How to identify mental disorders in a child. Nervous system disorders. Causes of mental disorders in children

Speech disorder in children

Snezhana Ivanova

Experts say that speech disorders can be identified almost from the first days of a child's life ...

Birth is the beginning of a new life. What it will be depends largely on how the little man will develop. Therefore, parents should be especially responsible for his future, both before and after the birth of the baby. To do this, they must be interested in special literature, which describes the stages of development of children, especially in the early period.

So, a baby was born. The first thing we do when we see him, we begin to smile at him, to say something to him. The first communication takes place. In return, we expect responses. While they are not. But believe me, they will soon appear and please us incredibly. After all, communication is very important for a child.

But what if the baby does not show the same communicative activity as familiar mothers? You don't have to sound the alarm right away. All children are different. Analyze what your child already knows, compare with what he should be able to do at his age, and only after that contact the specialists. Do not forget that babies need to be developed from the first days of life, they require not only feeding and dry diapers, but also communication. There must be a lot of it. Maybe this is the problem? If not, then we move on.

What indicates speech disorders in children?

Experts say that speech disorders can be identified almost from the first days of a child's life. First of all, this is indicated by the monotonous weak cry of the baby.

What other signs indicate possible problems with speech?

If a child has these problems, then he may have impaired speech development. In order to find out the cause of their appearance and establish an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to consult with such specialists:

• otolaryngologist (check the child's hearing);
• a neurologist (to determine if the baby has an organic lesion of the central nervous system, including the speech centers of the cerebral cortex);
• child psychologist, defectologist or psychiatrist (to determine the state of non-verbal intelligence);
• speech pathologist (for final diagnosis).

Causes of speech disorders

Many are interested in the causes of speech disorders in children. There are many factors. They can be both external and internal. Sometimes they are combined with each other. The main ones are the following:

1. Intrauterine pathologies.
2. Heredity.
3. Generic pathologies.
4. Diseases of the first years of a child's life.
5. Unfavorable social conditions.

Intrauterine pathologies

The first trimester of pregnancy is very important, as the fetus develops the central nervous system, including the speech zones of the cerebral cortex. The most negative factors during this period are:

• intrauterine hypoxia;
• infectious diseases of the mother during pregnancy (herpes, rubella, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, influenza, scarlet fever, poliomyelitis, HIV infection, measles);
• mother's injuries during childbearing;
• blood incompatibility between the mother and the unborn child, which leads to the production of antibodies in the mother's body, and, as a result, the fetus releases a toxic substance that damages parts of the brain, which is subsequently displayed on his speech and hearing;
• prematurity and postmaturity of the fetus;
• smoking and use of alcohol and drugs by the mother;
• uncontrolled intake of drugs by the mother;
• an attempt to terminate a pregnancy;
• the mother's stay in hazardous work, especially in the first months of pregnancy;
• stress.

Heredity

If one of the parents started talking late, the child is more likely to have the same problems. Also, genetic anomalies include the non-standard structure of the articulatory apparatus (the wrong number of teeth, their fit, bite problems, defects in the structure of the palate), stuttering and problems in the development of speech zones in the cerebral cortex.

Birth pathologies

Childbirth is not always favorable for the baby. The most dangerous for him are asphyxia (impaired breathing, which leads to oxygen starvation of the brain), birth injuries (a narrow pelvis in the mother, the use of forceps for the birth of a child).

Special attention in development will also be required by the child who was born weighing less than 1500 g and who has undergone a series of resuscitation measures, including ventilation of the lungs.

All of the above factors can cause a speech disorder in a child.

Diseases of the first years of life

The first years are very significant in the life and development of the baby. Therefore, you need to be careful:

• infectious diseases, especially meningitis, meningoencephalitis, inflammation of the middle and inner ear (leads to hearing loss and loss, which means that speech suffers);
• brain injuries;
• sky damage.

Unfavorable social and living conditions

Speech disorders are very often observed in those children who lack emotional and verbal communication with loved ones. This does not necessarily happen in families where parents drink or lead an immoral lifestyle. In a prosperous, at first glance, family, children can also be deprived of attention from their parents. Insufficient communication, especially with the mother, can be a major factor in speech disorders in a child.

It is very difficult for a child to replace an emotional connection with a mother with something else. Be careful parents! No toy can replace you!

So, we can sum up the first result in order to understand what is necessary for the prevention of speech disorders in children. Most importantly, you need to know that speech is a complex mental process. The child begins to speak when the brain, hearing and articulatory apparatus reach a certain level of development. It depends very often on the environment. If the child does not receive vivid impressions, conditions for movement and communication are not created for him, then soon he will have delays in both physical and mental development.

Remember that the baby really needs care and love. If he is deprived of full communication with adults or limited only to monotonous everyday situations, it is likely that the child will soon experience speech disorders.

Types of speech disorders in children

In modern speech therapy, there are two main classifications of speech disorders: clinical and pedagogical and psychological and pedagogical. They in no way exclude one another, but only help to understand the cause of the deviation more deeply and try to eliminate it as much as possible (if possible) or protect it from secondary deviations as a result of the main defect.

Clinical and pedagogical classification

The first classification is friendly with medicine. According to it, written and oral speech disorders are distinguished.

Oral speech disorders

With violations of oral speech, speech disorders are possible during the direct pronunciation of the statement (phonation design) and systemic (polymorphic) deviations (structural-semantic design).

Violations in phonation design

As a result of violations of phonation design during the pronunciation of statements, the following speech features are observed in the child:

• voice formation;
• sound pronunciation;
• tempo-rhythms;
• intonation.

The child understands speech correctly, but he himself cannot reproduce it correctly as a result of a defect. Against this background, the following diseases are distinguished:

Dysphonia characterized by a disorder or complete absence of phonation as a result of the pathology of the vocal apparatus (violation of the voice, its timbre or pitch).

Bradilalia characterized by a slow rate of speech as a result of pathology.

tahilalia characterized by an increase in the rate of speech.

Stuttering- these are violations of the pace and rhythm of speech as a result of muscle spasms of the speech apparatus.

Dyslalia- these are speech defects with normal hearing and intact articulatory apparatus.

Rhinolalia characterized by a violation of the timbre of the voice and, accordingly, the sound pronunciation, which is due to the peculiarities of the articulatory apparatus.

dysarthria- speech disorder as a result of insufficient innervation of the articulatory apparatus.

Violations in the structural and semantic design

The most severe deviations are structural and semantic. As a result of damage to the cerebral cortex in a child, there is a complete and partial loss of the ability not only to reproduce statements, but also to understand. Diagnose such diseases: alalia and aphasia.

Alalia- lack of speech or its underdevelopment as a result of an organic lesion of the cerebral cortex in the area of ​​​​speech zones during the period of intrauterine development of a child or at an early age.

Aphasia- complete or partial loss of speech as a result of local brain damage (as a rule, the diagnosis is made after 3 years).

Writing disorders

Written speech disorders can be observed when reading or spelling. Accordingly, two diagnoses are noted: dyslexia and dysgraphia.

Dyslexia- a partial violation of the reading process, which manifests itself in the difficulties of recognizing letters, their merging into syllables and words. This results in misreading of the words.

Dysgraphia manifested in violations of the letter. During this defect, there is a mixing of letters, their omission.

Psychological and pedagogical classification

The psychological and pedagogical classification appeared in order to determine the degree of possible influence on the correction of speech disorders in the child during the pedagogical process (classes with a speech therapist).

Phonetic-phonetic underdevelopment speech is characterized by a violation of pronunciation processes, which is associated with defects in the perception and pronunciation of certain phonemes. This applies only to communications in the child's native language.

General underdevelopment of speech observed in children who have impaired all components of the speech system. The baby is characterized by such features:

• speech development later;
• vocabulary is poor;
• defects in both pronunciation and phonemic formation.

Stuttering - this is a violation only in the communicative function. At the same time, all other means of communication are formed correctly.

It should not be forgotten that speech deviations can be combined, for example, stuttering and general underdevelopment of speech.

Distribution of children into groups according to speech disorders

Respectively speech disorders in children divided into three groups:

Group 1 - children with phonetic speech disorders. They usually do not make individual sounds. No other deviations are observed.

Group 2 - children with phonetic and phonemic disorders. In this case, the child not only does not pronounce sounds, but also distinguishes them poorly, does not understand the articulation and acoustic difference. Such children are not given sound analysis, it is difficult for them to learn to read and write, in oral speech they rearrange syllables, “swallow” endings in words.

Group 3 - these are children with general underdevelopment of speech. Such a child does not distinguish sounds, does not merge them into syllables, poor vocabulary, there is no coherent speech. If the baby is not provided with special speech therapy assistance in time, then serious problems in the communication sphere are possible in the future.

According to speech disorders in children, there are three levels of general underdevelopment of speech (according to R.E. Levina), if physical hearing is preserved:

First level: a child aged 5-6 does not speak, only makes incomprehensible sounds, which are accompanied by gestures.

Second level: the child uses only common words, some grammatical forms, but speech capabilities are significantly behind the norm.

Third level: the child's phrasal speech is expanded, but some phonetic-phonemic and lexical-grammatical defects are inherent. In communication enters only in the presence of adults.

Speech disorders significantly affect other mental functions of the child. As a rule, such children have unstable attention, which is difficult to distribute. Thinking is also different, especially verbal-logical. It is difficult for them to analyze and synthesize, compare and generalize. Such children may have poor locomotor functions: impaired coordination, reduced speed and agility. They have a hard time accepting verbal instructions. Fine motor skills require special attention.

A child with speech disorders, especially severe ones, is characterized by sharp negativism, aggressiveness, resentment, unwillingness to communicate and establish contacts, self-doubt. This child needs help.

We have come to understand that speech disorders are different and can appear in any child at any stage of his development.

Let's talk about what can and must be done, starting from the first days of life, in order to prevent speech disorders in a child.

1. Constantly communicate with the child, giving the conversation as many different emotions as possible (smile, frown, be surprised, afraid, rejoice, admire, etc.). In this case, the words must be pronounced clearly.
2. Must do for baby finger gymnastics. How not to remember the well-known poem "Magpie - the crow cooked porridge." Scientists have long proven that there are nerve centers at the fingertips that are closely connected with the speech areas of the cerebral cortex. Therefore, finger massages are very useful for the baby. They need to be played as a game. For this, poems are used in which the child is asked to repeat certain movements with his fingers. In this case, not only speech develops, but also memory, certain images are created, for which specific concepts are then assigned.

When a child grows up, games with a mosaic and a designer, as well as drawing, modeling, lacing, twisting caps, etc., should become indispensable activities.

All this will help to avoid many speech disorders in children.

Many parents have this question:

The child is 2.5 years old, but he does not pronounce all the sounds. Does he need speech therapy?

If you look at this question from a physiological point of view, then the baby, most likely, is not yet ready for the articulation apparatus. He does not have enough control over his tongue, or his lips, or his cheeks. This is normal at this age. Therefore, it is not necessary to run to a speech therapist, but special attention should be paid to correctional games. Gymnastics for fingers and tongue should become mandatory. Also, don't forget to breathe. All together will greatly improve the pronunciation of sounds.

We talked about finger gymnastics above. And now let's try to make the tongue "obedient".

Language exercises

We emphasize right away: before you start doing the exercises, try to do them first yourself, then with your child, and then teach him to do it on his own. All exercises are performed in front of a mirror. They should be done smoothly, moving from simple to complex.

For a child to pronounce well hissing sounds, it is good to perform the exercise "Fence": the teeth are closed, the lips are pulled forward. Hold this position for about 10s.

For pronunciation whistling sounds the “Hill” exercise is useful: open your mouth a little; rest the lateral edges of the tongue against the upper molars; the tip of the tongue is in the lower anterior. You need to hold for 10-15 s.

A speech therapist can offer you many other complexes for different sounds. The main thing is to constantly engage with the child. Only in this case a positive result is possible in the near future.

Breathing exercises

Proper breathing is an important aspect during the pronunciation of sounds. It is necessary to develop the ability to speak fluently and correctly. To do this, there are exercises that allow you to increase the time of oral exhalation from 2 s to 8 s. In addition, the child must be taught to breathe both through the mouth and through the nose; exhale with sound, warehouse, etc.

To do this, you can perform the exercise "Storm". You will need a glass of water and a straw for a cocktail. And now let's move on to the exercise: the mouth is slightly open, the tongue rests on the lower teeth, we take the tube into the mouth and lower it into the glass. We blow so that the water gurgles. In this case, the cheeks should not puff out, and the lips remain motionless. The air flow after such exercises will be more purposeful and long lasting.

Inflating balloons and soap bubbles, playing with whistles and children's musical instruments: a harmonica, a pipe, etc. will also be useful.

Very often, children invent their children's words with those sounds that are convenient for them to pronounce. The repetition of such vocabulary by adults we call "lisping". So, it must be avoided. If adults begin to use such words in their speech, they will be fixed in the memory of the child for a long period, which can create problems in the further development of his speech. All words must be corrected after mispronunciation. At the same time, your face should be at the level of the child's eyes so that he can see how you pronounce all the sounds.

The speech of the child is most intensively formed in the preschool period. This is a period of 3 to 6 years. In this case, the role model for the baby is his parents.

Therefore, they should talk with the child:

• right, without "lisping":
• legible, clear, with the correct placement of stress;
• simple (sentences consist of 2-4 words);
• with repetitive words for a certain period of time (the child must remember them and learn to operate with them in his speech);
• varied in intonation, voice timbre, tempo;
• “alive”, as emotions and gestures should become part of communication.

If the child is 4 years old and you observe persistent violations in his pronunciation, then you should definitely contact a speech therapist. After all, by the beginning of school, the child should:

• correctly pronounce all the sounds of the native language;
• be able to do partial sound analysis;
• have a rich vocabulary, which consists of words that belong to different parts of speech;
• agree words in gender, case and number;
• compose complex syntactic constructions in the form of a dialogue or monologue.

If your child has been diagnosed with speech disorders, then classes with a speech therapist are simply necessary for him. If you do not begin to carry out a full-fledged correction of his speech pathologies, then over time secondary defects will begin to appear, which will lead to significant deviations in the development of the baby.

If the baby has dysarthria, dyslalia, or motor alalia

With these diseases, the child suffers from pronunciation. The articulatory organs, which he did not learn to control, are “guilty” of this. After all, a person can produce sounds only after several years of hard work on the development of speech. This includes the brain systems and the periphery, which are controlled by the central nervous system. In order for the child to begin to pronounce sounds correctly, these processes need to be combined into a single whole, and only in this case, the tongue, together with the rest of the speech organs, with proper breathing and coordinated brain work under the control of the central nervous system, will begin to say what is needed.

Correction of defects in sound pronunciation occurs, as a rule, in 4 stages. Each stage has its own purpose, tasks and direction of work:

1. Preparatory. The purpose of this stage is to prepare for the production of sound and its automation. For this, it is necessary to develop auditory perception and attention in the child. This can be achieved through the development of auditory attention, speech perception, and the formation of interest in the leading conversation. At this stage, it is important to teach the child to breathe correctly, to develop his voice. Exercises for the lips, tongue, and also the entire face are important. A special place belongs to fine motor skills.
2. Sound setting. The second stage is aimed at learning to pronounce the sound correctly in isolated sound. For this, articulation exercises are performed to develop the necessary muscles.
3. Its automation. The third stage consists of working out to automatically pronounce the sound correctly. It is introduced into a syllable, words, etc.
4. Differentiation. At the last stage, the child learns to differentiate sounds by ear - auditory perception; reinforces the ability to pronounce it correctly.

Mental health is a very sensitive topic. Clinical manifestations depend on the age of the child and the influence of certain factors. Often, due to fear for the upcoming changes in their own lifestyle, parents do not want to notice some problems with the psyche of their child.

Many are afraid to catch the sidelong glances of their neighbors, to feel the pity of friends, to change the usual order of life. But the child has the right to qualified timely help from a doctor, which will help alleviate his condition, and in the early stages of some diseases, cure one spectrum or another.

One of the complex mental illnesses is children's. This disease is understood as an acute condition of a baby or already a teenager, which manifests itself in his incorrect perception of reality, his inability to distinguish the real from the fictitious, the inability for them to really understand what is happening.

Features of childhood psychosis

And in children they are not diagnosed as often as in adults and. Mental disorders come in different types and forms, but no matter how the disorder manifests itself, no matter what the symptoms of the disease are, psychosis significantly complicates the life of the child and his parents, makes it difficult to think correctly, control actions, and build adequate parallels in relation to established social norms.

Childhood psychotic disorders are characterized by:

Childhood psychosis has different forms and manifestations, therefore it is difficult to diagnose and treat.

Why children are prone to mental disorders

Multiple causes contribute to the development of mental disorders in babies. Psychiatrists distinguish whole groups of factors:

• genetic;
• biological;
• sociopsychological;
• psychological.

The most important provoking factor is the genetic predisposition to. Other reasons include:

• problems with intellect (and (like) with it);
• incompatibility of the temperament of the baby and the parent;
• family discord;
• conflicts between parents;
• events that left psychological trauma;
• drugs that can cause a psychotic state;
• high temperature, which can cause or;

To date, all possible causes have not been fully studied, but studies have confirmed that children with schizophrenia almost always have signs of organic brain disorders, and patients with autism are often diagnosed with the presence, which is explained by hereditary causes or trauma during childbirth.

Psychosis in young children may occur due to the divorce of parents.

At-risk groups

Thus, children are at risk:

• one of the parents had or has a mental disorder;
• who are brought up in a family where conflicts constantly arise between parents;
• transferred;
• who have undergone psychological trauma;
• whose blood relatives have mental illnesses, and the closer the degree of kinship, the greater the risk of the disease.

Varieties of psychotic disorders among children

Diseases of the child's psyche are divided according to some criteria. Depending on age, there are:

• early psychosis;
• late psychosis.

The first type includes patients from infancy (up to a year), preschool (from 2 to 6 years) and early school age (from 6-8). The second type includes patients of preadolescent (8-11) and adolescence (12-15).

Depending on the cause of the development of the disease, psychosis can be:

• exogenous- disorders caused by external factors;
• - violations provoked by the internal characteristics of the body.

Depending on the type of course of psychosis can be:

• that arose as a result of prolonged psychotrauma;
• - arising instantly and unexpectedly.

A kind of psychotic deviation is. Depending on the nature of the course and symptoms, affective disorders are:

Symptoms depending on the form of failure

Different symptoms of mental illness are justified by different forms of the disease. The usual symptoms of the disease are:

• - the baby sees, hears, feels what is not really there;
• - a person sees the existing situation in his incorrect interpretation;
• passivity, not initiative;
• aggressiveness, rudeness;
• obsession syndrome.
• deviations associated with thinking.

Psychogenic shock often occurs in children and adolescents. Reactive psychosis occurs as a result of psychological trauma.

This form of psychosis has signs and symptoms that distinguish it from other mental spectrum disorders in children:

• the reason for it is a deep emotional shock;
• reversibility - symptoms weaken with the passage of time;
• symptoms depend on the nature of the injury.

Early age

At an early age, mental health disorders manifest themselves in. The kid does not smile, in any way does not show joy on his face. Up to a year, the disorder is detected in the absence of cooing, babbling, clapping. The baby does not react to objects, people, parents.

Age crises, during which children are most susceptible to mental disorders from 3 to 4 years, from 5 to 7, from 12 to 18 years.

Mental disorders of the early period are manifested in:

• frustrations;
• capriciousness, disobedience;
• increased fatigue;
• irritability;
• lack of communication;
• lack of emotional contact.

Later in life up to adolescence

Mental problems in a 5-year-old child should worry parents if the baby loses already acquired skills, communicates little, does not want to play role-playing games, and does not take care of his appearance.

At the age of 7, the child becomes unstable in the psyche, he has a violation of appetite, unnecessary fears appear, working capacity decreases, and rapid overwork appears.

At the age of 12-18, parents need to pay attention to a teenager if he has:

• sudden mood swings;
• melancholy,;
• aggressiveness, conflict;
• , inconsistency;
• a combination of incongruous: irritability with acute shyness, sensitivity with callousness, the desire for complete independence with the desire to be always close to mom;
• schizoid;
• rejection of accepted rules;
• a penchant for philosophy and extreme positions;
• care intolerance.

More painful signs of psychosis in older children are manifested in:

Diagnostic criteria and methods

Despite the proposed list of signs of psychosis, no parent will be able to accurately diagnose it on their own. First of all, parents should show their child to a psychotherapist. But even after the first appointment with a professional, it is too early to talk about mental personality disorders. A small patient should be examined by the following doctors:

• neuropathologist;
• speech therapist;
• psychiatrist;
• a doctor who specializes in developmental diseases.

Sometimes the patient is determined in a hospital for examination and carrying out the necessary procedures and tests.

Providing professional assistance

Short-term seizures of psychosis in a child disappear immediately after the disappearance of their cause. More severe illnesses require long-term therapy, often in a hospital setting. Specialists for the treatment of childhood psychosis use the same drugs as for adults, only in suitable doses.

Treatment of psychosis and psychotic spectrum disorders in children involves:

If the parents were able to identify the failure of the psyche in their child on time, then a few consultations with a psychiatrist or psychologist are usually enough to improve the condition. But there are cases that require long-term treatment and being under the supervision of doctors.

A psychological failure in a child, which is associated with his physical condition, is cured immediately after the disappearance of the underlying disease. If the disease was provoked by an experienced stressful situation, then even after the condition improves, the baby requires special treatment and consultations from a psychotherapist.

In extreme cases, with manifestations of strong aggression, the baby may be prescribed. But for the treatment of children, the use of heavy psychotropic drugs is used only in extreme cases.

In most cases, psychoses experienced in childhood do not recur in adult life in the absence of provocative situations. Parents of recovering children should fully comply with the daily regimen, do not forget about daily walks, a balanced diet and, if necessary, take care of taking medications in a timely manner.

The baby should not be left unattended. At the slightest violation of his mental state, it is necessary to seek help from a specialist who will help to cope with the problem that has arisen.

For treatment and avoiding consequences for the child's psyche in the future, it is necessary to follow all the recommendations of specialists.

Every parent concerned about the mental health of their child should remember:

Love and care is what any person needs, especially a small and defenseless one.

Have you noticed a mental disorder in children? Do you want to know more detailed information or do you need an inspection? You can make an appointment with a doctor - the Eurolab clinic is always at your service! The best doctors will examine you, study the external signs and help identify the disease by symptoms, advise you and provide the necessary assistance. You can also call a doctor at home. The Eurolab clinic is open for you around the clock.

The phone number of our clinic in Kyiv: (+3 (multi-channel). The clinic secretary will select a convenient day and hour for you to visit the doctor. Our coordinates and directions are listed here. Look in more detail about all the services of the clinic on its personal page.

If you have previously performed any studies, be sure to take their results for a consultation with a doctor. If the studies have not been completed, we will do everything necessary in our clinic or with our colleagues in other clinics.

Do you have a mental disorder in your child? You need to be very careful about your overall health. People do not pay enough attention to the symptoms of diseases and do not realize that these diseases can be life-threatening. There are many diseases that at first do not manifest themselves in our body, but in the end it turns out that, unfortunately, it is too late to treat them. Each disease has its own specific signs, characteristic external manifestations - the so-called symptoms of the disease. Identifying symptoms is the first step in diagnosing diseases in general. To do this, it is simply necessary to be examined by a doctor several times a year in order not only to prevent a terrible disease, but also to maintain a healthy spirit in the body and the body as a whole.

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How not to miss a mental disorder in a child and what to do in these cases

The concept of a mental disorder in children can be quite difficult to explain, not to say that it needs to be defined, especially on your own. The knowledge of parents, as a rule, is not enough for this. As a result, many children who could benefit from treatment do not receive the care they need. This article will help parents learn to recognize the warning signs of mental illness in children and highlight some of the options for help.

Why is it difficult for parents to determine the state of mind of their child?

Unfortunately, many adults are unaware of the signs and symptoms of mental illness in children. Even if parents know the basic principles of recognizing major mental disorders, they often find it difficult to distinguish between mild signs of abnormality and normal behavior in children. And a child sometimes lacks the vocabulary or intellectual baggage to explain their problems verbally.

Concerns about stereotypes associated with mental illness, the cost of using certain medications, and the logistical complexity of possible treatment often delay therapy or force parents to attribute their child's condition to some simple and temporary phenomenon. However, a psychopathological disorder that begins its development will not be able to restrain anything, except for the correct, and most importantly, timely treatment.

The concept of mental disorder, its manifestation in children

Children may suffer from the same mental illnesses as adults, but they manifest them in different ways. For example, depressed children often show more signs of irritability than adults, who tend to be more sad.

Children most often suffer from a number of diseases, including acute or chronic mental disorders:

Children suffering from anxiety disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social phobia and generalized anxiety disorder show vivid signs of anxiety, which is a constant problem that interferes with their daily activities.

Sometimes anxiety is a traditional part of every child's experience, often moving from one developmental stage to another. However, when stress takes an active position, it becomes difficult for the child. It is in such cases that symptomatic treatment is indicated.

• Attention deficit or hyperactivity.

This disorder typically includes three categories of symptoms: difficulty concentrating, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. Some children with this pathology have symptoms of all categories, while others may have only one symptom.

This pathology is a serious developmental disorder that manifests itself in early childhood - usually before the age of 3 years. Although the symptoms and their severity are prone to variability, the disorder always affects the child's ability to communicate and interact with others.

Eating disorders - such as anorexia, bulimia and gluttony - are serious enough diseases that threaten the life of a child. Children can become so preoccupied with food and their own weight that it prevents them from focusing on something else.

Mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder can lead to stabilizing persistent feelings of sadness or mood swings far more severe than the normal volatility common to many people.

This chronic mental illness causes the child to lose touch with reality. Schizophrenia often appears in late adolescence, from about 20 years of age.

Depending on the condition of the child, illnesses can be classified as temporary or permanent mental disorders.

The main signs of mental illness in children

Some markers that a child may have mental health problems are:

Mood changes. Look out for dominant signs of sadness or longing that last at least two weeks, or severe mood swings that cause relationship problems at home or school.

Too strong emotions. Sharp emotions of overwhelming fear for no reason, sometimes combined with tachycardia or rapid breathing, are a serious reason to pay attention to your child.

Uncharacteristic behavior. This may include abrupt changes in behavior or self-esteem, as well as dangerous or out of control actions. Frequent fights with the use of third-party objects, a strong desire to harm others, are also warning signs.

Difficulty concentrating. A characteristic manifestation of such signs is very clearly visible at the time of preparing homework. It is also worth paying attention to teachers' complaints and current school performance.

Unexplained weight loss. Sudden loss of appetite, frequent vomiting, or use of laxatives may indicate an eating disorder;

physical symptoms. Compared to adults, children with mental health problems may often complain of headaches and stomachaches rather than sadness or anxiety.

Physical damage. Sometimes a mental health condition leads to self-injury, also called self-harm. Children often choose far inhumane ways for these purposes - they often cut themselves or set themselves on fire. These children also often develop suicidal thoughts and attempts to actually commit suicide.

Substance abuse. Some children use drugs or alcohol to try to cope with their feelings.

Actions of parents in case of suspected mental disorders in a child

If parents are truly concerned about their child's mental health, they should see a specialist as soon as possible.

The physician should describe the present behavior in detail, emphasizing the most striking inconsistencies with the earlier period. For more information, it is recommended that you talk to school teachers, the form teacher, close friends or other people who spend some time with your child for a long time before visiting the doctor. As a rule, this approach helps a lot to decide and discover something new, something that the child will never show at home. It must be remembered that there should not be any secrets from the doctor. And yet - there is no panacea in the form of pills for mental disorders.

General actions of specialists

Mental health in children is diagnosed and treated on the basis of signs and symptoms, taking into account the impact of psychological or mental disorders on the child's daily life. This approach also allows you to determine the types of mental disorders of the child. There are no simple, unique, or 100% guaranteed positive tests. In order to make a diagnosis, the physician may recommend the presence of allied professionals, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, psychiatric nurse, mental health educator, or behavioral therapist.

The doctor or other professionals will work with the child, usually on an individual basis, to determine first whether or not the child actually has an abnormal mental health condition based on the diagnostic criteria. For comparison, a special database of children's psychological and mental symptoms, which are used by specialists around the world, is used.

In addition, the doctor or other mental health care provider will look for other possible explanations for the child's behavior, such as a history of previous illness or injury, including family history.

It is worth noting that diagnosing childhood mental disorders can be quite difficult, since it can be a serious problem for children to express their emotions and feelings correctly. Moreover, this quality always fluctuates from child to child - there are no identical children in this regard. Despite these problems, an accurate diagnosis is an essential part of correct, effective treatment.

General therapeutic approaches

Common treatment options for children who have mental health problems include:

Psychotherapy, also known as "talk therapy" or behavior therapy, is a treatment for many mental health problems. Speaking with a psychologist, while showing emotions and feelings, the child allows you to look into the very depths of his experiences. During psychotherapy, children themselves learn a lot about their condition, mood, feelings, thoughts and behavior. Psychotherapy can help a child learn to respond to difficult situations while healthyly overcoming problematic barriers.

In the process of searching for problems and their solutions, the specialists themselves will offer the necessary and most effective treatment option. In some cases, psychotherapy sessions will be quite enough, in others, medications will be indispensable.

It should be noted that acute mental disorders are always stopped easier than chronic ones.

Help from parents

At such moments, the child needs the support of the parents more than ever. Children with mental health diagnoses, in fact, like their parents, usually experience feelings of helplessness, anger and frustration. Ask your child's primary care physician for advice on how to change the way you interact with your son or daughter and how to deal with difficult behavior.

Look for ways to relax and have fun with your child. Praise his strengths and abilities. Explore new stress management techniques that can help you understand how to calmly respond to stressful situations.

Family counseling or support groups can be a great help in treating childhood psychiatric disorders. This approach is very important for parents and children. This will help you understand your child's illness, how they feel, and what can be done together to provide the best possible care and support.

To help your child succeed in school, keep your child's teachers and school administrators informed about your child's mental health. Unfortunately, in some cases, it may be necessary to change the educational institution to a school whose curriculum is designed for children with mental problems.

If you're concerned about your child's mental health, seek professional advice. Nobody can make the decision for you. Do not avoid help because of your shame or fear. With the right support, you can learn the truth about whether your child has a disability and be able to explore treatment options, thereby ensuring that your child continues to have a decent quality of life.

Comments and reviews:

USEFUL ARTICLE, JUST GROWING UP THE CHILD. NOW I KNOW WHAT MOMENTS IN THE CHILD'S BEHAVIOR TO PAY ATTENTION TO.

In the first grade, I realized that something was wrong with my child. All the children somehow experienced this year, but it was especially difficult for my son. And despite the fact that my husband thought that everything was fine with him, I went to the doctor. And not in vain. Just care and attention to the son was not enough. I had to take drugs and the treatment turned out to be very effective.

The child has a very disturbed psyche, what should I do?

Hello, I am a mother of three children. Two boys aged 8 and 3 and a baby 8 months old. The problem is with the older child. From a very young age, he was very hyperactive and excitable. Since childhood, he has never played with toys. I never knew what to do until now. Very aggressive, a little something can not beat. Everywhere they do not like him, neither in the garden they did not like him either at school or on the street. He always does evil to everyone. And still rejoices. In our family, everything is fine, no one drinks or smokes. At home, too, the problem is that he offends the younger one, he can never sit down and play something. Enough toys. He only drives around the younger’s apartment or turns his head on the bed with the younger, such a game. Slightly that immediately cries and yells. I explain that crying and yelling do not solve the problem, you need to come up to me and talk. He also always twitches himself imagining what he is shooting. Acts like a 4 year old. Inappropriate on the street or anywhere else. At school, they complain that he beats children, that he is aggressive if someone twists his face or inadvertently squirms, he is ready to beat him. Very angry. I do not know what to do. Is there any way to calm the mind? Sedatives? When he was a little dad, he often watched action movies with murders and shooters on TV, and he also saw. Could it affect the psyche? He can’t twitch all the time, and for 10 minutes he can’t be calm even when we go to school, he twitches like he shoots. Help advice.

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nata30

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Lenik Vasilisa

How does the child develop - by age or with a lag?

How does he do in school - that's exactly how?

You need to contact a psychologist for a diagnosis - is hyperactivity really present or is it a consequence of upbringing? To complete the picture, you should bring a characterization from the teacher to the psychologist.

Also make a video and show the psychologist how the child behaves at home, how he plays.

Have you tried to take him to the sports section by age? Find a good coach, explain the situation. Maybe in the section the child will let off steam and your relationship will improve.

The impression that for all this time you did not try to fix anything, sorry, but you did not write what exactly you were trying to do.

Don't start the problem until adolescence, it will get harder with time

nata30

Judging by your description, the state of the boy's nervous system and psyche must be checked by specialists: a neurologist, a psychiatrist (in a clinic) and a psychologist (you need to look, but now full-time psychologists are not uncommon in schools).

Only specialists after personal contact with the child can make a conclusion: an adequate child or not.

If experts consider that the child is perfectly adequate, only there are difficulties with education, etc. - then please, we can discuss these problems in detail here.

If the specialists consider that the child needs medical supervision and medical measures, then they will take these measures, including prescribing a sedative.

Please, do not be afraid to turn to a neurologist and a psychologist - only they can personally establish whether the child's nerves and psyche are in perfect order or not.

If everything is in order with them, then it will be possible to adjust the upbringing and lifestyle of the child.

But if not everything is in order, then it is necessary to establish this precisely.

nata30

I support E.O. Komarovsky and I repeat what I have already said: if a psychiatrist, after a long observation, diagnoses “hyperactivity”, then the patient cannot do anything better than follow his instructions, except to look for another psychiatrist.

Mental disorders in children

Mental disorders can complicate a person's life even more than obvious physical disabilities. The situation is especially critical when a small child suffers from an invisible illness, who has his whole life ahead of him, and right now there should be rapid development. For this reason, parents should be aware of the topic, closely monitor their children and respond promptly to any suspicious phenomena.

Causes

Childhood mental illness does not arise out of nowhere - there is a clear list of criteria that do not guarantee the development of a disorder, but strongly contribute to it. Individual diseases have their own causes, but this area is more characterized by mixed specific disorders, and this is not about choosing or diagnosing a disease, but about common causes. It is worth considering all possible causes, without dividing by the disorders they cause.

genetic predisposition

This is the only completely unavoidable factor. In this case, the disease is caused initially by the malfunctioning of the nervous system, and gene disorders, as you know, are not treated - doctors can only muffle the symptoms.

If there are cases of serious mental disorders among close relatives of future parents, it is possible (but not guaranteed) that they will be transmitted to the baby. However, such pathologies can manifest themselves even at preschool age.

Limited mental capacity

This factor, which is also a kind of mental disorder, can adversely affect the further development of the body and provoke more severe ailments.

Brain damage

Another extremely common cause, which (like gene disorders) interferes with the normal functioning of the brain, but not at the gene level, but at the level visible in an ordinary microscope.

First of all, this includes head injuries received in the first years of life, but some children are not so lucky that they manage to get injured even before birth - or as a result of difficult births.

Violations can also provoke an infection, which is considered more dangerous for the fetus, but can also infect the child.

Bad habits of parents

Usually they point to the mother, but if the father was not healthy due to alcoholism or a strong addiction to smoking, drugs, this could also affect the health of the child.

Experts say that the female body is especially sensitive to the destructive effects of bad habits, so it is generally extremely undesirable for women to drink or smoke, but even a man who wants to conceive a healthy child must first refrain from such methods for several months.

A pregnant woman is strictly forbidden to drink and smoke.

Constant conflicts

When they say that a person is able to go crazy in a difficult psychological environment, this is not at all an artistic exaggeration.

If an adult does not provide a healthy psychological atmosphere, then for a baby who does not yet have a developed nervous system or a correct perception of the world around him, this can be a real blow.

Most often, the cause of pathologies is conflicts in the family, since the child stays there most of the time, from there he has nowhere to go. However, in some cases, an unfavorable environment in the circle of peers can also play an important role - in the yard, in kindergarten or school.

In the latter case, the problem can be solved by changing the institution that the child attends, but for this you need to delve into the situation and begin to change it even before the consequences become irreversible.

Types of diseases

Children can get sick with almost all mental illnesses that adults are also susceptible to, but kids have their own (especially children's) diseases. At the same time, the exact diagnosis of a particular disease in childhood is much more complicated. The peculiarities of the development of babies, whose behavior is already very different from that of adults, are affected.

Not in all cases, parents can easily recognize the first signs of problems.

Even doctors usually make a final diagnosis no earlier than the child reaches primary school age, using very vague, too general terms to describe the early disorder.

We will give a generalized list of diseases, the description of which, for this reason, will not be perfectly accurate. In some patients, individual symptoms will not appear, and the very fact of the presence of even two or three signs will not mean a mental disorder. In general, the summary table of childhood mental disorders looks like this.

Mental retardation and developmental delay

The essence of the problem is quite obvious - the child is physically developing normally, but on a mental, intellectual level, it lags far behind its peers. It is possible that he will never reach the level of even an average adult.

The result can be mental infantilism, when an adult behaves literally like a child, moreover, a preschooler or a primary school student. It is much more difficult for such a child to learn, this can be caused by both a bad memory and the inability to focus on a particular subject at will.

The slightest extraneous factor can distract the baby from learning.

attention deficit disorder

Although by name this group of diseases may be perceived as one of the symptoms of the previous group, the nature of the phenomenon here is completely different.

A child with such a syndrome in mental development does not lag behind at all, and hyperactivity typical of him is perceived by most people as a sign of health. However, it is precisely in excessive activity that the root of evil lies, since in this case it has painful features - there is absolutely no activity that the child would love and bring to the end.

If high activity is not strange for young children, then here it is hypertrophied to the point that the kid cannot even wait for his turn in the game - and for this reason he can quit it without finishing it.

It is quite obvious that it is extremely problematic to force such a child to study diligently.

Autism

The concept of autism is extremely broad, but in general it is characterized by a very deep withdrawal into one's own inner world. Many consider autism a form of retardation, but in terms of their potential, an autistic person usually does not differ very much from their peers.

The problem lies in the impossibility of normal communication with others. If a healthy child learns absolutely everything from others, then an autistic child receives much less information from the outside world.

Gaining new experience also turns out to be a serious problem, since children with autism perceive any sudden changes extremely negatively.

However, autistic people are even capable of independent mental development, it just happens more slowly - due to the lack of maximum opportunities for acquiring new knowledge.

"Adult" mental disorders

This should include those ailments that are considered relatively common among adults, but in children they are quite rare. A noticeable phenomenon among adolescents are various manic states: megalomania, persecution, and so on.

Childhood schizophrenia affects only one child among fifty thousand, but frightens with the scale of regression in mental and physical development. Because of the pronounced symptoms, Tourette's syndrome has also become known, when the patient regularly uses obscene language (uncontrollably).

What should parents pay attention to?

Psychologists with extensive experience say that absolutely healthy people do not exist. If in most cases minor oddities are perceived as a peculiar, but not particularly disturbing character trait, then in certain situations they can become a clear sign of an impending pathology.

Since the systematization of mental illness in childhood is complicated by the similarity of symptoms in fundamentally different disorders, it is not worth considering disturbing oddities in relation to individual diseases. It is better to present them in the form of a general list of alarming "calls".

It is worth recalling that none of these qualities is a 100% sign of a mental disorder - unless there is a hypertrophied, pathological level of development of the defect.

So, the reason for going to a specialist may be a vivid manifestation of the following qualities in a child.

Increased level of cruelty

Here one should distinguish between childish cruelty caused by a lack of understanding of the degree of discomfort caused, and getting pleasure from purposeful, conscious infliction of pain - not only to others, but also to oneself.

If a kid at the age of about 3 years old pulls a cat by the tail, then he will learn the world in this way, but if at school age he checks her reaction to trying to tear off her paw, then this is clearly not normal.

Cruelty usually expresses an unhealthy atmosphere at home or in the company of friends, but it can either pass by itself (under the influence of external factors) or give irreparable consequences.

Fundamental refusal of food and hypertrophied desire to lose weight

The concept of anorexia has been widely heard in recent years - it is the result of low self-esteem and the desire for an ideal that is so exaggerated that it takes on ugly forms.

Among children suffering from anorexia, almost all are teenage girls, but one should distinguish between normal tracking of one's figure and bringing oneself to exhaustion, since the latter has an extremely negative effect on the functioning of the body.

panic attacks

Fear of something may look generally normal, but have an unreasonably high degree. Relatively speaking: when a person is afraid of heights (falling), standing on the balcony, this is normal, but if he is afraid to be even just in an apartment, on the top floor, this is already a pathology.

Such unreasonable fear not only interferes with normal life in society, but can also lead to more serious consequences, in fact creating a difficult psychological situation where it does not exist.

Severe depression and suicidal tendencies

Sadness is common to people of all ages. If it drags on for a long time (for example, a couple of weeks), the question arises as to the reason.

Children have virtually no reason to be depressed for such a long period, so it can be considered as a separate illness.

The only common reason for childhood depression may be perhaps a difficult psychological situation, but it is precisely the cause of the development of many mental disorders.

By itself, depression is dangerous prone to self-destruction. Many people think about suicide at least once in their lives, but if this topic takes on the shape of a hobby, there is a risk of attempting to injure oneself.

Sudden mood swings or changes in habitual behavior

The first factor indicates the looseness of the psyche, its inability to resist in response to certain stimuli.

If a person behaves this way in everyday life, then his reaction in an emergency situation may be inadequate. In addition, with constant bouts of aggression, depression or fear, a person is able to torment himself even more, as well as negatively affect the mental health of others.

A strong and abrupt change in behavior, which does not have a specific justification, rather indicates not the appearance of a mental disorder, but an increased likelihood of such an outcome.

In particular, a person who suddenly became silent must have experienced severe stress.

Excessive hyperactivity that interferes with concentration

When a child is very mobile, this does not surprise anyone, but he probably has some kind of occupation to which he is ready to devote a long time. Hyperactivity with signs of a disorder is when a baby cannot even play active games for a long time, and not because he is tired, but simply due to a sharp switch of attention to something else.

It is impossible to influence such a child even by threats, but he is faced with reduced opportunities for learning.

Negative phenomena of a social nature

Excessive conflict (up to regular assault) and a tendency to bad habits in themselves can simply signal the presence of a difficult psychological environment that the child is trying to overcome in such unsightly ways.

However, the roots of the problem may lie elsewhere. For example, constant aggression can be caused not only by the need to defend oneself, but also by the increased cruelty mentioned at the beginning of the list.

The nature of a sudden abuse of something is generally very unpredictable - it can be either a deeply hidden attempt at self-destruction or a banal escape from reality (or even a psychological attachment bordering on mania).

At the same time, alcohol and drugs never solve the problem that led to their passion, but they adversely affect the body and can contribute to further degradation of the psyche.

Treatment methods

Although mental disorders are clearly a serious problem, most of them can be corrected - up to a full recovery, while a relatively small percentage of them are incurable pathologies. Another thing is that treatment can last for years and almost always requires the maximum involvement of all the people around the child.

The choice of technique strongly depends on the diagnosis, while even very similar diseases in terms of symptoms may require a fundamentally different approach to treatment. That is why it is so important to describe the essence of the problem and the symptoms noticed to the doctor as accurately as possible. In this case, the main emphasis should be placed on the comparison “it was and became”, explain why it seems to you that something went wrong.

Most of the relatively simple diseases are treated by ordinary psychotherapy - and only by it. Most often, it takes the form of personal conversations of the child (if he has already reached a certain age) with the doctor, who in this way gets the most accurate idea of ​​\u200b\u200bunderstanding the essence of the problem by the patient himself.

A specialist can assess the scale of what is happening, find out the reasons. The task of an experienced psychologist in this situation is to show the child the hypertrophy of the cause in his mind, and if the cause is really serious, try to distract the patient from the problem, give him a new stimulus.

At the same time, therapy can take many forms - for example, autistic people who are closed in themselves and schizophrenics are unlikely to support the conversation. They may not make contact with a person at all, but they usually do not refuse close communication with animals, which in the end can increase their sociability, and this is already a sign of improvement.

The use of medications is always accompanied by the same psychotherapy, but already indicates a more complex pathology - or its greater development. Children with impaired communication skills or delayed development are given stimulants to increase their activity, including cognitive activity.

With pronounced depression, aggression or panic attacks, antidepressants and sedatives are prescribed. If the child shows signs of painful mood swings and seizures (up to a tantrum), stabilizing and antipsychotic drugs are used.

The hospital is the most difficult form of intervention, showing the need for constant monitoring (at least during the course). This type of treatment is only used to correct the most severe disorders, such as schizophrenia in children. Ailments of this kind are not treated at once - a small patient will have to go to the hospital repeatedly. If positive changes are noticeable, such courses will become rarer and shorter over time.

Naturally, during treatment, the most favorable environment should be created for the child, excluding any stress. That is why the fact of the presence of a mental illness should not be hidden - on the contrary, kindergarten teachers or school teachers should know about it in order to properly build the educational process and relationships in the team.

It is absolutely unacceptable to tease or reproach the child with his disorder, and in general you should not mention it - let the baby feel normal.

But love him a little more, and then in time everything will fall into place. Ideally, it is better to respond before any signs appear (by preventive methods).

Achieve a stable positive atmosphere in the family circle and build a trusting relationship with your child so that he can count on your support at any time and is not afraid to talk about any phenomenon that is unpleasant for him.

You can learn more about this topic by watching the video below.

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Mental disorder in children

Mental disorder is not a disease, but a designation of their group. Violations are characterized by destructive changes in the psycho-emotional state and behavior of a person. The patient is not able to adapt to daily conditions, cope with everyday problems, professional tasks or interpersonal relationships.

The reasons

Both psychological, and biological, and sociopsychological factors are on the list of what can be a mental disorder at an early age. And how the disease manifests itself directly depends on its nature and the degree of exposure to the stimulus. A mental disorder in a minor patient can cause a genetic predisposition.

Doctors often define the disorder as a consequence of:

• intellectual limitations,
• brain damage,
• problems within the family
• regular conflicts with relatives and peers.

Emotional trauma can lead to serious mental disorder. For example, there is a deterioration in the psycho-emotional state of a child as a result of an event that caused a shock.

Symptoms

Juvenile patients are subject to the same mental disorders as adults. However, diseases usually manifest themselves in different ways. So, in adults, the most common manifestation of a violation is a state of sadness, depression. Children, in turn, often show the first signs of aggression, irritability.

How the disease begins and progresses in a child depends on the type of acute or chronic disorder:

• Hyperactivity is the main symptom of Attention Deficit Disorder. Violation can be identified by three key symptoms: inability to concentrate, excessive activity, including emotional, impulsive, sometimes aggressive behavior.
• The signs and severity of symptoms of autistic psychiatric disorders are variable. However, in all cases, the violation affects the ability of a minor patient to communicate and interact with others.
• The unwillingness of the child to eat, excessive attention to changes in weight indicate eating disorders. They interfere with daily life and harm health.
• If a child is prone to losing touch with reality, memory lapses, inability to navigate in time and space - this may be a symptom of schizophrenia.

It is easier to treat the disease when it is just beginning. And in order to identify the problem in time, it is also important to pay attention to:

• Changes in the child's mood. If children are in a state of sadness or anxiety for a long time, action must be taken.
• Excessive emotionality. Increased acuity of emotion, such as fear, is an alarming symptom. Emotionality without a valid reason can also provoke disturbances in the heart rhythm and breathing.
• Atypical behavioral responses. A signal of a mental disorder may be a desire to harm yourself or others, frequent fights.

Diagnosis of a mental disorder in a child

The basis for the diagnosis is the totality of symptoms and the extent to which the disorder affects the child's daily activities. If necessary, related specialists help to diagnose the disease and its type:

Work with a minor patient takes place on an individual basis using an approved database of symptoms. Analyzes are prescribed mainly in the diagnosis of eating disorders. It is mandatory to study the clinical picture, the history of diseases and injuries, including psychological ones, preceding the disorder. Accurate and rigorous methods to determine the mental disorder does not exist.

Complications

The danger of a mental disorder depends on its nature. In most cases, the consequences are expressed in violation of:

• communication skills,
• intellectual activity,
• correct response to situations.

Often mental disorders in children are accompanied by suicidal tendencies.

Treatment

What can you do

In order to cure a mental disorder in a minor patient, the participation of doctors, parents, and teachers is necessary - all the people with whom the child comes into contact. Depending on the type of disease, it can be treated with psychotherapeutic methods or with the use of drug therapy. The success of treatment depends on the specific diagnosis. Some diseases are incurable.

The task of parents is to consult a doctor in time and give detailed information about the symptoms. It is necessary to describe the most significant discrepancies between the current state and the behavior of the child with the previous ones. The specialist is sure to tell parents what to do with the disorder and how to provide first aid during home treatment if the situation escalates. For the period of therapy, the task of parents is to provide the most comfortable environment and the complete absence of stressful situations.

What does a doctor do

As part of psychotherapy, a psychologist talks with a patient, helping him to independently assess the depth of experiences and understand his condition, behavior, emotions. The goal is to develop the right response to acute situations and freely overcome the problem. Medical treatment includes:

• stimulants
• antidepressants,
• sedatives,
• stabilizing and antipsychotic agents.

Prevention

Psychologists remind parents that the family environment and upbringing are of great importance when it comes to the psychological and nervous stability of children. For example, divorce or regular quarrels between parents can provoke violations. You can prevent mental disorder by providing constant support to the child, allowing him to share experiences without embarrassment and fear.

we have lost generations in them. While the parents worked and tried to bring home a crust of bread, the children walked by themselves. And although I know that many of you remember your childhood as something most wonderful, by the way, I am also included in these ranks. But that crisis and unemployment gave a powerful impetus to the negative.

My husband recently told His friend was walking home, and a company of young people stood near the house, shouting under the windows with a good obscenity and drinking alcohol. The man asked the company to move to a more deserted place.

Arm yourself with knowledge and read a useful informative article about mental disorder in children. After all, being parents means studying everything that will help maintain the degree of health in the family at the level of “36.6”.

Find out what can cause the disease, how to recognize it in a timely manner. Find information about what are the signs by which you can determine the malaise. And what tests will help to identify the disease and make the correct diagnosis.

In the article you will read everything about the methods of treating such a disease as a mental disorder in children. Specify what effective first aid should be. How to treat: choose drugs or folk methods?

You will also learn what the untimely treatment of a mental disorder in children can be dangerous, and why it is so important to avoid the consequences. All about how to prevent mental disorder in children and prevent complications.

And caring parents will find on the pages of the service full information about the symptoms of a mental disorder in children. How do the signs of the disease in children at 1.2 and 3 years old differ from the manifestations of the disease in children at 4, 5, 6 and 7 years old? What is the best way to treat a mental disorder in children?

Take care of the health of your loved ones and be in good shape!

Violations and their causes in alphabetical order:

mental disorder in children

A much more common problem than mental retardation or other mental problems.

With a mental disorder, children do not experience a persistent and irreversible process of normal development, but they show developmental delays and lags.

Most cases of mental disorders in children are detected at the age of 7-8 years - when entering school, a lack of knowledge common to peers, rapid exhaustion of intellectual activity and a preference for gaming interests in a child are manifested.

Children with mental disorders are distinguished by good intelligence within the framework of the knowledge they already have, they effectively use the help of adults - this is their difference from children suffering from oligophrenia.

What diseases cause mental disorders in children:

In the behavior and development of preschool children, there are often behavioral disorders (aggressiveness, irascibility, passivity, hyperactivity), developmental delays and various forms of childhood nervousness (neuropathy, neuroses, fears).

Complications of the mental and personal development of the child are due, as a rule, to two factors:

1) mistakes of education;
2) a certain immaturity, minimal damage to the nervous system.

Often, both of these factors act simultaneously, since adults often underestimate or ignore (and sometimes do not know at all) those features of the child's nervous system that underlie behavioral difficulties, and try to "correct" the child with various inadequate educational influences.

It is therefore very important to be able to identify the true causes of a child's behavior that disturbs parents and caregivers, and to outline appropriate ways of corrective work with him. To do this, it is necessary to clearly imagine the symptoms of the above disorders in the mental development of children, knowledge of which will allow the teacher, together with the psychologist, not only to correctly build work with the child, but also to determine whether certain complications turn into painful forms that require qualified medical care.

Corrective work with the child should be started as early as possible.

The timeliness of psychological assistance is the main condition for its success and effectiveness.

Which doctors to contact if there is a mental disorder in children:

Have you noticed a mental disorder in children? Do you want to know more detailed information or do you need an inspection? You can book an appointment with a doctor– clinic Eurolaboratory always at your service! The best doctors will examine you, study the external signs and help identify the disease by symptoms, advise you and provide the necessary assistance. you also can call a doctor at home. Clinic Eurolaboratory open for you around the clock.

How to contact the clinic:
Phone of our clinic in Kyiv: (+38 044) 206-20-00 (multichannel). The secretary of the clinic will select a convenient day and hour for you to visit the doctor. Our coordinates and directions are indicated. Look in more detail about all the services of the clinic on her.

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If you have previously performed any research, be sure to take their results to a consultation with a doctor. If the studies have not been completed, we will do everything necessary in our clinic or with our colleagues in other clinics.

Do you have a mental disorder in your child? You need to be very careful about your overall health. People don't pay enough attention disease symptoms and do not realize that these diseases can be life-threatening. There are many diseases that at first do not manifest themselves in our body, but in the end it turns out that, unfortunately, it is too late to treat them. Each disease has its own specific signs, characteristic external manifestations - the so-called disease symptoms. Identifying symptoms is the first step in diagnosing diseases in general. To do this, you just need to several times a year be examined by a doctor not only to prevent a terrible disease, but also to maintain a healthy spirit in the body and the body as a whole.

If you want to ask a doctor a question, use the online consultation section, perhaps you will find answers to your questions there and read self care tips. If you are interested in reviews about clinics and doctors, try to find the information you need on. Also register on the medical portal Eurolaboratory to be constantly up to date with the latest news and information updates on the site, which will be automatically sent to you by mail.

The symptom map is for educational purposes only. Do not self-medicate; For all questions regarding the definition of the disease and how to treat it, contact your doctor. EUROLAB is not responsible for the consequences caused by the use of the information posted on the portal.

If you are interested in any other symptoms of diseases and types of disorders or you have any other questions and suggestions - write to us, we will definitely try to help you.

The child's psyche is very sensitive and easily vulnerable, so a lot of provoking factors can cause mental disorders at such a young age. The clinical severity of symptoms, their duration and reversibility depend on the age of the child and the duration of the traumatic events.

Often, adults attribute the pathology of development and behavior to the age of the child, believing that over the years his condition can normalize. Oddities in the mental state are usually attributed to childhood whims, age-related infantilism and a lack of understanding of things happening around. Although in fact, all these manifestations may indicate problems with the psyche.

It is customary to distinguish four groups of mental disorders in children:

• autism spectrum disorders;
• mental retardation;
• attention deficit disorder.

What can cause a mental disorder?

Mental disorders in childhood can be caused by many reasons. A child's mental health is affected by psychological, social and biological factors.

This includes:

• genetic predisposition to the occurrence of mental illness;
• organic brain damage;
• conflicts in the family and at school;
• dramatic life events;
• stress.

Children can often react neurotically to their parents' divorce. In addition, the likelihood of developing mental problems is higher in children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The presence of a sick relative can lead to mental disorders. In this case, the cause of the disease can affect the tactics and duration of further treatment.

How do mental disorders manifest in children?

Symptoms of mental illness are:

• fears, phobias, increased anxiety;
• nervous tics;
• obsessive movements;
• aggressive behavior;
• mood lability, emotional imbalance;
• loss of interest in familiar games;
• slowness of body movements;
• thinking disorders;
• isolation, depressive mood for two weeks or longer;
• auto: self-harming and suicidal attempts;
• , which are accompanied by tachycardia and rapid breathing;
• symptoms of anorexia: refusal to eat, inducing vomiting, taking laxatives;
• problems concentrating, hyperactive behavior;
• addiction to alcohol and drugs;
• changes in behavior, sudden changes in the character of the child.

Children are more prone to nervous disorders during age-related crises, namely at the age of 3-4 years, 5-7 years and 12-18 years.

At the age of one year, psychogenic reactions are the result of the dissatisfaction of the main vital needs: sleep and food. At 2-3 years old, children may begin to suffer due to excessive attachment to the mother, which leads to infantilization and inhibition of development. At 4-5 years of age, mental illness can manifest itself in nihilistic behavior and protest reactions.

It is also worth being wary if the child shows degradation in development. For example, the baby's vocabulary is depleted, he loses already acquired skills, becomes less sociable and ceases to take care of himself.

At the age of 6-7 years, school is a stressful factor. Often, mental disorders in these children are manifested psychosomatically by a deterioration in appetite and sleep, fatigue, headaches and dizziness.

In adolescence (12-18 years), mental disorders have their own characteristics of symptoms:

• The child becomes prone to melancholy, anxiety, or vice versa to aggressiveness, conflict. A common feature is emotional instability.
• A teenager shows vulnerability to other people's opinions, assessments from the outside, excessive self-criticism or overestimated self-esteem, disregard for the advice of adults.
• Schizoid and cyclical.
• Children demonstrate youthful maximalism, theorizing, philosophizing, many internal contradictions.

It must be remembered that the above symptoms do not always indicate the presence of a mental illness. Only a specialist can understand the situation and determine the diagnosis.

Methods of treatment

It is usually very difficult for parents to decide on a visit to a psychotherapist. Recognition of mental disorders in a child is often associated with various restrictions in the future, ranging from the need to attend a special school to a limited choice of specialty. Because of this, changes in behavior, developmental features and oddities of character, which can be symptoms of mental dysfunctions, are often ignored.

If parents want to somehow solve the problem, then treatment often begins at home using alternative medicine. Only after prolonged failures and deterioration in the health of the offspring does the first visit to a qualified medical specialist occur.

Therefore, family members should be sufficiently aware of the signs of mental dysfunction in order to be able to identify deviations in their child in time and seek medical help. You should not try to treat the child on your own, because the mental health of the baby may depend on a timely visit to a specialist.

Only a child psychiatrist, a psychiatrist or a psychotherapist, can choose the right treatment. Most disorders are treated for a long time. Children are usually prescribed the same medicines as adults, but the dose is adjusted according to age.

Antipsychotics and stimulants are recognized as effective. It plays a huge role, because parents should know how to behave with a sick child and how important it is to surround him with attention and love.