The child has nervous breakdowns and tics. Nervous breakdowns in children - what should you do? Shvedovsky Evgeny Feliksovich answers

Children are more or less unpredictable even for their parents. Sometimes it seems that the baby is simply uncontrollable and hysterical. However, what was the impetus for this - a disease of the child's central nervous system, psycho-emotional disorders, or just a desire to manipulate?

Illness or personality traits?

If a child is very nervous, then this can affect the quality of life of both himself and those around him. This term usually means tearfulness, excitability, sleep problems, disobedience, irritability, hysteria. It is very difficult to make contact with nervous children, since such a baby reacts to any remark or suggestion with violent tantrums and protests. shows that most of the problems lie in the wrong education in early childhood.

Naughty and nervous children are such intertwined concepts that sometimes it can be difficult to understand the essence of the problem without the help of qualified specialists. Some of the most common causes of disobedience in children include:

Only in last place are disorders of the child's nervous system.

Children's neuroses

The psyche of a small child is very fragile and subject to influence from outside. Against the background of numerous prohibitions, stressful situations and lack of attention, neuroses can form. This is a neuropsychiatric disorder, which is characterized by the appearance of unusual psychosomatic and behavioral symptoms. Often nervous children are precisely because of the occurrence of neuroses.

The peak of the development of the pathological condition is considered to be the age of 5-6 years, when the child begins to behave inappropriately. In some cases, neuroses appear as early as 2-3 years of age.

Causes of neuroses

Psychologists distinguish such prerequisites for the development of a pathological condition:

Also, a nervous child of 2 or more years old can become due to the death of one of the relatives, getting into a car accident.

Symptoms of a mental disorder

The first signs of disorders in the work of the nervous system of the child can be considered the following manifestations:

Attentive parents will definitely notice some changes in the behavior of the baby. It can be excessive aggressiveness both towards other children and adults, irritability, hyperexcitability. All these manifestations give rise to an appeal to doctors, since letting the situation take its course can result in negative consequences in the future for both parents and the child.

Treatment of neuroses

Therapy for a pathological condition of the nervous system is selected in a complex manner. It is important to undergo a full examination with a psychologist, neurologist and other related specialists. To date, there are such methods of treatment of neuroses:

Psychotherapy is aimed at solving social problems that could cause neurosis. Sessions can take place both with parents and with the child alone. The psychotherapist uses the following techniques for treatment: individual treatment, family session, art therapy, the use of hypnosis, group sessions with children to improve their socialization.
Drug therapy includes phytopreparations with a calming effect, vitamin complexes, antidepressants, tranquilizers, nootropic drugs. Treatment is selected on the basis of the established severity of the course of the pathological process.
Folk remedies that are designed to calm the child's nervous system - infusions of valerian, lemon balm, motherwort.

As an additional therapy, communication with animals - dolphins, horses, dogs can be used.

Nervous tics

Unfortunately, psychological problems do not end with neuroses. Doctors note that every nervous child from 3 to 18 years old can be nervous because of tics. There is evidence that almost one in five children experienced similar phenomena. For convenience, experts have divided the types of nervous tics into 3 groups:

According to the severity, there are local (one group of muscles is involved) and mixed (nervous tics of several types at once).

Causes of nervous tics

Specialists distinguish between primary and secondary pathological conditions. The first group is associated with such factors:

deficiency in the body of such important trace elements as magnesium and calcium;
emotional upheavals - stressful situations, severe punishments from parents, fear, lack of love and affection;
stress on the central nervous system that occurs due to the use of large amounts of tea, coffee, energy drinks. Most often, adolescents from 12 to 18 years old suffer from this;
overwork on the background of large training loads, prolonged use of a computer, watching TV;
unfavorable heredity.

Secondary nervous tics can develop against the background of serious diseases, such as:

Tourette's syndrome;
encephalitis;
craniocerebral injuries of both closed (concussion) and open types;
a brain tumor;
congenital diseases of the nervous system.

Most often, nervous tics appear during the period of wakefulness of the child, while sleep can be called relatively calm.

Therapy for nervous tics

The condition requires medical attention in the following cases:

nervous tic did not go away on its own within a month;
pathology causes the baby any inconvenience;
severe severity of symptoms or a combination of several varieties of tics.

In most cases, it is easy to treat if their causes were associated with psychosomatics. In more severe cases, the problem may remain forever.

Therapy for a nervous tic of a psychological type is prescribed similar to the treatment of neuroses. It is necessary to choose a complex of soothing medications, as well as conduct several sessions with a qualified psychotherapist. In some cases, alternative treatment is sufficient in the form of soothing tinctures of valerian, lemon balm, motherwort or aromatherapy through baths with essential oils of lavender, mint.

Treatment of secondary tics caused by injuries or diseases should be started only under the supervision of a doctor who will reveal the true diagnosis and prescribe competent therapy.

Rules of conduct for parents

Nervous children are most often precisely the fault of their own mothers and fathers. Psychologists advise that in order to get rid of problems, it is necessary not only to show the baby to a specialist, but also to reconsider your own behavior model:

In addition, it is important not to show your own negative emotions in front of children, as babies can adopt this behavior.

Daily routine and nutrition

A nervous child aged 3 or more should have a special daily rhythm. Psychologists give several important recommendations on this matter:

in classes that require mental activity, it is necessary to take breaks for 15 minutes every 20 minutes;
nutrition should be as balanced as possible to compensate for the lack of vitamins and trace elements;
drinks such as cocoa, coffee, strong tea should be excluded from the diet - they excite the nervous system.

It is necessary to devote a lot of time to physiotherapy, such as hardening. However, this should be done under the supervision of a pediatrician.

Age features

Treatment of a nervous child is not always necessary, as these may be developmental features:

Parents should "grow up" with their own child, take into account his characteristics and communicate with him on an equal footing from childhood. This is the only way to maintain trust and peace in the family.

A nervous child a year or later can bring a lot of trouble, so sometimes it is easier to prevent the development of mental disorders than to treat them. Psychologists give several recommendations about this:

regardless of the situation, it is necessary to remain calm, since the nervousness of the mother is transmitted to the child, especially for young children;
it is important to teach a son or daughter to apologize for misconduct, but it is just as important to ask for forgiveness from a baby;
to raise calm offspring, you need to be patient;
you need to set a positive example with your own actions;
do not put the interests of the child above all else;
It is important to give your child the right to choose.

In addition, children of any age are in dire need of the care and love of their parents.

Conclusion

The nervousness of children is most often associated with errors in their upbringing or external factors. Such situations can be easily corrected only by adjusting your own behavior towards the baby. However, if serious mental pathologies are identified, their treatment should not be ignored, as this can turn into serious problems in the future.

It is generally accepted that nervous breakdowns are a negative phenomenon and cause anxiety for the state of the nervous system. Neurosis in children causes even more anxiety in their parents, because it is hard to imagine what the next tantrum of a child will actually turn into. Partly, a nervous breakdown also has its positive aspects: there is a release of negative emotions that have accumulated for a long time, and psychological relief occurs.

A nervous breakdown in a child resembles crying in its effect - when a person cries, he splashes out all the experiences and accumulated resentments, after which he becomes easier and calmer. This is a kind of way out of a stressful situation.

The nervous system of children is very unstable and is formed for quite a long time, so babies usually endure stress and anxiety more difficult than adults. Nervous breakdowns in them can occur quite often and manifest themselves in the form of crying, tantrums.

The symptoms of neurosis in children are almost the same as in adults: a sharp change in mood, irritability, and a difficult psychological state.

Signs of the development of neurosis in a child are:

- constant feeling of fatigue and weakness;

- vulnerability and sensitivity - the child thinks that he is being treated badly, that those around him are harming him;

- touchiness and tearfulness;

- irritability - any request or advice from others causes aggression or resentment;

- the child's sleep pattern is disturbed, there are problems with digestion.

If you notice that the child has one of these symptoms, and after crying or a surge of emotions, he feels better, then you should not panic. But if your child regularly has nervous breakdowns, is this an occasion to think about the reasons for this and analyze whether you are doing everything right?

The main reasons for the development of neurosis in children are the mistakes in education that their parents make. It often happens that it is conflicts in the family that provoke nervous breakdowns in children. If you do not pay due attention to the problem in time, then later it can develop into serious psychological or even mental illness.

Neurosis does not arise by itself. It is always the result of stress, a difficult psychological situation, fear, when a child is forced to do something by force. Constant pressure from parents, too strict attitude of adults can provoke constant psychological stress. The lack of a parenting strategy and unity, when one allows everything, and the other forbids it, “knocks down the landmarks” of the child, and in one way or another he will not live up to the expectations of one of the parents.

Fright of the baby or lack of support from parents in a difficult situation can provoke a nervous breakdown.

As a treatment, patients are first advised to consult a psychologist. Many parents are hesitant to take their child to a specialist, afraid to admit that there is a problem. Such a position can only harm the child and aggravate the condition. There is nothing wrong with the fact that the doctor will help you and your baby understand the causes of a nervous breakdown and tell you how to behave so that the situation does not happen again. Sometimes a child may need the help of a psychotherapist.

Nervous disorders in children in the modern world occur more and more often. This is due to various factors: the heavy workload that children receive in educational institutions, the lack of relationship with parents who are busy at work, the high standards set by society. It is important to recognize the warning signs in time and start working with the child. Otherwise, it can lead to serious mental problems in the future.

Nervous diseases can manifest at any age, but the increased risk occurs during periods of age-related crises:

3-4 years;
6-7 years;
13-18 years old.

At a younger age, the child is not always able to tell what worries him. During this period, parents should be alerted by such uncharacteristic signs as:

Frequent whims and a state of irritability;
Fast fatiguability;
Increased emotionality and vulnerability;
Stubbornness and protests;
Feeling of constant tension and discomfort;
Closure.

The child may begin to experience speech difficulties, even if he had a good vocabulary before this time. He may also begin to show interest in a certain direction: play with only one toy, read only one book, draw the same figures. Moreover, his games become a real reality for him, so parents can notice how much the child is passionate about at this time. He can fantasize a lot and really believe in his fantasies. With such symptoms, it is recommended to undergo a psychological diagnosis with a child psychologist, it will be especially important to do this a year before school.

When a child attends school, he may additionally show signs such as:

Decreased appetite;
Sleep disturbance;
dizziness;
Frequent fatigue.

It is difficult for a child to concentrate and carry out mental activity to the fullest.

Symptoms of a nervous breakdown in adolescent children are the most serious. An unstable psyche during this period leads to the fact that they may experience:

Impulsiveness. Even little things can piss them off;
Feeling of constant anxiety and fear;
Fear of surrounding people;
Self-hatred. It is not uncommon for teenagers to dislike their own appearance;
Frequent insomnia;
hallucinations.

Of the physiological manifestations, severe headaches, disturbed pressure, signs of asthma, and so on can be noted. The worst thing is that in the absence of timely treatment, a disturbed psyche can cause suicidal thoughts.

Neuropsychiatric disorders in children can have various roots. In some cases, there is a genetic predisposition to this, but not always.

Disorder can be provoked by:

Diseases of the child, leading to dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system;
Diseases of the child that affect the brain;
Maternal illnesses during pregnancy;
The emotional state of the mother during pregnancy;
Problems in the family: conflicts between parents, divorce;
Too much demands on the child in the process of education.

The last reason may seem controversial, because education is an integral part of the formation of a child. In this case, it is important that the requirements of the parents are adequate and implemented in moderation. When parents ask too much from a child, try to find in him a reflection of their unrealized potential and, moreover, put pressure on him, setting too high standards, the result only gets worse. The baby experiences depression, which directly leads to the development of disorders in the nervous system.

A very important factor that can cause mental problems in a child is the discrepancy between the emotional temperament of him and his mother. This can be expressed both in a lack of attention and in its overabundance. Sometimes a woman may note the absence of an emotional connection with a child, she takes all the necessary steps to care for him: feeds, bathes, puts him to bed, but does not want to hug him or smile at him once again. But the excessive guardianship of parents in relation to the child is not the best option, it also carries the risk of forming an unstable neuropsychic state of the child.

The presence of a phobia can also tell parents about possible problems in the child's neuropsychiatric state.

Types of neurosis in childhood

Neurosis in a child, as in an adult, is divided into several types depending on the symptoms present. Nervous system disorders in children can take the following forms:

Nervous tic. It occurs quite often and is expressed in the form of involuntary movements of body parts: cheeks, eyelid, shoulder, hand. The child cannot control them, while they occur during the period of his exciting or stressful state. Nervous tick disappears when the child is very passionate about something;
Stuttering. A small patient begins to experience difficulty with speech due to spasms of the muscles responsible for this activity. Stuttering is especially intensified during a period of excitement or in the presence of an external stimulus;
Asthenic neurosis. The reason for this type of disease is a large amount of stress that falls on the psyche of the child. As a result, he may suffer from frequent and abrupt mood swings, increased irritability and moodiness, lack of appetite and feelings of nausea;
Obsessive neurosis. It can be expressed both in constantly arising thoughts of an alarming or frightening nature, and in frequently repeated movements. The child can shake, turn his head, move his arms, scratch his head.
Anxiety neurosis. Children only get to know the world around them, so some things can scare them, sometimes developing a real phobia in them. Most often, fears are in the dark, loud sounds, heights, strangers;
Sleep neurosis. The child has difficulty falling asleep and often suffers from nightmares. All this leads to the fact that the baby does not get enough sleep and constantly feels tired;
Hysteria. It occurs against the backdrop of any emotional experience. The child cannot cope with his feelings and tries to attract the attention of others by crying loudly, lying on the floor, scattering objects;
Enuresis. In this case, neurosis is expressed in urinary incontinence. But it is important to take into account that this phenomenon, before the child reaches 4-5 years of age, may not be informative in the diagnosis of mental disorders;
Eating behavior. Children often express increased selectivity in eating. But if this sign appeared unexpectedly, then you should pay attention to it. Perhaps he was preceded by a violation in the psyche of the child. Excessive food intake can also indicate not only the risk of excess weight, but also the presence of neurosis;
Nervous allergy. It is characterized by the fact that it is very difficult to determine the source of the reaction of the body.

Depending on the condition of the child, he may experience signs of several types of neurosis at once, for example, sleep disturbance and obsessive thoughts.

Who to contact

When signs of psychological and nervous disorders appear in a child, parents should seek help from a doctor. First of all, it is worth visiting a neurologist. It is he who will be able to determine what the reason lies in the changed behavior of the child and whether there is a need for drug therapy.

The next step is to visit a psychotherapist. In some cases, parents will also need to consult, because it is not uncommon for children's neuralgic disorders to become tense relationships between them. In this case, a family psychologist who will work with all family members at the same time can help deal with the problem.

Treatment

Treatment in each case is selected individually. It may include measures of one or several directions at once: taking medications, psychological assistance, additional procedures.

Preparations

Children are not always treated with drug therapy. The doctor must, based on the results of the diagnosis, determine the need for medicines. If the child really needs them, then the reception can be shown to him:

sedatives. Most of them are of plant origin, so they do not harm the child's body. Their action is to reduce the emotional stress of the child. They also contribute to the normalization of sleep;
Drugs that improve blood circulation in the brain. Such drugs favorably affect the condition of the vessels, expanding and providing their nutrition;
Antipsychotic medications. Necessary to rid the child of obsessive fears and increased anxiety;
Tranquilizers. They also belong to the group of sedative drugs, but have a more pronounced effect. Eliminate emotional tension, have a relaxing effect. Sleep, as a rule, becomes deeper and stronger;
calcium complexes. They make up for the lack of this element in the child's body, which has a positive effect on the state of his nervous system and brain function.

What kind of drug the child needs, and in what dosage, is determined only by the attending physician. Otherwise, the condition may be worsened by the side effects of the medication.

Family Psychotherapy

A visit to a child psychologist forms the basis of the treatment of most nervous disorders in a child. At the reception, the specialist tries to find out from the patient what exactly worries him, scares or makes him nervous. In this case, the psychologist must establish the most trusting contact with the child. If necessary, work is also carried out with parents.

In addition to working with the inner world of the child, it is important to create conditions for his life. He should have a normalized daily routine, good sleep for at least 8 hours a day, a healthy diet, as well as a balanced amount of work and rest.

ethnoscience

All folk remedies aimed at eliminating signs of a nervous breakdown in a child consist in taking herbal remedies that have a sedative effect. The most popular methods are:

Motherwort tincture. Dry grass is brewed with boiling water and filtered through gauze. Take this remedy 1-2 teaspoon 3 times a day. Not recommended for children under 7;
Valerian tincture. In this case, the crushed root of the plant is poured with boiling water. Strained means drink 1 teaspoon 3-4 times a day;
Chamomile decoction. Dry flowers are brewed with boiling water, and then infused for 3 hours. This decoction can be drunk even for babies. In the presence of neurological disorders, the child is recommended to drink up to 150 ml per day.

It is important to pay attention to the fact that herbs can cause allergic reactions, so you should first make sure that your child does not tolerate them.

Prevention

Prevention of nervous disorders is important not only for children who have already encountered this problem. Each parent should be aware that the child's psyche is not as developed as that of an adult, therefore, it is subject to various destabilizing factors.

In order to prevent the occurrence of neurological disorders in a child, it is important to observe the following measures:

Listen to his emotions. It is important not to miss the moment when he needs support or simple attention;
Assess the emotional potential of the child. A lot of attention is not always the best solution. Children should also have their own space;
Talk to him. Do not be afraid to tell your child about your feelings and thoughts. And, of course, it is important to teach him to give feedback;
Build trust. The child must know that the parents are always ready to listen to him and accept him, even if he has made a mistake;
To create conditions for the disclosure of its potential. If a child has a craving for drawing, then you should not forbid him to do this business, motivating him that, for example, sports are a more interesting activity.

In general, parents just have to learn to love and understand their child, no matter how old he is, 1 year old or 18. If this is difficult to do on your own, then you can seek help from psychological books, seminars or directly to specialists in this field.

How to prevent a nervous breakdown in a child? What are the symptoms? What parenting mistakes lead to a nervous breakdown in a child? About this and much more in this article.

Nervous breakdowns in children

Life constantly puts its "natural experiments" on us. From how strong our nervous system is, how much it is trained for various kinds of surprises, neuropsychic health depends. The most difficult thing in this regard is young children. The higher parts of their nervous system are still immature, are in the process of formation, the defense mechanisms of the brain are imperfect, so a breakdown can easily occur, a neurotic disorder can develop. Incorrect methods of upbringing, ignoring by parents the possibility of a nervous breakdown in a child with an overstrain of the irritable or inhibitory process or their mobility often lead to sad results.

Let's explain with concrete examples.

The child was frightened by the dog that rushed at him, he began to stutter. (There is an overstrain of the irritable process).
The mother forced her three-year-old daughter to eat, threatening with a belt. The girl could not stand semolina, but "restrained" herself, ate through force, fearing punishment. As a result of an overstrain of the inhibitory process, she developed anorexia - an aversion to food and nervous vomiting.
The family broke up. The husband began a lawsuit for the right to raise his son. The boy loved both his father and mother and did not want to part with either of his parents. And his father and mother alternately slandered him at each other, humiliated each other. As a result of an overstrain of the mobility of nervous processes, their collision, the child developed night fears.

Causes of a nervous breakdown in children

Mistakes in upbringing are one of the main causes of childhood nervous diseases. However, they are not necessarily the result of neglect or any malice. Far from it. In a number of cases, if not in the majority, they are committed because the parents do not know the mental, physiological, age characteristics characteristic of the child, and also because they do not always try to figure out the reasons for this or that action of the baby.

EXAMPLE:

Vova grew up as a very inquisitive boy. He asked so many questions during the day that one day his grandmother threatened him: "If you don't shut up right now, I'll call Baba Yaga, she'll drag you into the forest." - "And I'll run away!" - "You won't run away, she will enchant you, your legs will be taken away." At this time they called. "You see," said the grandmother and went to open the door. The postman entered the room, an old woman, gray-haired, all wrinkled. Vova immediately understood; baba yaga! He noticed with horror that the Baba Yaga was looking straight at him. “I don’t want to go to the forest!” the boy wanted to scream, but his voice was gone. He decided to run away to another room, but his legs did not work, "were taken away." Vova fell to the floor. They called an ambulance. The boy was admitted to the hospital. He could neither walk nor speak, he lay all the time with tightly closed eyes.

We have told you about only one rather personal case of adult misbehavior that led to a nervous breakdown. There are also intimidations of this order; “If you behave badly, aunt doctor will give you an injection,” or “I’ll give it to my uncle, a policeman,” or “If you don’t obey, the dog will drag you away” ... a doctor who comes to a sick child terrifies him. "Buka", which parents used to scare, comes to the baby at night in a dream, and he wakes up in the country, screams, cannot calm down for a long time. Fright as a result of intimidation often causes a stressful situation, becomes the cause of a neurotic reaction. In unprepared impressionable children (with weakened nervous processes), even the appearance of "mummers" at a children's matinee, the aggressiveness of a wild animal in a zoo, and an acute experience during the performance of aerialists in a circus can cause fright.

EXAMPLE:

Yura got to the New Year's party for the first time in his life. He liked everything about the party. With amazement, he looked at the huge Christmas tree in the middle of the hall, all in sparkles, toys, garlands, in multi-colored lights. Near the Christmas tree, Santa Claus led a round dance with the children. Yura, at first timid, grew bolder and went closer to the round dance. Cheerful lop-eared hares jumped around him, a red fox ran past. Suddenly, Yura noticed how a big brown bear came out from behind the Christmas tree, waddling from foot to foot, spreading its paws - "quite real." The bear went to Yura. Now he is already quite close, now he has already raised his paws over Yura. The boy noticed the terrible claws. And he screamed piercingly, rushed to the first door that came across. The door was locked. Then he hung on the handle, fell, began to beat his head and hands on the floor.

Of course, completely unforeseen circumstances can also cause fear, for example, a natural disaster - an earthquake, fire, thunderstorm, car accident. However, in addition to intimidation, incorrect or insufficient explanations of certain phenomena and situations are most often the cause of frightening the cause of the occurrence of an insurmountable stressful situation for the child. For example, a child is taken to the zoo. Why not explain to him that there are both good, kind animals and wild, scary ones. Then it is unlikely that an aggressive reaction, say, a tiger, will cause an unexpected fright in a child. And, of course, children are completely unprepared for the scandals of their parents, especially reaching rude insults and even fights. The ugly behavior of a drunken father is also an overpowering irritant.

Factors that cause a nervous breakdown in young children:

Acute sudden shock.
A long-acting psycho-traumatic situation, which gradually causes stress, leads to a collision and a nervous breakdown.

Such a traumatic factor can be both an unfavorable situation in the family, and different views of parents on education. For example, the father is overly strict, punishes for trifles, while the mother, on the contrary, is inferior to the child in everything. In addition, parents in the presence of the baby argue about the methods of education. The father cancels the decision of the mother, and the mother, secretly from the father, allows the child not to follow his instructions and orders. As a result, the child has a collision of nervous processes, and the feeling of security and confidence also disappears.

Prevention of nervous breakdowns in preschool children

With the wrong methods of upbringing, undesirable character traits and bad habits can form in children.

The task for the educators of kids is to instill in children the desire for good things and to form the qualities necessary for life in a team. But one should also, and this is very often forgotten, take care to grow up a mentally balanced person, with a strong nervous system, capable of overcoming difficulties.

Caring for the child's nervous system begins from the first days of his life. We will not talk about the importance of the regimen, rational nutrition, and the fulfillment of hygiene requirements. All this is more or less known to the parents. Less well known to them are the correct methods of education that help the formation of a healthy nervous system in a child.

Examples of life situations

Imagine a train compartment. A family is traveling - a mother, a father and a seven-year-old son. "Caring" parents constantly "educate" the boy: they reward him with slaps and slaps almost every time he moves and for a variety of reasons, and sometimes for no reason. It is impossible to predict what he will receive the next slap on the back of the head for.

The boy, apparently, was accustomed to such treatment, he did not cry, but seemed completely wild, he was excited, fussy. Every now and then he broke loose and began to rush along the corridor, pushing passengers aside, grabbed and touched what was not allowed, once he almost opened the stopcock. For all this he received a corresponding bribe. But he was pulled back even when he did not do anything illegal.

As it turned out, the boy was not stupid at all: he showed natural curiosity at his age. And yet before this is clearly a sick child.

And here is another example: three-year-old Misha, seeing how other children do it, fell to the floor and began to beat with his feet when his mother refused to fulfill his desire. The mother stood and calmly looked at her son. But Misha did not stop the roar, and this is very harmful for the nervous system.

Then my mother said:

Misha, you will stain your new suit. Take a newspaper, lay it down and then you can lie on it.

Misha stopped crying, got up, took the newspaper, spread it out, and while he was doing this, he already forgot why he had to kick and shout; laying still, he stood up. Since then, every time he began to act up, Misha was reminded that before lying on the floor, he had to spread a newspaper. And while he was doing this, he was already calming down, and there was no need to go to bed.

We gave these two examples only for comparison: in the first case, the “pedagogical methods” of the parents led to a nervous illness of the child, in the second, the mother’s calm and even attitude, her upbringing methods, thought out taking into account the individual characteristics of precisely her neat Mishenka, prevented the development of whims, nervousness.

Let's go back to the first example. What exactly brought the child into a state of nervous excitement? The conflicting demands of the parents, i.e., in the language of physiologists, "a collision of nervous processes": the boy received a definite order from one of the parents and immediately the opposite demand from the other.

The randomness of orders caused the same chaotic state in his nervous system. Incessant pain stimuli also undoubtedly had a harmful effect on his nervous system.

Let us add to these convincing words the fact that fear and pain upset the nervous system.

The well-known psychiatrist S. S. Korsakov wrote that age determines the instability and vulnerability of the nervous system, which is special for each period of life, as a result of which painful phenomena are caused by causes that are especially strong at this particular age.

Preschool age has peculiar features that leave an imprint on the neurotic manifestations of the child.

A characteristic feature is the predominance of feelings over reason. This makes the child especially vulnerable and susceptible to nervous shocks. From the point of view of adults, the causes of these upheavals sometimes seem insignificant, but they seem completely different to the child. Children are not yet able to fully comprehend the impressions received and evaluate them reasonably. Hence the so-called childhood fears that are so common in children, sometimes turning into a state of neurosis. Children are afraid of everything unknown and incomprehensible.

Children suffer when they cannot comprehend the situation in which they have to live. For example, they cannot resolve family conflicts and judge who is right and who is wrong in family quarrels. Children find themselves in a tangle of conflicting experiences, and the power of these experiences is sharper in them than in adults.

Very often you can hear from adults: "He is still small, he does not understand anything." This idea of the little ones, as it were, frees parents from responsibility for their behavior. Adults forget that this “misunderstanding” is what children can suffer from. Adults rarely think about the irreparable harm they do to children by making them participants in their quarrels. The atmosphere of hostility in which a child has to live can become the cause of his nervous state.

A feature of preschool age is the close connection of the psyche with the physical state. We could say the same about adults, but in children this connection is even more direct.

Appearances of nervousness are most often found in physically weakened children. And during childhood, a large number of infectious diseases fall, which are fertile ground for the emergence of nervous conditions.

In the case histories of nervous children, we also find references to various factors that adversely affect the nervous system. Adverse factors can be prenatal - unsuccessful mother's pregnancy, trauma during childbirth, postpartum - infections, head bruises, etc. Each of these hazards can cause an independent, sometimes serious illness, but most often it weakens the child's nervous system. Children with a weak nervous system do not adapt well to the environment, they are not able to overcome difficulties that are easily overcome by healthy ones. It is children with a weakened nervous system who most often develop neuroses.

Usually, in children of preschool and school age, with neurosis, the function of one or another internal organ is upset, and most often the one that was weakened earlier. So, nervous vomiting, disorder of the digestive organs, loss of appetite come after suffering dysentery or dyspepsia. Those functions that have not yet become stronger are also upset: enuresis (urinary incontinence) or speech disorder appears; usually stuttering or loss of speech (which happens with severe shocks) occurs in children with a delay in the development of speech or with any other defects in it.

Prevention of nervous breakdowns in school-age children

In older preschoolers and younger schoolchildren, other symptoms of nervousness appear, for example: movement disorders are frequent - tics, obsessive movements.

The various symptoms of nervousness are never isolated. In neurotic states, the whole appearance of the child changes. He becomes lethargic and inactive, or, on the contrary, too mobile and fussy, loses control over his behavior.

In such children, working capacity decreases, attention worsens. If the cause of the nervous condition is not eliminated, then the character of the child changes. He may remain in the future the same lethargic and lack of initiative or excitable and undisciplined.

Nervous children more easily succumb to bad influences, since they are not capable of nervous tension, they cannot resist their own impulses. However, one should not draw too gloomy conclusions from what has been said. Examination of adults treated in childhood for various manifestations of nervousness shows us that most of them are healthy, study and work successfully.

Children's psyche is flexible and viable. Under favorable conditions, children get better.

Treating a nervously ill child is a rewarding task. Even when child psychiatrists have to deal with severe neuroses, it is sometimes possible to cure a child mainly by ordinary pedagogical methods, applicable even at home.

The main method of treatment of nervously ill children is psychotherapy. This method is used by both doctors and teachers, although the latter do not call it that. One of the methods of psychotherapy is a change of scenery, the elimination of the cause that caused the disease, the influx of new joyful impressions.

Along with this, another method of psychotherapy should be applied, which in the language of psychiatrists is called “speech”. By this is meant healing by the word. The authoritative word of the educator is of great importance in the treatment of nervously ill children.

One of the effective psychotherapeutic techniques is the so-called stimulation method. With this method, the goal is to awaken in the child the desire to recover. Our ultimate goal is for the child to apply his own efforts to recovery and thereby learn to overcome life's obstacles later on. When applying this method, the word of the educator is especially significant.

The victory over the disease is experienced even by the smallest children as a victory - they become more self-confident, more cheerful.

Tantrums in a child. Brief tantrums are sometimes helpful. Tantrums relieve internal tension, give vent to accumulated negative emotions. Therefore, perceive tantrums in a child as an age-related inevitability.

Tantrums in a child

Causes of tantrums in a child

Attracting attention to yourself. Hysteria is the right way to achieve this. Therefore, give your baby as much time as possible. Before the arrival of guests, try to entertain the child with some interesting game for him;
nervous breakdown. A nervous breakdown can occur if a child really wants to do or get something, but he is deprived of it. Or if a child is forced to do what he opposes with all his heart. Therefore, adults need to defend their position on very important issues; on trifles, you can give in to the child. Let the baby put on a T-shirt that he likes, take a toy that he has chosen for a walk;
hunger. Children may get irritated if they are hungry;
fatigue, overexcitement. Don't expect too much from your baby. Let him rest more often during the day - this will help relieve emotional stress.
confusion. Not allowed to do something, but not explained why. Or mom allows, and dad forbids;

What to do if the tantrum began?

Distract the baby. Lead to the window, look out into the street together. Suggest a walk.
If your baby is crying loudly, try "crying" with him. Gradually reduce the volume of your crying and switch to sniffing. The kid will most likely start copying you. Get drunk and calm down. Cuddle the baby.
If the baby made a roar in a crowded place, sometimes you should not rush to "evacuate". Let the baby let off steam, take his soul, then follow you.
Use distraction toys. Did the child frown and prepare for a tantrum? You can give him a drum or other strong musical instrument in his hands, let him break evil. And you can show some interesting little thing - to divert attention.

Prevention of nervous breakdowns and neuroses in children

The two main states of the cells of the cerebral cortex (an organ of mental activity) are excitation and inhibition. Due to the processes of excitation, those actions are performed that satisfy our needs and desires that have arisen under the influence of the environment or the reserves that we have, previous impressions - the so-called psychological attitudes.

Mechanisms of nervous breakdowns in children

Due to the processes of inhibition, the excessive activity of our actions is suppressed, the implementation of which would lead to an undesirable conflict with the environment, primarily the social environment.

If earlier it was believed that all mental activity is concentrated only in the cerebral cortex, then modern science testifies to the role of subcortical (located in the depths of the brain) formations. Their state largely determines the excitation and inhibition of cortical cells.

The state of the whole organism also affects the work of the cerebral cortex. Against the background of certain constitutional features of the organism, certain forms of neurotic reactions often develop. General diseases (infectious, endocrine, hematogenous, etc.), weakening the body as a whole and the nervous system inextricably linked with it, make it more vulnerable and increase the likelihood of neurosis in case of certain “psychological” hazards, which are the main cause neurosis.

I.P. Pavlov and his school found that a nervous breakdown (neurosis) occurs according to one of three physiological mechanisms:

when overloading excitation processes;
when overloading braking processes;
at their "collision", i.e. when excitation and inhibition collide at the same time.

Most often, a breakdown occurs by the mechanism of overloading the excitation processes. When parents bring a child with some kind of nervous influence (fears, insomnia, irritability, whims, stuttering, twitching, night terrors, etc.) to a psychoneurologist, in the vast majority of cases they confidently declare that the cause is mental damage child, first of all fright. At first glance, everything is clear. The child still has a weak nervous system, and a sharp frightening impression turned out to be too strong for her. From this follow recommendations: to create a protective, sparing, devoid of any harsh impressions for such a child.

However, if we think about the mechanism of the formation of a nervous breakdown and carefully look and analyze what is happening here, a completely different picture will suddenly open before us. As the leading domestic psychoneurologists have repeatedly emphasized, neurosis in adults never arises from the strength or nature of the stimulus, but only from its, as we say, “signal meaning”, i.e. neurosis is caused not by the visual, auditory, pain and other impressions themselves, but by what is connected with them in the mind of a given person, in his life experience. For example, the sight of a burning building can cause neurosis only if a person knows (or assumes) that someone dear to him and something valuable to him is dying in the fire.

The child does not have enough of his own life experience and judges the danger or safety of what is happening according to the reaction of adults, primarily parents and educators.

Examples:

The girl, already a schoolgirl, is terrified of mice, even in pictures. Otherwise, she is even a brave girl: she is not afraid of either dogs or cows. What's the matter? It turns out that when she was still going to kindergarten, during classes a mouse scurried in the corner and the teacher (the highest authority for the children) jumped up on the table with a screech, thereby reinforcing the unconscious perception that "there is no beast worse than a mouse."

A six-year-old boy, being in a circus at a performance with trained bears, saw a bear guiding him on a motorcycle, screamed wildly in fear and at first was completely speechless, and then stuttered for a long time. What's the matter? Why do thousands of children look with pleasure at trained bears, and he became neurotic? It turned out that when he was 2-3 years old, if he did not obey, his grandmother scared him that a bear would come, and thus the image of a bear heading towards him became a symbol of the most terrible danger.

It is interesting that in another case, a four-year-old girl, who at a circus performance was embraced by a bear escaping into the public, despite the really extreme danger, not only was not afraid, but later declared: “After all, this is a learned bear, he knows how to hug.”

There are many such examples.

Children are usually “braverer” than adults: they are not afraid to climb tall trees, make fires in the apartment, even stick their hand into the cage to the beast, and only instructions from adults, what threatens them, develops their fear of such actions.

Experience shows that children who developed a neurosis from some kind of “fright” had previously repeatedly experienced incomparably stronger shocks (bruises, burns, animal bites, punishments, etc.), causing them to cry for a short time, since they were not accompanied by appropriate warnings from adults about their danger. Even severe pain, neither in a child nor in an adult, will cause a neurosis if they know that it is safe (no one becomes neurotic from a toothache), but moderate discomfort can become the basis of a persistent neurosis if the experiencer believes that they are dangerous ( how often a constricting sensation in the region of the heart leads to severe cardioneurosis - an obsessive fear for one's heart.

Even in cases where a child has real grief caused by truly tragic events (for example, the death of his mother), affection and calm explanation can gradually console the child and prevent this grief from developing into a persistent neurosis.

The younger the child, the weaker the inhibitory processes are developed in his cortex and the easier they break down when they are overloaded. This happens if the child is shouted all the time: “You can’t!”, “Stop!”, “Don’t touch!”, “Sit still!”.

The child has the right to a joyful active life; he must play, and run, and even fool around. Give him more freedom and independence. It is possible and necessary to prohibit, as already mentioned, only what is absolutely unacceptable, but in this case it is necessary to prohibit firmly and unconditionally.

The disruption of the inhibitory process and the development of unrestraint are also facilitated by the frequent use of punishments associated with long-term imprisonment and mobility: put in a corner, deprived of walks, etc. Imprisonment, by overloading the inhibitory process, always increases aggressiveness. That is why a chain (planted on a chain) dog is synonymous with anger.

According to the mechanism of "collision" of excitation and inhibition, neurosis can occur when the same event or act has both positive and negative reinforcement. For example, a child feels tenderness for a newborn brother and at the same time hostility towards him because he diverts the mother's attention to himself; or at the same time feels love for the father who leaves the family, and hatred for him for this. However, more often such a breakdown occurs through the fault of the parents, when today the child is punished for what yesterday went unpunished; when one of the parents allows or even encourages what the other scolds for; when at home they indulge in what they charge for in kindergarten or school.

Whichever of these three mechanisms causes a nervous breakdown in a child, it becomes fixed and turns into a persistent neurosis if it begins to bring any real or moral benefits, as we have said above.

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.

Tatyana Markina, a psychologist and creator of the Step to Happiness psychological studio, tells how neuropsychiatric disorders can manifest themselves in children,

how to recognize psychological trauma

and what parents need to pay attention to.

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.

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.

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 can be treated, the main thing is not to start the situation.

See also: Psychologist: “The main feeling with which children talk about their parents is fear”

Causes of nervous breakdown in children

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.

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.

Preserving the Mental Health of Children: Essential Skills

Read literature, attend lectures and seminars on parenting, engage in your own development as a person.

Apply this knowledge in communication with the child. Feel free to ask for help and advice.

How to prevent a nervous breakdown in a child? What are the symptoms? What parenting mistakes lead to a nervous breakdown in a child? About this and much more in this article.

Nervous breakdowns in children

Life constantly puts its “natural experiments” on us. From how strong our nervous system is, how much it is trained for various kinds of surprises, neuropsychic health depends. The most difficult thing in this regard is young children. The higher parts of their nervous system are still immature, are in the process of formation, the defense mechanisms of the brain are imperfect, so a breakdown can easily occur, a neurotic disorder can develop. Incorrect methods of upbringing, ignoring by parents the possibility of a nervous breakdown in a child with an overstrain of the irritable or inhibitory process or their mobility often lead to sad results.

Let's explain with concrete examples.

The child was frightened by the dog that rushed at him, he began to stutter. (There is an overstrain of the irritable process).
The mother forced her three-year-old daughter to eat, threatening with a belt. The girl could not stand semolina, but "restrained" herself, ate through force, fearing punishment. As a result of an overstrain of the inhibitory process, she developed anorexia - an aversion to food and nervous vomiting.
The family broke up. The husband began a lawsuit for the right to raise his son. The boy loved both his father and mother and did not want to part with either of his parents. And his father and mother alternately slandered him at each other, humiliated each other. As a result of an overstrain of the mobility of nervous processes, their collision, the child developed night fears.

Causes of a nervous breakdown in children

EXAMPLE:

Vova grew up as a very inquisitive boy. He asked so many questions during the day that one day his grandmother threatened him: “If you don’t shut up right now, I’ll call the Baba Yaga, she will drag you into the forest.” - "And I'll run away! "-" You will not run away, she will bewitch you, your legs will be taken away. At this time they called. “You see,” said the grandmother and went to open the door. The postman entered the room, an old woman, gray-haired, all wrinkled. Vova immediately understood; baba yaga! He noticed with horror that the Baba Yaga was looking straight at him. “I don’t want to go to the forest! The boy wanted to scream, but his voice was gone. He decided to run away to another room, but his legs did not work, they "were taken away." Vova fell to the floor. They called an ambulance. The boy was admitted to the hospital. He could neither walk nor speak, he lay all the time with tightly closed eyes.

We have told you about only one rather personal case of adult misbehavior that led to a nervous breakdown. There are also intimidations of this order; “If you behave badly, aunt doctor will give you an injection”, or “I’ll give it to my uncle-policeman”, or “If you don’t obey, the dog will drag you away” ... And then the harmless, tail-wagging Sharik, who ran up to the baby, becomes a super-strong irritant, and the doctor, who comes to a sick child, causes him horror. "Buka", which parents used to scare, comes to the baby at night in a dream, and he wakes up in the country, screams, cannot calm down for a long time. Fright as a result of intimidation often causes a stressful situation, becomes the cause of a neurotic reaction. In unprepared impressionable children (with weakened nervous processes), even the appearance of “mummers” at a children's matinee, the aggressiveness of a wild animal in a zoo, and an acute experience during the performance of aerialists in a circus can cause fright.

EXAMPLE:

Factors that cause a nervous breakdown in young children:

Acute sudden shock.
A long-acting psycho-traumatic situation, which gradually causes stress, leads to a collision and a nervous breakdown.

Prevention of nervous breakdowns in preschool children

With the wrong methods of upbringing, undesirable character traits and bad habits can form in children.

Examples of life situations

As it turned out, the boy was not stupid at all: he showed natural curiosity at his age. And yet before this is clearly a sick child.

Then my mother said:

Misha, you will stain your new suit. Take a newspaper, lay it down and then you can lie on it.

The randomness of orders caused the same chaotic state in his nervous system. Incessant pain stimuli also undoubtedly had a harmful effect on his nervous system.

Let us add to these convincing words the fact that fear and pain upset the nervous system.

Preschool age has peculiar features that leave an imprint on the neurotic manifestations of the child.

A feature of preschool age is the close connection of the psyche with the physical state. We could say the same about adults, but in children this connection is even more direct.

Prevention of nervous breakdowns in school-age children

In older preschoolers and younger schoolchildren, other symptoms of nervousness appear, for example: movement disorders are frequent - tics, obsessive movements.

Children's psyche is flexible and viable. Under favorable conditions, children get better.

The victory over the disease is experienced even by the smallest children as a victory - they become more self-confident, more cheerful.

Tantrums in a child

Causes of tantrums in a child

Attracting attention to yourself. Hysteria is the right way to achieve this. Therefore, give your baby as much time as possible. Before the arrival of guests, try to entertain the child with some interesting game for him;
nervous breakdown. A nervous breakdown can occur if a child really wants to do or get something, but he is deprived of it. Or if a child is forced to do what he opposes with all his heart. Therefore, adults need to defend their position on very important issues; on trifles, you can give in to the child. Let the baby put on a T-shirt that he likes, take a toy that he has chosen for a walk;
hunger. Children may get irritated if they are hungry;
fatigue, overexcitement. Don't expect too much from your baby. Let him rest more often during the day - this will help relieve emotional stress.
confusion. Not allowed to do something, but not explained why. Or mom allows, and dad forbids;

What to do if the tantrum began?

Distract the baby. Lead to the window, look out into the street together. Suggest a walk.
If the baby is crying loudly, try to "cry" with him. Gradually reduce the volume of your crying and switch to sniffing. The kid will most likely start copying you. Get drunk and calm down. Cuddle the baby.
If the baby made a roar in a crowded place, sometimes you should not rush to "evacuate". Let the baby let off steam, take his soul, then follow you.
Use distraction toys. Did the child frown and prepare for a tantrum? You can give him a drum or other strong musical instrument in his hands, let him break evil. And you can show some interesting little thing - to divert attention.

Prevention of nervous breakdowns and neuroses in children

Mechanisms of nervous breakdowns in children

I.P. Pavlov and his school found that a nervous breakdown (neurosis) occurs according to one of three physiological mechanisms:

when overloading excitation processes;
when overloading braking processes;
at their "collision", i.e. when excitation and inhibition collide at the same time.

The child does not have enough of his own life experience and judges the danger or safety of what is happening according to the reaction of adults, primarily parents and educators.

Examples:

There are many such examples.

Children today often develop neurological disorders. Experts note that about half of schoolchildren suffer from emotional instability at certain periods. Sometimes such deviations are temporary, but in some cases they lead to nervous disorders in children, for the treatment of which the help of a neurologist is needed.

Warning Signs

the occurrence of hallucinations;

Any child psychotherapy is aimed at reducing anxiety and fighting fears, easing feelings of guilt and resentment, developing the ability to withstand stress and find a way out of the most difficult situations.

Nervous disorders in children - symptoms, causes, treatment

Children today often develop neurological disorders. Experts note that about half of schoolchildren suffer from emotional instability at certain periods.

Nervous disorders in children - symptoms, causes, treatment
Warning Signs
Forms of nervous disorders in children
What mistakes do parents make?
How to treat nervous disorders in children?
Nervous Disorders in Children: What Parents Should Know
Signs of nervous breakdowns in teenagers
Signs and forms of a nervous breakdown in children
Treatment of children
Signs and causes of a nervous breakdown in adolescents
Adolescent treatment
Nervous breakdown: symptoms and consequences
What is a nervous breakdown?
Causes
In women during pregnancy
In children
Teenagers
Signs of a nervous breakdown
Symptoms of a nervous breakdown
Stages of development
Possible consequences of a nervous breakdown
What is the danger of the disease
How to alert the condition
What to do with a nervous breakdown
Treatment at home
Medications - sedative injections, tablets
Treatment with folk remedies
Which doctor to contact
Prevention of nervous disorders
Nervous breakdown in a child
Signs of the development of neurosis in a child are:
NERVOUS BREAKDOWNS IN CHILDREN
How does a nervous breakdown develop?
Causes of nervous breakdowns
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Sometimes such deviations are temporary, but in some cases they lead to nervous disorders in children, for the treatment of which the help of a neurologist is needed.

Warning Signs

It is very important not to miss the first signs of nervous disorders in a child in order to take timely measures and prevent chronic neurosis in children. It is not difficult to prevent a serious nervous breakdown in children by the symptoms. Warning factors that parents should pay attention to include:

clear advance of peers in mental development;
loss of interest in life in a child, because of which he stops taking care of himself;
excessive interest in a certain subject at school;
the occurrence of hallucinations;
the child often lies or constantly fantasizes in earnest.

These are the main symptoms of a nervous breakdown in a child in the initial stages, in which the disorder can be prevented.

Forms of nervous disorders in children

The most common disorder in children with a nervous breakdown is a nervous tic. It is an unconscious movement that manifests itself in the form of a twitch of the cheek, shrugging, smacking for no reason, hand movements, etc. A nervous tic is a sign of a nervous breakdown in a child that occurs when the baby does not make conscious movements and remains calm. As soon as he does something, the tick will disappear.

The next nervous disorder in a child, the treatment of which will require more serious treatment, is neurosis. This is an irreversible violation, but the dangerous thing is that parents often ignore its signs, exacerbating the situation. The signs of neurosis include obsessive movements, fears, phobias, depression and tantrums, tearfulness, sadness, quiet speech and panic fear.

Insomnia and worsening sleep is another form of nervous breakdown in a child. The baby begins to sleep restlessly, tossing and turning in his sleep and constantly waking up. In a dream, children begin to talk, and the dreams themselves become very real to them.

Stuttering is a symptom of a nervous breakdown in children about three years old. neurotic stuttering usually develops during the period of speech establishment. It can arise due to information overload or separation from loved ones. Do not try to speed up the development of the baby, trying to turn him into a child prodigy.

Nervous allergy, in which it is very difficult to physically identify any allergen. It is also called idiopathic allergy.

Disorders and nervous breakdowns in a 5-year-old child have different symptoms and treatment, but usually they are associated with improper upbringing. Parents sometimes use punishment systems or provide total control, and in some families there is a difficult situation with constant scandals - all these factors significantly aggravate the state of the child's nervous system.

What mistakes do parents make?

Loving parents are often to blame for the occurrence of neurosis in a child. To avoid the treatment of nervous disorders in children, parents should try not to make common mistakes:

you can not overload the child, sending him to two schools, circles, etc .;
you can’t let the child understand that the location of the parents needs to be earned (feel free to show your love);
parents note personal shortcomings in babies and try to eradicate them - this is also a mistake;
the child should not see scandals in the family;
if the mother of the child does not work, she should not surround the baby with excessive guardianship.

How to treat nervous disorders in children?

At the heart of the treatment of symptoms of nervous disorders in children are different methods of psychotherapy. Often this is a conscious, systematic and smooth weakening of the manifestations of the disorder with the help of psychological means - verbal or non-verbal, depending on the age of the baby.

When very young children have a nervous breakdown, treatment is best done with the whole family. As for older children, family therapy works less effectively for them, especially when parents have personality disorders and need individual psychotherapy themselves.

Therapy using pharmacological agents is used as an additional method. Medications without psychotherapy can only suppress the symptoms of a nervous breakdown in a child, but it is necessary first of all to eliminate the causes that cause a nervous breakdown in a child.

Source: Disorders in Children: What Parents Should Know

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 “it’s just that he 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

In adolescence, these can be permanently low mood or apathy, sudden mood swings, eating disorders (gluttony, refusal to eat, strange food preferences), intentional self-inflicted injuries (cuts, burns), cruelty and dangerous behavior, poor school performance from For forgetfulness, inability to concentrate, regular use of alcohol and psychoactive drugs.

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

Mental disorders often have a genetic, organic basis, but this is not a sentence. With the help of upbringing in a favorable environment, their manifestations can be avoided or significantly reduced.

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

The doctor will prescribe medications and procedures, the psychologist and psychotherapist, with the help of special classes, exercises, conversations, will teach the child to communicate, control his behavior, express himself in socially acceptable ways, help resolve an internal conflict, get rid of fears and other negative experiences. Sometimes you may need a speech therapist or a correctional teacher.

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 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 him. I can't take 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.

Read literature, attend lectures and seminars on parenting, engage in your own development as a person. Apply this knowledge in communication with the child. Feel free to ask for help and advice.

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.

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Source: nervous breakdowns in adolescents

The modern way of life negatively affects not only the health of adults, but also children. Nervous disorders in children are very common, but parents are not able to determine this pathology, thinking that this is another whim. With the younger generation, circumstances are much easier, because they are able to talk about their feelings, and signs of a nervous breakdown in a teenager help to make a final diagnosis. Children, on the other hand, are very active and it is sometimes difficult to determine when the action comes from nervousness, and in which case it simply needs to release excess energy. Therefore, you have to resort to the help of specialists.

Signs and forms of a nervous breakdown in children

Parents need to monitor the child and note the actions that become a habit. A nervous breakdown manifests itself differently in each person, the same applies to children. One person withdraws into himself, while others, on the contrary, prefer to shout loudly and throw tantrums. If your child has taken to the habit of rolling on the floor and screaming wildly, it is best to contact a neurologist who can dispel all doubts. According to experts, neurosis arises solely on the basis of an internal conflict, due to which the emotional state becomes unbalanced.

The main warning signs include the following:

The occurrence of hallucinations;
Leading the mental development of their peers;
The child, in all seriousness, begins to fantasize or deceive;
Loss of interest in life
Strong interest in one subject at school (excessive hobby).

These symptoms appear only at the initial stage of a nervous breakdown, and in order to prevent their development, contact a neurologist in time.

How do neurological disorders manifest in children?

Nervous tic. Very often, nervous disorders in children manifest themselves in this form, which is expressed in unconscious twitching of the limbs, cheeks, shrugging the shoulders, unreasonable movement of the hand, smacking, and so on. If you notice a nervous tic in a child when he is in a calm state, this is the first sign of a nervous breakdown. With active activity, the tick disappears.
Poor sleep or insomnia. If your child used to get a good night's sleep, but suddenly starts tossing and turning, restless sleep and wakes up very often, you should also pay attention to this symptom. In this form of the disorder, children also talk during sleep, and it becomes very realistic.
Neurosis. This is the most serious form of manifestation of the disease and parents should pay special attention to the following symptoms: sadness, hysteria, phobias, frequent fears, obsessive movements, quiet speech, depression, panic fear. As soon as you notice these symptoms, contact a specialist immediately.
Stuttering. This form of the disorder occurs in children around the age of three. During this period, the baby learns to talk. It is very important not to overload the child, because due to the information load, he may experience stress. Ultimately, what matters is a healthy child, not a potential child prodigy. Stuttering also manifests itself when separated from loved ones.
Enuresis. When a child experiences a strong shock, overexcitation, he urinates in the bed. During this period, there is an unstable mood, numerous whims and increased tearfulness.
Anorexia. This form of nervous breakdown is expressed in loss of appetite. If a child was forced to eat in childhood, then in adolescence this, as a rule, “poured out” in the pursuit of a slender figure. It is best to treat anorexia at an early age, as teenagers show more independence and rely on their inexperience.

Very often, the development of a nervous breakdown leads to the wrong behavior of parents, despite all the love on their part. To avoid the development of the disease and its appearance a priori, try to avoid the following actions:

To note the shortcomings of the child, constantly pointing out their weakness, as if trying to eradicate them. In this case, it is better to concentrate on the wealth that needs to be acquired;
Send the child to two schools, circles and other sections that he does not like, creating an overload;
Overprotection of a child;
Scandals in the family;
To show that the child must win favor with his parents, deserve it. Try to show your love.

Treatment of children

The treatment of nervous breakdowns in children consists of different methods in psychotherapy. Depending on age, both non-verbal and verbal therapy can be used. However, at the heart of any technique is the idea of dealing with anxiety and fears. It is necessary to reduce the patient's anxiety, return him to a harmonious life. To do this, you need to remove all resentment, guilt and get out of stress. If a nervous breakdown is observed in a child, then it is desirable to conduct psychotherapy sessions with the whole family. However, in the case of teenagers, it is better to trust a professional without resorting to the help of parents. Moreover, some adults themselves have personality disorders.

As for the use of medications, they are used as an addition and only in advanced cases. Drugs, of course, can ease anxiety and cure a breakdown for a while, but if the cause is not removed, which is decided exclusively with a psychotherapist, the disease will return again and, perhaps, with greater force.

What should parents do when their child has a nervous breakdown?

As a rule, children accumulate tension in kindergarten or at home, which sooner or later breaks out. If you feel like your child is on the verge of a tantrum, try the following:

When the baby is already on the edge and ready to throw a tantrum, smile at him, kiss him and tell a joke.
Try to switch the attention of the child. This must be done abruptly in order to cause surprise. One way is to fake a tantrum by making a preventive move. In some cases, this causes surprise and reassurance.

What to do if your child has already had a nervous breakdown:

Put your child in a cool shower. If he is not able to do it on his own, take it and carry it to the bath. In extreme cases, splash cold water on your face or put ice on your forehead, a bag of frozen vegetables, a towel soaked in cold water. As you know, cold water slows down reactions in the body, negative energy is washed away, emotions recede;
Use the mirror technique. The bottom line is to repeat all the actions that the baby does. At a young age, this causes great surprise and reassurance, hysteria is replaced by curiosity;
If an attack occurs, remove all dangerous objects away, as the child does not understand what he is doing and does not control himself. He can easily pick up an object and throw it wherever he wants;
Create an environment of privacy. Some calm down when they are left alone, but you still need to watch the baby discreetly.

What actions should be taken after a tantrum happened:

Prepare hot tea and add a couple of drops of motherwort to it. This will calm the nervous system, the brain will come into balance, and the child will fall asleep;
Often brew herbal teas with St. John's wort, mint, motherwort, fennel, lavender. This is especially true if the child often cries and breaks down.

Do not forget about other preventive measures, in particular, B vitamins can remove negative emotional reactions and reduce the amount of stress. Biscuits, cheese, egg yolk, beets, tomatoes, pears, spinach, cauliflower, carrots and other dairy products are very useful for the nervous system. Recently, it has been shown that folic acid helps to reduce the amount of the amino acid homocysteine, which has an increased level in children prone to tantrums and a nervous breakdown.

Signs and causes of a nervous breakdown in adolescents

Probably, every person with age looks with apprehension at the younger generation, comparing his youth with the modern generation. In any case, it can be noted that teenagers behave extremely provocatively, noisily, aggressively and obscenely. At home, of course, almost everyone follows the rules of decency, but at school or on the street, most often behavior changes greatly. As a result, individuals who are very gullible, subject to strong emotions and unable to protect themselves, receive psychological trauma, and they hit a person an order of magnitude stronger than physical ones.

The transferred psychological trauma is capable of interfering with full development with age or throughout life, if it is not removed. Since in the post-Soviet space it is not yet customary to go to a psychologist, people are forced to cope with these problems on their own.

What causes the development of a nervous breakdown?

Unfavorable group among acquaintances or at school;

Inability to stand up for yourself and defend your point of view;

Unfavorable climate within the family;

Lack of a favorite activity;

Frequent stress and emotional tension.

Signs of a nervous breakdown:

The teenager begins to withdraw into himself, avoids all contact with friends, blames others;
Shows excessive activity. However, this is much less common, since a surge of emotions, even in the most primitive and ugly form, helps a person get rid of negativity;
During relaxation, the limbs of the body begin to twitch;
Poor sleep and insomnia;
Constant dialogues and disputes within the personality;
Depression and apathy towards the outside world.

Parents should show maximum attention, because suicidal acts often occur among the younger generation and it seems that modern school education only contributes to this. Show more care, try to spend the weekend together, leaving the countryside for fishing or just relaxing. This will protect the teenager from bad company, if any. Push him to sign up for interesting sections where there is a "healthy" team. If the child feels a negative and dismissive attitude from other teenagers, give it to the sports section, wrestling or other types of combat. Thus, he will feel confident in himself, will be able to defend his point of view.

Adolescent treatment

Like any treatment for a nervous breakdown, adolescents need to follow certain rules:

Avoid conflict communication, surround yourself with a favorable society;
Drink herbal teas with soothing herbs more often;
Engage in light sports;
Listen to relaxing music;
If you want to do yoga, meditation;
Be sure to contact a psychotherapist who will help solve pressing problems and identify the cause of a nervous breakdown.

My son is 11 years old, I began to observe that recently he began to withdraw into himself more often. He is afraid to once again go outside for a walk, says that he is being pursued by some unknown people in a car. At first I was frightened, but then I realized that my son was inventing and believing in his own fiction, because there were no specifics, just a phobia. He also began to urinate in the bed at night, which had not happened for three years. Have addressed to the neuropathologist, now we are surveyed. Very worrisome.

Success in treatment

My daughter constantly lies, what kind of fictional friends she has, she thought that it was just a childish fantasy, but as it turned out, she needed to contact a specialist.

In teenagers, unfortunately, it becomes a frequent disease. School, street, computer games - all this affects the nerves.

Often, nervous breakdowns in a child are a direct consequence of an unhealthy situation in the family. Often. Therefore, maybe before going to a neurologist, you should put things in order psychologically in the house?!

I agree, the explosive atmosphere in the family, the dislike of the child lead to breakdowns. It is not always possible to solve a family situation on your own. You can also turn to psychologists.

Probably, we need to watch the children more, constantly be interested in what is happening around them, ask what worries them.

I think if you pay more attention to the child, talk to him more, it will be easier to understand him and the difficulties he has to face. Many parents have forgotten that they were also teenagers!

As for me, the most basic signal to start worrying is a change in your child's behavior, and the more noticeable these changes, the more attention you need to pay to it, and then according to the results.

The teenage period is not easy, there is no need to wither over the child as over gold. During this period, you need to be friends with him and watch him, be interested in hobbies.

Now teenagers are highly susceptible to external factors, because before there was no Internet, computer games, social networks and other things. In addition, they always had something to do in the same circles, but now everything is completely different.

I believe that in order to avoid such nervous breakdowns, you need to spend more time with your child, communicating with him. This way you will know what exactly is bothering him and how to help him!

There are many reasons for such a breakdown in adolescents, especially in our time. Here the Internet, social networks, environment, problems in the family, uncertainty, and the period itself is quite fragile from the point of view of psychology.

I think that proper nutrition, vitamins and good sleep are very important for teenagers. And of course love, support, attention. Then there will definitely be fewer problems! If there are radical problems that a parent cannot solve, then it is better to see a psychologist.

We were all teenagers at one time, for some this period is easier. Many problems in children are due to misunderstanding of parents, but all people learn from their mistakes. Give your child more oxygen!

I don’t even know under what circumstances and conditions a teenager can have a nervous breakdown, but it’s better, of course, not to bring your child to such a situation. I understand, for example, nervous breakdowns in adults, but in adolescents this is really a rarity - in any case, I have never noticed this in my lifetime.

I will only say one thing. If a child is brought up in normal conditions, they are dealt with, often talked to, and you have normal trusting relationships, then you will thereby protect him from breakdowns. Of course, not everyone has such an opportunity, but you need to strive for this.

Adolescence is quite difficult, just remember yourself. I was unbearable and what was missing for me? A little more freedom and understanding on the part of parents.

Now children are no longer who we were in our childhood. Many become isolated in games, social networks and walk a little. In addition, there is the Internet, and there are many things you can find. The way out is family upbringing and trusting relationships.

My parents generally did not even allow the thought that I could have a nervous breakdown or overexertion. I hid it as best I could. Although it was hard, at seven the climate was terrible. Now the mother herself, I will try to be more attentive to my son.

Sometimes it seems to me that there is increased attention to a teenager, the fault of all the bad things that happen to him. He sees what the mother is going through and that he does not endure and the child continues, sometimes children need not only to be understood, but also punished, to be strict with them.

Yet earlier, the younger generation had fewer worries and stresses. There were clubs, sports and more. Now the Internet, social networks, games have appeared, and it is not surprising that such changes cause stress for many teenagers.