What to do when your baby has a stiff neck?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor II Le Thanh Cam - Pediatrician - Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.
The development of babies is always the top concern of parents. One of the conditions that makes parents feel anxious is a baby's stiff neck. The question is how long does a newborn baby's neck stiffen and how to train the baby to stiffen faster?

1. How long does a newborn baby have a stiff neck?

Parents often have many questions about the problems that babies often face, including how long it takes for a baby to have a stiff neck. However, the length of time a baby has a stiff neck depends on the stage of development of the neck muscles, and each baby will have different neck muscles, so it cannot be compared.
The stages of infant neck development include:
Stage 1 - 2 months: This is the time when the baby's neck muscles are extremely weak, so parents need to pay attention in holding the baby. Any mistake that occurs will adversely affect the child's neck muscles. 3 - 5 months old: This is the beginning of neck stiffness, the baby has learned to raise his head and can turn over in bed. The baby's neck muscles are now much stronger and can be controlled more easily. At 6 months old: This is the time when the baby's neck is completely stiff, the baby can control his head and parents can let the baby learn to sit and crawl. At this time, parents do not need to hold the baby much anymore and can let the baby sit or crawl as he likes. In general, usually around 6 months old, the baby has started to stiffen the neck and parents can hold the baby in the most comfortable position without worrying about affecting the development of the baby's neck muscles.

2. What to do when the baby has a stiff neck?

As mentioned above, it is usually around 6 months that babies begin to stiffen their necks. However, because the development of neck muscles in each child is different, the duration of neck stiffness is not exactly the same, the number of 6 months is only relative in most babies.
In addition, some circumstances such as the influence of the weather or the wrong way of dressing a child can also cause a child's neck stiffness to take longer than usual.
For premature babies, body development is often slower than normal babies from a few weeks to a few months. Therefore, if after about 6 months, the child has not stiff neck, parents should wait patiently for a short period of time. Parents can also refer to a few exercises for a stiff neck and see if they are better or not.
In general, in both full-term and premature babies, when parents find their child's neck stiff for too long, they should take their child to a hospital or reputable medical facility to find out the cause as well. as treatment.

3. Exercises for a baby with a stiff neck you should know

If the baby has a stiff neck for a long time, parents can apply gentle exercises for the child. This not only helps children develop neck muscles, but also helps them quickly develop muscles as well as reach other developmental milestones such as rolling, crawling, and crawling faster.
Here are some exercises for babies to stiffen their necks quickly:
Practice for babies to lie on their stomach: When the baby is about 2 months old, parents should practice letting the baby lie down on his/her chest, after getting used to it, let the baby lie on it. soft mattress bed. The duration of this exercise is within 30 seconds and gradually increases as the child gets stronger. Exercises will help children's back and neck muscles develop faster; The spine and other parts will be more flexible and rhythmic. Roll baby: Should do this exercise on a large bed, mother let the child lie flat on the bed and gently turn the child back and forth in the direction of rolling. This exercise should be done for about 30 seconds and then reverse. In addition to helping the child's neck stiffen faster, this is an exercise that helps children increase their ability to control their lying position, develop brain motor and distinguish directions when moving. Let your baby dance to music: This is an extremely effective relaxation exercise for both the child and the mother. Mom just needs to hold the baby on her shoulder or carry her, then turn on the music and sway to the tune. This is an exercise to help children balance in the neck and quickly stiffen the neck. In addition, this exercise helps mothers relax after a day of child care. However, when doing so, care should be taken to avoid shaking the child too hard. Bicycle exercise: Put your baby on the bed and move his legs like a bicycle movement. This is an exercise that not only helps children quickly stiffen their neck but also positively affects their digestive system, helping them avoid bloating and constipation. Airplane flying exercise: Performed for children from 2 months old and up. Mother let the child lie on her feet and parallel to the floor, then gently lifted the child up and moved like flying in the air. This is an exercise to help children recognize space and strengthen back and neck muscles. If your baby is not reaching certain developmental milestones by month or by week, consult your doctor. Growth retardation can be completely harmless, but there are cases when a baby has a new disease that leads to such a delay.
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Gathering a team of top doctors and nurses in Pediatrics : consists of leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), experienced, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. Doctors All doctors are well-trained, professional, conscientious, knowledgeable about young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. from birth to adulthood Specialized techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation. blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment. Please follow the website: Vinmec.com regularly to update many other useful information.

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Reference sources: tudu.com.vn, vn.theasianparent.com, hellobacsi.com, conlatatca.vn