What does benign sleep myoclonus look like?
Infants with benign neonatal sleep myoclonus display significant involuntary muscle jerks during sleep. These movements most often occur in the arms, legs, or core. Less commonly, they might occur in the face.
How common is benign myoclonus?
The myoclonus can be focal, multifocal, unilateral, or bilateral. The movements can be rhythmic or nonrhythmic. Typically, the movements occur in clusters of jerks at 1 to 5 Hz over a period of several seconds. The prevalence of benign neonatal sleep myoclonus is 0.8 to 3 cases per 1000 births.
How do I stop myoclonus from sleeping?
Sodium valproate can be used separately or in conjunction with clonazepam to treat myoclonus as well. Other treatments may also improve other nervous system disorders that may be present during sleep in addition to myoclonus. These include barbiturates, phenytoin, and primidone.
Can stress and anxiety cause myoclonus?
In addition to being caused by epileptic seizures, myoclonus also can be triggered by: Infection. Stress.
How is sleep myoclonus diagnosed?
The symptoms of sleep myoclonus occur when a person falls asleep or during sleep. It causes unpredictable and involuntary muscle jerks or spasms that may affect a single muscle or multiple muscle groups. These movements may include: sudden jerking of the arms, legs, or torso.
Is benign sleep myoclonus in infancy mistaken for epilepsy?
Benign sleep myoclonus in infancy mistaken for epilepsy. Benign sleep myoclonus in infancy is a distinctive but underdiagnosed disorder of quiet sleep, which according to our findings occurs from the first day of life up to age 3 years. Its main features are rhythmic myoclonic jerks when drowsy or asleep, which stop if the child is woken,…
Is it benign sleep myoclonus or benign sleep Jerks?
When the myoclonic jerks are unilateral, a more serious condition is often suspected and the diagnosis of benign sleep myoclonus may not be considered. All our 15 patients had generalised jerking and eight had unilateral jerks as well. Investigations other than an encephalogram are not helpful.
What are the signs and symptoms of benign neonatal sleep myoclonus?
The differential diagnosis of benign neonatal sleep myoclonus includes benign neonatal seizures, neonatal status epilepticus, typical hypnic jerks, and jitteriness. Episodes of myoclonus are not associated with eye deviation, oral movements, apnea, color changes, or crying, which can distinguish them from seizures.2Neurologic examination is normal.
What are the consequences of sleep myoclonus?
Commonly referred to as benign neonatal sleep myoclonus, there are no inherent consequences to the condition or reasons for concern. Infants who experience sleep myoclonus will have a normal neurologic examination and electroencephalogram (EEG).