Childhood neurosis is a common phenomenon among children of all ages. Negative atmosphere at school or at home, overwork, great amount information, a lot of noise, psychological trauma, divorce or constant quarrels between parents, too high demands on the child - all this can lead to the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder in children (or movements).
You can deal with this different ways, but first you need to make sure the diagnosis is correct.
It is very easy to confuse obsessive movements and tics. But if you correctly understand the nature of these phenomena, distinguishing them will not be difficult at all. Tic is an automatic muscle contraction, twitching that cannot be controlled and is not always determined psychological reasons. Obsessive movements can be restrained by willpower, and they are always a consequence of the psychological discomfort that the child experiences.
The following symptoms indicate obsessive movement neurosis in children:
- the child bites his nails;
- snaps fingers;
- turns his head sharply;
- twitches his lip;
- smacks his lips;
- walks around all objects only on the left or only on the right;
- twists buttons;
- bites lips;
- blows on the palms, etc.
It is impossible to list all obsessive movements: it is too individual. Their main feature- in their annoying repetition, almost minute by minute. If you do not pay attention to them, this can lead to nails being bitten until they bleed, lips being bitten through, all the buttons on clothes being torn off, etc.
Moreover, all this may be accompanied by outbreaks of hysteria that did not exist before, insomnia, tearfulness, and decreased performance. That is why treatment of obsessive movement neurosis in children must begin as soon as you notice the symptoms of this disease.
How to treat obsessive movement neurosis
Drawing with paints will help you throw out negative emotions
High quality and effective treatment Obsessive-compulsive neurosis in children involves working with a psychologist, in some cases a psychotherapist. In the most advanced cases, it comes to medical assistance.
1. Drug therapy
After examination by a psychotherapist, the doctor may prescribe sedatives and antidepressants. For each case they can be different:
- Sonapax;
- cinnarizine;
- asparkam;
- milgamma;
- pantogam;
- glycine;
- pers.
These medications should not be used without a doctor’s prescription, as they differ in their effect on the central nervous system. It is necessary to take into account at what stage the neurosis develops: at the initial stage, several sessions with a psychologist will be enough, with running forms is appointed just drug therapy. But only a doctor can determine all this.
2. Treatment with folk remedies
After consulting with the psychologist (psychotherapist) who is observing your child, you can use folk remedies in the treatment of obsessive movement neurosis. They can be very effective.
- Infusion of oat grains. Wash oat grain (500 g) cold water, add cold water (1 l), cook over low heat until half-cooked. Strain, add honey (a teaspoon). Give a glass a day.
- Decoctions of herbs such as valerian root, motherwort, tricolor violet, hawthorn, lemon balm, mint, calendula, centaury.
- Honey water before bed: dilute a tablespoon of honey in a glass of water at room temperature.
- Baths with soothing herbs(lavender, mint, for example) or sea salt.
- Dance therapy: turn on music at home - let the child throw out all the negativity in dance.
- In the summer, give him the opportunity to run barefoot on the ground, grass, and sand more often.
- Reading bedtime stories.
- Drawing will also help to throw out what worries the baby, so give him paper and paints, pencils, and crayons more often.
- A holiday or cooking a favorite dish will also help bring him out of an anxious state.
In addition to home remedies for treating this type of neurosis, parents should also work on their own behavior.
3. Parental behavior
Very important point in the treatment of this type of childhood neurosis is the correct behavior of parents:
- do not scold the baby for these movements (read:);
- as soon as he starts doing this, you need to talk to him about what is bothering him;
- devote more time to him;
- try to understand the reason for the baby’s worries and eliminate it;
- limit your passion for computers and TV, but wisely, without pressure or yelling.
Any parent should know how to treat obsessive movement neurosis in children in order to provide timely help. Moreover, the causes of this disease lie in the psycho-emotional sphere. Give your child a happy, joyful childhood without unnecessary worries, worries and fears.
Diseases of the central nervous system are not uncommon. Unfortunately, children are also susceptible to similar disorders. Obsessive movement neurosis in children - functional psychogenic disorders having a reversible effect. May develop over a long period of time. The disorders are both chronic and episodic in nature.
Children of any age may experience obsessive movements, actions (obsessions) or tics. Most often these are kids who are characterized by fearfulness and indecisiveness. Such children experience difficulties in independently overcoming everyday troubles, fears and negative emotions. A child susceptible to the development of neurosis can be capricious and have poor appetite and looks tired.
Provoking factors
Modern life is such that almost every day people experience stress of varying degrees of severity. Few people think about the consequences of the unrest they experienced. Each person's body reacts individually, and negative result may appear even after a few months. Obsessive movement syndrome in children occurs because the baby’s psyche is not yet strong and immediately perceives any influences, especially those that have a negative effect. IN childhood the psyche is sensitive to changes occurring in the surrounding world. The reasons why a diagnosis of “neurosis” can be made are often:
- fright;
- situations that traumatize the psyche;
- unfavorable family environment.
Changes in the child’s usual way of life that are insignificant in the parent’s opinion can lead to the development of neurosis and the appearance of obsessive movements. Sending children on holiday to summer camp or to relatives, we must not forget that the baby may not be mentally ready for changes, and such actions will cause deterioration in well-being.
Symptoms and differences between obsessive movements and tics
It happens that parents simply do not notice the changes occurring in the child. Knowing the symptoms of neurosis, it is easy to recognize nervous tics or obsessive movements.
Nervous tics are rapid muscle contractions that cannot be controlled by willpower. These are twitches that are not conditioned psychological disorders. They arise due to an erroneous command from the brain to move. An example of this phenomenon is involuntary blinking.
Obsessive movements are annoying repetitions of an action. Unlike tics, compulsive movements can be controlled by willpower. Their appearance is almost always associated with emotional disorder, experienced by a child. They can also arise due to the psychological discomfort in which the baby is experiencing for a long time.
Obsessive movements in children can be manifested by the following symptoms:
- biting nails;
- smacking;
- snapping fingers;
- involuntary sharp turns of the head;
- coughing and sniffling;
- lip biting;
- twisting strands of hair around your fingers;
- uncontrollable hand waves.
Of course, there are many more types of obsessive actions, and they are individual in nature. Parents should note that such movements in most cases occur every minute.
In a state of neurosis, a baby may constantly fiddle with his clothes or twist the buttons on them. It's time to worry about your child's condition if he begins to walk around objects on one side or constantly blows on his palms.
Such obsessive manifestations cannot be ignored. It is better to start treating the disease as early as possible, because ultimately the baby can injure himself by accidentally biting his lip or chewing his nails until they bleed.
Is medication therapy required?
Before you seek help from a doctor, you need to try to understand what led your baby to the onset of the syndrome. Parents must adequately assess the situation in the family and try to make the life of their child as comfortable as possible. If noisy quarrels regularly arise between family members, you should not be surprised at unwanted changes in the baby’s psyche.
To lead to normal condition emotional background of the child, parents should try to resolve intra-family conflicts without using drug treatment. It would be a good idea to spend a lot of time with your baby. fresh air while playing sport games. Drawing is a great way to get your little one interested in creativity and distract him from situations that worry him every day.
Often, parents are unable to determine what was the trigger for the development of the disease. A child may hide reasons that negatively affected him. In such a situation, the only the right decision there may be an appeal for professional help to a specialist.
Treatment with drugs
After examining the baby, the psychotherapist may prescribe pharmacological therapy. Obsessive movement syndrome in children is treated sedatives or antidepressants. This treatment regimen is usually selected in advanced cases. The doctor must choose safe drugs, which will not cause drowsiness and apathy. A properly prescribed medication will not interfere with the normal development of a child of any age. Among the drugs that give best effect, highlight:
- "Persen";
- "Glycine";
- "Sonapax";
- "Milgamma";
- "Cinnarizine";
- "Pantogam";
- "Asparkam."
You can prevent the progression of the disease if the diagnosis is made at the initial stage. This will require several sessions with a psychologist, but no medication.
Nail biting is a sign of obsessive movement disorder
Traditional methods of treatment
Neurosis is a reversible disorder of a person’s neuropsychic state. If symptoms are noticed in a timely manner, you can try to cure them with homeopathy. About application homeopathic remedies You should consult your doctor. It is recommended to independently stabilize the emotional state of your child in the following ways:
- You can give your baby baths with sea salt. It is possible to add soothing herbs to the water: lavender, mint.
- Read positive children's books at night.
- Help the baby express emotions through dancing or creativity. You need to give crayons, pencils, and paints more often.
- Spend as much time as possible with your baby and do things together. For example, cook your favorite dish.
- You can give honey water before going to bed. Its preparation does not require much time: you need to stir a teaspoon of natural honey in a glass of water.
- You can relieve your baby of anxiety through soothing herbs: lemon balm, mint, valerian root, motherwort. Dosage suitable for child's body, it is recommended to consult with your doctor.
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Prevention
Even if the child is absolutely healthy and young, it is necessary to take care of him emotional state. To prevent neurosis from affecting the baby in the future, you should pay enough attention to him mental development and education. The baby should know the rules of personal hygiene and regularly play sports games.
It is good if parents instill in their child such qualities as hard work and perseverance. Children need to be taught to cope with negative situations. The baby cannot be constantly scolded, criticized and demanded the impossible. This can cause the child to become withdrawn. The child must trust his parents in everything. Mom and dad should avoid scandals and try to make the atmosphere in the house as calm as possible. It is necessary to avoid regular stressful situations and try to smooth out sudden changes in the usual way of life.
Summary
No matter how old a child is, parents and teachers are obliged to take part in correcting his behavior. Symptoms of neurosis are protective manifestations of a child suffering from psychological discomfort.
Caregivers and teachers must be notified of the child’s illness. This measure is necessary to avoid the baby’s remarks and jerks. It is extremely undesirable to scold a baby for uncontrolled movements. You cannot mock or make fun of the baby. This provokes even greater psychological discomfort and, together with other reasons, can lead to the appearance of new symptoms of neurosis.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is approximately half as common in children as in adults. According to statistics, 1-2 children out of 300-500 suffer from it, and the symptoms of this neurosis are not always pronounced.
Often, parents consider the obsessive movements characteristic of this disorder to be simply bad habits. For example, constant desire biting nails or the cap of a pen, pulling one's hair, picking one's nose - all this sometimes irritates parents, although they should be wary, because such symptoms indicate increased anxiety in the child.
Currently, obsessive-compulsive disorder is called another term - obsessive-compulsive disorder and has code F42 in ICD-10. However, when working with children, psychologists most often use the “outdated” name, since it somewhat more accurately reflects what is happening to the child.
Obsessions are called intrusive thoughts, as a rule, negative, which the patient cannot stop by force of will. Compulsions are obsessive actions, repeated over and over again.
People most susceptible to this disorder are those with high intelligence, emotional, sensitive. They are also characterized by a feeling of insecurity in the world around them, various fears and phobias.
For the first time, obsessive-compulsive neurosis usually manifests itself against a background of severe stress and anxiety. But for the onset of the disease to occur, psychological trauma alone is not enough - it will only become a trigger that starts the process, but not its cause.
Sometimes the appearance of obsessions may not be associated with a specific event - this is precisely why this neurosis in children differs from the same disorder in adults. Anxiety seems to “accumulate” gradually, and symptoms appear rarely at first, and then become more frequent.
As for the causes of OCD, there are several theories:
- Neurotransmitter – explains the onset of the disease by a deficiency of the hormone serotonin in the body;
- The PANDAS syndrome theory suggests that OCD may be caused by a previous streptococcal infection;
- The genetic theory states that the cause of this neurosis is genetic mutations that are inherited.
And although scientists have not yet come to a consensus on the causes of obsessive-compulsive neurosis, there are observations from practicing doctors who prove that OCD is more likely to manifest itself in children whose relatives already have patients with this disorder.
Manifestations of OCD in children
OCD in children most often manifests itself in the form of obsessive movements and tics, as well as fears, phobias and “strange”, negative ideas and thoughts.
Symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder may include the following:
- Thumb sucking;
- Lip smacking;
- Twisting hair around the finger or pulling hair out (some children eat the hair they pull out, which sometimes leads to intestinal obstruction);
- Intrusive coughing;
- Picking the skin or picking at pimples;
- Biting nails or other objects - pen caps, pencils, etc.;
- Cracking of knuckles;
- Frequent blinking;
- Grimaces, wrinkling of the forehead;
- Stomping, clapping.
This is far from full list possible manifestations, since the manifestations of neurosis may differ in each individual child. In addition, tics are often added to the actual movements - involuntary contractions individual muscles, similar to twitching or mild cramps.
The number of such movements increases sharply if the child is excited or overexcited. In fact, compulsions (and that’s exactly what they are) “serve” the nervous system as a kind of “safety valve” that allows you to release excess tension. The level of anxiety is reduced to an easily tolerable level. If you force the child to restrain these movements, then the psychological tension will grow, eventually breaking through into uncontrollable hysteria or panic.
Most children suffering from OCD experience not only compulsions, but also obsessions—obsessive thoughts. They usually relate to pollution, disaster or symmetry. For example, a child may constantly wash his hands, be afraid of becoming infected with some dangerous disease, for the same reason not to eat certain foods.
It is worth mentioning separately about children from religious families, where parents devote a lot of time to rites and rituals associated with faith in God. They are usually not alarmed when a child begins to frantically say prayers many times a day, but oddly enough, this behavior can also indicate OCD. Another mistake of believers (or parachurch parents) may be attempts to take the child to the “grandmother”, who “with God's help cast out the demon from him.” Such situations are quite rare, but they still happen, so we decided to mention them separately. Moreover, neither prayers, nor “readings”, nor herbal decoctions mental disorders are not treated.
Psychologist Pavel Zhavnerov talks about the causes of various neuroses in children and adults.
Older children and teenagers, as a rule, try to hide their behavioral characteristics from the people around them because they are afraid of judgment, that they will be considered “abnormal.” Such thoughts further increase discomfort and provoke a new round of symptoms. Therefore, it is important to help the child in time by contacting specialists, otherwise adolescence he will receive many unnecessary complexes and fears that will greatly complicate his life in the future.
Treatment of OCD in children and adolescents
To cure obsessive-compulsive neurosis, it is imperative to consult a specialist - a psychiatrist or qualified psychotherapist. Neuroses in children do not always require drug therapy, since the psyche at this age is much more “flexible”, and an experienced doctor will help cope with many manifestations of OCD even without the use of drugs. But this depends on many factors that parents cannot determine on their own.
By the way, when it comes to neurosis in a child, doctors usually carefully collect family history and are interested in the conditions in which the little patient grows up. For example, if someone in the family suffers from alcoholism, then it is natural that the child will exhibit various neurotic symptoms. The same can be said about families where parents constantly quarrel and make scandals, treat each other poorly and live together “for the sake of the children.” Overprotection, excessive parental demands and other unhealthy manifestations of relationships in the parental home put a lot of pressure on the young psyche. In such situations, before asking the question “how to cure?”, You need to carefully analyze possible factors, which constantly make the child worry and worry.
By definition, a mentally healthy child cannot grow up in a destructive family, and parents should remember that both the prognosis of the disease and the timing of recovery depend on their attitude.
Therefore, the first thing that should be done if a child is diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder is to change the situation in the house and reduce the pressure on the child’s psyche. Otherwise, treatment may be ineffective.
How to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder? The main method of treating OCD is working with a psychotherapist. Methods of art therapy, fairytale therapy, play therapy, and so on are used to treat young children. For teenagers, the exposure method will be more effective, that is, facing your fear face to face to make sure that nothing terrible happens in the end.
But the main idea that the therapist must convey to the child when treating obsessive disorders is the belief in the safety of the world, in the reliability of parents and their support. The little patient must eventually come to the conclusion that “everyone loves me, I will succeed.” Confidence in oneself, one’s surroundings and the world is the path that ultimately leads a young patient to remission, or even complete recovery.
Regarding treatment medicines, they are usually prescribed for a short period of time in situations where obsessions and compulsions greatly complicate life. Sometimes the symptoms appear so often that they eventually lead to neurasthenia and nervous exhaustion. In such cases, the use of medications (antidepressants and tranquilizers) helps to quickly and effectively remove most of the signs of neurosis so that the patient can rest and begin working with a psychotherapist.
To summarize: a reminder for parents
Unfortunately, even in our time they do not know what obsessive-compulsive neurosis is and how it can manifest itself in children. At the same time, the number of children suffering from this disease is increasing every year. In order to promptly recognize the signs of this disorder in their child, fathers and mothers need to carefully monitor the child’s behavior and not ignore possible oddities and repetitive movements. Remember that it is easier to overcome any neurosis if you start treatment on time, without prolonging the situation, and the absence similar symptoms In the future, it will help the child to adapt normally to society and grow up to be a confident and happy person.
Diseases of the nervous system in young children before school age- Not unusual. Unfortunately, such disorders occur in many children. The development of such diseases is promoted not only by an unfavorable psychological situation in the family or children's group, but also by a hereditary factor. That's why everyone loving parent should know how to recognize obsessive movement disorder in your child and what to do about this condition.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder: causes
This disease hides disorders of the nervous system, which manifest themselves in the same movements occurring regardless of a person’s will and desire. Obsessive states are very difficult to control. They can be short-lived, associated with irritability and fatigue, or they can persist for a long time, developing into a habit.
The main causes of obsessive movements in a child include psychological trauma. Even if the stressful situation in which the child finds himself seems frivolous to the parents, the baby may perceive it as a real tragedy. Moreover, children with obsessive movement syndrome often suffer from depression, throw tantrums, become aggressive, or, conversely, “withdraw into themselves.” At the same time, the situation in the house greatly influences the child’s psyche. Constant scandals, quarrels, fights, different opinions about raising children - all this causes severe injury the fragile psyche of the child.
Another reason for this condition is a sudden change in environment, lifestyle or routine. Such seemingly insignificant circumstances, such as moving to another school, moving to another city or country, sometimes have an adverse effect on the baby’s health and can become factors provoking neurosis. Children with a weakened nervous system and overly spoiled are especially susceptible to nervous pathology.
If someone from the older generation had problems with the nervous system or psyche, then under certain circumstances the disease may also manifest itself in your baby. The risk group also includes children who have had infectious diseases, head injuries, suffer chronic pathologies of cardio-vascular system.
Childhood neurosis: symptoms
It is sometimes very difficult for parents to recognize obsessive movements or distinguish them from other diseases. But if we consider the nature of these phenomena, the symptoms will be obvious.
So, nervous tic- automatic muscle contraction, twitching that cannot be controlled. Moreover, such movements are not always due to psychological reasons. But obsessive movements can be restrained by willpower, and they are always a consequence of psycho-emotional discomfort.
Symptoms of childhood neurosis include:
- nail biting;
- snapping fingers;
- head movements;
- lip twitching;
- smacking;
- coughing;
- constant sniffing;
- blinking;
- grinding of teeth;
- neck turn;
- swings of the hands;
- twirling hair on a finger, etc.
In addition, a child with neurosis can only walk around all objects from a certain direction; blow on your palms before sitting at the table; pull out curls and perform other involuntary movements. It is impossible to list all the symptoms of the disease, since they manifest themselves differently in each child. Their main symptom is annoying repetition, almost every minute. If you do not pay attention to such actions, the child may injure himself - chew his legs until they bleed, bite his lip, tear off all the buttons on his clothes, etc. Moreover, all this may be accompanied by outbreaks of hysteria, which did not exist before.
Children's neurosis affects fearful, indecisive children who find it difficult to deal with their fears and negative emotions. They often refuse food, are capricious, and look tired. Therefore, treatment of obsessive movement neurosis in children must begin as soon as you notice the symptoms of the pathology.
How to treat obsessive movement neurosis in a child?
Before you see a doctor about the problem, we recommend that you take a close look at your baby and try to determine for yourself what is hidden. main reason his neurosis. At the same time, it is desirable to minimize negative situations and provide the child with comfortable living conditions.
Very often, children's nervous behavior and movements are associated with the situation in the family between parents. In such an ambiguous way, the baby can show his attitude to the problem. You can solve it by admitting your own parental mistakes and changing your behavior. If parents cannot determine what is causing the child’s obsessive movements, then it is necessary to consult a specialist. High-quality and effective treatment of neurosis in children involves working with a psychologist or psychotherapist.
Drug treatment: drugs
After examination by a psychotherapist, the doctor may prescribe anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants. However, this treatment regimen is often used in advanced cases. Moreover, parents of children suffering from neurosis should not be afraid drug treatment. An experienced doctor will select medications that will not harm the child’s health or cause drowsiness and apathy. Separate medications are selected for each case. The most effective are the following drugs:
- Sonapax;
- cinnarizine;
- asparkam;
- milgamma;
- pantogam;
- glycine;
- pers.
Please note that antidepressants and sedatives cannot be used without a doctor’s prescription. Each of the medications has its own effect on the child’s central nervous system. Therefore, the doctor prescribes them based on the stage of development of childhood neurosis. So, at the initial stage of obsessive movements syndrome, a few sessions with a psychologist will be enough, but in advanced forms of the disease you will need additional dose medicines.
Treatment with folk remedies
Therapy for obsessive movement neurosis can be supplemented traditional methods. However, before using them, you should consult your doctor. The following folk remedies can calm the baby’s nervous system:
- Infusion of oat grains. Medicinal raw materials in the amount of 500 g must be washed and poured into a liter cold water, cook over low heat until half cooked. Then you need to strain the broth, add 1 teaspoon of honey and give the baby a glass of medicine to drink a day.
- Decoctions of valerian, motherwort, hawthorn, lemon balm, and calendula also help fight neurosis in children. To prepare the medicine, you need to pour 1 tbsp. spoon of herbs with a glass of water, boil in a water bath for 30 minutes, judge and give the child 50 ml of decoction three times a day.
- Honey water will help get rid of insomnia and irritability. Add 1 tbsp to a glass of warm water. a spoonful of honey and give it to your child to drink before bed.
- Baths with soothing herbs (lavender, mint) and sea salt have a good effect on the child’s nervous system. It is better to carry out such procedures before bedtime.
Psychologists and traditional healers In the fight against obsessive movement syndrome in children, it is recommended to conduct dance therapy sessions, practice yoga, play sports, run barefoot on the grass, and draw. It is also worth giving your baby weekends in nature more often to get him out of his anxious state.
Don't forget that parents also need to work on their own behavior. Try not to swear or sort things out in the presence of a child. And under no circumstances scold your baby for obsessive movements. As soon as he starts doing this, talk to him about what is bothering him.
Obsessive movements in children: Komarovsky
Dr. Komarovsky draws the attention of parents to the fact that childhood neurosis is a disorder mental activity, and not a disease in which tests and examinations can solve the problem. With obsessive movements in children there is no inflammation, no tumor, no disruption of the blood vessels in the brain. Neurosis is a mental disorder and emotional sphere child. And the reason for this condition is hidden in the psychotraumatic factor. Consequently, obsessive movements in children are a reversible mental disorder. When the traumatic factor is eliminated, recovery occurs. Therefore, the main task of parents is to timely identify and eliminate the causes that adversely affect the child’s psyche. However, it is not always possible to discover these problems and get rid of them on your own, without the help of a child psychiatrist. Therefore, you need to contact specialists mandatory, if your child begins to behave in a special way.
Give your kids a wonderful future, without fears and worries. Monitor their health and if you identify the slightest problem, do not hesitate to seek help from specialists.
Health to you and your children!
Especially for - Nadezhda Vitvitskaya
Children are vulnerable and impressionable creatures, and therefore it is not surprising that they experience certain situations more emotionally. Where an adult steps aside and forgets, the child will worry for a long time, returning again and again to an incomprehensible or unpleasant experience for him. Since young children are unable to verbalize the full range of their emotions, they may begin to express them on a physical level. And now the child develops the habit of pinching his ear, blinking frequently, and biting his fingers. The famous doctor Evgeny Komarovsky talks about how to treat such oddities in a child’s behavior and whether it can be treated with anything. Obsessive movement syndrome in children is a problem that many people face.
What it is?
Obsessive movement syndrome in children is a complex of psycho-emotional disorders that arise under the influence of emotional shock, strong fear, fear, stress. The syndrome manifests itself as a series of unmotivated movements - either the same type or developing into more complex ones.
Most often, parents complain that their child suddenly began to:
- biting nails and skin around nails;
- grind teeth;
- shake your head from side to side;
- swing your whole body without apparent reason;
- wave or shake hands;
- pinch yourself by the ears, hands, cheeks, chin, nose;
- bite your own lips;
- blinking and squinting for no reason;
- pull out own hair or constantly twist them around your finger.
Manifestations of the syndrome may be different, but we can talk about the disease when a child repeats a series of movements or one movement frequently, especially in situations where he begins to worry or feels awkward.
Factors that can trigger the mechanism of obsessive movement syndrome are numerous:
- severe stress;
- long stay in a psychologically unfavorable environment;
- total mistakes in upbringing - connivance or excessive severity;
- attention deficit;
- changes in usual life - moving, changing kindergarten, departure of parents and their long absence.
All these manifestations may not cause any inconvenience to the child himself - unless, of course, he injures himself.
It is noteworthy that obsessive movement syndrome is recognized by doctors as a disease; it has its own number in International classification diseases (ICD-10), the disorder is classified as neurotic, caused by stressful situations, as well as somatoform. However, doctors did not and do not have a single standard for diagnosing this disease. In other words, the child will be diagnosed only on the basis of the parents’ complaints and the symptoms they describe.
There is also no standard treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder neurosis - it all depends on a particular neurologist, who may recommend taking a sedative and visiting a psychologist, or may prescribe a whole bunch of medications, vitamins - and always a rather expensive massage (of course, from his friend's masseuse).
If the child’s involuntary movements are caused by a specific reason, then with a high degree of probability the syndrome will go away on its own, without any treatment. The child just needs time to get rid of his worries. However, it can also be a sign of more troubling conditions.
What should parents do?
Neurosis of obsessive movements and states, according to Evgeniy Komarovsky, is a manifestation inappropriate behavior. It necessarily forces parents to seek advice from a doctor, since it is very difficult to independently understand what is happening - temporary psychological disorder or persistent mental illness.
When inappropriate symptoms appear, Evgeniy Komarovsky advises parents to think carefully about what preceded this - whether there were conflicts in the family, in the children's team, whether the baby was sick with something, or whether he was taking any medications. If you did, are there any pills or potions? side effects in the form of disorders of the central nervous system.
Temporary stress syndrome there is always an explanation, there is always a reason for it.
But at mental illness Most often there may not be a reason. If nothing changed, did not hurt, the child did not take any medications, he did not have a fever, he ate and slept well, and the next morning he shakes his head from side to side, winces, blinks and squints, tries to hide, run away, shakes his hands without It's already been an hour since the break - this is, of course, a reason to contact a child neurologist, and then a child psychiatrist.
The problem, says Komarovsky, is that parents are embarrassed to contact a specialist such as a psychiatrist. This is a big misconception. Negative attitudes towards doctors who help solve behavior problems need to be reconsidered as soon as possible.
A son or daughter can walk in their own nervous manifestations to conditions that may threaten life and health. If there is a risk of self-harm, a child with his movements can cause serious harm to himself, Komarovsky advises to consult a specialist to rule out the presence of psychiatric disorders and receive recommendations on how to get out of this situation.
What can't you do?
You should not focus on obsessive movements, much less try to prohibit your child from making them. He does them unconsciously (or almost unconsciously), and therefore it is in principle impossible to prohibit them, but to aggravate them emotional disturbance prohibitions are easy. It is better to distract the child, ask him to do something, help, go somewhere together.
You cannot raise your voice and shout at a child at the moment when he begins a series of unmotivated movements, says Komarovsky. The parents' reaction should be calm and adequate, so as not to frighten the child even more.
It is best to continue talking to the baby in a quiet, calm voice, in short sentences, do not argue with him, and under no circumstances leave him alone. You should also not look your baby directly in the eyes.
It is also impossible to ignore the problem, because the child really needs to talk to him and discuss his problem. In the end, these new “bad” habits also cause bewilderment and fear for him. Sometimes it is confidential communication that helps get rid of a problem.
Treatment
With a high degree of probability, a neurologist, to whom parents come for an appointment with complaints of obsessive movements in a child, will prescribe one or more sedatives, magnesium preparations, as well as vitamin complexes. He will strongly recommend visiting a massage, exercise therapy, swimming pool and salt caving chamber. The treatment will cost the family quite a round sum (even with the most approximate calculations).
Evgeniy Komarovsky advises you to think carefully when planning to start such treatment. If the psychiatrist has not found serious abnormalities, then the diagnosis of “obsessive movement syndrome” should not become a reason to stuff the child with pills and injections. Pharmaceuticals with a high degree of probability will not affect the healing process at all.
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