Is it normal for a child to shake their head and hands frequently while sleeping at night?

Patient's question:

A six-month-old child often shakes their head and hands while sleeping at night, and yellow liquid flows from their ears, which then solidifies into yellow crusts. What could be the reason for this? Thank you, doctor

Doctor's answer:

Common in babies under one year old. Especially when the baby is lying in bed about to fall asleep or shortly after falling asleep. The shaking head movement often occurs. There are many reasons for this phenomenon. For example, it may be related to the baby's physical discomfort. When the baby has eczema, especially on the face, it causes itching. But the baby can't scratch, so it has to shake its head to solve the problem. Some babies may exhibit certain body movements when they want to sleep, such as tossing and turning in bed. They can fall asleep shortly after. While other babies may fall asleep quickly by shaking their heads and continue to do so right after falling asleep. As the baby grows, the development of the nervous system matures, and the shaking head movement will disappear. Don't be too anxious.