Hyperactivity of children is clearly manifested in their behavior and in violent emotional expression. All the actions and experiences of children with ADHD go with the prefix "super" - they are impulsive, stubborn, absent-minded, capricious, aroused much more strongly than is typical of ordinary children. The constancy of such behavior alarms parents and pediatricians. Revealing that this is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or parenting errors is a difficult task, there is no unambiguous solution for it. What is left for parents? Let us analyze in more detail the concept of attention deficit disorder, taking into account all the assumptions.

Excessive impulsivity, emotionality, unpredictability of reactions - this is how you can describe the character of a child with attention deficit disorder

What can cause ADHD?

• Unfavorable factors that influenced the course of pregnancy. Maternal smoking, stressful situations, various diseases, taking medications - all this negatively affects the body of the fetus.
• Neuralgia disorders that occurred at birth or in fetal development. Often attention deficit hyperactivity disorder manifests itself after hypoxia (lack of oxygen) or asphyxia (suffocation) is observed during childbirth or fetal development in the womb.
• The cause may be premature or very rapid birth. Affects the diagnosis of ADHD and stimulation of the birth process.
• Social factors when the baby grows up in an unfavorable environment. Frequent conflicts of adults, malnutrition, too soft or hard methods of education, lifestyle and temperament of the child himself.

The combination of several dangerous factors at once increases the risk of ADHD in children. The child suffered asphyxia during childbirth, his upbringing is carried out within strict limits, he faces frequent conflicts in the family - the result will be a pronounced hyperactivity of the baby.

How to spot the signs of ADHD?

This article talks about typical ways to solve your questions, but each case is unique! If you want to know from me how to solve exactly your problem - ask your question. It's fast and free!

Your question:

Your question has been sent to an expert. Remember this page on social networks to follow the answers of the expert in the comments:

Self-diagnosing ADHD in a child is not always easy. It is possible that attention deficit is the result of other neurological problems. Manifestations of symptoms characteristic of ADHD:

• The first symptoms of hyperactivity are noticeable even in infancy. Hyperactive children are characterized by violent reactions to loud sounds and noise, they do not sleep well, lag behind in the development of motor skills, are excited in games and when bathing.
• A child is 3 years old - the age when the moment comes, called the three-year-old crisis. Many children at this age are prone to whims, stubbornness, mood swings. Kids with hyperactivity make everything several times brighter. Their behavior is characterized by a belated development of speech skills, awkward movements, interspersed with fussiness and randomness. There are frequent complaints of headaches, fatigue, the presence of enuresis,.
• Prominent restlessness. It is revealed in kindergarten in classes that require concentration. In addition, in a kindergarten environment, the baby hardly falls asleep, does not want to sit on the potty, does not want to eat, it is impossible to calm him down.
• Problems before school age. A child with hyperactivity does not learn well the materials that prepare him for school, but this does not indicate a delay in the development of the child, but rather a decrease in concentration. The kid cannot sit in one place and does not listen to the teacher.
• Poor school performance. Children with hyperactivity do not get poor grades because of low mental inclinations. This is due to disciplinary requirements. Children are not able to sit quietly for 45 minutes of the lesson, listen carefully, write and do the tasks proposed by the teacher.
• Mental problems. From an early age, hyperactive children develop various phobias. Symptoms such as tearfulness, irascibility, resentment, irritability, distrust, anxiety, suspicion are clearly manifested.

Usually such kids do not study well at school, they cannot calmly sit out until the end of the lesson or complete homework in full

Of particular concern to parents is the fact that symptoms of ADHD can be complex character- they appear in children regularly and brightly.

How is the problem diagnosed?

Doctors do not diagnose a seven-year-old child with a neurological diagnosis, even with severe hyperactivity, and do not use drugs. The solution is connected with the psychology of the growing organism. Preschoolers are experiencing two serious psychological crises at 3 years and 7 years (we recommend reading:). So by what criteria does a doctor make a verdict about ADHD? Consider two lists of criteria by which the diagnosis of the disease is carried out.

Eight signs of hyperactivity

1. Children's movements are fussy and chaotic.
2. They sleep restlessly: they spin a lot, often talk, laugh or cry in their sleep, throw off the covers, walk at night.
3. It is difficult to sit on a chair, constantly spinning from side to side.
4. The state of rest is almost absent, all the time running, jumping, spinning, jumping.
5. They do not stand in line well, they can get up and leave.
6. They talk too much.
7. When talking with someone, they do not listen to the interlocutor, they try to interrupt, they are distracted from the conversation, they do not answer the questions asked.
8. When asked to wait, they respond with pronounced impatience.

Eight Signs of Attention Deficit

1. There is no desire to do well the task given to them. Any work (cleaning, homework) is done quickly and carelessly, often not completed.
2. It is difficult to concentrate on the details, the child does not remember them well and cannot reproduce them.
3. Frequent immersion in one's own world, absent gaze, difficulties with communication.
4. The conditions of the games are poorly assimilated, they are constantly violated.
5. Great absent-mindedness, expressed in the loss of personal things that are not put in their place, and then cannot find them.
6. There is no personal self-discipline. We have to constantly monitor and organize.
7. Rapid switching of attention from one subject or object to another.
8. The control mechanism is the "spirit of destruction". They break toys and other things, but do not admit to their deeds.

If you find 5-6 matches in the child's behavior for the diagnosis of ADHD, show it to specialists (psychotherapist, neurologist, psychologist). The doctor will thoroughly study the problem and find a competent solution.

Treatment Methods

Methods for correcting ADHD in children are selected individually. The doctor, choosing a method of treatment, proceeds from the degree of development of the problem. After talking with the parents and observing the child, the specialist decides what is necessary in a particular case. Treatment of hyperactive children can be carried out in two directions: medication, with the help of ADHD drugs, or through psychotherapeutic correction.

Medical method

Physicians in the United States and in the West treat hyperactivity in children with psychostimulants. Such drugs improve concentration and quickly give visible positive changes, but they are also characterized by side effects: children have headaches, sleep disturbances, appetite, nervousness and excessive irritability appear, they are reluctant to communicate.

Russian specialists do not resort to psychostimulants in the treatment of ADHD, based on the protocol for the treatment of ADHD, according to which the use of such drugs is prohibited. They are replaced by nootropic drugs - a group of psychotropic drugs intended for a specific effect on higher functions the brain, which increase its resistance to the influence of negative factors, thereby improving memory and cognitive activity in general. There is no shortage of ADHD drugs on the market. Strattera tablets-capsules are recognized as an effective representative of ADHD drugs. Depressants are given to a child under the strict supervision of a physician.

Strattera tablets should not be self-administered as they directly affect nervous activity and should only be taken under strict medical supervision.

Psychological and psychotherapeutic methods

The methods of psychologists and psychotherapists are aimed at correcting behavior. Designed to help improve memory, develop speech skills, thinking. Specialists seek to increase the child's self-esteem, give him creative tasks. To reduce the syndrome, modeling of communicative situations that can facilitate the communication of hyperactive children with peers and adults. To correct ADHD, a relaxation method is used, which helps to relax the child and normalize brain and nervous activity. A speech therapist deals with speech defects. Difficult cases require a combination of drugs and psychological methods correcting the situation.

What do parents need to know?

If the problem is identified and there is no doubt about it, parents should know how to properly raise a hyperactive child. Proceed like this:

• Increase your child's self-esteem. The incomprehensible hyperactivity of the child pushes adults to constant remarks and pulling. They do not ask him, but order him to "shut up", "sit down", "calm down". A little man hears such words in the garden, at home, and at school - he develops a feeling of his own inferiority, while he is in dire need of encouragement and praise. Do it more often.
• When building a relationship with your son or daughter, respect personal qualities. Put aside your emotional perception of their behavior, act strictly but fairly. When punishing the baby, coordinate your decision with other family members. Understanding that it is difficult for a child to restrain himself and he indulges in all serious things, do not do it yourself. Your rallies with the "brakes" may be perceived by him as the norm.
• While keeping your child busy with household chores, give him simple and short-term tasks for which he will have enough patience. Be sure to reward if he did them.
• Obtaining informative knowledge should be dosed. Take no more than 15 minutes for reading and preparing lessons per lesson. Let the child rest by inviting him to play, then return to the lessons.
• If the kid is used to being forgiven for all the pranks at home, then he will certainly face a negative attitude towards his tricks at school or kindergarten. Your help consists in an intelligible explanation to the kid of his wrong behavior. Discuss the conflict with him, find a solution to the situation.
• A good solution is to invite the child to keep a diary in which all his small victories will be reflected. Such a visual illustration of achievements will be a constructive help.

It is very important for parents to speak with the child on an equal footing, to explain their position, to increase his self-esteem. Thus, you can direct excess energy in a positive direction and gently correct the behavior of the baby.

Difficulties of social adaptation

Coming to a kindergarten or school, children with ADHD immediately fall into the list of "difficult" pupils. Hyperactive behavior is perceived by others as inadequate. Sometimes the situation develops in such a way that parents are forced to change schools or kindergarten. You have to teach your child to be tolerant, flexible, polite, friendly - only such qualities will help him in social adaptation.

or ADHD is the most common cause of behavioral and learning problems in children preschool age and schoolchildren.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child- a developmental disorder that manifests itself in a violation of behavior. A child with ADHD is restless, shows “stupid” activity, cannot sit in class at school or kindergarten, and will not do what he is not interested in. He interrupts the elders, plays in the classroom, goes about his own business, can crawl under the desk. At the same time, the child correctly perceives the environment. He hears and understands all the instructions of the elders, but cannot follow their instructions due to impulsiveness. Despite the fact that the child understood the task, he cannot complete what he started, he is not able to plan and foresee the consequences of his actions. Associated with this is a high risk of domestic injury, getting lost.

Neurologists consider attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child as a neurological disease. Its manifestations are not the result of improper upbringing, neglect or permissiveness, they are a consequence of the special work of the brain.

Prevalence. ADHD is found in 3-5% of children. Of these, 30% "outgrow" the disease after 14 years, another 40% adapt to it and learn to smooth out its manifestations. Among adults, this syndrome is found in only 1%.

Boys are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 3-5 times more often than girls. Moreover, in boys, the syndrome is more often manifested by destructive behavior (disobedience and aggression), and in girls by inattention. According to some studies, fair-haired and blue-eyed Europeans are more susceptible to the disease. Interestingly, in different countries incidence rates are significantly different. Thus, studies conducted in London and Tennessee revealed ADHD in 17% of children.

Types of ADHD

• Attention deficit and hyperactivity are equally pronounced;
• Attention deficit predominates, and impulsivity and hyperactivity appear slightly;
• Hyperactivity and impulsivity predominate, attention is slightly impaired.

Treatment. The main methods are pedagogical measures and psychological correction. Drug treatment is used in cases where other methods have been ineffective, since the drugs used have side effects.
If you leave attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child untreated increases the risk of developing:

• dependence on alcohol, narcotic substances, psychotropic drugs;
• difficulties with the assimilation of information that disrupt the learning process;
• high anxiety, which comes to replace physical activity;
• tics - repetitive muscle twitches.
• headaches;
• antisocial changes - a tendency to hooliganism, theft.

Controversial moments. A number of leading experts in the field of medicine and public organizations, among which the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, denies the existence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child. From their point of view, the manifestations of ADHD are considered a feature of temperament and character, and therefore are not subject to treatment. They can be a manifestation of natural mobility and curiosity for an active child, or protest behavior that occurs in response to a traumatic situation - abuse, loneliness, divorce of parents.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child, causes

Cause of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children cannot be installed. Scientists are convinced that the disease provokes a combination of several factors that disrupt work nervous system.

1. Factors that disrupt the formation of the nervous system in the fetus, which can lead to oxygen starvation or hemorrhage into the brain tissue:

• pollution environment, high content of harmful substances in the air, water, food;
• taking medications by a woman during pregnancy;
• exposure to alcohol, drugs, nicotine;
• infections carried by the mother during pregnancy;
• Rh factor conflict - immunological incompatibility;
• risk of miscarriage ;
• fetal asphyxia;
• cord entanglement;
• complicated or rapid childbirth, leading to injury to the head or spine of the fetus.

1. Factors that disrupt brain function in infancy

• diseases accompanied by a temperature above 39-40 degrees;
• taking certain drugs that have a neurotoxic effect;
• bronchial asthma, pneumonia;
• severe kidney disease;
• heart failure, heart disease.

1. Genetic factors. According to this theory, 80% of cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are associated with disorders in the gene that regulates the release of dopamine and the work of dopamine receptors. The result is a violation of the transmission of bioelectric impulses between brain cells. Moreover, the disease manifests itself if, in addition to genetic abnormalities, there are adverse factors environment.

Neurologists believe that these factors can cause damage in limited areas of the brain. In this regard, some mental functions (for example, volitional control over impulses and emotions) develop inconsistently, with a delay, which causes manifestations of the disease. This confirms the fact that in children with ADHD, a violation of metabolic processes and bioelectrical activity in the anterior parts of the frontal lobes of the brain was found.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child, symptoms

A child with ADHD equally shows hyperactivity and inattention at home, in kindergarten, visiting strangers. There are no situations in which the baby would behave calmly. In this he differs from the usual active child.

Signs of ADHD in early age

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child, symptoms which are most pronounced at 5-12 years old, can be recognized at an earlier age.

• Early they begin to hold their heads, sit, crawl, walk.
• Experiencing trouble falling asleep, sleeping less than normal.
• If they get tired, they do not engage in a calm type of activity, do not fall asleep on their own, but fall into hysterics.
• Very sensitive to loud sounds bright light, strangers, change of scenery. These factors cause them to cry loudly.
• Throw away toys before they even had a chance to see them.

These signs may indicate a tendency to ADHD, but they are also present in many restless children under 3 years of age.
ADHD also affects the functioning of the body. The child often experiences digestive problems. Diarrhea is the result of excessive stimulation of the intestines by the autonomic nervous system. Allergic reactions and skin rashes appear more often than in peers.

Main symptoms

1. Attention disorder

• R the child has difficulty concentrating on one subject or activity. He does not pay attention to details, unable to distinguish the main from the secondary. The child tries to do all the things at the same time: he paints all the details without finishing, reads the text, jumping over the line. This is due to the fact that he does not know how to plan. When performing tasks together, explain: “First we will do one thing, then another.”
• The child, under any pretext, tries to avoid routine matters, lessons, creativity. This may be a quiet protest when the child runs away and hides, or a tantrum with screams and tears.
• There is a cyclical nature of attention. A preschooler can do one thing for 3-5 minutes, a child of primary school age up to 10 minutes. Then, over the same period, the nervous system restores the resource. Often at this time it seems that the child does not hear the speech addressed to him. Then the cycle repeats.
• Attention can only be focused if you are left alone with the child. The child is more attentive and obedient if the room is quiet and there are no irritants, toys, other people.

1. Hyperactivity

• The child makes a large number of inappropriate movements, most of which he does not notice. hallmark motor activity in ADHD aimlessness. This can be rotation of the hands and feet, running, jumping, tapping on the table or on the floor. The child runs, not walks. Climbing on furniture . Breaks toys.
• Talking too loud and fast. He answers without listening to the question. Shouts out an answer, interrupting the answerer. He speaks in unfinished phrases, jumping from one thought to another. Swallows the endings of words and sentences. Constantly asks again. His statements are often thoughtless, they provoke and offend others.
• Mimicry is very expressive. The face expresses emotions that quickly appear and disappear - anger, surprise, joy. Sometimes he grimaces for no apparent reason.

It has been found that children with ADHD physical activity stimulates brain structures responsible for thinking and self-control. That is, while the child runs, knocks and disassembles objects, his brain is improving. New neural connections are established in the cortex, which will further improve the functioning of the nervous system and save the child from the manifestations of the disease.

1. Impulsiveness

• Guided solely by their own desires and execute them immediately. Acts on the first impulse, without considering the consequences and without planning. For a child, there are no situations in which he must sit quietly. In the classroom in kindergarten or at school, he jumps up and runs to the window, into the corridor, makes noise, shouts from his place. Takes the favorite thing from peers.
• Can't follow instructions, especially those with multiple items. The child constantly has new desires (impulses) that prevent him from completing the work he has begun (doing homework, collecting toys).
• Unable to wait or endure. He must immediately get or do what he wants. If this does not happen, he makes a row, switches to other things or performs aimless actions. This is clearly noticeable in class or when waiting for your turn.
• Mood swings happen every few minutes. The child goes from laughing to crying. Short temper is especially characteristic of children with ADHD. Angry, the child throws objects, may start a fight or ruin the offender's things. He will do it at once, without thinking or hatching a plan of revenge.
• The child does not feel threatened. He can do things that are dangerous to health and life: climb to a height, walk through abandoned buildings, go out on thin ice, because he wanted to do it. This property leads to a high level of trauma in children with ADHD.

The manifestations of the disease are due to the fact that the nervous system of a child with ADHD is too vulnerable. She is not able to master the large amount of information coming from outside world. Excessive activity and lack of attention is an attempt to protect yourself from an unbearable load on the National Assembly.

Additional symptoms

• Difficulties in learning normal level intellect. The child may have difficulty writing and reading. At the same time, he does not perceive individual letters and sounds or does not fully master this skill. The inability to learn arithmetic may be an independent impairment or accompany problems with reading and writing.
• Communication disorders. A child with ADHD may be obsessive towards peers and unfamiliar adults. He can be too emotional or even aggressive, which makes it difficult to communicate and establish friendly contacts.
• Lag in emotional development. The child behaves excessively capriciously and emotionally. He does not tolerate criticism, failures, behaves unbalanced, "childishly". A pattern has been established that with ADHD there is a 30% lag in emotional development. For example, a 10-year-old child behaves like a 7-year-old, although he is intellectually developed no worse than his peers.
• Negative self-esteem. The child hears a huge number of remarks during the day. If at the same time he is also compared with his peers: “Look how well Masha behaves!” this makes the situation worse. Criticism and claims convince the child that he is worse than others, bad, stupid, restless. This makes the child unhappy, distant, aggressive, instills hatred for others.

Manifestations of attention deficit disorder are due to the fact that the child's nervous system is too vulnerable. She is not able to master the large amount of information coming from the outside world. Excessive activity and lack of attention is an attempt to protect yourself from an unbearable load on the National Assembly.

Positive qualities of children with ADHD

• Active, active;
• Easily read the mood of the interlocutor;
• Ready for self-sacrifice for the people they like;
• Not vindictive, unable to hold a grudge;
• Fearless, they are not characterized by most childhood fears.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child, diagnosis

Diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may include several stages:

1. Collection of information - interview with the child, conversation with parents, diagnostic questionnaires.
2. Neuropsychological examination.
3. Pediatric consultation.

As a rule, a neurologist or psychiatrist makes a diagnosis based on a conversation with a child, after analyzing information from parents, caregivers and teachers.

1. Collection of information

The specialist receives most of the information during a conversation with the child and observing his behavior. With children, the conversation takes place orally. When working with adolescents, the doctor may ask you to fill out a questionnaire that resembles a test. Information received from parents and teachers helps complete the picture.

Diagnostic questionnaire is a list of questions designed to gather as much information about the child's behavior and mental state as possible. It usually takes the form of a multiple choice test. To identify ADHD are used:

• Vanderbilt Adolescent ADHD Diagnostic Questionnaire. There are versions for parents, teachers.
• Parental symptomatic questionnaire of ADHD manifestations;
• Structured questionnaire Conners.

According to the international classification of diseases ICD-10 diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child is set when the following symptoms are detected:

• Violation of adaptation. It is expressed by a discrepancy with the characteristics normal for this age;
• Violation of attention, when the child cannot focus his attention on one subject;
• impulsivity and hyperactivity;
• The development of the first symptoms before the age of 7 years;
• Adaptation disorder manifests itself in different situations(in kindergarten, school, at home), while intellectual development the child is age appropriate;
• These symptoms persist for 6 months or more.

The doctor has the right to diagnose "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" if the child has at least 6 symptoms of inattention and at least 6 symptoms of impulsivity and hyperactivity detected and followed for 6 months or more. These signs appear in constantly, not from time to time. They are so pronounced that they interfere with the child's learning and daily activities.

Signs of inattention

• Doesn't pay attention to details. In his work, he makes a large number of mistakes due to negligence and frivolity.
• Easily distracted.
• Difficulty concentrating when playing and performing tasks.
• Does not listen to speech addressed to him.
• Unable to complete the task, do homework. Can't follow instructions.
• Has difficulty performing independent work. Needs guidance and supervision from an adult.
• Resists performing tasks that require prolonged mental effort: homework, tasks of a teacher or psychologist. Avoids such work under various reasons, shows dissatisfaction.
• Often loses things.
• In daily activities shows forgetfulness and absent-mindedness.

Signs of impulsivity and hyperactivity

• Makes a lot of unnecessary movements. Cannot sit comfortably in a chair. Spins, makes movements, with feet, hands, head.
• Cannot sit or remain still in situations where it is necessary to do this - in a lesson, at a concert, in transport.
• Shows thoughtless motor activity in situations where this is unacceptable. He gets up, runs, spins, takes things without asking, tries to climb somewhere.
• Can't play well.
• Overly mobile.
• Too talkative.
• He answers without listening to the end of the question. Doesn't think before answering.
• Impatient. Hardly waiting for his turn.
• Interferes with others, sticks to people. Intervenes in a game or conversation.

Strictly speaking, the diagnosis of ADHD is based on the subjective opinion of a specialist and his personal experience. Therefore, if the parents do not agree with the diagnosis, then it makes sense to contact another neurologist or psychiatrist who specializes in this problem.

1. Neuropsychological examination for ADHD

In order to study the features of the brain, the child is electroencephalographic examination (EEG). This is a measurement of the bioelectrical activity of the brain at rest or while performing tasks. To do this, the electrical activity of the brain is measured through the scalp. The procedure is painless and harmless.
For ADHD the beta rhythm is reduced, and the theta rhythm is increased. The ratio of theta rhythm and beta rhythm several times higher than normal. This suggests that the bioelectrical activity of the brain is reduced, that is, a smaller number of electrical impulses are generated and passed through the neurons, compared to the norm.

1. Pediatrician's consultation

Manifestations similar to ADHD can be caused by anemia, hyperthyroidism and other somatic diseases. A pediatrician can confirm or exclude them after a blood test for hormones and hemoglobin.
Note! As a rule, in addition to the diagnosis of ADHD, a neurologist indicates a number of other diagnoses in the child’s medical record:

• Minimal brain dysfunction(MMD) - mild neurological disorders that cause impairment motor functions, speech, behavior;
• Increased intracranial pressure(ICP) - increased pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid (cerebrospinal fluid), which is located in the ventricles of the brain, around it and in the spinal canal.
• Perinatal CNS damage- damage to the nervous system that occurred during pregnancy, childbirth or in the first days of life.

All these violations have similar manifestations, therefore they are often written in a complex. Such an entry in the card does not mean that the child has a large number of neurological diseases. On the contrary, the changes are minimal and can be corrected.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child, treatment

1. Medication treatment for ADHD

Medications prescribed according to individual indications only if without them it is not possible to improve the behavior of the child.

Drug group	Representatives	The effect of taking medication
Psychostimulants	Levamphetamine, Dexamphetamine, Dexmethylphenidate	The production of neurotransmitters increases, due to which the bioelectric activity of the brain is normalized. Improve behavior, reduce impulsivity, aggressiveness, manifestations of depression.
Antidepressants, norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors	Atomoxetine. Desipramine, Bupropion	Reduce the reuptake of neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin). Their accumulation in synapses improves signal transmission between brain cells. Increase attention, reduce impulsivity.
Nootropic drugs	Cerebrolysin, Piracetam, Instenon, Gamma-aminobutyric acid	They improve metabolic processes in the brain tissue, its nutrition and oxygen supply, and the absorption of glucose by the brain. Increase the tone of the cortex hemispheres. The effectiveness of these drugs has not been proven.
Sympathomimetics	Clonidine, Atomoxetine, Desipramine	Increase the tone of the brain vessels, improving blood circulation. Contribute to the normalization of intracranial pressure.

Treatment is carried out with low doses of drugs to minimize the risk of side effects and addiction. It has been proven that improvement occurs only at the time of taking the drugs. After their withdrawal, the symptoms reappear.

1. Physical therapy and massage for ADHD

This set of procedures is aimed at treating birth injuries of the head, cervical spine, relieving spasm of the neck muscles. This is necessary to normalize cerebral circulation and intracranial pressure. For ADHD apply:

• Physiotherapy aimed at strengthening the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle. Must be done daily.
• Collar area massage courses of 10 procedures 2-3 times a year.
• Physiotherapy. Apply infrared irradiation (heating) spasmodic muscles using infrared rays. Paraffin heating is also used. 15-20 procedures 2 times a year. These procedures are well combined with massage of the collar zone.

Please note that these procedures can only be started after consultation with a neurologist and orthopedist.
Do not resort to the services of manual therapists. Treatment by an unqualified specialist, without a preliminary x-ray of the spine, can cause serious injury.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child, behavior correction

1. BOS-therapy (biofeedback method)

biofeedback therapy – modern technique treatment that normalizes the bioelectrical activity of the brain, eliminating the cause of ADHD. It has been effectively used to treat the syndrome for more than 40 years.

The human brain generates electrical impulses. They are divided depending on the frequency of oscillations per second and the amplitude of oscillations. The main ones are: alpha, beta, gamma, delta and theta waves. With ADHD, the activity of beta waves (beta rhythm) is reduced, which are associated with focusing attention, memory, and information processing. At the same time, the activity of theta waves (theta rhythm) increases, which indicate emotional stress, fatigue, aggressiveness and imbalance. There is a version that the theta rhythm contributes to the rapid assimilation of information and the development of creativity.

The task of biofeedback therapy is to normalize the bioelectrical oscillations of the brain - to stimulate the beta rhythm and reduce the theta rhythm to normal. For this, a specially developed hardware-software complex "BOS-LAB" is used.
Sensors are attached to certain places on the child's body. On the monitor, the child sees how his biorhythms behave and tries to change them arbitrarily. Also, biorhythms change during the performance of computer exercises. If the task is done correctly, then a sound signal sounds or a picture appears, which are an element of feedback. The procedure is painless, interesting and well tolerated by the child.
The effect of the procedure is increased attention, reduced impulsivity and hyperactivity. Improved performance and relationships with others.

The course consists of 15-25 sessions. Progress is noticeable after 3-4 procedures. The effectiveness of treatment reaches 95%. The effect persists for a long time, for 10 years or more. In some patients, biofeedback therapy completely eliminates the manifestations of the disease. Has no side effects.

1. Psychotherapeutic methods

The effectiveness of psychotherapy is significant, but progress may take from 2 months to several years. You can improve the result by combining various psychotherapeutic techniques, pedagogical measures of parents and teachers, physiotherapeutic methods and adherence to the daily routine.

1. Cognitive Behavioral Methods

The child, under the guidance of a psychologist, and then independently, forms various models of behavior. In the future, the most constructive, “correct” ones are chosen from them. In parallel, the psychologist helps the child to understand his inner world, emotions and desires.
Classes are held in the form of a conversation or a game, where the child is offered various roles - a student, a buyer, a friend or an opponent in a dispute with peers. Children act out the situation. Then the child is asked to determine how each of the participants feels. Did he do the right thing.

• Anger management skills and expressing your emotions in an acceptable way. What do you feel? What do you want? Now say it politely. What we can do?
• Constructive conflict resolution. The child is taught to negotiate, seek compromise, avoid quarrels or get out of them in a civilized manner. (If you don’t want to share - offer another toy. You are not accepted into the game - come up with an interesting activity and offer it to others). It is important to teach the child to speak calmly, to listen to the interlocutor, to clearly articulate what he wants.
• Appropriate ways of communicating with the teacher and with peers. As a rule, the child knows the rules of behavior, but does not follow them because of impulsiveness. Under the guidance of a psychologist in the game, the child improves communication skills.
• Correct methods of behavior in public places - in kindergarten, at the lesson, in the store, at the doctor's office, etc. mastered in the form of "theater".

The effectiveness of the method is significant. The result appears in 2-4 months.

1. play therapy

In the form of a game that is pleasant for the child, the formation of perseverance and attentiveness, learning to control hyperactivity and increased emotionality takes place.
The psychologist individually selects a set of games based on the symptoms of ADHD. At the same time, he can change their rules if the child is too easy or hard.
Play therapy at first is carried out individually, then it can become a group or family. Also, games can be "homework", or conducted by the teacher during the five-minute lesson.

• Games for the development of attention. Find 5 differences in the picture. Define the scent. Identify the object by touch with your eyes closed. Broken phone.
• Games for the development of perseverance and the fight against disinhibition. Hide and Seek. Silent. Sort items by color/size/shape.
• Games for the control of motor activity. Throwing the ball at a set pace that gradually increases. Siamese twins, when children in a pair, hugging each other by the waist, must complete tasks - clap their hands, run.
• Games to relieve muscle clamps and emotional stress. Aimed at the physical and emotional relaxation of the child. "Humpty Dumpty" for alternate relaxation of various muscle groups.
• Games for the development of memory and overcoming impulsivity."Speak!" - the facilitator asks simple questions. But you can answer them only after the command “Speak!”, Before which he pauses for a few seconds.
• Computer games, which simultaneously develop perseverance, attention and restraint.

1. Art therapy

Occupation with various types of art reduces fatigue and anxiety, frees from negative emotions, improves adaptation, allows you to realize talents and raise the child's self-esteem. It helps to develop internal control and perseverance, improves the relationship between the child and the parent or psychologist.

By interpreting the results of the child's work, the psychologist gets an idea of ​​his inner world, emotional conflicts and problems.

• Drawing colored pencils, finger paints or watercolors. Sheets of paper of different sizes are used. The child can choose the plot of the drawing himself or the psychologist can suggest a topic - “At school”, “My family”.
• sand therapy. You need a sandbox with clean, moistened sand and a set of various molds, including human figures, vehicles, houses, etc. The child himself decides what exactly he wants to reproduce. Often he plays up stories that disturb him unconsciously, but he cannot convey this to adults.
• Modeling from clay or plasticine. The child sculpts figures from plasticine on a given topic - funny animals, my friend, my pet. classes contribute to the development fine motor skills and brain functions.
• Listening to music and playing musical instruments. Rhythmic dance music is recommended for girls, and marching music for boys. Music relieves emotional stress, increases perseverance and attention.

The effectiveness of art therapy is average. It is a helper method. Can be used to establish contact with the child or for relaxation.

1. Family therapy and work with teachers.

The psychologist informs adults about the developmental features of a child with ADHD. Talks about effective methods work, forms of influence on the child, how to form a system of rewards and sanctions, how to convey to the child the need to fulfill duties and comply with prohibitions. This reduces the number of conflicts, makes training and education easier for all its participants.
When working with a child, a psychologist draws up a psycho-correction program for several months. At the first sessions, he establishes contact with the child and conducts diagnostics to determine how pronounced inattention, impulsiveness and aggressiveness are. Taking into account individual characteristics he draws up a correction program, gradually introducing various psychotherapeutic techniques and complicating tasks. Therefore, parents should not expect drastic changes after the first meetings.

1. Pedagogical measures

Parents and teachers need to be aware of the cyclical nature of the brain in children with ADHD. On average, a child assimilates information for 7-10 minutes, then the brain needs 3-7 minutes to recover and rest. This feature must be used in the process of learning, doing homework and in any other activity. For example, give your child tasks that he will have time to complete in 5-7 minutes.

Proper parenting is the main way to deal with the symptoms of ADHD. It depends on the behavior of the parents whether the child “outgrows” this problem and how successful he will be in adult life.

• Be patient, keep self-control. Avoid criticism. Peculiarities in the behavior of the child are not his fault and not yours. Insults and physical violence are unacceptable.
• Communicate expressively with your child. Expressions of emotion in facial expressions and voice will help to keep his attention. For the same reason, it is important to look into the eyes of the child.
• Use physical contact. Hold the hand, stroke, hug, use massage elements when communicating with the child. It has a calming effect and helps to focus.
• Provide clear control of the execution of tasks. The child does not have sufficient willpower to complete what he started, he is tempted to stop halfway. Knowing that an adult will supervise the task will help him see it through to the end. Will provide discipline and self-control in the future.
• Set challenging tasks for your child. If he is not up to the task that you have set for him, then next time simplify it. If yesterday he did not have the patience to put away all the toys, then today ask him only to collect the cubes in a box.
• Set the child a task in the form of short instructions. Give one task at a time: "Brush your teeth." When this is completed, ask to wash.
• Take breaks of a few minutes between each activity. Collected toys, rested for 5 minutes, went to wash.
• Allow your child to be physically active during class. If he waves his legs, twists various objects in his hands, shifts near the table, this improves his thought process. If you limit this small activity, then the child's brain will fall into a stupor and will not be able to perceive information.
• Praise for every success. Do it one on one and with your family. The child has low self-esteem. He often hears how bad he is. Therefore, praise is vital to him. It encourages the child to be disciplined, to put even more effort and perseverance in completing tasks. Well, if the praise is visual. These can be chips, tokens, stickers, cards that the child can count at the end of the day. Change "rewards" from time to time. Removal of the award effective method punishment. He must follow immediately after the offense.
• Be consistent in your requirements. If you can not watch TV for a long time, then do not make exceptions when you have guests or your mother is tired.
• Warn your child about what's to come. It is difficult for him to interrupt activities that are interesting. Therefore, 5-10 minutes before the end of the game, warn that he will soon finish playing and collect toys.
• Learn to plan. Together, make a list of tasks that need to be done today, and then cross off what you have done.
• Make a daily routine and stick to it. This will teach the child to plan, distribute their time and anticipate what will happen in the near future. This develops the work of the frontal lobes and creates a sense of security.
• Encourage your child to play sports. Martial arts, swimming, athletics, cycling will be especially useful. They will direct the activity of the child in the right useful direction. Team sports (football, volleyball) can be difficult. Traumatic sports (judo, boxing) can increase the level of aggressiveness.
• Try different kinds classes. The more you offer your child, the higher the chance that he will find his hobby, which will help him become more diligent and attentive. This will build his self-esteem and improve relationships with peers.
• Protect from prolonged viewing TV and computer seats. The approximate norm is 10 minutes for each year of life. So a 6-year-old child should not watch TV for more than an hour.

Remember, if your child has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, this does not mean that he is behind his peers in intellectual development. The diagnosis only indicates the borderline state between the norm and deviation. Parents will have to make more efforts, show a lot of patience in education, and in most cases, after 14 years, the child will “outgrow” this condition.

Often children with ADHD have high level IQ and they are called "indigo children". If a child becomes interested in something specific in adolescence, then he will direct all his energy to it and bring it to perfection. If this hobby develops into a profession, then success is guaranteed. This is proved by the fact that most of the big businessmen and prominent scientists in childhood suffered from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Having frolicked for half a day in kindergarten and walked up in the park until you are blue in the face, the kid continues the fun at home. His battery never dies, and only at night, when he finally subsides, can the family fall from their ears to their feet. The seething energy of the child, his indefatigable mobility often confuse parents. But what if the reason for this is the hyperactivity that doctors so often talk about today?

Cons of progress

Today, the diagnosis of "attention deficit hyperactivity disorder" (abbreviated as ADHD or simply - hyperactivity) is from 5 to 15% of children aged 7-10 years. For comparison: "school neurosis", that is, violations of adaptation to kindergarten or school - with crying, headaches and frequent colds - occurs in 5% of children. There is no doubt: for the last ten years, hyperactivity has been leading among neurological childhood diseases. However, this problem was known to mankind before. In the 1930s, the Soviet psychologist P.P. Blonsky noticed that in every school and in every class there are children who stand out from the crowd. He called them "disorganizers". The term "hyperactivity" appeared later, at a convention of neurologists in Oxford in the recent 1962.

In the children's team, hyperactive kids behave like disorganizers: they take away toys from other children, push, violate the regime. If you notice any warning signs, be sure to talk to your caregiver. If he confirms your fears, it makes sense to consult a doctor - a pediatric neurologist or psychiatrist.

By the beginning of the current millennium, the number of hyperactive children has increased markedly. And although the doctors have not yet disclosed the exact reasons, the main accused in the case is ... medicine itself. Thanks to its rapid development, children began to appear who had no chance before. Today, about a third of births in Russia are by caesarean section. Approximately half of the “lucky ones” (which is 15% of all newborns) receive a diagnosis of “perinatal encephalopathy” at the end. This brain damage develops due to the fact that the baby hits this light too abruptly and his brain does not have time to adapt to the pressure difference in the mother's womb and in the air space. Other methods of childbirth, such as the use of obstetric forceps, can lead to the same consequences.

There are other preconditions as well. Hyperactivity can provoke infections with high fever in the first year of life, head injuries up to 3 years. Children, who often suffer from respiratory or gastrointestinal diseases, are also at risk. Toxins produced by harmful bacteria and viruses, high temperatures, lack of nutrients due to decreased appetite during illness - all this negatively affects the brain. The most dangerous are the periods when it ripens at a rapid pace. The brain is very vulnerable in the first year of life (when the cerebral cortex responsible for higher mental functions grows), around 3 years, between 5 and 6 years, and at 8, 9-10, 12 and 16-18 years. Adds fuel to the fire and bad ecology. In cities where industry is booming, children with ADHD are born more often. Iodine-deficient regions (which are the majority in Russia) are also disadvantaged, because this element plays important role in the development of the nervous system.

Hyperactive kids love computer games and walks: these types of activities give them emotional and motor discharge. reading, modeling, drawing will help to avoid overexcitation.

Sometimes the conditions for the development of hyperactivity occur even at the stage of pregnancy. Everyone knows about the evils of smoking and alcohol, but expectant mothers forget that a lack of moderate physical activity and an improperly balanced diet are no less harmful.

And, finally, in boys this syndrome occurs three times more often than in girls. The female fetus is naturally more resistant to negative impacts of any kind - that's what evolution has decreed.

Sixth Sense

Scientists have come to the conclusion that hyperactive children lack the energy that they receive from the outside world and which healthy person happens to be enough.

The brain is conditionally divided into three parts: a block for regulating tone and wakefulness, a block for receiving and processing information, and a block that controls behavior. All the information that we receive from the outside from the senses is converted into energy due to electrical impulses between neurons. This energy normally accumulates in the tone block, which can be compared to a battery. But in hyperactive children, the connections between neurons are broken, and some of the energy is lost. To recharge, they lack the stimulation that the 5 senses can provide. To satisfy energy hunger, a hyperactive child begins to exploit his sixth sense. And intuition has nothing to do with it. We are talking about the so-called muscular sense - the ability of humans and animals to feel the movement of their body parts in space. It was first described by the Russian scientist I.M. Sechenov in the 1920s. By the way, this is the most powerful and most important of all the senses, and it is thanks to him that our motor reactions are so well coordinated. Excessive mobility of hyperactive children is explained by the need to get as much energy as possible through the work of muscles. They run, jump, fidget to feed the weakened block of tone, otherwise they will literally fall asleep on the go.

A fine line

Hyperactivity is primarily manifested in the inability to self-control, however, the child learns to act fully consciously not earlier than 5-7 years. This means that a child can be diagnosed with ADHD only after 4.5-5 years. Until this time, all children move a lot, reluctantly obey their parents, and often break the rules. It is also important not to confuse hyperactivity with bad manners or changes in behavior against the background of a stressful situation (moving, divorce of parents). In the last two cases, with atypical antics, the baby tries to inform adults about his problem. A hyperactive child will behave inappropriately almost always and everywhere.

ADHD has three main symptoms: difficulty concentrating, impulsive behavior, and increased motor activity. In young children, the boundary between the norm and deviation is blurred, and the doctor should evaluate these parameters. Although some guidelines for parents still exist. Increased motor activity is manifested in the fact that after 4 years the baby cannot sit still for a minute: he jumps up from his chair every now and then, constantly breaks down somewhere and runs away. His movements seem redundant and inorganic. The contrast is especially pronounced in the playground. But at an earlier age, these symptoms should not be alarming.

Impulsivity means the inability to adhere to the rules adopted in the family or in another team. You can always agree with an ordinary kid: say “you” to the elders, do not take away toys from other children. A hyperactive child, on the contrary, is always on his mind. He only does what he wants. At the same time, he perfectly understands what he is asked for, but cannot control his emotions. If after 4.5 years the baby does not feel the framework, this is a reason to think.

Difficulties with concentration of attention in children under 5 years old are manifested in the fact that they cannot complete the work they have begun. Already after 4 years, in 3-5 minutes, a healthy kid will have time to draw a little man or build a tower from cubes (if this time is exceeded, he will quickly get tired). A hyperactive child will not cope with the mission: he will be constantly distracted.

Detailed dossier

Either a neurologist or a psychiatrist can diagnose ADHD. If the doctor draws a conclusion “on the fly” based on a 15-minute oral conversation, it is better to immediately go to another specialist. Hyperactivity can only be suspected if the above symptoms appeared no later than the age of 7 and in at least two situations: for example, at home and in a kindergarten or at home and in a shopping center. But this evidence is still not enough. First, the doctor will ask the parents in detail and, if necessary, send them to collect information about the behavior of the baby in kindergarten. He will then interact with the child and give him some test items to assess the level of development of mental and motor functions. He will also need the results of an encephalogram and the conclusion of an ophthalmologist and an otolaryngologist that everything is in order with the baby's vision and hearing. If necessary, the doctor may prescribe additional examinations, but without these four points, the diagnosis cannot be considered correct.

Help is coming

In most cases, ADHD is treatable. Mental functions (thinking, speech, memory) can be represented as chains that consist of several links. In diseases of the brain, including hyperactivity, some links weaken, so some mental functions begin to work worse or turn off altogether. However, no disaster occurs. Spare links that are not normally used help fill in the gaps. For example, deaf people can understand speech by lip-reading phrases. So it is with hyperactive children: they lack the ability to self-control not completely, but only partially. Yes, they cannot build complex behavior programs, but they cope with tasks of 1-2 links. Based on this feature, neuropsychologists have developed special activities for such children, which are based on the principle of crushing challenging tasks to a chain of simple actions with control questions in the middle. The baby should perform these exercises under the guidance of a doctor and at home with their parents.

There are no specialized schools for children with ADHD in Russia. If it is difficult for a child to study together with ordinary children, a home school or a “health school” with a truncated number of students to 15 may become a way out.

However, without drugs, treatment, as a rule, is still not complete. Doctors usually prescribe high-dose B vitamins and nootropics. The former contribute to the development of the brain, the latter improve metabolism and strengthen connections between neurons. In Russia, nootropics are prescribed for children from 5 to 7-8 years old. At an older age, other drugs are used.

Only such an integrated approach yields results. Neurons are cells that are activated in the process of thinking, therefore, along with medication, the child needs regular psychological stimulation. But if the alliance turned out, hyperactivity can be corrected in 3-5 months. This does not mean that the child will fully recover, but symptoms such as impulsivity and excessive mobility will subside.

When the course of treatment is over, the child can be sent to a regular school. However, there will still be several critical points on the way of its development. Difficulties will arise in preparing for school (with learning to read, write and count), entering school, moving from elementary school in middle age and adolescence. During periods of “exacerbations”, parents will need to see a doctor again, resume classes, and possibly drink a course of medication. However, with each time bursts of hyperactivity will subside: with age, the disease, as a rule, recedes. Without the intervention of doctors closer to adolescence, from 25 to 50% of hyperactive children "outgrow" this syndrome themselves. But at the same time, improvements do not occur until the age of 12, and attention disorders remain for life.

Tips for parents

1. Treat a hyperactive baby like a an ordinary child and accept it the way it is. By the way, paradoxically, hyperactive children grow up as sensitive, active, detail-oriented people with a positive creed in life.
2. For a hyperactive child, clear rules become an essential condition for rehabilitation. The main thing is that both children and parents observe them. Unfulfilled promises, violations of the regime will only warm up the already excited baby. The daily routine should be scheduled to the smallest detail, for each routine lesson it is necessary to prescribe a clear algorithm.

Swimming is ideal for a hyperactive child of any age. From the age of 7-8, you can try aikido, wushu, taekwondo: in this way, he will learn to control his body and thoughts.

1. Before each trip to a public place, explain the rules of behavior to the baby again and again.
2. Take breaks every half an hour outside the house, giving the child the opportunity to “recharge the battery”: run, frolic, jump. You can play patty, jump and squat in place on the clap.
3. Increased custody will harm the child. Leave him freedom of action, delegate duties, and he will learn independence.
4. Check with your doctor about the best latitudes for your child to rest. Countries like Egypt and Turkey are often banned because the brains of such children do not tolerate heat well.
5. Children with ADHD are often unable to control their hunger. It is difficult for them to understand whether they are full or not, so control the amount of food, especially sweets. Replace chocolate with fruit more often.

Each child is active and inquisitive, but there are children whose activity is increased compared to their peers. Can such children be called hyperactive or is it a manifestation of the child's character? And is the child's hyperactive behavior normal or does it require treatment?

What is hyperactivity

This is the abbreviation for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, which is also abbreviated as ADHD. This is a very common brain disorder in childhood and is also found in many adults. According to statistics, 1-7% of children have hyperactivity syndrome. Boys are diagnosed with it 4 times more often than girls.

Timely recognized hyperactivity, which requires therapy, allows the child to form normal behavior and better adapt in a team among other people. If you leave ADHD in a child without attention, it persists into older age. A teenager with such a disorder acquires school skills worse, is more prone to antisocial behavior, he is hostile and aggressive.

ADHD - a syndrome of excessive impulsivity, hyperactivity and persistent inattention

Signs of ADHD

Not every active and easily excited child is classified as a child who has hyperactivity syndrome.

To diagnose ADHD, you should identify the main symptoms of such a disorder in a child, which manifest themselves:

1. Attention deficit.
2. impulsivity.
3. Hyperactivity.

Symptoms usually appear before the age of 7 years. Most often, parents notice them at 4 or 5 years old, and the most common age period for contacting a specialist is 8 years and older, when the child is faced with many tasks at school and at home, where his concentration and independence are needed. Babies who are not yet 3 years old are not diagnosed immediately. They are observed for some time to make sure they have ADHD.

Depending on the predominance of specific signs, two subtypes of the syndrome are distinguished - with attention deficit and with hyperactivity. Separately, a mixed subtype of ADHD is distinguished, in which the child has symptoms of both attention deficit and hyperactivity.

Signs of hyperactivity are more common in children 4-5 years old.

Attention Deficit Symptoms:

1. The child cannot focus on objects for a long time. He often makes careless mistakes.
2. The child fails to maintain attention for a long time, which is why he is not collected during the task and often does not complete the task to the end.
3. When the child is addressed, it seems that he is not listening.
4. If you give a direct instruction to a child, he does not follow it or starts to follow it and does not finish it.
5. It is difficult for a child to organize his activities. He often switches from one activity to another.
6. The child does not like tasks that require a long mental effort. He tries to avoid them.
7. The child often loses things that he needs.
8. The baby is easily distracted by extraneous noise.
9. In everyday activities, the child is noted for increased forgetfulness.

Children with ADHD have attention span

Hyperactive children find it difficult to complete tasks that require mental stress

Manifestations of impulsivity and hyperactivity:

1. The child often gets up from his seat.
2. When the child is worried, he intensively moves his legs or arms. In addition, the baby periodically shudders in a chair.
3. He gets up very abruptly and often runs.
4. It is difficult for him to participate in quiet games.
5. His actions can be described as "wound up".
6. During classes, he may shout from a place or make noise.
7. The child responds before hearing the full question.
8. He is unable to wait his turn during class or play.
9. The child constantly interferes in other people's activities or their conversations.

To be diagnosed, a child must have at least 6 of the above, and they must be noted long time(at least six months).

How hyperactivity manifests itself at an early age

Hyperactivity syndrome is detected not only in schoolchildren, but also in preschool children and even in infants.

In the smallest, this problem is manifested by the following symptoms:

• Faster physical development when compared with peers. Babies with hyperactivity are much quicker to roll over, crawl, and start walking.
• The appearance of whims when the child is tired. Hyperactive children often get excited and become more active before going to bed.
• Less sleep duration. A toddler with ADHD sleeps much less than normal for his age.
• Difficulty falling asleep (many babies need to be rocked) and very light sleep. A hyperactive child reacts to any rustle, and if he wakes up, it is very difficult for him to fall asleep again.
• A very violent reaction to a loud sound, a new environment and unfamiliar faces. Because of such factors, babies with hyperactivity become excited and begin to act up more.
• Quick switching of attention. Having offered the baby a new toy, the mother notices that the new object attracts the attention of the crumbs for a very short time.
• Strong attachment to mother and fear of strangers.

If the baby is often capricious, reacts violently to a new environment, sleeps little and has difficulty falling asleep, this may be the first signs of ADHD.

ADHD or character?

The increased activity of the child may be a manifestation of his innate temperament.

Unlike children with ADHD, a temperamentally healthy child:

Causes of hyperactivity in children

Earlier occurrence ADHD has been associated predominantly with brain damage, for example, if a newborn has suffered hypoxia while in the womb or during childbirth. Nowadays, studies have confirmed the impact on the appearance of the syndrome of hyperactivity of the genetic factor and disorders of intrauterine development of the crumbs. The development of ADHD is facilitated by too early childbirth, caesarean section, low birth weight crumbs, a long anhydrous period in childbirth, the use of forceps, and similar factors.

ADHD can occur with difficult births, impaired intrauterine development, or be inherited

What to do

If you suspect that your child has hyperactivity syndrome, the first thing to do is to go to a specialist. Many parents do not immediately go to the doctor, because they do not dare to admit the problem in the child and are afraid of the condemnation of acquaintances. By such actions, they miss time, as a result of which hyperactivity causes serious problems with the social adaptation of the child.

There are also parents who bring a completely healthy child to a psychologist or psychiatrist when they cannot or do not want to find an approach to him. This is often observed during crisis periods of development, for example, at 2 years or during a three-year crisis. At the same time, the baby does not have any hyperactivity.

If you find some signs of hyperactivity in your child, contact a specialist without postponing this problem for later

In all these cases, without the help of a specialist, determine whether the child really needs health care or he just has a bright temperament, it will not work.

If a child has a confirmed hyperactivity syndrome, then the following methods will be used in his treatment:

1. Explanatory work with parents. The doctor should explain to mom and dad why the child has hyperactivity, how such a syndrome manifests itself, how to behave with the child and how to properly educate him. Thanks to such educational work, parents stop blaming themselves or each other for the behavior of the child, and also understand how to behave with the baby.
2. Changing learning conditions. If hyperactivity is diagnosed in a student with poor academic performance, he is transferred to a specialized class. This helps to cope with the delay in the formation of school skills.
3. Medical therapy. Drugs prescribed for ADHD are symptomatic and effective in 75-80% of cases. They help facilitate the social adaptation of children with hyperactivity and improve their intellectual development. As a rule, drugs are prescribed for a long period, sometimes until adolescence.

Treatment for ADHD takes place not only with medication, but also under the supervision of a psychiatrist

Komarovsky's opinion

A popular doctor has many times in his practice encountered children diagnosed with ADHD. The main difference between such a medical diagnosis and hyperactivity as a character trait, Komarovsky calls the fact that healthy child hyperactivity does not interfere with development and communication with other members of society. If a child has a disease, without the help of parents and doctors, he cannot become a full-fledged member of the team, study normally and communicate with peers.

To make sure if the child is healthy or has ADHD, Komarovsky advises contacting a child psychologist or psychiatrist, since only a qualified specialist will not only easily identify hyperactivity in a child as a disease, but will also help parents understand how to raise a child with ADHD.

• When communicating with a baby, it is important to establish contact. If required, for this child, you can touch the shoulder, turn it around, remove the toy from his field of vision, turn off the TV.
• Parents must define specific and achievable rules for the child, but it is important that they are adhered to at all times. In addition, each such rule should be clear to the child.
• The space in which the hyperactive child resides must be completely safe.
• The regime should be followed constantly, even if the parents have a day off. According to Komarovsky, it is very important for hyperactive children to wake up, eat, walk, swim, go to bed and perform other usual daily activities at the same time.
• All difficult tasks for hyperactive children, it is necessary to break it down into parts that are understandable and easy to do.
• The child should be constantly praised, noting and emphasizing all the positive actions of the baby.
• Look for what hyperactive child succeeds best, and then create conditions so that the baby can do this work, getting satisfaction from it.
• Provide a child with hyperactivity with the opportunity to spend excess of their energy, directing it in the right direction (for example, walking the dog, attending sports sections).
• When going shopping or visiting with your child, consider in detail what you will do, for example, what to take with you or what to buy for your child.
• Parents should also take care of their own rest, because, as Komarovsky emphasizes, it is very important for a hyperactive baby that dad and mom are calm, peaceful and adequate.

From the following video you can learn even more about hyperactive children.

On the role of parents and many important nuances you will find out by watching the video of the clinical psychologist Veronika Stepanova.

is a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a neurological and behavioral disorder that develops in childhood. The behavior of a hyperactive child is characterized by restlessness, distractibility, difficulty concentrating, impulsivity, increased motor activity, etc. A hyperactive child requires a neuropsychological and neurological (EEG, MRI) examination. Helping a hyperactive child involves individual psychological and pedagogical support, psychotherapy, non-drug and drug therapy.

According to the criteria developed by the DSM in 1994, ADHD can be recognized if the child has at least 6 signs of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity for six months. Therefore, during the initial visit to specialists, the diagnosis of ADHD is not made, but the observation and examination of the child is carried out. In the process of clinical and psychological examination of a hyperactive child, methods of interview, conversation, direct observation are used; obtaining information from teachers and parents using diagnostic questionnaires, neuropsychological testing.

The need for a basic pediatric and neurological examination is due to the fact that various somatic and neurological disorders (hyperthyroidism, anemia, epilepsy, chorea, hearing and visual impairment, etc.) can be hidden behind an ADHD-like syndrome. In order to clarify the diagnosis of a hyperactive child, consultations of narrow children's specialists (children's endocrinologist, pediatric otolaryngologist, pediatric ophthalmologist, epileptologist), EEG, MRI of the brain, general and biochemical blood tests, etc. writing and outline a plan for corrective work with a hyperactive child.

Hyperactivity in children should be differentiated from fetal alcohol syndrome, post-traumatic CNS damage, chronic lead poisoning, manifestations individual characteristics temperament, pedagogical neglect, oligophrenia, etc.

ADHD correction

A hyperactive child needs complex individualized support, including psychological and pedagogical correction, psychotherapy, non-drug and drug correction.

A hyperactive child is recommended a sparing training regimen (small class, reduced lessons, dosed tasks), sufficient sleep, good nutrition, long walks, sufficient physical activity. Due to increased excitability, the participation of hyperactive children in mass events should be limited. Under the guidance of a child psychologist and psychotherapist, autogenic training, individual, group, family and behavioral psychotherapy, body-oriented therapy, biofeedback technologies are carried out. In the correction of ADHD, the entire environment of a hyperactive child should be actively involved: parents, educators, school teachers.

Pharmacotherapy is an auxiliary method of ADHD correction. It involves the appointment of atomoxetine hydrochloride, which blocks the reuptake of norepinephrine and improves synaptic transmission in various brain structures; nootropic drugs (pyritinol, cortexin, choline alfoscerate, phenibut, hopantenic acid); micronutrients (magnesium, pyridoxine), etc. In some cases, a good effect is achieved using kinesiotherapy, massage of the cervical spine, manual therapy.

The elimination of violations of written speech is carried out within the framework of targeted speech therapy classes for the correction of dysgraphia and dyslexia.

Forecast and prevention of ADHD

timely and comprehensive corrective work allows a hyperactive child to learn how to build relationships with peers and adults, control their own behavior, and prevents difficulties in social adaptation. Psychological and pedagogical support of a hyperactive child contributes to the formation of socially acceptable behavior. In the absence of attention to the problems of ADHD in adolescence and adulthood, the risk of social exclusion, alcoholism and drug addiction increases.

Prevention of hyperactivity and attention deficit syndrome should begin long before the birth of a child and provide for the provision of conditions for the normal course of pregnancy and childbirth, care for the health of children, and the creation of a favorable microclimate in the family and children's team.