Seizures in newborns can be frightening for parents and may be an early sign of a serious medical condition or brain injury. Some neonatal seizures result from unavoidable genetic or developmental conditions. Others may be associated with complications during pregnancy, labor and delivery, or newborn care.
Prompt diagnosis is important because seizures can signal that a baby’s brain is under stress. Families should seek immediate medical attention whenever a newborn shows possible seizure activity.
What Are Seizures in Newborns?
A seizure occurs when abnormal electrical activity disrupts the brain’s normal function. The neonatal period generally covers the first 28 days after birth, and seizures during this time may look different from those seen in older children or adults.
Some seizures cause obvious jerking or stiffening. Others are subtle and may be difficult to distinguish from normal newborn movements.
Doctors may use an electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure the baby’s brain activity and determine whether unusual movements are seizures. Electrographic monitoring is especially important because observation alone may not identify every neonatal seizure.
What Are the Signs of Seizures in a Newborn?
Signs can vary based on the part of the brain affected and the seizure’s underlying cause.
Possible signs include:
- Repeated jerking of an arm, leg, or one side of the body
- Sudden stiffening of the body
- Rhythmic facial movements or chewing motions
- Repeated blinking or unusual eye movements
- Pauses in breathing
- Sudden changes in muscle tone
- Periods of unresponsiveness
- Movements that continue after a parent or caregiver gently holds the limb
Not every unusual movement is a seizure. Newborns may startle, tremble, or make repetitive motions for reasons unrelated to abnormal brain activity. However, parents should report concerning behavior promptly so that qualified medical professionals can evaluate the baby.
What Causes Seizures in Newborns?
Neonatal seizures can have many causes. Acute seizures are often connected to an illness, metabolic problem, or injury affecting the brain.
Possible causes include:
- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy caused by reduced oxygen or blood flow
- A stroke before, during, or shortly after birth
- Bleeding in or around the brain
- Meningitis, sepsis, or another serious infection
- Abnormally low blood sugar, calcium, or sodium
- Congenital brain abnormalities or genetic disorders
- Complications associated with premature birth
- Traumatic injury during labor or delivery
Hypoxic-ischemic injury, infection, stroke, intracranial bleeding, and metabolic problems are recognized causes of acute neonatal seizures. Genetic conditions and structural abnormalities can also produce seizure disorders beginning soon after birth.
Group B streptococcus and E. coli are leading causes of early-onset neonatal sepsis. Severe infections may affect the brain or contribute to neurological complications, making timely recognition and treatment critical.
Can Newborn Seizures Be Related to a Birth Injury?
Some newborn seizures may be related to an injury that occurred before, during, or shortly after delivery. For example, a baby deprived of adequate oxygen may develop hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, or HIE. Seizures are one possible sign of this type of brain injury.
A seizure does not automatically mean that medical negligence occurred. Birth injuries can happen even when health care providers follow accepted medical practices. A potential claim may arise, however, when a preventable medical error causes or contributes to the baby’s condition.
Examples of circumstances that may require further investigation include:
- Failure to respond to signs of fetal distress
- An unreasonable delay in performing a necessary cesarean delivery
- Failure to diagnose or treat a maternal or newborn infection
- Improper use of forceps or a vacuum extractor
- Failure to monitor the baby after delivery
- Delayed treatment of low blood sugar or another metabolic emergency
- Medication or dosing errors
Determining why a newborn experienced seizures often requires a detailed review of fetal monitoring strips, delivery records, laboratory results, imaging studies, and newborn treatment records.
How Are Seizures in Newborns Diagnosed?
Doctors may begin with a physical and neurological examination. They will also review the pregnancy, labor, delivery, and family medical history.
Testing may include:
- Continuous or conventional EEG monitoring
- Blood tests for glucose, electrolytes, and signs of infection
- Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI
- Cranial ultrasound
- Lumbar puncture when an infection is suspected
- Genetic or metabolic testing
The medical team must identify and treat the underlying cause in addition to controlling seizure activity. Neonatal seizures are generally treated as a medical emergency because they may be the first sign of serious neurological dysfunction.
What Are the Possible Long-Term Effects?
A newborn’s prognosis depends heavily on the cause, severity, and duration of the seizures. It also depends on the extent of any underlying brain injury and how quickly the baby received treatment.
Potential long-term complications may include:
- Epilepsy
- Cerebral palsy
- Developmental delays
- Learning disabilities
- Problems with movement or coordination
- Speech and communication difficulties
- Vision or hearing impairments
Some infants recover without significant lasting effects. Others need ongoing neurological care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medication, assistive equipment, or educational support. Doctors who understand the child’s medical history are best positioned to discuss an individual prognosis.
What Should Parents Do After a Newborn Has a Seizure?
Parents should first make sure their baby receives immediate medical care. After the emergency has passed, they can request copies of prenatal, labor, delivery, and newborn records.
When the cause of a seizure is unclear or a preventable birth injury is suspected, parents may also consider having the medical records independently reviewed. A birth injury attorney can consult qualified medical professionals to determine whether the care provided met accepted standards and whether an error contributed to the child’s injuries.
Contact Georgia Baby Safety for a Free Consultation With an Atlanta Birth Injury Lawyer Today
A newborn’s seizures may leave a family searching for answers about what happened during pregnancy, delivery, or neonatal care. Georgia Baby Safety provides information to Atlanta families who are concerned that a medical mistake may have caused or worsened their baby’s condition.
The attorneys associated with Georgia Baby Safety have 50 years of combined experience and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation. Contact us today to discuss your child’s circumstances with an Atlanta birth injury attorney and learn about the options that may be available to your family.