Nervous tic in a child after crying. Nervous tics. How to deal with them

Have you noticed that your child has started blinking or twitching his shoulders frequently? Maybe he has a nervous tic. What caused it? Maybe the child has recently had a cold or something scared him? Let's talk to a specialist...

Tics are lightning-fast involuntary muscle contractions, most often of the face and limbs (blinking, raising the eyebrows, twitching the cheek, corner of the mouth, shrugging, shuddering, etc.).

In terms of frequency, tics occupy one of the leading places among neurological diseases of childhood. Tics occur in 11% of girls and 13% of boys. By the age of 10 years, tics occur in 20% of children (i.e. one in five children). Tics appear in children aged 2 to 18 years, but there are 2 peaks - these are 3 years and 7-11 years.

A distinctive feature of tics from convulsive muscle contractions in other diseases: the child can reproduce and partially control tics; tics do not occur during voluntary movements (for example, when taking a cup and while drinking from it).

The severity of tics can vary depending on the time of year, day, mood, nature of the activity. Their localization also changes (for example, the child had involuntary blinking, which after a while was replaced by an involuntary shrug of the shoulders), and this does not indicate a new disease, but a relapse (repetition) of an existing disorder. Usually, the tics increase when the child watches TV, stays in one position for a long time (for example, sitting in class or in transport). Tics weaken and even completely disappear during the game, when performing an interesting task that requires complete concentration (for example, when reading an exciting story), the child loses interest in his activity, tics reappear with increasing force. The child can suppress the tics for a short time, but this requires great self-control and subsequent discharge.

Psychologically, children with tics are characterized by:

  • attention disorders;
  • impaired perception;

In children with tics, it is difficult to develop motor skills and coordinated movements, the smoothness of movements is impaired, and the performance of motor acts is slowed down.

In children with severe tics, violations of spatial perception are expressed.

Tick ​​classification

  • motor tics (blinking, cheek twitching, shrugging, tension of the wings of the nose, etc.);
  • vocal tics (coughing, sniffing, grunting, sniffing);
  • rituals, (walking in circles);
  • generalized forms of tics (when one child has more than one tick, but several).

In addition, there are simple tics that capture only the muscles of the eyelids or arms or legs, and complex tics - movements simultaneously occur in different muscle groups.

The course of ticks

  • The illness can last from a few hours to many years.
  • The severity of tics can range from almost imperceptible to severe (resulting in the inability to go outside).
  • Tick ​​frequency varies throughout the day.
  • Treatment: from complete cure to ineffectiveness.
  • Associated behavioral disturbances may be subtle or severe.

Causes of tics

There is a widespread point of view among parents and educators that "nervous" children suffer from tics. However, it is known that all children are "nervous", especially during periods of the so-called crisis (periods of active struggle for independence), for example, at 3 years old and 6-7 years old, and tics appear only in some children.

Tics are often combined with hyperactive behavior and attention disorders (ADHD - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), low mood (depression), anxiety, ritualistic and obsessive behavior (pulling out hair or winding it around a finger, biting nails, etc.). In addition, a child with tics usually does not tolerate transport and stuffy rooms, gets tired quickly, gets tired of sights and activities, sleeps restlessly or falls asleep badly.

The role of heredity

Tics appear in children with a hereditary predisposition: parents or relatives of children with tics may themselves suffer from obsessive movements or thoughts. It has been scientifically proven that tics:

  • easier provoked in males;
  • boys have more severe tics than girls;
  • children have tics at an earlier age than their parents;
  • if the child has tics, it is often found that his male relatives also suffer from tics, and his female relatives from obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Parental Behavior

Despite the important role of heredity, developmental characteristics and emotional and personal traits of the child, his character and ability to withstand the influence of the outside world is formed within the family. An unfavorable ratio of verbal (speech) and non-verbal (non-speech) communications in the family contributes to the development of behavioral and character anomalies. For example, constant shouting and countless remarks lead to the restraint of the free physiological activity of the child (and it is different for each baby and depends on temperament), which can be replaced by a pathological form in the form of tics and obsessions.

At the same time, children from mothers who raise a child in an environment of permissiveness remain infantile, which predisposes to the occurrence of tics.

Tick ​​provocation: psychological stress

If a child with a hereditary predisposition and an unfavorable type of upbringing suddenly encounters an unbearable problem for him (a psycho-traumatic factor), tics develop. As a rule, adults around the child do not know what triggered the appearance of tics. That is, for everyone except the child himself, the external situation seems normal. As a rule, he does not talk about his experiences. But at such moments the child becomes more demanding of relatives, seeks close contact with them, requires constant attention. Non-verbal types of communication are activated: gestures and facial expressions. The laryngeal coughing becomes more frequent, which is similar to such sounds as grunting, smacking, sniffing, etc., arising during thoughtfulness, embarrassment. The throaty cough is always aggravated by anxiety or danger. Movements in the hands appear or intensify - sorting through the folds of clothes, winding hair around a finger. These movements are involuntary and unconscious (the child may sincerely not remember what he just did), intensify with excitement and tension, clearly reflecting the emotional state. Teeth grinding during sleep may also appear, often in combination with nocturnal and frightening dreams.

All these movements, having arisen once, can gradually disappear by themselves. But if the child does not find support from others, they are fixed in the form of a pathological habit and then transformed into tics.

Often, the onset of tics is preceded by acute viral infections or other serious illnesses. Parents often say that, for example, after a severe sore throat, their child became nervous, capricious, did not want to play alone, and only then tics appeared. Inflammatory diseases of the eyes are often complicated by subsequent blinking tics; long-term ENT diseases contribute to the appearance of obsessive coughing, sniffing, grumbling.

Thus, for the appearance of ticks, a coincidence of 3 factors is necessary.

  1. hereditary predisposition.
  2. Wrong upbringing(the presence of intra-family conflict; increased demands and control (hyper-custody); increased adherence to principles, uncompromisingness of parents; formal attitude towards the child (hypo-custody), lack of communication.
  3. acute stress causing tics.

Mechanism of tick development

If a child constantly has internal anxiety or, as the people say, "is restless at heart", stress becomes chronic. In itself, anxiety is a necessary defense mechanism that allows you to prepare for it before the onset of a dangerous event, speed up reflex activity, increase the speed of reaction and sharpness of the senses, and use all the body's reserves to survive in extreme conditions. In a child who often experiences stress, the brain is constantly in a state of anxiety and anticipation of danger. The ability to arbitrarily suppress (slow down) unnecessary activity of brain cells is lost. The child's brain does not rest; even in his sleep he is haunted by terrible images, nightmares. As a result, the body's adaptation systems to stress are gradually depleted. Irritability, aggressiveness appear, academic performance decreases. And in children with an initial predisposition to a deficiency in the inhibition of pathological reactions in the brain, harmful psychotraumatic factors cause the development of tics.

Tics and behavioral disorders

In children with tics, neurotic disorders are always noted in the form of low mood, internal anxiety, and a tendency to internal self-digging. Characterized by irritability, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, which requires the consultation of a qualified psychiatrist.

It should be noted that in some cases tics are the first symptom of a more severe neurological and psychiatric illness that may develop over time. Therefore, a child with tics should be carefully examined by a neurologist, psychiatrist and psychologist.

Tick ​​Diagnostics

The diagnosis is established during the examination by a neurologist. At the same time, video filming at home is useful, because. the child tries to suppress or hide his tics during communication with the doctor.

A psychological examination of the child is mandatory to identify his emotional and personal characteristics, concomitant disorders of attention, memory, control of impulsive behavior in order to diagnose the variant of the course of tics; identification of provoking factors; as well as further psychological and medical correction.

In some cases, a neurologist prescribes a number of additional examinations (electroencephalography, magnetic resonance imaging), based on a conversation with parents, the clinical picture of the disease, and a consultation with a psychiatrist.

Medical diagnoses

Transient (transient) tic disorder characterized by simple or complex motor tics, short, repetitive, hardly controlled movements, and mannerisms. The child has tics every day for 4 weeks but less than 1 year.

Chronic tic disorder characterized by rapid, repetitive, uncontrollable movements or vocalizations (but not both) that occur almost daily for more than 1 year.

Treatment of tics

  1. To correct tics, it is recommended first of all to exclude provoking factors. Of course, it is necessary to observe the sleep and nutrition regimen, the adequacy of physical activity.
  2. Family psychotherapy is effective in cases where the analysis of intra-family relations reveals a chronic psycho-traumatic situation. Psychotherapy is useful even with harmonious family relationships, as it allows the child and parents to change the negative attitude towards tics. In addition, parents should remember that a timely spoken kind word, touch, joint activities (for example, baking cookies or a walk in the park) help the child cope with accumulated unresolved problems, eliminate anxiety and tension. It is necessary to talk more with the child, walk with him more often and play His games.
  3. Psychological correction.
    • It can be carried out individually - to develop areas of mental activity (attention, memory, self-control) and reduce internal anxiety while working on self-esteem (using games, conversations, drawings and other psychological techniques).
    • It can be carried out in the form of group sessions with other children (who have tics or other behavioral characteristics) - to develop the sphere of communication and play out possible conflict situations. In this case, the child has the opportunity to choose the most optimal variant of behavior in the conflict ("rehearse" it in advance), which reduces the likelihood of exacerbation of tics.
  4. Drug treatment of tics should be started when the possibilities of previous methods have already been exhausted. Medications are prescribed by a neurologist depending on the clinical picture and additional examination data.
    • Basic therapy for tics includes 2 groups of drugs: those with anti-anxiety effect (antidepressants) - phenibut, zoloft, paxil, etc.; reducing the severity of motor phenomena - tiapridal, teralen, etc.
    • As an additional therapy, drugs that improve metabolic processes in the brain (nootropic drugs), vascular drugs, and vitamins can be connected to basic therapy.
      The duration of drug therapy after the complete disappearance of ticks is 6 months, then you can slowly reduce the dose of the drug until it is completely canceled.

Forecast for children in whom tics appeared at the age of 6-8 years, favorable (i.e. tics pass without a trace).

The early onset of tics (3-6 years) is typical for their long course, up to adolescence, when tics gradually decrease.

If tics appear before age 3, they are usually a symptom of some serious illness (eg, schizophrenia, autism, brain tumors, etc.). In these cases, a thorough examination of the child is required.

Discussion

Hello, my child also started having tics; my husband went on a business trip, the child missed him 3.9, it's just from stress, why immediately put serious illnesses?

12/19/2018 11:51:02 AM, Nastya Kravchenko

Good afternoon. I will sell TIAPRIDAL (France) (shelf life until 2013). We switched to Rispolept and there were 6 boxes of 380 rubles each.

My son is 11 years old, has been suffering from complex tics for 6 years, the doctors suspect "turetaa" although they did not do any examinations, everything is based on my stories and external manifestations of tics, but they do not find it necessary to search for the cause, they do not advise medicines as far as possible, they said to wait for a transitional age .But the situation is not improving at all, what to do, help!

13.09.2008 20:16:48, Shaulova Sabina Mikhailovna

today they diagnosed hyperactivity, the child is 2 months and 5 days old, birth weight 3.4 kg, today 6.5 kg, height at birth 52 cm, today 59 cm, calm, cries only when he feels discomfort.
Is the diagnosis correct? Is it worth giving the child the medicines prescribed by the doctor (Mixture citral 1 teaspoon X 3 times 30 days, ciniarizine 1/4X2 times 20 days, dibazol 0.001 X 1 time 20 days)?

14.12.2006 14:36:07, Vladislav

Comment on the article "Nervous tics. How to deal with them?"

I am looking for a good neurologist. Doctors, clinics, hospitals. Children's medicine. Child's health, diseases and treatment, clinic Please advise a good neurologist - a child of 9 years old has had terrible tics for 5 years, headaches are intermittent. We drank a bunch of pills without ...

Discussion

We treated my daughter's tics (eye blinking). started at 2 years old. They drank Phenibut, some other sedatives. Nothing really helped.
Gone to school. Limited TV, gadgets. We tried to give more positive emotions. In my opinion, it is necessary to try to find the variant of "treatment". Maybe try acupuncture. Give it to some sports section that the child will like. Mobile children's psyche must be "loaded" with something :-) Health to you and patience!

My son also has tics from the first grade (now at 4), last year they were very strong, they didn’t go to school for 2 weeks.

Child health, diseases and treatment, clinic, hospital, doctor, vaccinations. Nervous tick - need advice. A child (6 years old) often squints (blinks his eyes) + increased in a 6-year-old son a nervous tic. Children's medicine. Child health, diseases and treatment, polyclinic...

Tic in a child. Medications. Other children. Section: Medications (phenibut and children's tics forum). Tic in a child. Oh, in vain I considered phenibut a panacea for tics (there used to be seasonal in the fall, about 2 years ago they completely passed).

Child health, diseases and treatment, clinic, hospital, doctor, vaccinations. Has anyone had a similar form of tic? Traditionally, these are eyes, as I understand it, but everything is much lower with us. Nervous tic in a child: who had a similar experience?

Discussion

Take away the TV. Vitamins of the V.Magne B6 group or multivitamin. Just don’t drink noofen, which a neurologist will prescribe.

01/06/2012 01:23:56 AM, FROM ME

my child with multiple tics was very well helped by magne-b6.

Causes of nervous tics in children. Nervous tic. Hello! group B. Magne B6 or multivitamol. Just do not drink noofen, which causes nervous tics in children. Diagnosis and treatment of tics. Print version. though she doubted something, she didn’t give it. Well ...

I took my daughter from school for almost a month (I didn’t work, I could study with her, she passed all the tests), then we went to school in an uh .. gentle mode :) - that is, if I saw that we didn’t need school, we didn't go there :).
Plus, medical support (homeopathy, berocca, etc.) + the correct attitude of the daughter to the problem, etc.
If you don’t arrange “holidays” (especially if you don’t, but in any case), then it is very important to form the correct attitude of the teacher, which you, apparently, have already done, it remains only to periodically remind her of this.
About another school, I would not have thought at all - this is an add. stress, you don't need it at all now.
Quite a lot of children have tics, most of it successfully outgrows it, but I would be very careful - in the future, tics may appear against the background of overloads.
And one more thing - a tick that has just appeared is much easier to correct, so, most likely, everything will pass pretty soon :).
There will be questions - write in a personal.

Thanks everyone for the advice. In general, we talked again with the teacher, tried to make her understand that the child did not have this problem without her participation, and asked her to praise her more often. It seemed to be adequate, I do not know what will happen next. There is nowhere to transfer yet, a new school will be built only after that. year, in the other two the attitude is even worse, I know one of them from my own experience and to my brother, who just came out of there. At home, we only praise her, especially since there is something for it. In my opinion, the child writes well, just very well, much better ... I began to read faster. After homework, he takes his notebooks and plays school - he teaches his dolls to write. So, the process itself is pleasant!
And to the doctor - on Monday. Thanks again.

Treatment of tics with a psychologist. You need to consult a psychologist. Child psychology. Child developmental psychology: child behavior, fears, whims, tantrums. Anya has local facial tics. We drink medicines, but I heard that there are psychologists who are special ...

Hyperkinesis is a pathological phenomenon, which consists in sending erroneous commands by the brain to the muscular apparatus. If uncontrolled movements are repeated frequently and become fast, they speak of a nervous tic. In a child, it can be smacking, twitching eyes or shoulders, coughing. Let's try to figure out why this disease occurs and whether there are effective ways to cure it.

What causes a nervous tic in childhood

It turns out that experts still do not have accurate information about the causes of the development of obsessive movements and body jerks. At the same time, scientists came to almost a consensus on the influence of genetic and psychological factors. Intrauterine damage to the brain structures can also cause a nervous tic in a child.

Among experts, there is an opinion that most often it is possible to provoke a disease by a complex of the following factors:

  1. hereditary predisposition. Often, during the examination, it turns out that relatives in a direct ascending line suffered from a similar problem.
  2. Incorrect upbringing. The development of neurosis-like states is facilitated by the strictest control by parents and an uncompromising approach to building intra-family relationships, a lack of trusting communication and frequent conflicts, and a prejudiced attitude towards the child.
  3. Experienced stress or a complex illness. Children tend to have increased anxiety. Frequent experiences and disorders lead to the fact that the child's brain goes into a mode of constant expectation of danger, losing the ability to fully relax and recover even in a dream.

In babies under the age of one year, a tremor is often observed, in which slight twitching of the limbs, chin, and lips can occur in parallel. Crying, colic, bathing, cold can provoke a tremor in a baby. Normally, this phenomenon disappears as they grow up, by 3-4 months. If this did not happen, and in addition to everything, the baby's head also begins to twitch noticeably, a consultation with a neurologist is urgently needed.

Classification and features of the disease

Symptoms and treatment of a nervous tic in a child largely depend on the type of disease. The typology of the disease is based on several main indicators. First of all, the etiology is taken into account, that is, the root causes. They are usually psychogenic or somatic in nature. According to the duration of the course, nervous tics are distinguished as transient and chronic, and according to the severity - complex (a complex of uncontrolled movements) and simple (elementary twitches). Hyperkinesis is also distinguished by the localization of the muscles involved (limbs, facial expressions, vocal cords, eyes, etc.).

The most striking symptoms of the disease are:

  • motor smacking;
  • loud sniffing through the nose;
  • click of the tongue;
  • noisy and deep breathing;
  • hissing and snorting;
  • repeated utterance of curses, individual words;
  • coughing;
  • frowning of the forehead;
  • uncontrolled shoulder movements;
  • antics;
  • unnatural blinking;
  • twitching of limbs or head;
  • pulling folds in clothes.

Even to a non-specialist, the manifestation of a nervous tic in children will be obvious. Komarovsky O.E., a well-known pediatrician, notes that such manifestations, having arisen once, can disappear without any intervention. It would be more correct to say that this is exactly what happens in most cases. To do this, it is important to provide the child with support from others, thanks to which it is possible to prevent the transformation of a pathological habit into a nervous tic. What to do if the child still has this problem? There is always a solution, but it will be purely individual for each little patient.

Often a tick appears after an infectious disease. Since the nervous tic in the predominant number of cases is a chronic disease, its symptoms may subside (for example, in the summer). Relapses in children occur in autumn and winter, which is explained by an increase in mental stress during schooling.

Complex manifestations

Obsessive movements that involve several muscle groups (legs, arms, back, abdomen, neck, limbs, face) are considered a complex form of nervous tic. At the same time, special attention should be paid to individual symptoms that manifest themselves for more than a month. First of all, we are talking about blinking. A nervous tic in a child begins with an uncontrolled movement of the eyelids. With a worsening problem, over time, lifting the shoulders, tilting or turning the head, waving the legs and arms may join this symptom. Jerking does not allow the child to concentrate on doing any homework.

The next stage in the development of complications is the occurrence of coprolalia (pronunciation of abusive words), echolalia (repetition of the same words), palilalia (slurred fast speech). It is important to note that the clinic becomes more complicated from top to bottom. Thus, the problem usually begins with the innervation of the muscles of the face, after which the tick captures the arms, shoulders, and later the torso and lower limbs join.

One form of the disease is Tourette's syndrome. For the first time this pathology was described in the nineteenth century. It has been referred to as a disease of multiple tics, which, in addition to vocal and motor movements, is characterized by obsessive-compulsive disorder on the background of attention deficit.

According to statistics, boys get sick ten times more often than girls. Traditionally, the severity of the problem is stated by a slight nervous tic of the eye in a child aged 3-7 years. Further, shudders of the body are connected to the blinking. In this case, one type of teak can be replaced by another. Coprolalia, echolalia or palilalia occurs at an older age. The peak of the disease is usually observed in patients aged 8-11 years.

A feature of a complex form of a nervous tic in a child is that the patient's consciousness is completely preserved, despite the inability to control their own movements. Jerking can cause muscle pain. This problem is especially relevant for children suffering from uncontrolled turns or tilting of the head. With such recurrent manifestations and symptoms of a nervous tic in a child, treatment takes place at home. Since during the period of exacerbation, children lose not only the opportunity to learn, but also the ability to self-service, they will not be able to attend school.

In the normal course of the disease, by the age of 12-15, the child begins the final stage. The pathological process stops, the clinical picture stabilizes - only residual signs of the disease are observed in it. Regardless of the initial causes of the twitching eyelid or corners of the mouth, shoulders, head, patients have every chance of a complete cessation of tics.

What is the essence of treatment

The therapy is based on an integrated approach, taking into account the peculiarities of the functioning of the body and the nuances of the course of the disease. In the process of compiling an anamnesis, talking with parents, the neurologist finds out the most likely causes of the development of the disease, discusses options for adjusting the educational methodology. At the initial stages of the disease, the use of drugs is out of the question.

The duration and severity of the course of the pathology is affected by the age of the patient in which the disease began to develop. He indirectly points to the cause of the disease:

  • In children under three years of age, a nervous tic is a sign of a more serious illness (brain tumor, schizophrenia, autism).
  • At the age of 3 to 6 years - most often the problem is psychogenic in nature, regression occurs only in adolescence.

Consequently, a nervous tic in a 5-year-old child has a favorable prognosis; in the majority of cases, the problem disappears without a trace.

Therapy at home

To eliminate the described problem in childhood, it is important to remove the provoking factors:

  • Often, the severity of uncontrolled movements and twitches is minimized after the correction of the upbringing methodology.
  • In addition, the mode of the day is of great importance - the child must fully rest at night and sleep during the day. However, this does not mean the introduction of a complete ban on physical activity.
  • The diet should also be reviewed: it is important to eliminate high-calorie sugar-containing foods that do not bring any benefit to the body.

If a child grows up in an unfavorable psychological microclimate, it is most likely impossible to do without the help of a child psychologist. Parents should understand that it is important for their baby to get rid of internal tension. This can only be achieved through established close contact with the child. Joint crafts, applications, cleaning the apartment, making a cake, praise and affectionate communication - all this will help the little patient to calm down and become more self-confident. It is especially useful to take evening walks (in the warm season) and take a bath with relaxing essential oils.

Professional medical approach

To establish the cause of a twitching eyelid or other part of the body, the child will have to be shown to several highly specialized specialists. The neurologist is directly involved in the diagnosis. As a rule, it is possible to determine the disease after examination. Video filming of the manifestations of a nervous tic in a child at home will be especially valuable, since during communication with the doctor the clinical picture can be blurred.

In addition to a neurologist, it is advisable to show the child to a psychologist. The specialist will assess his psycho-emotional background, the ability to memorize and control impulsive behavior. You may need to consult a psychotherapist, undergo magnetic resonance imaging or an electroencephalogram.

Treatment of nervous tics in children in an unopened form is a course of corrective exercises in a group or individually. The use of medicines is resorted to only if all of the above methods turned out to be ineffective and did not give any significant results.

Medicines for nervous tics in children are prescribed by neurologists, self-medication is unacceptable. After the disappearance of the manifestations of the disease, the drugs are used for a long time (at least 6 months), then the dosage is gradually reduced until it is completely canceled.

What medicines are suitable for nervous tics

Here is a list of drugs used to treat the disease:

  • Antipsychotics. Representatives of this pharmacological group have a complex effect, anesthetizing, preventing convulsions, dulling the gag reflex. These drugs include Tiaprid, Risperidone, Fluphenazine, Haloperidol, Pimozide.
  • Antidepressants. These drugs are connected to therapy in the presence of neurosis, depressive and obsessive states (Prozac, Clofranil, Anafranil, Clominal).
  • Vitamin and mineral complexes. Used as aids to maintain overall well-being. The most common "Pentovit", "Neuromultivit", "Apitonus P".

When prescribing drugs, the form of release is taken into account, which is of particular relevance when undergoing a long course of treatment.

Recipes of traditional healers

As alternative remedies for the treatment of nervous tics, various herbal tinctures and decoctions are used. You can buy raw materials for home medicines at a pharmacy or collect them yourself. However, before giving folk remedies to children, it is imperative to consult a doctor in order to avoid unforeseen complications. Among the components that help in the treatment of nervous tics, it is worth noting herbs and roots:

  • cudweed;
  • thyme;
  • valerian;
  • chicory;
  • heather.

The easiest recipe is mint and lemon balm tea. The remedy is prepared simply: for 1 cup of boiling water, you need one teaspoon of each component. Insist drinking for 10 minutes, then slightly sweeten, strain and drink half a glass in the morning and evening.

Gymnastics and massage

Treatment of nervous tics in children is often supplemented by massage and gymnastics. The effectiveness of this method of dealing with the disease depends to a greater extent on the cause that provoked the disorder.

In any case, the essence of the massage is to relax the most tense parts of the body by stroking, rubbing, kneading. Strong and sharp impacts are unacceptable, since they will only give the opposite effect, leading to the tone of the muscular apparatus.

To improve the blood supply to the brain tissues, massage the collar zone and cervical region. An underwater massaging shower does an excellent job of relieving stress.

In the treatment of children older than 6 years, they often resort to the use of Strelnikova's breathing exercises. However, the selection of a therapeutic exercise therapy complex that will change muscle tone and affect brain function is the doctor's prerogative.

The desired effect is achieved due to the biological connection between nerve endings in muscles and brain neurons - constant training of sections of this physiological circuit can change existing behavioral programs. The load is built in such a way that not only individual muscles relax, but the entire body, including the spine, hip and shoulder joints.

How to deal with a nervous tic in infants

For children under the age of one year, suffering from pathological tremor, massage is prescribed without fail. The timeliness of the measures taken will allow avoiding severe complications of the disease in the form of changes in intracranial pressure, hypocalcemia, hyperglycemia and stroke.

In order to prevent nervous tics in children, Komarovsky recommends using massage from the age of one and a half months. With its help, spasms are eliminated, the work of the central and peripheral nervous systems is normalized. However, it is preferable to contact specialists for massage, at least in the first sessions. The technique is simple, but it should be done correctly, according to the instructions. A children's massage therapist will tell you which areas of the baby's body should be avoided.

The duration of the procedure depends on the age of the baby. For children under 3 months, the session lasts no more than 5 minutes. The duration of the session should be increased over time, but it should not exceed 20 minutes. Another important criterion is the behavior of the child. If the baby behaves restlessly, the massage is stopped.

In order to prevent the development of a nervous tic in a child, it is extremely important to provide a friendly and calm environment in the family, make appropriate adjustments to the diet, exclude any products that can excite the nervous system (chocolate, black tea, sweets), limit TV viewing and computer games.

The psychological aspect is especially important - this should be remembered by all parents without exception. Listen to the opinion of the child, do not give him difficult and overwhelming tasks, do not forget to praise for good deeds, help around the house. Be more patient with your baby, engage in his development and education, and do not let the problem take its course.

Nervous tic- a phenomenon that occurs repeatedly in children and adults. Everyone has experienced it at least once in their life. With strong nervous excitement, twitching of the eyebrow or eyelid is most often manifested. In children between the ages of two and ten years, this type of tic is most common.

Nervous tic- this is a spontaneous contraction of the muscles of the face, it resembles ordinary movements, it differs only in that a person cannot control them.

Types of nervous tics andsymptoms

There are several playback mechanisms nervous tick:

  • Motor- unintentional contraction of muscles in the face and throughout the body: twitching of the shoulder and fingers, as well as grinding of the teeth.
  • Vocal- the reproduction of sounds (grunting, smacking, grunting, and others) occurs completely uncontrollably.
  • Local ticks- spontaneous movement of only one muscle group.
  • Generalized- the movement of several groups.
  • Simple nervous tics- like all of the above
  • Complex- pulling hair, winding them around fingers.

Types of ticks

Primary nervous tics

As a rule, the source is:

  • Psychological trauma received in childhood (severe pain or fear). It can develop over a long period of time, as well as become chronic, for example, when a child quarrels with adults on a daily basis and he is very lacking in parental attention. The child's psyche is fragile, as a result of which the reaction to stressful situations can be expressed by nervous tics.
  • ADHD(attention deficit hyperreactivity syndrome), or in childhood neurosis, usually expressed in obsessive movements.
  • Phobias stimulating stress.
  • Exhaustion of the body and nervous system.
  • Constant exhaustion and fatigue.

As a rule, primary nervous tics go away on their own. For the most part, they do not even require medical intervention.

Secondary nervous tics

Their main difference is that deliverance without medical intervention is impossible.

Among the causes are:

  • Poisons affecting the brain.
  • Taking medications (psychotropic, anticonvulsant and others).
  • Tumors and diseases of the brain (infectious).
  • Mental illness (such as schizophrenia).
  • Defeat and damage to internal organs, leading to metabolic disorders in the blood and the content of toxins (arteriosclerosis, stroke).

For example, after treating a sore throat, many people strain the muscles of the pharynx too much when taking water or food. This is due to the fact that during the illness these actions were special, to prevent pain effects, but after they were established in the body as a constant movement.

Hereditary tics or Tourette's disease

Finally, the doctors did not establish the cause of this disease, one thing is known - it is inherited. If one parent suffers from this pathology, then the chance of its transmission to the future generation is 50 to 50%. It develops in childhood, while the symptoms weaken during adulthood.

Among the causes of the course of the disease are:

  • Lack of vitamin B6;
  • A large amount of stress;
  • Bad ecology;
  • autoimmune processes.

Doctors have put forward a hypothesis that a streptococcal infection can cause Tourette's disease. There is no evidence yet, but this hypothesis cannot be ruled out.

Treatment of nervous tics in children

Nervous tic- a consequence of a false message from the brain to various parts of the body. In children it can be caused by psychological trauma and is called - primary tick.

Among the symptoms:

  • Scattered attention;
  • Anxiety;
  • Feeling of fear;
  • various types of neuroses.

As a rule, all this happens against the background of ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. After the treatment course, you will be able to observe:

  • Restored nervous system, thanks to nutrients and improved blood circulation;
  • And improving the mental and physical condition of the body.

Medical treatment

The use of integral medicine in this matter occupies a leading position, since the impact on the source of the disease contributes not only to getting rid of symptoms, to improving the human body as a whole and preventing such cases in the near future.

Typically, doctors prescribe medications such as phenibut, glycine, magnesium B6, pantogam, tenoten, novo-passit and others. A specialist will help you about the need for drug treatment, the dosage of drugs.

Folk remedies

Any treatment should be carried out after consulting a doctor. In the event that medical intervention is not required, nervous tics in children can be treated with folk remedies. Particularly popular are

  • Calming fees. They can be purchased at the pharmacy and brewed at home. You can study the method of application and dosage in the instructions. As a rule, such fees include: chamomile, anise seeds.
  • Aromatic pads. These pillows are placed next to the sleeping child. To fill the pillows use the same chamomile, lavender, rosehip. You can make collections of herbs and flowers.

IMPORTANT! The child may experience an allergic reaction to any drug or component of the collection. It is important to stop treatment in a timely manner and consult a doctor!

Definition of a tick, how it manifests itself

under the term " nervous tick” means lightning-fast contractions of individual muscle groups: blinking, movements of the nose, corner of the mouth, shoulders, and the entire body.

By their nature, they are extremely reminiscent of protective reflexes, with the goal of removing a speck from the eye, throwing off a restrictive belt, throwing up a lock of hair falling on the forehead. But the pace of movement in children during nervous tics somewhat different from the latter. Reactions are carried out too hastily, convulsively, their usual rhythm is lost. Several movements in a row, rapidly completed, are replaced by a pause and then resumed with renewed vigor.

Often tics that have arisen in any one part of the musculature are replaced by tics in another. In some cases children emit various sounds with the nose and mouth simultaneously with tic twitches.

Withdrawal from tics is usually accompanied by feelings of intense anxiety and even sadness. Resuming them immediately discharges the stressed state.

Majority children, who suffer nervous tic- subjects of a very peculiar type, extremely hyperaesthetic to the irritations of their body, easily fixated on their sensations, dependent, extremely indecisive in their reactions, affectively unstable, in the word "infantile".

Possible causes of tics in children

As for the etiopathogenesis of ticks, the following assumptions can be made here.

  • First, for the occurrence of a tick, it usually takes some kind of irritation of the area that is affected last.
  • A child who has had blepharitis or conjunctivitis for some time after the end of the disease retains a blinking tick, which was once a protective function.
  • A child who has experienced inconvenience from hair falling on his forehead retains the "habit" of throwing his hair back from his forehead, and this movement takes on the character of swiftness. Clothing that constrains the child will cause tics in the shoulders and so on.

In a word, a tick is a movement that has lost its purpose, but once served as a defense. child from an unpleasant irritant. One gets the impression that in those vulnerable, hyperaesthetic children, the initial irritation left behind a strong engram.

IMPORTANT! The fact that the tick is an automated movement strongly suggests that it is realized in the subcortical region.

Being, therefore, in a very large number of cases due to the initial irritation of some area of ​​the body, the tic can later serve as an expression protecting the child from unpleasant mental experiences. The latter gives rise to a state of tension that cannot be resolved in ordinary acts and verbal reactions due to the indecisiveness and ambivalence of the sick child. Instead, discharge is carried out in a motor act - tic.

If, along with this, a sick child, with his usually already low activity, is subjected to constant inhibition by the surrounding persons, then as a result, tic movements can especially easily arise or linger for a long time.

Useful video

About the imperfection of the nervous system, about nervous tics in children and the doctor will tell the treatment Komarovsky and Dr. Pogach.

Results

Course and forecast nervous tics in children fluctuate in connection with his personality, suffering from him, the psychogenic experiences of the latter and the degree of organization of his environment.

  • Excellent results are given by psychotherapeutic conversations that reveal the personality of the child and the complexes that feed his illness.
  • Along the way, a lot of work should be done with the people around the child, with the goal of reducing the inhibition of the child by his parents and educators.
  • In the process of treatment, a stage is inevitable, during which, along with a decrease in tics, the child reveals aggression against others that had never taken place before, thereby becoming temporarily extremely “difficult” in the family.
  • Prevention is reduced to educational activities (minimal inhibition of the child's activity) and to the timely resolution of his conflict experiences.
  • It is important to see a doctor when taking medication for tics in children.

Photo and video: free Internet sources

Tics, or hyperkinesias, are repetitive, unexpected, short, stereotyped movements or statements that are outwardly similar to voluntary actions. A characteristic feature of tics is their involuntariness, but in most cases the patient can reproduce or partially control his own hyperkinesis. At a normal level of intellectual development of children, the disease is often accompanied by cognitive impairments, motor stereotypes, and anxiety disorders.

The prevalence of tics reaches approximately 20% in the population.

Until now, there is no consensus on the occurrence of tics. The decisive role in the etiology of the disease is assigned to the subcortical nuclei - the caudate nucleus, the pale ball, the subthalamic nucleus, the substantia nigra. The subcortical structures closely interact with the reticular formation, the thalamus, the limbic system, the cerebellar hemispheres, and the frontal cortex of the dominant hemisphere. The activity of subcortical structures and frontal lobes is regulated by the neurotransmitter dopamine. Insufficiency of the dopaminergic system leads to impaired attention, lack of self-regulation and behavioral inhibition, reduced control of motor activity and the appearance of excessive, uncontrolled movements.

The effectiveness of the dopaminergic system can be affected by intrauterine development disorders due to hypoxia, infection, birth trauma, or hereditary insufficiency of dopamine metabolism. There are indications of an autosomal dominant type of inheritance; however, it is known that boys suffer from tics about 3 times more often than girls. Perhaps we are talking about cases of incomplete and gender-dependent penetration of the gene.

In most cases, the first appearance of tics in children is preceded by the action of external adverse factors. Up to 64% of tics in children are provoked by stressful situations - school maladjustment, additional training sessions, uncontrolled TV viewing or prolonged computer work, conflicts in the family and separation from one of the parents, hospitalization.

Simple motor tics can be observed in the long-term period of traumatic brain injury. Voice tics - coughing, sniffing, expectorating throat sounds - are often found in children who often suffer from respiratory infections (bronchitis, tonsillitis, rhinitis).

In most patients, there is a daily and seasonal dependence of tics - they intensify in the evening and worsen in the autumn-winter period.

A separate type of hyperkinesis should include tics that occur as a result of involuntary imitation in some highly suggestible and impressionable children. This happens in the process of direct communication and subject to the well-known authority of a child with tics among peers. Such tics go away on their own some time after the cessation of communication, but in some cases such imitation is the debut of the disease.

Clinical classification of tics in children

By etiology

Primary, or hereditary, including Tourette's syndrome. The main type of inheritance is autosomal dominant with varying degrees of penetrance; sporadic cases of the onset of the disease are possible.

Secondary, or organic. Risk factors: anemia in pregnant women, mother's age over 30 years, fetal malnutrition, prematurity, birth trauma, previous brain injury.

Cryptogenic. Occur against the background of full health in a third of patients with tics.

According to clinical manifestations

Local (facies) tick. Hyperkinesias capture one muscle group, mainly mimic muscles; rapid blinking, squinting, twitching of the corners of the mouth and wings of the nose predominate (Table 1). Blinking is the most persistent of all localized tic disorders. Squinting is characterized by a more pronounced violation of tone (dystonic component). The movements of the wings of the nose, as a rule, join the rapid blinking and are intermittent symptoms of facial tics. Single facial tics practically do not interfere with patients and in most cases are not noticed by the patients themselves.

Common tic. Several muscle groups are involved in hyperkinesis: mimic, muscles of the head and neck, shoulder girdle, upper limbs, muscles of the abdomen and back. In most patients, a common tic begins with blinking, which is followed by the establishment of a gaze, turns and tilts of the head, and shoulder lifts. During periods of exacerbation of tics, schoolchildren may have problems completing written assignments.

Vocal tics. There are simple and complex vocal tics.

The clinical picture of simple vocal tics is represented mainly by low sounds: coughing, "clearing the throat", grunting, noisy breathing, sniffing. Less common are such high-pitched sounds as “i”, “a”, “u-u”, “uf”, “af”, “ay”, squeal and whistle. With exacerbation of tic hyperkinesis, vocal phenomena may change, for example, coughing turns into grunting or noisy breathing.

Complex vocal tics are observed in 6% of patients with Tourette's syndrome and are characterized by the pronunciation of individual words, swearing (coprolalia), repetition of words (echolalia), rapid uneven, slurred speech (palilalia). Echolalia is a non-permanent symptom and may occur over several weeks or months. Coprolalia is usually a status condition in the form of a serial utterance of curses. Often, coprolalia significantly limits the child's social activity, depriving him of the opportunity to attend school or public places. Palilalia is manifested by the obsessive repetition of the last word in a sentence.

Generalized tic (Tourette's syndrome). It is manifested by a combination of common motor and vocal simple and complex tics.

Table 1 presents the main types of motor tics, depending on their prevalence and clinical manifestations.

As can be seen from the presented table, with the complication of the clinical picture of hyperkinesis, from local to generalized, tics spread from top to bottom. So, with a local tic, violent movements are noted in the muscles of the face, with a widespread one they move to the neck and arms, with a generalized one, the torso and legs are involved in the process. Blinking occurs with the same frequency in all types of tics.

According to the severity of the clinical picture

The severity of the clinical picture is assessed by the number of hyperkinesis in a child during 20 minutes of observation. In this case, ticks can be absent, single, serial or status ticks. Severity assessment is used to unify the clinical picture and determine the effectiveness of treatment.

At single ticks their number for 20 minutes of examination ranges from 2 to 9, they are more common in patients with local forms and in remission in patients with widespread tic and Tourette's syndrome.

At serial ticks in 20 minutes of examination, from 10 to 29 hyperkinesias are observed, after which there are many hours of breaks. A similar picture is typical during an exacerbation of the disease, occurs in any localization of hyperkinesis.

At tic status serial tics follow with a frequency of 30 to 120 or more per 20 minutes of examination without interruption during the day.

Like motor tics, vocal tics can also be single, serial and status tics; they intensify in the evening, after emotional stress and overwork.

According to the course of the disease

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), there are transient tics, chronic tics, and Tourette's syndrome.

transient , or transitory , the course of tics implies the presence of motor or vocal tics in a child with the complete disappearance of symptoms of the disease within 1 year. Typical for local and widespread tics.

Chronic A tic disorder is characterized by motor tics lasting more than 1 year without a vocal component. Chronic vocal tics in an isolated form are rare. There are remitting, stationary and progredient subtypes of the course of chronic tics.

With a relapsing course, periods of exacerbations are replaced by a complete regression of symptoms or the presence of local single tics that occur against the background of intense emotional or intellectual stress. The relapsing subtype is the main variant of the course of tics. With local and widespread tics, exacerbation lasts from several weeks to 3 months, remissions last from 2-6 months to a year, in rare cases up to 5-6 years. Against the background of drug treatment, a complete or incomplete remission of hyperkinesis is possible.

The stationary type of the course of the disease is determined by the presence of persistent hyperkinesis in various muscle groups, which persist for 2-3 years.

The progressive course is characterized by the absence of remissions, the transition of local tics to widespread or generalized ones, the complication of stereotypes and rituals, the development of tic statuses, and resistance to therapy. The progredient course predominates in boys with hereditary tics. Unfavorable signs are the presence of aggressiveness, coprolalia, obsessions in a child.

There is a relationship between the location of tics and the course of the disease. So, for a local tic, a transient-remitting type of flow is characteristic, for a common tic - remitting-stationary, for Tourette's syndrome - remitting-progressive.

Age dynamics of tics

Most often, tics appear in children aged 2 to 17 years, the average age is 6-7 years, the frequency of occurrence in the child population is 6-10%. Most children (96%) develop tics before the age of 11 years. The most common manifestation of tics is eye blinking. At the age of 8-10 years, vocal tics appear, which make up about a third of cases of all tics in children and occur both independently and against the background of motor tics. More often, the initial manifestations of vocal tics are sniffing and coughing. The disease is characterized by an increasing course with a peak of manifestations at 10-12 years, then a decrease in symptoms is noted. By the age of 18, approximately 50% of patients are spontaneously free of tics. At the same time, there is no relationship between the severity of tics in childhood and adulthood, but in most cases, in adults, the manifestations of hyperkinesis are less pronounced. Sometimes tics first occur in adults, but they are milder and usually last no more than 1 year.

The prognosis for local tics is favorable in 90% of cases. In the case of widespread tics, 50% of children have a complete regression of symptoms.

Tourette syndrome

The most severe form of hyperkinesis in children is, without a doubt, Tourette's syndrome. Its frequency is 1 case per 1000 of the child population in boys and 1 in 10,000 in girls. The syndrome was first described by Gilles de la Tourette in 1882 as "a disease of multiple tics". The clinical picture includes motor and vocal tics, attention deficit disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The syndrome is inherited with high penetrate in an autosomal dominant manner, and in boys tics are more often combined with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and in girls with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The currently accepted criteria for Tourette's syndrome are those given in the DSM classification III revision. Let's list them.

  • A combination of motor and vocal tics that occur simultaneously or at different time intervals.
  • Repeated tics throughout the day (usually in series).
  • The location, number, frequency, complexity, and severity of tics change over time.
  • The onset of the disease is up to 18 years, the duration is more than 1 year.
  • Symptoms of the disease are not associated with the use of psychotropic drugs or CNS disease (Huntington's chorea, viral encephalitis, systemic diseases).

The clinical picture of Tourette's syndrome depends on the age of the patient. Knowledge of the basic patterns of the development of the disease helps to choose the right treatment tactics.

Debut The disease develops at 3-7 years of age. The first symptoms are local facial tics and twitching of the shoulders. Then hyperkinesis spreads to the upper and lower extremities, shudders and turns of the head appear, flexion and extension of the hand and fingers, tilting the head back, contraction of the abdominal muscles, bouncing and squatting, one type of tics is replaced by another. Vocal tics often join motor symptoms within a few years after the onset of the disease and increase in the acute stage. In a number of patients, vocalisms are the first manifestations of Tourette's syndrome, which are subsequently joined by motor hyperkinesis.

Generalization of tic hyperkinesis occurs over a period of several months to 4 years. At the age of 8-11 years, children have peak of clinical manifestations of symptoms in the form of a series of hyperkinesias or repeated hyperkinetic statuses in combination with ritual actions and autoaggression. The tic status in Tourette's syndrome characterizes a severe hyperkinetic state. A series of hyperkinesis is characterized by a change in motor tics to vocal ones, followed by the appearance of ritual movements. Patients note discomfort from excessive movements, for example, pain in the cervical spine that occurs against the background of head turns. The most severe hyperkinesis is a tilting of the head - while the patient can repeatedly hit the back of the head against the wall, often in combination with simultaneous clonic twitching of the arms and legs and the appearance of muscle pain in the extremities. The duration of status ticks ranges from several days to several weeks. In some cases, exclusively motor or predominantly vocal tics (coprolalia) are noted. During status tics, consciousness in children is completely preserved, however, hyperkinesis is not controlled by patients. During exacerbations of the disease, children cannot attend school, they find it difficult to self-service. Characteristically relapsing course with exacerbations lasting from 2 to 12-14 months and incomplete remissions from several weeks to 2-3 months. The duration of exacerbations and remissions is directly dependent on the severity of tics.

In the majority of patients at the age of 12-15, generalized hyperkinesias pass into residual phase , manifested by local or widespread tics. In a third of patients with Tourette's syndrome without obsessive-compulsive disorders in the residual stage, a complete cessation of tics is observed, which can be considered as an age-dependent infantile form of the disease.

Comorbidity of tics in children

Tics often occur in children with pre-existing central nervous system (CNS) disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cerebrovascular disorder, and anxiety disorders including generalized anxiety disorder, specific phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Approximately 11% of children with ADHD have tics. Mostly these are simple motor and vocal tics with a chronic relapsing course and a favorable prognosis. In some cases, the differential diagnosis between ADHD and Tourette's syndrome is difficult, when hyperactivity and impulsivity appear in a child before the development of hyperkinesis.

In children suffering from generalized anxiety disorder or specific phobias, tics can be provoked or exacerbated by worries and experiences, unusual surroundings, a long wait for an event, and a concomitant increase in psycho-emotional stress.

In children with obsessive-compulsive disorder, vocal and motor tics are combined with a compulsive repetition of a movement or activity. Apparently, in children with anxiety disorders, tics are an additional, albeit pathological, form of psychomotor discharge, a way of calming and “processing” accumulated internal discomfort.

Cerebrosthenic syndrome in childhood is the result of traumatic brain injuries or neuroinfections. The appearance or intensification of tics in children with cerebrasthenic syndrome is often provoked by external factors: heat, stuffiness, changes in barometric pressure. Characterized by an increase in tics with fatigue, after prolonged or repeated somatic and infectious diseases, an increase in training loads.

We present our own data. Of the 52 children who complained of tics, there were 44 boys, 7 girls; the ratio "boys: girls" was "6: 1" (Table 2).

So, the greatest number of appeals for tics was observed in boys aged 5-10 years, with a peak at 7-8 years. The clinical picture of ticks is presented in Table. 3.

Thus, simple motor tics with localization mainly in the muscles of the face and neck and simple vocal tics imitating physiological actions (cough, expectoration) were most often noted. Bouncing and complex vocal utterances were much less common, only in children with Tourette's syndrome.

Temporary (transient) tics lasting less than 1 year were observed more often than chronic (remitting or stationary). Tourette's syndrome (chronic stationary generalized tic) was observed in 7 children (5 boys and 2 girls) (Table 4).

Treatment

The main principle of therapy for tics in children is a comprehensive and differentiated approach to treatment. Before prescribing medication or other therapy, it is necessary to find out the possible causes of the disease and discuss with parents ways of pedagogical correction. It is necessary to explain the involuntary nature of hyperkinesis, the impossibility of controlling them by willpower and, as a result, the inadmissibility of remarks to the child about tics. Often, the severity of tics decreases with a decrease in the requirements for the child on the part of the parents, the lack of fixation of attention on his shortcomings, the perception of his personality as a whole, without isolating "good" and "bad" qualities. The therapeutic effect is the streamlining of the regimen, sports, especially in the fresh air. If induced tics are suspected, the help of a psychotherapist is necessary, since such hyperkinesis is removed by suggestion.

When deciding on the appointment of drug treatment, it is necessary to take into account such factors as the etiology, age of the patient, the severity and severity of tics, their nature, concomitant diseases. Drug treatment should be carried out with severe, pronounced, persistent tics, combined with behavioral disorders, school failure, affecting the child's well-being, complicating his adaptation in the team, limiting his opportunities for self-realization. Drug therapy should not be given if the tics are only a concern for the parents but do not interfere with the child's normal activities.

The main group of drugs prescribed for tics are neuroleptics: haloperidol, pimozide, fluphenazine, tiapride, risperidone. Their effectiveness in the treatment of hyperkinesis reaches 80%. The drugs have analgesic, anticonvulsant, antihistamine, antiemetic, neuroleptic, antipsychotic, sedative effects. The mechanisms of their action include blockade of postsynaptic dopaminergic receptors of the limbic system, hypothalamus, trigger zone of the gag reflex, extrapyramidal system, inhibition of dopamine reuptake by the presynaptic membrane and subsequent deposition, as well as blockade of adrenoreceptors of the reticular formation of the brain. Side effects: headache, drowsiness, impaired concentration, dry mouth, increased appetite, agitation, anxiety, anxiety, fear. With prolonged use, extrapyramidal disorders may develop, including increased muscle tone, tremor, akinesia.

Haloperidol: the initial dose is 0.5 mg at night, then it is increased by 0.5 mg per week until a therapeutic effect is achieved (1-3 mg / day in 2 divided doses).

Pimozide (Orap) is comparable in effectiveness to haloperidol, but has fewer side effects. The initial dose is 2 mg / day in 2 doses, if necessary, the dose is increased by 2 mg per week, but not more than 10 mg / day.

Fluphenazine is prescribed at a dose of 1 mg / day, then the dose is increased by 1 mg per week to 2-6 mg / day.

Risperidone belongs to the group of atypical antipsychotics. The effectiveness of risperidone in tics and related behavioral disorders, especially oppositional defiant ones, is known. The initial dose is 0.5-1 mg / day with a gradual increase until a positive trend is achieved.

When choosing a drug for the treatment of a child with tics, the most convenient form of release for dosing should be considered. Optimum for titration and subsequent treatment in childhood are drip forms (haloperidol, risperidone), which allow you to most accurately select the maintenance dose and avoid unjustified drug overdose, which is especially important during long courses of treatment. Preference is also given to drugs with a relatively low risk of side effects (risperidone, tiapride).

Metoclopramide (Reglan, Cerucal) is a specific blocker of dopamine and serotonin receptors in the trigger zone of the brainstem. With Tourette's syndrome in children, it is used at a dose of 5-10 mg per day (1/2-1 tablet), in 2-3 doses. Side effects - extrapyramidal disorders, manifested when the dose is exceeded 0.5 mg / kg / day.

In recent years, valproic acid preparations have been used to treat hyperkinesis. The main mechanism of action of valproates is to enhance the synthesis and release of γ-aminobutyric acid, which is an inhibitory mediator of the central nervous system. Valproates are the drugs of first choice in the treatment of epilepsy, however, their thymoleptic effect is of interest, which manifests itself in a decrease in hyperactivity, aggressiveness, irritability, as well as a positive effect on the severity of hyperkinesis. The therapeutic dose recommended for the treatment of hyperkinesis is significantly lower than for the treatment of epilepsy and is 20 mg/kg/day. Side effects include drowsiness, weight gain, and hair loss.

When hyperkinesis is combined with obsessive-compulsive disorder, antidepressants - clomipramine, fluoxetine - have a positive effect.

Clomipramine (Anafranil, Clominal, Clofranil) is a tricyclic antidepressant, the mechanism of action is inhibition of the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin. The recommended dose in children with tics is 3 mg/kg/day. Side effects include transient visual disturbances, dry mouth, nausea, urinary retention, headache, dizziness, insomnia, irritability, extrapyramidal disorders.

Fluoxetine (Prozac) is an antidepressant drug, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor with low activity in relation to the norepinephrine and dopaminergic systems of the brain. In children with Tourette's syndrome, it eliminates anxiety, anxiety, and fear well. The initial dose in childhood is 5 mg / day 1 time per day, the effective dose is 10-20 mg / day 1 time in the morning. Tolerability of the drug is generally good, side effects are relatively rare. Among them, the most significant are anxiety, sleep disorders, asthenic syndrome, sweating, weight loss. The drug is also effective in combination with pimozide.

Literature
  1. Zavadenko N. N. Hyperactivity and attention deficit in childhood. Moscow: ACADEMA, 2005.
  2. Mash E, Wolf D. Child mental disorder. St. Petersburg: Prime EUROZNAK; M.: OLMA PRESS, 2003.
  3. Omelyanenko A., Evtushenko O. S., Kutyakova and others // International neurological journal. Donetsk. 2006. No. 3(7). pp. 81-82.
  4. Petrukhin A.S. Neurology of childhood. M.: Medicine, 2004.
  5. Fenichel J.M. Pediatric neurology. Fundamentals of clinical diagnosis. M.: Medicine, 2004.
  6. L. Bradley, Schlaggar, Jonathan W. Mink. Movement // Disorders in Children Pediatrics in Review. 2003; 24(2).

N. Yu. Suvorinova, Candidate of Medical Sciences
RSMU, Moscow

Violent movements, called tics, are a type of hyperkinesis. The appearance of a nervous tic in a child can alarm many parents. Involuntary mimic contractions or twitches of arms, legs and shoulders cause real panic in suspicious mothers. Others do not pay due attention to the problem for a long time, considering this phenomenon to be temporary.

In fact, in order to understand whether a nervous tic in children goes away on its own or requires treatment, you need to know the causes of its occurrence, as well as determine the type. Only on the basis of this can one understand the need for medical intervention.

Nervous tics in children, depending on the causes of occurrence, are divided into 2 types: primary and secondary. By type of manifestation, they are motor and vocal. The first type is familiar to many people firsthand.

These include normally coordinated, short-term, repeatedly repeated actions:

  • extension or flexion of the fingers;
  • frowning or raising the eyebrows;
  • grimacing, wrinkling of the nose;
  • movement of arms, legs, head or shoulders;
  • twitching or biting the lips;
  • twitching or blinking of the eyes;
  • expansion of the nostrils or twitching of the cheeks.

The most common are various facial tics, especially eye movements. Motor hyperkinesis of large parts of the body occurs much less frequently, although they are immediately noticeable, as are vivid voice actions. Involuntary mild vocal manifestations go unnoticed for a long time. Parents consider them pampering and scold children, not understanding the reason for inappropriately made sounds.

  • snorting, hissing;
  • sniffing, sniffling;
  • rhythmic coughing;
  • various repetitive sounds.

In addition to division on the basis of manifestation and the primacy of the causes of occurrence, nervous tics have two more classifications:

  1. According to the severity - local, multiple, generalized.
  2. By duration - transient, up to 1 year, and chronic.

The degree of manifestation and duration often depend on the manifestation factors. The causes of occurrence are different, and some of them threaten the life of the child.

The reasons

Adults do not always pay due attention to the appearance of a tick in a child, attributing its occurrence to fatigue or excessive emotionality. This may be true only for mild primary hyperkinesis.

Primary tics are often caused by seemingly minor situations and do not always need medical attention. The causes of secondary hyperkinesis are very serious and require an urgent response.

Primary ticks

Tics of this type are not associated with other diseases and occur due to specific psychological or physiological factors. They directly indicate a disorder of the nervous system and in some cases can be eliminated without specific treatment.

Psychological

Often, parents can notice the appearance of a tick in a child at 3 years old. With a high degree of probability, its appearance at this age indicates the primacy of the disease. Children are experiencing a psychological crisis of independence called "I myself!", Which puts a strain on the psyche. It is age-related crises in children that are often provocateurs of tics.

Parents take note! The most frequent appearance of a tick in a child of 7-8 years old falls on September 1. New responsibilities and acquaintances can overload the fragile psyche of first-graders, causing subsequent tic hyperkinesis. Schoolchildren moving into the 5th grade are exposed to similar stress, which contributes to the appearance of primary tics in children 10-11 years old.

In addition to the crises of growing up, there are other psychological reasons:

  1. Emotional shock - fear, quarrel, death of loved ones or a pet.
  2. Features of education - excessive severity of parents, excessive demands.
  3. Psychological situation - attention deficit, conflicts at home, in kindergarten or school.

Physiological

At the heart of the appearance of such causes there is a direct connection with the biochemical processes in the body. Some of them can also be easily eliminated by treating them without medical help. Others cannot be eliminated without the simultaneous creation of a favorable psychological environment in the family and environment. This species includes a hereditary predisposition associated with the transfer of genes responsible for the increased activity of the extrapyramidal system.

Attention! The presence of hyperkinesis in one or both parents increases the likelihood of their occurrence in a child by 50%. It is important for such children to ensure proper nutrition and peace in the family. It is also desirable to observe the daily routine and minimize stressful situations.

Other physiological factors may also have an illusory hereditary influence. These are family habits that negatively affect the psyche of the child. They are associated with lifestyle, nutrition, drinking regimen and poor hygiene.

Hyperkinesis can occur for the following reasons:

  1. Deficiency in diet of calcium and magnesium.
  2. An excess of psychostimulating drinks - tea, coffee, energy drinks.
  3. Incorrect daily routine and lack of sleep.
  4. Insufficient level of lighting in the evening.
  5. Physical overwork or prolonged stress from computer games.

Secondary tics

Not all parents know what to do if a child has a nervous tic, they attribute all types of hyperkinesis to nerves and are unaware of the possible consequences. In the case of secondary tics, neglect can be dangerous. They develop under the influence of various diseases of the nervous system or aggressive influence on it.

They can pass on their own only in 2 cases - if they arose under the influence of medications or as a result of minor carbon monoxide intoxication. In other cases, it is required to eliminate the original disease, although sometimes this is not possible.

The reasons for the appearance may be:

  1. , cytomegalovirus.
  2. Trigeminal neuralgia.
  3. Congenital or received traumatic brain injury.
  4. Encephalitis and streptococcal infections.
  5. Acquired and genetic diseases of the nervous system.

In primary and secondary nervous tics, the symptoms are quite similar. Therefore, it is difficult to suspect serious diseases without other concomitant manifestations or a specific diagnosis.

Symptoms

Any attentive parent will notice the signs of a nervous tic. Muscle twitching in the area of ​​increased innervation or a constantly emitted sound, especially appearing when the child is agitated, are the only symptoms.

Interesting! If a child simply blinks his eyes often, then this does not always mean that he has motor hyperkinesis. The tic always repeats at regular intervals, it has a specific rhythm. Simple blinking is irregular, but can be excessively frequent due to eye fatigue or too dry indoor air.

The combination of visual and vocal manifestations, as well as multiple motor hyperkinesis, require more attention from parents. With such symptoms, it is better to visit a neurologist and undergo additional diagnostics. The presence of a local or multiple tic in combination with a high temperature or lethargy of the child requires urgent medical attention.

Diagnostics

A single occurrence of short-term hyperkinesis should not be ignored, but should not cause panic among parents. For an additional examination, you need to consult a doctor if the child has multiple hyperkinesias or local tics that regularly appear throughout the month.

The doctor will evaluate sensory and motor functions, check for hyperreflexia. Parents should be prepared to answer questions about recent traumatic experiences, the child's diet, medications, and daily routine. Based on the results of the examination, it is possible to prescribe such tests and examinations:

  1. General blood analysis;
  2. Analyzes for helminths;
  3. Tomography;
  4. Ionography;
  5. Encephalography;
  6. Consultation with a psychologist.

Even before going to the doctor, parents can learn how to treat a nervous tic in a child. Timely started non-drug treatment in some cases allows you to do without medical help.

Treatment

It is often enough to eliminate the factors that cause them to treat primary tics. In addition to this, you can use physiological and folk methods that contribute to the rapid restoration of the nervous system. Secondary hyperkinesias require specialized treatment or cannot be eliminated at all.

Folk ways

Actual folk remedies will be various sedative infusions and decoctions. They can be used instead of drinking or given separately.

Can be used:

  • chamomile tea;
  • drink from hawthorn fruits;
  • infusion of anise seeds;
  • decoction of meadowsweet with honey;
  • collection with valerian, motherwort or mint.

If a child is calm about herbal teas, then it is better to replace all stimulating drinks with them, offering to quench their thirst with decoctions or natural lemonade with honey and mint. The exclusion of ordinary tea and coffee in combination with sedative infusions can quickly reduce the load on the nervous system.

Worth knowing! Timely treatment with folk remedies for psychological tics can be very effective. Hyperkinesis due to malnutrition or secondary tics cannot be overcome with sedative preparations and other folk methods.

You can also apply a warm compress of fresh geranium leaves 1-2 times a day. They need to be crushed and applied to the place of increased innervation for one hour, covered with a scarf or scarf. This method should not be used for more than 7 days.

Alternative treatment

Unusual methods of treatment or special Chinese techniques may seem ineffective only at first glance. Relaxing procedures aimed at calming the nervous system are acceptable to relieve stress.

These include:

  • massage;
  • acupuncture;
  • electrosleep;
  • aromatherapy;
  • water treatments.

A visit to the bathhouse, swimming in the pool and a relaxing massage can relieve tension in and of themselves. Electrosleep and aromatherapy have not only a calming effect, but also subsequently contribute to an increase in resistance to nervous strain.

Nervous tic of the eye can be eliminated by acupressure. You need to find a small hole on the superciliary arch, located closer to the center and press it with your finger, holding it for 10 seconds. After that, repeat the procedure at the outer and outer edge of the eye, pressing on the orbit, and not on the soft tissues.

Medical

Treatment with the use of drugs is associated with the causes of occurrence. Secondary tics are treated only after overcoming the disease that caused them or together with it, and primary ones according to the examination.

The list of medicines is wide (only a doctor can prescribe):

  • sedatives - Novopassit, Tenoten;
  • antipsychotropic - Sonapax, Haloperidol;
  • nootropic - Piracetam, Phenibut, Cinnarizine;
  • tranquilizers - Diazepam, Sibazol, Seduxen;
  • mineral preparations - Calcium glucanate, Calcium D3.

It sometimes takes a long time to cure a nervous tic in a child. It is much easier to provide prophylaxis in advance, this is especially true for primary tics.

Prevention

The most effective measures to prevent nervous tics in children are healthy relationships in the family, proper nutrition, adherence to the daily routine and adequate exercise.

It is worth spending more time outdoors, be sure to play sports and teach your child to splash out negative emotions correctly, as well as reduce the amount of time spent playing video games. Timely treatment of helminthic invasions also helps to prevent the appearance of nervous tics.

It is important to remember that it can be a nervous tic and requires a timely response. Eye hyperkinesias in children are very common and in most cases are easily eliminated immediately after the onset.

Parents should be aware of age-related crises and educate their children in the right attitude to changing circumstances. Multiple or prolonged tics, especially in combination with other symptoms, require additional examination and should not be ignored.

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