Differential Diagnosis for a 9-Month-Old Shaking
- Single Most Likely Diagnosis
- Benign infantile shudders or shakiness: This condition is common in infants and is characterized by brief, shuddering episodes that are usually harmless and resolve on their own.
- Other Likely Diagnoses
- Normal infantile tremors: Infants often exhibit tremors due to their developing nervous system, which can be exacerbated by excitement, fatigue, or overstimulation.
- Hypocalcemia: Low calcium levels can cause muscle cramps, spasms, and shakiness in infants.
- Overstimulation or fatigue: Infants can become overwhelmed by their environment, leading to shakiness or tremors.
- Do Not Miss Diagnoses
- Seizure disorder: Although less common, seizures can manifest as shakiness or convulsions in infants and require immediate medical attention.
- Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar can cause shakiness, lethargy, and even seizures in infants.
- Meningitis or sepsis: Infections such as meningitis or sepsis can cause shakiness, fever, and other severe symptoms in infants.
- Infantile spasms: A rare but serious condition characterized by brief, repetitive spasms that can be a sign of underlying neurological disorders.
- Rare Diagnoses
- Kernicterus: A rare but serious condition caused by high bilirubin levels, which can lead to neurological damage and symptoms such as shakiness.
- Metabolic disorders: Certain genetic disorders, such as maple syrup urine disease, can cause shakiness, seizures, and other neurological symptoms in infants.
- Neurodegenerative disorders: Rare conditions such as Krabbe disease or Tay-Sachs disease can cause progressive neurological decline, including shakiness, in infants.