Patient's question:
The child had spasms at night, which stopped after 1 or 2 minutes.Doctor's answer:
Infantile spasms are a disease unique to infants and young children, with an early onset age and a significant impact on intelligence. Even with treatment, most affected children exhibit symptoms such as intellectual disability and reduced physical development, leading to poor prognosis. Of course, without treatment, the impact on intelligence and development would be even more severe. Infantile spasms typically occur before the age of one, with the highest incidence between 3 and 7 months. Boys are more likely to be affected than girls. The causes of this condition include congenital developmental disorders, metabolic abnormalities, various birth injuries, postnatal trauma, and neurological infections. Approximately 50% of children with infantile spasms have no identifiable cause.When infantile spasms recur, they manifest as sudden, intense contractions of large muscles, with the head and body leaning forward, arms extended and bent inward, legs bent toward the abdomen, and eyes deviated or rolling upward. Consciousness is impaired during these episodes. A single recurrence lasts only 1 to 2 seconds before subsiding, but it can lead to multiple consecutive episodes, ranging from 2 to 3 to dozens or more. Before a recurrence, children may cry out or have involuntary laughter, with pale or flushed skin. After the episode, they become extremely tired and drowsy. Recurrences can occur 1 to 10 times per day, more frequently during the day than at night, and more often in the afternoon than in the morning. Some children are prone to recurrence shortly after falling asleep or just waking up, and sudden noises can also trigger episodes.
After the condition develops, children experience significant delays in both intellectual and physical development, with、 expressions, a lack of laughter, and difficulty recognizing people or maintaining eye contact.、、 are all affected, and language development is delayed. Typical infantile spasms usually cease within 1.5 years of onset, with most children transitioning to grand or petit mal seizures. The longer the course of the disease, the greater the impact on intelligence. If the condition is caused by congenital developmental abnormalities, congenital metabolic disorders, neonatal asphyxia, or intracranial hemorrhage, the impact on intelligence is even more severe.
Although infantile spasms have a significant impact on intelligence and poor prognosis, with standardized treatment, symptoms can be effectively controlled, and some recovery of intelligence may be achieved. Therefore, if a child exhibits recurrent spasms, it is essential to seek medical diagnosis and treatment early to minimize the impact of infantile spasms on the child.