Is This a Fasciculation?

Discussion Benign fasciculations are very common and occur in up to 70% of the general population. They occur at different points in people’s lives. They can be brought out by stress, poor sleep hygiene and caffeine. Caffeine has numerous uses especially for regulating sleep and attention. However too much can cause restlessness, jitteriness and sleep deprivation too. The recommended amount of caffeine for a teenager is < 2.5 mg/kg or 100-175 mg/day. A Red Bull® beverage has 80 mg of caffeine /12 ounces, while Mountain Dew® has 55 mg caffeine/12 ounces. A review of caffeine can be found here. Adolescents, if left alone without external influences, will sleep slightly more than 9 hours. However, often they will not achieve 9 hours for many external causes. There are many health problems associated with inadequate sleep and they can be reviewed here. A new onset of simple partial seizures could also be a consideration for the patient above. Simple partial seizures can occur with or without consciousness being impaired. Those without consciousness impairment are classified according to other symptoms such as motor, sensory, autonomic or psychic symptoms or signs. Simple tics are also common and can get worse in times of stress too. A review can be found here. Learning Point Benign fasciculations occur in a single muscle group and are not multifocal or continuous. They are felt to not progress to other neurological problems, but in very rare cases have been reporte...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news