Jittery babies: a short-term follow-up

Thirty-nine full-term babies, appropriate for gestational age, and otherwise healthy, were followed-up in our neurology clinic because of jitteriness, until complete resolution of symptoms and neurological findings. The babies were examined at 3 month intervals, and were classified according to the severity of their associated neurological findings, hypertonicity and increased tendon reflexes, into two groups: 'mild' (n = 24), and 'moderate-to-severe' (n = 15). The mean follow-up period was 13.5 months. In 81% of the study population, jitteriness and neurological findings disappeared before the age of 9 months. In only 11% did they persist beyond the age of 1 year. The mean time until disappearance of associated neurological findings was significantly shorter (5.5 months) in the mild group, compared to the moderate-to-severe group (9.5 months). Only one infant displayed motor delay and required physiotherapy.