facial spasms too.  It looks like she is doing a very serious pout.  They only last a second or two, but she does seem to throw her neck back as well.  I have tried to arouse her when this happens and she comes back to me... although it could just been that the spasm has finished. She seems healthy in all other regards. Has anyone else experienced this.  I'm worried out of my mind. I have tried to ignore it, hoping it was just a one off, but it has happened for three days now, in clusters of 4 or 5 episodes. She is my third child and I have not seen this in any of the others.  I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow morning, but don't think i'll be getting any sleep.

[littlepiggyemm]

We just returned from the EEG with our 7-month old son. He was experiencing the same thing as the others above have mentioned, with the facial grimacing that lasted 1-2 seconds. The first time we saw it we thought he was trying to poop. The spasms returned the following day and increased in frequency in subsequent days, up to about 25 times about 5 days after the first 'event'. But since his EEG was normal - and everything about him and his development have been normal with the exception of the facial twitches that started around when he cut his first tooth - we got sent home from the hospital. My wife and I are really happy to find this thread as it helped to FINALLY provided an explanation that didn't include infantile spasms or complex motor stereotypes (both not so happy diagnoses) and it fit in with the common doctor (pediatrician, ER doctor, pediatric neurologist) response that this wasn't anything major to worry about. Naturally, if you're a parent, go the doctor route in order to make sure that your baby is fine - but remember that this might really truly be something that is common and not dangerous. Thanks for this thread!