Mental health of the child is no less important than the physical. Without adequate treatment, any disturbances in the central nervous system in children progress. As a result, psychogenic problems do not disappear anywhere, remaining in adolescence and adulthood.
Neurosis - what is it?
The main reason for neglecting this group of diseases is the lack of understanding of their essence and seriousness. It is important for parents to study neurosis scrupulously - what is it in medicine, for what reasons arises and how to deal with it. Experts define this pathology as a disorder caused by a person's reaction to a sudden, acute or prolonged psychological trauma. The disease can not occur before the age of 3, it is diagnosed mainly in preschool children and adolescents. The level of mental development of toddlers is too primitive for personal reactions.
Neurosis - types and causes
This group of pathologies is provoked by various factors, depending on the form of mental disorders. Types of neurosis in children:
- obsessions;
- hysteria;
- depressive episodes;
- neurasthenia;
- hypochondria;
- logoneurosis;
- somnambulism;
- anorexia.
Neurosis of obsessive conditions in children
Another name for this type of disease is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It includes the neurosis of obsessive movements in children, anxious ideas and thoughts. The presented disease is considered multifactorial. Several factors can provoke ROC:
- genetic predisposition;
- infection (measles, mononucleosis, hepatitis);
- acute psychological trauma;
- unreasonable fears.
The impetus to the development of the syndrome of obsessions is often phobias. At first the baby can not get rid of frightening thoughts or fantasies (obsessions) for a long time. Gradually, his brain adapts to them, developing a strange protective mechanism - obsessive actions (compulsions). The child has to perform some obligatory rituals so that his fears do not materialize, for example, jump 5 times before entering the elevator or dark room, wash hands three times after communicating with a stranger and others.
In most cases it is difficult at early stages to suspect this neurosis in children - the symptoms can remain hidden for a long time, especially if there are only obsessive thoughts that the child holds in himself. Probable signs:
- unreasonable fears and fears;
- phobias;
- categorical refusal to visit certain places, events, simple actions;
- repeated movements (blinking, scratching, licking lips);
- obsessions (read, read something, sort food by color);
- nipping the nails;
- pulling, chewing the hair;
- scratching, skin damage;
- tick and others.
Hysterical neurosis in children
The main reason for the considered form of the disease is the errors in education. Hysterical neuroses are more often diagnosed in preschool children, sometimes they are observed in adolescents. Violation of the psyche begins against a background of internal conflict, when the level of expectations or demands of others is higher than the child's real capabilities. Especially prone to pathology babies, who are idealized in the family (egocentric education), are spoiled.
At an early age, hysteria looks like a respiratory neurosis in children - affective-respiratory seizures. They develop simultaneously with crying, caused by anger, discontent of the baby due to dissatisfaction of his desires, direct refusals. Parallel with the delay in breathing, the child deliberately enhances the effect of hysteria - falls to the floor, writhes defiantly, rolls his eyes. For such actions is characterized by versatility and theatricality. Attacks can last up to several hours, if there are "spectators". Teenagers mimic epileptic seizures and suffocation.
Depressive neurosis
The described form of the disease is the most difficult in terms of diagnosis. Such neurosis in children is difficult to recognize because of the variety of symptoms that rarely correspond to the typical picture of "adult" depression. The causes of pathology are any psychological trauma:
- separation from loved ones;
- death of one of the family members;
- divorce of parents;
- scandals between relatives;
- obvious lag in development from peers;
- defects in appearance;
- disability;
- orphanhood;
- excessive requirements of parents;
- unrequited feelings;
- problems with gender identification;
- sexual orientation and the like.
Depressive neuroses in children and adolescents have no specific signs. The clinical picture depends on the child's age, character, environment, family relationships and other individual characteristics. Possible Symptoms:
- retardation;
- apathy;
- mood swings;
- desire for solitude;
- irritability;
- drowsiness;
- quiet speech;
- tearfulness ;
- scant facial expressions;
- anger;
- coarseness;
- capriciousness;
- thoughtfulness;
- anxiety ;
- motor anxiety and similar behavioral changes.
Neurasthenia in children
Unlike previous types of disease, this form can occur in a small child, 1-2 years old. There are many factors that provoke this neurosis - the reasons:
- heredity;
- emotional instability of the mother during pregnancy;
- fears;
- cruel punishment;
- divorce;
- moving;
- beginning of a visit to kindergarten or school;
- death in the family;
- prejudiced attitudes of teachers and parents;
- tense situation at home and other psycho-emotional traumas.
Neurasthenia is characterized by a specific clinical picture:
- sleep disorders;
- irritability;
- frequent mood changes;
- tearfulness;
- stormy outbursts of anger, turning into remorse;
- inattention;
- headache;
- severe fatigue;
- deterioration of working capacity;
- intellectual activity disorders.
Hypochondria in children
The present type of the disease is more susceptible to babies who are over-cared for, lead to a doctor with minor problems. There are other causes of neuroses in children with signs of hypochondria:
- psychological trauma;
- a serious illness in one of the family members;
- the death of a relative from some pathology;
- phobias;
- serious illnesses suffered by a child earlier;
- ban on manifestation of weakness ("Men do not cry");
- education by intimidation.
Such neuroses in children have atypical symptoms reminiscent of other psychiatric disorders:
- constant excitement;
- dizziness and nausea;
- unreasonable fears;
- pre-occlusive conditions;
- severe sweating;
- sometimes tremors of hands;
- disgust;
- rejection of kisses, hugs, handshakes and touches;
- independent isolation in society;
- closedness;
- obsessive actions associated with hygiene (washing hands, using a handkerchief) and others.
Logoneurosis in children
The pathology considered is still known as stuttering, it has only 2 main reasons. Logoneurosis is the result of a hereditary predisposition to speech disorders or a consequence of severe fright. Stuttering is an acute violation of the smoothness and rhythm of conversation due to convulsions of the speech muscles. Sometimes it is accompanied by concomitant symptoms - facial tics, priptoptivaniem, snapping fingers and similar actions.
Somnambulism in children
Many children suffer from sleepwalking , often genetic factors provoke it. Somnambulistic neuroses in children may occur for other reasons:
- excessive emotional load;
- psychological trauma;
- craniocerebral injury;
- epilepsy ;
- brain development abnormalities;
- encephalopathy;
- conflicts in the family;
- neuroinfections;
- intoxication and the like.
Diagnose sleepwalking is easy by its typical characteristics - walking, talking, active activities in a dream. The development of neuroses in children is dangerous, somnambulism often leads to injuries, sometimes with a fatal outcome (falling out of the window, a blow to the temple). With a progressive disease, a child can behave aggressively during a fit, harm the surrounding people.
Anorexia nervosa in children
The main reason for the complete refusal of food is the desire to lose weight, so the described disease is more likely to affect adolescent girls. In other cases, anorexia accompanies other psychoemotional disorders - depression, hypochondria, hysteria. Symptoms of neurosis in children include physiological and behavioral disorders:
- dry skin;
- marked weight loss;
- fear of obesity;
- a distorted view of the mass of his body;
- feelings of inferiority;
- hair loss;
- constipation;
- dehydration;
- fatigue;
- jaundice;
- stomach ache;
- denial of hunger;
- amenorrhea in girls;
- poor cold tolerance;
- apathy;
- brittle nails and others.
Treatment of neuroses in children
It is necessary to fight with the examined pathologies with the help of qualified doctors. The main method of treatment is psychotherapy with neuroses. It is carried out individually, in a circle of family and groups with other patients. The doctor selects the methods of treatment individually for each child. Preparations with neuroses in children are of secondary importance. As a rule, plant remedies, vitamin complexes, and medicines are used to improve blood circulation in the brain. The choice of drugs is only the doctor, you can not give the baby your own drugs.
Prophylaxis of neuroses in children
Preventive measures do not require taking any medications. To prevent neuroses in young children and to stop their further progressing helps normalize the regime of the day, creating a comfortable emotional climate in the family, proper parenting and genuine parenting. If a child is prone to mental disorders, it is necessary to choose a good psychologist and fascinating hobbies. Effective will be game and art therapy for neuroses, visits to special children's groups, sessions with animals.