Neurologically immature?

Just asking for a friend...her newborn baby boy was 4 weeks premature (36 weeks) and weighed in at just under 7lbs. He's 6 weeks now and is doing this thing all the time where he just starts flailing around like crazy - he waves his arms and legs around as if he's falling. She puts him in a swaddle blanket and he screams for hours at night; the other night she said he screamed for 8 hours straight. Her pedi has him on zantac because she's thinking it might be heartburn; otherwise she says he's probably neurologically immature.

Has anyone ever heard of that? I figured this would be a great place to post since he was born at early and is small - similar to some twins.



Thanks!

 

Not sure if this is it but is it like the moro or startle reflex...that's what it kind of sounds like. Mine did that for a while but it resolved with time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moro_reflex

 

QUOTE(snoopytwins @ Jun 10 2008, 07:19 AM) [snapback]819155[/snapback]
Not sure if this is it but is it like the moro or startle reflex...that's what it kind of sounds like. Mine did that for a while but it resolved with time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moro_reflex

this is what it sounds like to me.. My DD did this until 6 or 7 months of age

 

Yes, my son did it and it really had me worried, but he's fine now at 6 months. I kept thinking "Oh my what is wrong??". I know it's hard to worry though....

 

My 5 month old still startles like that (a lot). I asked the Pedi and he said it's o.k. that she still does it. If that is what it is, it's probably nothing to worry about. The crying just sounds like the typical 6-8 week (or more) fussies. He's right at THAT age. It's tough.

 

mine startled and flailed for a long time too (and they were born right at 36 weeks also)...

as for the crying I strongly suggest a swing - worked like a charm for my two...

 

Chloe, my little one of the two - she was only 4.5lbs when we brought her home, had the startle reflex really bad for the first few months - it is all gone now though!
But it was super scary to see her flailing like that.