Toddler shaky when waking up (don't think it's a pee shake)

[bluejaunte]

He's always had it. Basically, for a few minutes after he wakes up he's shaky. Not like seizurey, as far as I can tell, just sort of trembly all over. If you've ever seen a ferret wake up, it looks a lot like that. Once he's woken back up for a minute or three, he's fine. Not shaky otherwise as far as I can tell, although occasionally he has very very slight, like you have to stare to notice them, hand tremors if he's doing something fiddly. The waking-up ones seem to pass without him having to eat something, so I don't think it's hypoglycemia.

Have a referral to a ped neuro, but what d'you think is going on? My brother is shaky when he wakes up, too, until he stretches, and my mom says he was always like that, so .. familial tremor?

[sapphire_chan]

Could he be cold from his body temperature dropping during sleep?

[bluejaunte]

Hmm. Possibly? Though I keep him really bundled up and he doesn't seem cold (hands and face are nice and toasty).

[AnnaNova]

my son has often done this too. i really dont have an explanation, and never actually thought much of it. would be interesting to hear what the doc says if go to see him after all.

[bluejaunte]

We mentioned it to the ped, who thought maybe thyroid? We picked up the scrip for the thyroid function test yesterday -- will update with results once we run it!

[K1329]

Dd did this, too. I was worried and even thought - mini-seizure. I videotaped the shake and my ped showed the video to a ped neuro. They decided definitely not seizure and decided to take a "wait and see" attitude since she was on track developmentally, rather than subjecting her to many tests. At it's peak she tremored several times a day, but, especially after waking up. You know what? She outgrew it, and is now a healthy, happy 6.5 year old who is well-balanced both academically and socially. In fact, I hadn't even thought about it in years until I read your post. I do remember at the time reading some internet information on infant "shudder syndrome", but, in my experience, I wouldn't worry and would expect that it will be something your dc will outgrow!

ETA: I am very curious what your dc is diagnosed with, if anything. Please update us!

[bluejaunte]

Mine does have an expressive speech delay (suspected oral motor planning issues), though he's great at communicating nonverbally -- to where breakdown-of-communication meltdowns only happen VERY rarely, & only then when he's really tired. But the delay combined with the trembling has me worried. But I'm a research freak mama bear and worrying's what I do.

[K1329]

My ds has/had an expressive speech delay, too... but no shake. It seems there's always something to worry about! Do keep us posted... I'd love to hear what your healthcare providers say about the tremor. Thanks!

[bluejaunte]

Off-topicly, what did your LO's expressive speech delay end up being? Oral motor planning? J's therapist & EI evaluators seem to have no idea really, though they expect that ..

[peachsara]

This is my DD, too. I always thought it was odd, but we haven't talked to the MD about it b/c she doesn't seem to have any other issues.

Please let us know how it turns out!

[PatchChild]

DS is too. Not every wake up, just some. It seems to mostly just be the days that he goes from asleep to awake really fast. Too much of whatever hormone it is that tells the body to get up and going.

[PaisleyStar]

My toddler gets this sometimes too, when waken too quickly or when really not ready...I (still?) get it too as an adult, on occasion, under the same circumstances, so I don't worry about it.

[bluejaunte]

Weirdly, I don't think mine gets it during nighttime sleep, though it's pretty routine when waking up from naps. He definitely sleeps sounder at night, though, so it could well be that he's waking up before he's ready during the day. (I sure know this is sometimes the case. Yeek. Meltdowns.)

Thanks, all! One thing to cross off my list of Worrisome Child-Related Miscellany. (Hopefully.)

[blizzard_babe]

DS does did this on occasion. I've noticed it happens more often when we have to wake him up mid-sleep-cycle, as opposed to when he wakes himself up naturally. No speech or any other kind of delay here.

[nj's_mom]

Originally Posted by blizzard_babe

DS does did this on occasion. I've noticed it happens more often when we have to wake him up mid-sleep-cycle, as opposed to when he wakes himself up naturally. No speech or any other kind of delay here.

DD does this too, not as often now as when she was younger, and I noticed as well that it would happen more often if I woke her up when she wasn't ready.

[CowsRock]

My son does this too. I pretty much just watch him and I make sure he is warm enough in case it is a cold thing and make sure he has a snack in case it is that. I'll be interested also to hear where you hear. It wasn't something I worried too much about. I know sometimes when I wake up I feel shaky so I guess I didn't think too much when it seemed to happen to him too. hmmmm

The other thing with us is that it does not bother my son that it is happening, and he actually will smile when I mention it is happening. And I've noticed that when it has passed he will try to duplicate the action and laugh when he can't do it.