Mental illnesses of childhood. Nervous Disorders in Children: What Parents Should Know

We are accustomed to write off the unusual behavior of a child as whims, poor upbringing or transitional age. But it may not be as harmless as it seems at first glance. This can mask the symptoms of a child's nervous breakdown.

How can neuropsychiatric disorders manifest themselves in children, how to recognize psychological trauma, and what do parents need to pay attention to?

The health of the child is a natural concern of parents, often already from the period of pregnancy. Cough, snot, fever, sore stomach, rash - and we run to the doctor, look for information on the Internet, buy medicines.

But there are also non-obvious symptoms of ill-health, to which we are accustomed to turn a blind eye, believing that the child will "outgrow", "this is all the wrong upbringing", or "he just has such a character."

Usually these symptoms are manifested in behavior. If you notice that the child behaves strangely, this may be one of the symptoms of a nervous breakdown. Doesn't make eye contact, doesn't talk, often has tantrums, cries all the time or is sad, doesn't play with other children, is aggressive at the slightest provocation, hyperexcitable, doesn't hold attention well, ignores the rules of behavior, is shy, too passive, has tics, obsessive movements, stuttering, enuresis, frequent nightmares.

Symptoms of a nervous breakdown in a child

Also characterized by increased impulsivity and low self-control, increased fatigue over a long period, hatred of oneself and one's body, ideas that others are hostile and aggressive, suicidal moods or attempts, bizarre beliefs, hallucinations (visions, sounds, sensations).

Panic attacks, fears and severe anxiety, excruciating headaches, insomnia, psychosomatic manifestations (ulcers, blood pressure disorders, bronchial asthma, neurodermatitis) can occur.

The list of symptoms of mental and nervous disorders is, of course, wider. It is necessary to pay attention to all unusual, strange and alarming moments in the behavior of the child, given their persistence and duration of manifestation.

Remember: what is normal for one age may be an indication of a problem at another. For example, the lack of speech or the poverty of vocabulary is not typical for children older than 4–5 years.

Stormy tantrums and tears are a way for a 2–3 year old child to test their parents for strength and find out the limits of acceptable, but inappropriate behavior for a student.

Fear of strangers, losing your mother, darkness, death, natural disasters are natural, according to age norms, up to the younger teenage years. Later, phobias may indicate a troubled mental life.

Make sure that you yourself do not require the child to be more mature than he really is. The mental health of preschool children largely depends on their parents.

Carefully observe how the child behaves in different situations and different environments, how he is at home, and how he plays with children on the playground, in kindergarten, if there are problems at school and with friends.

If educators, teachers, other parents complain to you about your child's behavior, do not take it to heart, but specify what exactly worries them, how often it happens, what are the details and circumstances.

Do not think that they want to humiliate or accuse you of something, compare the information and draw your own conclusions. Perhaps a look from the outside will be a necessary hint, and you will be able to help your child in time: visit a psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist, neurologist. Neuropsychiatric disorders in children are treatable, the main thing is not to start the situation.

The stigmatization of mental problems and disorders in our society is still prevalent. This causes additional pain to the people who suffer from them and their relatives. Shame, fear, confusion and anxiety make it difficult to seek help when time passes and problems get worse.

According to statistics in the United States, where psychiatric and psychological care is much better than in Ukraine, an average of 8–10 years elapses between the onset of the first symptoms and seeking help. Whereas about 20% of children have certain mental disorders. Half of them really outgrow them, adapt, compensate.

Causes of nervous breakdown in children

Unfortunately, the opposite is also true: violence, traumatic experiences, including sexual, emotional and educational neglect, bullying, dysfunctional or criminal family environments greatly harm the development of children, causing them psychological wounds that do not heal.

The attitude of parents to the child from birth to 3 years, how the pregnancy and the first months after childbirth went, the emotional state of the mother during this period lay the foundations for the mental health of the child.

The most sensitive period: from birth to 1-1.5 years, when the personality of the baby is formed, his further ability to adequately perceive the world around him and adapt flexibly to it.

Serious illnesses of the mother and child, her physical absence, strong emotional experiences and stress, as well as the abandonment of the baby, minimal bodily and emotional contact with him (feeding and changing diapers is not enough for normal development) are risk factors for the appearance of disorders.

What to do if you think that the child behaves strangely? The same as with a temperature: look for a specialist and seek help. Depending on the symptoms, either a neurologist, a psychiatrist, a psychologist or a psychotherapist can help.

Nervous disorders in children: treatment

Not all difficulties require the intervention of doctors. Sometimes a child reacts painfully to sudden changes in the family: divorce of parents, conflicts between them, the birth of a brother or sister, the death of one of the close relatives, the appearance of new partners in the parents, moving, starting to attend a kindergarten or school.

Often the source of problems is the system of relations that has developed in the family and between mother and father, the style of education.

Be prepared that you may need to consult a psychologist yourself. Moreover, there is enough work with adults for the child to calm down and his undesirable manifestations come to naught. Take responsibility. "Do something with it. I can't do it anymore" - this is not the position of an adult.

Preserving the Mental Health of Children: Essential Skills

• empathy - the ability to read and understand the feelings, emotions and state of another person without merging with him, imagining two as a single whole;
• the ability to express in words their feelings, needs, desires;
• the ability to hear and understand another, to conduct a dialogue;
• the ability to establish and maintain the psychological boundaries of the individual;
• the tendency to see the source of control of one's life in oneself without falling into guilt or omnipotence.

Because the main task of parents is to love the child, accept his imperfections (as well as his own), protect his interests, create favorable conditions for the development of his own individuality, without replacing it with your dreams and ambitions for an ideal child. And then your little sun will grow up healthy and happy, able to love and care.

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.

Eating disorders - such as anorexia, 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.

Mood disorders, such as depression and depression, can lead to the stabilization of persistent feelings of sadness or extreme mood swings much more severe than the usual variability that is common in many people.

• Schizophrenia.

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 of concentration. 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 tablets from.

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.

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.

• pharmacological therapy.

• A combination of approaches.

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 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.

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 improper functioning 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

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 is 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.

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 some forms, the learning potential of such children is not very different 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

concept anorexia in recent years, it has been heard - it is a consequence 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 difficult psychological environment however, 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.

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

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. a stress-free environment. 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.

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.

Children, just like adults, often suffer from various acute or chronic mental disorders that have a negative impact on the normal development of the child, and this resulting lag is not always possible to catch up.

However, with a timely referral to a specialist at the very initial stages, it is possible not only to stop the development of such a disorder, but, in some cases, to completely get rid of it.

Moreover, according to experts, many deviations are easy to recognize. Each has certain characteristics that an attentive parent will definitely notice.

Today on the site "Popular about Health" we will briefly review the symptoms and types of mental disorders in children, and also find out the possible causes of their development:

The main causes of disorders

There are many factors that influence the development of mental disorders in children. The most common of them are genetic predisposition, various mental disorders, head injuries, brain damage, etc.

In addition, problems in the family, constant conflicts and emotional upheavals (death of a loved one, divorce of parents, etc.) can serve as a cause. And this is not a complete list of reasons that affect the development of a mental disorder in a child.

Types of disorders and their symptoms

Signs of pathology depend on its type. Let us briefly list the main mental disorders in children and the main symptoms that accompany them:

Anxiety disorders

Quite a common pathology. It is expressed in a regularly arising feeling of anxiety, which eventually turns into a real problem for the child and his parents. This disorder disrupts the daily rhythm of life, affects the full development.

ZPR - delayed psychoverbal development

Among mental disorders in children, this disorder is in one of the first places. It is characterized by delayed speech and mental development. It is expressed in varying degrees of lag in the formation of personality and cognitive activity.

Hyperactivity (attention deficit)

This disorder is defined by three main symptoms:

Violation of concentration;
- excessive physical and emotional activity;
- impulsive behavior, frequent manifestations of aggression.

Pathology can be expressed by one, two or all of the described signs.

eating disorders

Anorexia, bulimia or gluttony are eating disorders that are directly related to the psyche. If left untreated, they can be fatal.

They are expressed in the fact that the child concentrates all his attention on his own weight, or on food, and therefore cannot fully fulfill his duties, cannot concentrate on anything else.

Adolescents suffering from bulimia, anorexia almost completely lose their appetite, rapidly lose weight, they have frequent urge to vomit.

Gluttony is expressed in a constant desire to eat, rapid weight gain, which also prevents the child from living a normal, fulfilling life.

Bipolar disorder

It is expressed in long periods of depression, feelings of sadness, causeless longing. Or it can be determined by sudden mood swings. In healthy people, such conditions also occur, but in the case of pathology, these signs are much more serious and manifest and are much more difficult to tolerate.

Childhood autism

The disorder is characterized by limited social communication. A characteristic symptom of this disorder is isolation, refusal to contact others. Such children are very restrained in their emotions. Disturbances in mental development affect the child's perception and understanding of the world around him.

The main distinguishing feature of autism is that such a child refuses to contact people around him, shows restrained emotions and is very withdrawn.

Schizophrenia

This pathology in children, fortunately, is quite rare - one case per 50,000 people. The main reasons include, in particular, genetic disorders. The characteristic features include:

Loss of connection with reality;
- memory losses;
- lack of orientation in time and space;
- lack of ability to build interpersonal relationships.

Common Symptoms of Psychiatric Disorders

There are clear signs of violations that should alert parents. Let's list them briefly:

Frequent changes in mood.

Long periods of sadness or anxiety.

Unreasonable pronounced emotionality, unreasonable fears, strange, obsessive repetition of certain movements.

Visible deviation in the development of thinking.

Atypical behavioral reactions, including: violation of the rules of behavior, their complete disregard, frequent manifestations of aggression, a desire to harm others or yourself, a tendency to suicide.

Finally

If parents note the atypical behavior of their child, if there are signs described above, or other violations, it is necessary to show it to a psychoneurologist or psychiatrist as soon as possible. Allied specialists are also involved in these pathologies - psychologists, behavioral doctors, social workers, etc.

The sooner a diagnosis is made and treatment is prescribed, the higher the chances of a full and healthy life in the future. In addition, the help of a specialist will help to avoid the possible development of severe mental disorders.