Jactatio capitis nocturna: symptoms, causes and treatment.

A parasomnia that appears especially among boys and girls, based on movements during sleep.

Sleep is a fundamental process for human beings and other animals, since it allows the organism to rest and repair itself. We spend a large part of our lives sleeping, and not doing so properly can have noticeable effects on our abilities.

But sometimes, even though our mental activity and brainwaves are mainly in the process of sleep, our body is not so much in the process of sleep, as it has not finished deactivating and makes movements even if they are not conscious.

This is what happens in sleepwalking or nocturnal jactatio capitis nocturnal jactatio capitisthe latter being the sleep disturbance that we are going to talk about in this article.

Nocturnal jactatio capitis: description of this parasomnia

It receives the name of jactatio capitis nocturna a sleep disturbance which is characterized by the appearance of rhythmic and involuntary rocking, throbbing and movements of the head and sometimes of the whole body.. Occasionally, grunting or disjointed sounds are also heard.

In many respects, the symptoms of jactatio capitis nocturia diminish the quality of sleep and make it difficult to get sufficient rest; in some cases, it even results in injury.

Symptoms

As a parasomnia, it involves the existence of abnormal behaviors during sleep which are performed without the affected person being aware of them. are performed without the affected person being aware of it and without causing an awakening..

In the case of nocturnal jactatio capitis, the movements are usually smooth, although sometimes they can be abrupt and violent, resulting in blows and injuries, without the sufferer waking up. These episodes usually last about a quarter of an hour, and the average is about a quarter of an hour.and the average is around 60 or 70 movements per minute.

This alteration appears during infancy and usually occurs between six months and the first four years of life, although it is more common between nine months and two years. Although infrequent, this parasomnia may occur or persist into adolescence or sometimes into adulthood. It can appear in both boys and girls..

Causes

The causes of these movements are not fully clear, but it has been suggested that they have the function of it has been suggested that they have the function of relieving anxiety.The child may imitate the rocking movement to relax and facilitate sleep or simply as a source of gratification.

Some theories propose that in some cases it may appear in the presence of a vital stage in which the child feels tense and frustrated. Also It may also arise due to a deprivation of affective stimulation, or as a learned and conditioned behavior, in which the child acquires in which the child acquires rocking as a method of reassurance (by linking it to crib or parental rocking).

My child has it: should I worry?

The existence of this type of parasomnia usually generates a deep preoccupation in the parents, often before the fear that the boy or girl can have some neurological problem or to be suffering some type of epileptic outbreak..

Although some of the movements performed during sleep may resemble epilepsy in those cases in which the movements are violent, the fact is that nocturnal jactatio capitis does not imply a neurological alteration and in fact no alterations are observed at the level of brain waves or brain function. However, it is not superfluous to make an assessment in this regard, since the presence of these could favor this type of problem.

Nocturnal jactatio capitis is generally a harmless sleep disorder that does not in itself cause any harm to the sufferer, although it is advisable to be cautious about the presence of these disorders. it is advisable to take the precaution of placing a barrier on the bed to prevent falls or to make sure that there are no corners or make sure that there are no corners or elements with which the child can hit and injure himself.

The prognosis is positive and as a general rule it is a type of parasomnia that disappears after a few months.The sleep phase, although it can last for years and even last well into adulthood (although the latter is rare).

Treatment of this disorder

Although nocturnal jactatio capitis usually disappears on its own over time and does not pose a health risk, different treatment options can sometimes be used, especially when the movements are particularly virulent and generate shocks with walls and objects or are very frequent.

It should be taken into account to analyze first of all if there is some kind of environmental element that may be generating stress to the child or to assess whether he/she receives enough or excessive stimulation that frustrates him/her or causes the need to calm down.

Regarding the problem itself, on a psychological level A method similar to the pee-stop method in cases of nocturnal enuresis and based on conditioning can be applied.The following method can be applied: an alarm or a light device is placed that is activated when the child begins to perform the movements. This, although slightly aversive, will awaken the child and interrupt the movement, and with time the child will stop linking the movement to calming. Sometimes it may also be considered appropriate to use drugs, always under medical prescription, such as benzodiazepines or tricyclic antidepressants.