BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuSpasmus nutansSpasmus nutans is a disorder affecting infants and young children. It involves rapid, uncontrolled eye movements, head bobbing, and sometimes, holding the neck in an abnormal position. Causes Most cases of spasmus nutans begin between age 6 months and 1 year. It usually lasts about 2 years but can go on as long as 5 years.The cause is unknown, although it may be associated with other medical conditions. A link with iron or vitamin D deficiency has been suggested. In very rare cases, symptoms similar to spasmus nutans may be due to certain types of brain tumors or other serious conditions. Symptoms Symptoms of spasmus nutans include:Small, quick, side-to-side eye movements called nystagmus (both eyes are involved, but each eye may move differently) NystagmusNystagmus is a term to describe uncontrollable movements of the eyes that may be:Side to side (horizontal nystagmus)Up and down (vertical nystagmus)R...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Head nodding Head tilting Exams and Tests Your health care provider will perform a physical exam of your child. You may be asked about your child's symptoms.Tests may include:CT scan of the head CT scan of the headA head computed tomography (CT) scan uses many x-rays to create pictures of the head, including the skull, brain, eye sockets, and sinuses.Read Article Now Book Mark Article MRI scan of the head MRI scan of the headA head MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the brain and surrounding...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Electroretinography, a test that measures the electrical response of the retina (the back part of the eye)ElectroretinographyElectroretinography is a test to measure the electrical response of the eye's light-sensitive cells, called rods and cones. These cells are part of ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment Spasmus nutans that isn't related to another medical problem, such as brain tumor, requires no treatment. If the symptoms are caused by another condition, your provider will recommend appropriate treatment. Outlook (Prognosis) Usually, this disorder goes away on its own without treatment. When to Contact a Medical Professional Call for an appointment with your child's provider if your child has rapid, movements of the eyes, or head nodding. The provider will need to perform an exam to rule out other possible causes for the symptoms.Open ReferencesReferencesAmerican Academy of Ophthalmology website. Spasmus nutans. eyewiki.aao.org/Spasmus_Nutans. Updated July 24, 2022. Accessed May 23, 2023.Hertle RW, Hanna NN. Supranuclear eye movement disorders, acquired and neurologic nystagmus. In: Lyons CJ, Lambert SR, eds. Taylor and Hoyt's Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 91.Rucker JC, Lavin PJM. Neuro-ophthalmology: ocular motor system. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley's and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 18.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Nystagmus(Symptoms) Review Date: 4/29/2023 Reviewed By: Joseph V. Campellone, MD, Department of Neurology, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Spasmus nutansSpasmus nutans is a disorder affecting infants and young children. It involves rapid, uncontrolled eye movements, head bobbing, and sometimes, holding the neck in an abnormal position. Causes Most cases of spasmus nutans begin between age 6 months and 1 year. It usually lasts about 2 years but can go on as long as 5 years.The cause is unknown, although it may be associated with other medical conditions. A link with iron or vitamin D deficiency has been suggested. In very rare cases, symptoms similar to spasmus nutans may be due to certain types of brain tumors or other serious conditions. Symptoms Symptoms of spasmus nutans include:Small, quick, side-to-side eye movements called nystagmus (both eyes are involved, but each eye may move differently) NystagmusNystagmus is a term to describe uncontrollable movements of the eyes that may be:Side to side (horizontal nystagmus)Up and down (vertical nystagmus)R...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Head nodding Head tilting Exams and Tests Your health care provider will perform a physical exam of your child. You may be asked about your child's symptoms.Tests may include:CT scan of the head CT scan of the headA head computed tomography (CT) scan uses many x-rays to create pictures of the head, including the skull, brain, eye sockets, and sinuses.Read Article Now Book Mark Article MRI scan of the head MRI scan of the headA head MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the brain and surrounding...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Electroretinography, a test that measures the electrical response of the retina (the back part of the eye)ElectroretinographyElectroretinography is a test to measure the electrical response of the eye's light-sensitive cells, called rods and cones. These cells are part of ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment Spasmus nutans that isn't related to another medical problem, such as brain tumor, requires no treatment. If the symptoms are caused by another condition, your provider will recommend appropriate treatment. Outlook (Prognosis) Usually, this disorder goes away on its own without treatment. When to Contact a Medical Professional Call for an appointment with your child's provider if your child has rapid, movements of the eyes, or head nodding. The provider will need to perform an exam to rule out other possible causes for the symptoms.Open ReferencesReferencesAmerican Academy of Ophthalmology website. Spasmus nutans. eyewiki.aao.org/Spasmus_Nutans. Updated July 24, 2022. Accessed May 23, 2023.Hertle RW, Hanna NN. Supranuclear eye movement disorders, acquired and neurologic nystagmus. In: Lyons CJ, Lambert SR, eds. Taylor and Hoyt's Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 91.Rucker JC, Lavin PJM. Neuro-ophthalmology: ocular motor system. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley's and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 18.