Jerking or rhythmic movements
Repeated twitching or shaking of the arms, legs, face, or one side of the body—especially if it happens in a pattern and does not stop when you gently hold the limb.
Worried Your Baby May Be Having Seizures?
Learn what infant seizure symptoms can look like, when urgent care is needed, and how to get clear next-step guidance for seizures in a newborn or young baby.
About 3–5 minutesPrivate assessmentNo long answers
About this assessment
Answer a few questions about what you’re seeing
Share the signs you’ve noticed—such as jerking, staring, stiffening, or unusual eye movements—to get personalized guidance on possible infant seizures and what to do next.
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What infant seizures can look like
Infant seizures are not always dramatic shaking episodes. In babies, they can appear as repeated jerking, sudden stiffening, brief staring or unresponsive spells, lip smacking, unusual blinking, eye deviation, or rhythmic movements that keep happening in the same way. Some parents searching for what do infant seizures look like or how to tell if baby is having a seizure are noticing subtle events that are easy to miss or confuse with normal newborn behavior. If an episode is repetitive, unusual for your baby, or followed by sleepiness, color change, or trouble responding, it deserves prompt medical attention.
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Signs that may point to seizures in a newborn baby
Staring, pauses, or reduced responsiveness
A baby may suddenly seem blank, stop responding, or have a brief episode where they do not react normally to touch, voice, or movement.
Stiffening, eye changes, or unusual repetitive motions
Body tightening, back arching, repeated blinking, eye rolling, eye deviation to one side, chewing motions, or lip smacking can all be signs worth discussing with a clinician.
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Common questions parents have about infant seizure causes and diagnosis
Possible causes can vary
Infant seizure causes may include fever, infection, low blood sugar, birth-related brain injury, metabolic conditions, genetic epilepsy syndromes, or other neurologic concerns. Only a medical evaluation can determine the cause.
Diagnosis usually involves careful observation
Infant seizure diagnosis often starts with a detailed description of what happened, how long it lasted, whether your baby was responsive, and what happened afterward. A video of the episode can be very helpful if it is safe to record.
Medical testing may be needed
Doctors may recommend an exam, bloodwork, EEG, imaging, or other studies depending on your baby’s age, symptoms, and overall condition. Newborn seizure treatment depends on the underlying cause.
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What to do if you think your baby is having a seizure
Focus on safety first
Place your baby on a safe flat surface, ideally on their side if possible, and keep the area clear. Do not put anything in your baby’s mouth and do not try to restrain the movements.
Watch the details
Note how long the episode lasts, what body parts are involved, whether there is eye movement, color change, breathing difficulty, or unresponsiveness. This information can help guide care.
Know when to seek urgent help
Call emergency services right away if the episode lasts several minutes, your baby has trouble breathing, turns blue, is hard to wake, has repeated episodes, is a newborn with a first-time event, or you are worried something is seriously wrong.
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Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if my baby is having a seizure or just normal newborn movements?
Normal newborn movements are often brief, variable, and stop when your baby is soothed or repositioned. Seizure-like episodes are more likely to be repetitive, stereotyped, and difficult to interrupt. If you are unsure, especially with a newborn or a 3 month old baby, contact your pediatrician promptly.
What do infant seizures look like in a 3 month old baby?
In a 3 month old, seizures may look like repeated jerking, sudden stiffening, staring spells, unusual eye movements, rhythmic facial twitching, or episodes where your baby seems briefly unresponsive. Some are subtle, which is why a medical review is important.
What should I do as baby seizure first aid?
Keep your baby safe on a flat surface, turn them to the side if you can, do not put anything in their mouth, and do not hold them down. Time the episode and seek emergency care if breathing changes, color changes, prolonged seizure activity, or repeated events occur.
How is newborn seizure treatment decided?
Newborn seizure treatment depends on the cause. Doctors may treat low blood sugar, infection, fever, or other medical problems, and some babies may need anti-seizure medicine. Treatment is based on urgent medical evaluation, not symptoms alone.
Personalized assessment
Get guidance tailored to the seizure-like signs you’re seeing
If you’re worried about infant seizure symptoms, answer a few questions to receive personalized guidance on possible next steps, what details matter most, and when to seek urgent care.