Nervous tics in children: non-drug treatment. Nervous tics in children

One of the problems of childhood is a nervous tic in a child.

Treatment of a neurological disorder requires understanding the causes of strange behavior, eliminating negative factors, and psychological correction. Active participation of parents in the process of therapy increases the chances of recovery of the young patient.

Nervous tic in a child - symptoms and treatment, read on.

Doctors distinguish several types of neurological manifestations:

Vocal. The child periodically sniffs, grunts, sniffs, barks, sings certain sounds, syllables or repeats words, often devoid of meaning, coughs quietly or deliberately loudly.
Motor. There are specific movements in different parts of the body. The young patient blinks frequently, shrugs, and there is twitching of the cheeks. Some children strain the wings of the nose, make strange movements in the lips and nasolabial triangle, touch their faces for no reason, rub their ears.
Rituals. Parents periodically watch their son or daughter sway from side to side, walk in a circle.
generalized form. The condition develops against the background of acute stress, constant pressure on the psyche, prohibitions, excessive control by parents. Often, in young patients with severe neuro-emotional disorders, doctors detect mental disorders and genetic diseases.

Classification by the duration of negative symptoms:

Temporary or transitory. Symptoms appear for several days, weeks, less often - up to a year. Motor tics are complex or simple, movements are difficult to control, unpleasant symptoms often recur throughout the day.
Chronic. Vocal "attacks", movements of various kinds persist for 12 months or longer. Symptoms of this group of tics are less common than transient ones. Often, over time, part of the manifestations disappears, one or two types negative signs remain for life.

Classification of ticks by reason of occurrence:

Primary. Muscle spasms develop against the background of the transmission of electromagnetic impulses from the central nervous system. In most cases, the muscles of the arms, neck, torso, and facial area are involved. This group includes tics in the development of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, chronic (motor, vocal) and transient.
Secondary. The cause of negative symptoms is muscle twitching against the background of certain pathologies: encephalitis, meningitis, schizophrenia, Huntington's disease. Differential diagnosis: chorea, epileptic seizures, eye disease.

A nervous tic is mainly a childhood disease; in adults, the pathology is detected in the presence of other diseases of the central nervous system. Consider the features of treatment.

The course of ticks

Parents should know the features of a neurological disease:

negative signs occur daily or several times a week for a different period;
involuntary movements are weak or manifest in a severe form that interferes with the appearance among people;
behavioral disorders are pronounced or subtle;
throughout the day, the nature, frequency and severity of signs often change;
the prognosis ranges from favorable (complete disappearance of the neurological disorder) to low efficacy of therapy.

The reasons

A nervous tic in a child develops against the background of the action of several factors. Often the problem does not arise in one day: a rather long period is required to form a negative reaction of the body to stressful situations, constant prohibitions or permissiveness.

The main reason is psychological maladaptation.

AT childhood it is difficult to accept and comprehend changes in life or family composition that the child cannot cope with.

Frequent TV viewing, violent games, computer fascination have a negative effect on the unstable psyche.

Some children react sharply to negative situations: signs of a psycho-emotional disorder appear after a short period after severe stress.

Parents should know the main causes of tics in childhood to reduce the risk neurological diseases.

genetic predisposition

Scientists have proven: vocal, motor tics, a tendency to carry out repetitive actions more often develops in children whose families have relatives suffering from such manifestations.

In boys, negative symptoms are more severe, the percentage of patients is higher than among females.

With a hereditary form of the disease, deviations in behavior occur earlier than in parents.

Wrong upbringing

This factor is as critical for the development of neurological disorders as genetic predisposition.

An unfavorable situation in the family, lack of trust and understanding between adults and children, overprotection or formal attention to the emotional development of the child provokes a reaction in the form of tics.

Against the background of intra-family conflicts, the thoughts, feelings, needs of the little man are relegated to the background, the child suffers.

Another negative factor is the constant suppression of the physiological activity of the baby, pulling, shouting, a ban on studying the world around. The young researcher has nowhere to throw out his energy, he replaces outdoor games, the thirst for knowledge with tics and obsessive states.

severe stress

Divorce of parents, moving to a new home, death of a beloved grandmother or pet, severe punishment (adults locked the baby alone in a dark room), the birth of a brother / sister, a conflict with classmates, the shock of a dog attack or watching a scary movie.

The list of acute stressful situations can be continued for a long time.

Often, after a sharp outburst of emotions, children develop nervous twitching of the eyelids, vocal tics, a combination of several movements and certain rituals.

To restore peace of mind, the attention of parents, psychological assistance in the specialist's office, the creation of a calm, friendly atmosphere at home and in the children's team are required.

Nervous tic in children - symptoms

Parents should be alert for the following signs:

frequent grimacing;
blinking;
ear touch;
throwing hair back;
grunt;
twitching of the eyelids;
imitation of the barking of a dog;
repetition of the same words;
sticking out the tongue from the mouth;
licking lips;
rocking back and forth;
tension of the wings of the nose;
walking in a circle;
strange combinations of falls, jumps;
coughing, snoring without other signs of a cold;
shouting out swear words;
shrug.

These symptoms indicate a neurological disorder with frequent repetition of actions, involuntary muscle contraction, inability to control movements and voice manifestations.

The more provocative factors, the more noticeable deviations from habitual behavior (hyperactivity, aggression or apathy, isolation), the sooner you need to hurry with the child for a consultation with a doctor.

Diagnostics

The occurrence of tics in children is a reason for a visit to a neurologist. A comprehensive examination of the young patient is being carried out.

Diagnostic steps:

Conversation with parents and the child, clarification of the nature of tics, the frequency of occurrence of negative symptoms.
It is important to understand at what age vocal, motor tics, or several forms of neurological signs first appeared. The doctor finds out whether the young patient performs certain rituals, whether the coordination of movements is preserved.
The obligatory moment is to figure out how stable the emotional state of the child is, whether there are memory and attention impairments.
It is important to control impulsive behavior to clarify the course of tics.
After collecting data, the doctor will have to figure out which factors increase the frequency of neurological manifestations.
A highly informative method is video filming of characteristic manifestations in a child at home. At a neurologist's appointment, children often become isolated, sometimes young patients manage to control tics, hide the true picture of the disease from the doctor.

In difficult cases, the neurologist prescribes:

magnetic resonance imaging;
electroencephalography.

Additionally, a visit with the child to a psychiatrist may be necessary. You should not refuse an in-depth examination: finding out the details of behavior and psycho-emotional state, the severity of a neurological disease facilitates the appointment of adequate therapy.

Treatment

How to treat a nervous tic in a child? The main rule is an integrated approach.

The main emphasis is on psychological assistance, normalization of family relations, attention to the needs of the young patient.

The participation of parents in the therapy program, understanding of the problem and responsibility for the psycho-emotional state of the child is obligatory.

Medications are prescribed only when the effectiveness of psychological correction is low.

Stages of treatment:

Exclusion of negative factors provoking motor, vocal tics, other types of neurological disorders. Without fulfilling this condition, medications, visits to a psychologist do not give a positive result.
Family psychotherapy. Kind words, joint games and activities, sincere attention to the little man, conversations, reading, walks normalize the psychological climate in the family, establish a trusting relationship between adults and children. It is important to understand what family situation gave impetus to the development of tics, with the participation of a psychologist, to try to change the situation or mitigate the unpleasant consequences of the changes.
Psychological correction. Classes are held individually and in groups. After the sessions, the level of anxiety decreases, self-esteem increases, self-control, memory, and concentration improve. A useful activity is the development of the optimal type of behavior during a conflict situation, playing out everyday situations for a calmer reaction.
Medical therapy. Medications are prescribed by a neurologist only with a low result psychological help. Basic therapy is antidepressants and drugs that reduce the frequency and strength of motor manifestations. For improvement cerebral circulation appoint vascular preparations, nootropics, vitamin-mineral complexes. A young patient takes medication under the supervision of a neurologist. After the tics disappear drug treatment lasts up to six months, followed by a gradual withdrawal of drugs or a significant reduction in the daily dosage.

The causes and symptoms of a neurological disease, methods of treating a nervous tic in children, the result of therapy should worry parents no less than a doctor. Creating a pleasant psychological climate in the family is a prerequisite for normalizing the psycho-emotional state of the child.

General information about ticks

It occurs approximately equally in both girls and boys (11% to 13%). Before the age of ten, almost one in five children experience one or more of the following tic manifestations:

eyebrow raising;
startle;
twitching of the corner of the mouth, etc.

Parents of children who are prone to tics should be prepared for the fact that the aggravation of the disease occurs at the age of three or between seven and ten years. The nature of tics and the place of occurrence depends on various factors: season, mood, occupation. If the child is particularly passionate about something, for example, an interesting game or an exercise that requires attention, the tics are muffled, but if you sit too long in one position, an aggravation immediately sets in.

To distinguish a nervous tic in a child from muscle contractions during seizures caused by other diseases, it is necessary to know that the child can control the manifestations of a neurological problem. For example, if he wants to take a pencil and draw a straight line under the ruler, he will succeed.

important Another specific feature of this disease is that you can either get rid of it forever or not find a cure. In a word, in order to fully deal with a nervous tic, you need to clearly understand the causes of its occurrence.

Classification of tics in children

There are the following types of teak:

vocal (associated with sound accompaniment: groaning, etc.);
motor (with the involvement of muscles: blinking, etc.);
generalized (combining several ticks);
ritual (associated with actions: pulling the earlobe, etc.)

The specificity of the tick lies in the fact that this disease can manifest itself in a very dual way at different moments. For example, the duration of the disease is unpredictable: it can occur for several hours and never happen again, or it can stretch for many years. It can manifest itself very slightly, even almost imperceptibly, and sometimes be accompanied by a form in which a person does not have the opportunity to go out to people. Express yourself in different ways during the day: sometimes appear often, sometimes rarely.

Symptoms and Causes

A nervous tic in children, as a rule, is combined with hyperactive behavior and impaired concentration, accompanied by obsessive behavior, which indicates the symptoms of this disease:

"play" with strands of hair;
nail biting;
twisting-untwisting the edges of clothing.

information Children with tics most often do not fall asleep well, sleep restlessly, experience discomfort in closed crowded rooms.

A significant role in the diagnosis of tics is given to hereditary predisposition. The conducted studies made it possible to assert that the disease is provoked, if we are talking about heredity, easier in boys, and in more early age than the parents.

It should be added that a lot depends on the climate in the family. If parents reasonably combine the “carrot and stick” method, then neurological problems will bypass the child. There are cases when tics occurred against the background of viral infections or other diseases. For example, vision problems led to blinking, respiratory diseases - to coughing or sniffing.

The above allows us to name the main causes of a nervous tic in children:

heredity;
wrong upbringing;
stress;
consequences of other diseases.

Treatment of a nervous tic in children

important Whatever preceded the onset of tics, they should not be left untreated. Inaction can lead to complications, aggravation of the problem.

To get started, you need find out the cause and, if possible, try to eliminate it.
The next step is effectively to connect psychotherapy. Even in prosperous families, consultations of psychologists and psychiatrists will not be superfluous, at least they will help change the very attitude towards tics: they exist, you need to fight them, but you can’t get hung up on them.
It will be very useful in the general complex of treatment psychological correction, which can be considered as a very important remedy for nervous tics. Psychological correction can be carried out both individually and in a group:
- At individual approach attention, memory develops, you can help the child cope with internal anxiety and at the same time raise self-esteem. Effective techniques are role-playing games, conversations, drawings.
- Group lessons allow the child to feel more confident, because he sees: this is not only his problem, there are other people who understand him very well. Communicating with them, playing out conflict situations under the supervision of a specialist, children learn to find the right solutions, as if they are “rehearsing” some kind of life situation that may occur in life, and in response to it there is already a “homemade preparation”. This reduces the likelihood of exacerbation of tics.

Medical therapy

If the methods mentioned above are exhausted, and there are no desired results, then it is necessary to connect drugs.

information A nervous tic in children requires an integrated approach to eliminate the problem, and drug therapy should continue for another six months after the complete disappearance of tics.

In this case, the following can be applied:

antidepressants ("Fenibut", "Zoloft", "Paxil", etc.);
Tiapridal, Teralen and similar drugs will help reduce pronounced motor manifestations;
nootropic or vascular drugs that will improve the metabolic processes of the brain;
vitamins will not be superfluous.

A neurologist should help the child cope with the problem, who, having studied the clinical picture, will prescribe proper treatment medicines.

If the disease declared itself from 3 to 6 years, then usually monitoring and treatment requires a long time - up to puberty.
Occurrence interval 6-8 years old called "favorable" for dealing with tics - they pass without returning.
Parents who notice neurological problems in their child should be especially vigilant. up to 3 years.
dangerous This can be a wake-up call for serious illnesses such as schizophrenia, autism, brain tumors, and other less common conditions. The child needs to be seriously examined to rule out these diagnoses.

Doctors repeatedly emphasize that they can help parents raise a healthy child if the parents themselves want it. The question of nervous tics confirms this idea time and time again. Stably balanced psychological climate in the family is the prevention of neurological disorders in children.

The unformed psyche of the child is very vulnerable in response to various kinds of stress. It can be constant quarrels between parents, and their frequent prohibitions on the freedom of action of the baby, which will bring up an insecure person, and an inadequate reaction of the elders to the faults of the crumbs and the like.

If there is no natural predisposition in your family, then you can prevent a nervous tic that will cause complications in the child later. Take care of the psyche of your baby, do not provoke the development of fears, do not frighten anything, do not let phobias develop, do not let a mentally unhealthy person grow up. A nervous tic is only an external manifestation of these causes.

Every mom wants her little miracle to grow up as a strong and healthy child. Alas, no matter how hard she tries, sooner or later the baby gets sick. If to viral infections and many are ready for various acute respiratory infections, then a nervous tic in a child can scare even the most experienced parents. To provide timely assistance, avoid complications and just save your own nerves, it is enough to know the basic information about the disease: symptoms, causes, varieties and treatment.

A nervous tic can occur not only in an adult, but also in a baby - parents should pay special attention to the symptom. What is a nervous tic and how to distinguish it from other similar disorders?

A tic can be described as a sudden and involuntary short-term movement of the face or limbs caused by muscle contraction. In certain cases, accompanied by sounds. Outwardly, you can observe in a child:

blinking;
twitching of the corners of the mouth or cheeks;
shuddering and shrugging;
eyebrow raising;
head tilt and more.

Tics can appear in children between the ages of 2 and 18, but most often they can be found in a child aged 3 and 7-11 years. According to statistics, 20% of children under 10 suffer from tic disorder - this is every fifth baby.

It is important to be able to distinguish a nervous tic from convulsive muscle contractions that may accompany another disease. Such signs include:

The child's ability to reproduce, partially control and temporarily suppress tics.
The dependence of the frequency of tics on the mood, the activity of the baby, the time of year and even the time of day.
Absence of tics during voluntary movements (drinking from a cup, eating with a spoon, etc.).
Change of localization. For example, twitching of the corners of the mouth over time can turn into a shrug or blink. You need to understand: most likely, this is a new attack of an old disease, and not another disease.

When a child is focused and strongly engaged in an interesting activity, nervous tics can weaken, and sometimes completely stop. After the end of the game, drawing, reading or other activity, the symptoms return with renewed vigor. Also, the prolonged stay of the child in the same position can increase the manifestation of tics.

In children prone to this disorder, impaired attention and perception are markedly pronounced. Their movements cease to be smooth and coordinated; one can note the difficulty in performing the usual motor acts. In especially severe cases, the child may suffer from a violation of spatial perception.

When a child draws or is engaged in another activity that is interesting to him, the tic often temporarily recedes. Classification of nervous tics

First, there are two types of tics:

simple;
complex.

The first type includes tics that affect only one specific muscle group: the eyes or head, arms or legs. Complex tics are a combined contraction of the muscles of several different groups at once.

Secondly, tics are subdivided, starting from their external manifestation:

motor;
vocal;
rituals;
generalized forms.

The first type includes: blinking, shrugging, throwing the head back, twitching the corners of the mouth or cheeks, and other involuntary body movements. Vocal tics get their name from their vocal accompaniment - sniffling, sniffling, or coughing. Constantly repeating actions of the same type - walking back and forth or in a circle, belong to the so-called rituals. With the last form of tics, the child manifests several of their variants at once.

The specialized literature describes the classic path of symptoms: first blinking, then sniffing, coughing, then shoulder movements and complex repetitive movements of the arms and legs, plus speech stereotypes that occur several years after the disease (“say no” - “no, no, no "). However, in practice this pattern is rare. So, if the occurrence of a tick coincided with a cold, then during this period, overexcitation of the nasopharynx will lead to coughing or sniffing, and blinking will join later. In this case, one symptom can be transformed into another, single signs are replaced by their combinations. In the absence of qualified assistance and delay in treatment, a severe form of tic disorder - de la Tourette's syndrome - a combination of voice and multiple movement disorders, plus hyperactivity with attention deficit and obsessive fears, may develop.

From a medical point of view, the following forms of nervous tics are distinguished:

transient, in other words, passing;
chronic.

In the first case, the child develops complex or simple varieties of tics that recur every day for a month, but not longer than a year. It is very difficult for a baby to control such mannered and rapidly repetitive movements. Chronic form disorders can last for more than a year with almost daily, but not simultaneous repetition different types nervous tics.

Causes of the disease

Before starting to treat the disorder in a baby, it is necessary to find out its cause. These may be:

hereditary predisposition. The likelihood of developing a disorder in children increases in the family where one of the close relatives suffers from a similar disease.
Behavior of parents and the atmosphere in the family. Of course, genetics environment occupy not the last place in the formation of the child's personality, traits of his character and ability to adequately respond to external stimuli, but the primary role in this is played by the family and its internal state. A pronounced violation in the ratio of verbal and non-verbal communication between parents and children and between themselves provokes unnatural behavior and anomalies in the child's character. Constant prohibitions and remarks, tight control and tension, endless screams can lead to restraint of physiological activity, which, in turn, can lead to one of the forms of nervous tics in the future. A situation with permissiveness and connivance can also end in a similar ending, so in raising children it is necessary to find a golden mean, which is individual for each child, depending on his temperament and personal qualities.

The causes of tics refute the common myth that only restless and excitable children are susceptible to this nervous breakdown, because at a certain period of their lives, absolutely all children are nervous, capricious and uncontrollable.

Factors that provoke tics

What exactly can be the impetus for the appearance of ticks? The answer is obvious - psychological stress caused by the child's inability to independently cope with a problem or a difficult situation for him.

Quarrels or strained relations between parents are keenly felt by the child, even if he does not see confirmation of his guesses. This can be one of the causes of a tic condition.

For parents, the environment can remain casual and they are quite capable of not noticing that their child has been psychologically traumatized. As a result, the baby begins to demand more attention, does not want to stay and play alone, then facial expressions change, unconscious movements and gestures begin to appear, which are especially noticeable when the baby is emotionally excited or worried. It is they who subsequently turn into nervous tics. Also, severe long-term ENT diseases, such as tonsillitis, SARS or diseases associated with the eyes, can also cause tics.

Diagnosis of the disease

It is worth starting treatment immediately after the diagnosis is established by the doctor. This will require an examination by a neurologist and a mandatory examination of the mental and emotional state of a small patient. The latter will help to find out the causes and factors that caused the appearance of tics, find out their nature and adjust future treatment.

Sometimes a diagnosis may require additional measures: psychiatrist's consultation, magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalography. Appointment for them should be given exclusively by a doctor.

Stages of treatment

First you need to eliminate the influence of factors that cause tics. At the same time, it is important to observe sleep and nutrition regimes, to ensure that the baby's physical activity is adequate. There are several stages in the treatment of such a nervous disorder:

Family psychotherapy. First of all, it is necessary for families in which the internal tense situation directly affects psychological condition child. Such a practice would also be useful for families in which the child grows up in a favorable and harmonious atmosphere - this will only benefit relationships in the family circle and prevent possible mistakes in future.
Correction with a psychologist. In individual classes, using a variety of psychological techniques, the child is helped to cope with an internal feeling of anxiety and discomfort, to raise self-esteem. With the help of conversations and games, they stimulate the development of lagging areas of mental activity: memory, self-control, attention. In group classes there are children with similar diseases or disorders, and the main idea of the classes is to create conflict situations in a playful way. Thus, the child learns to behave in conflicts, look for possible solutions and draw conclusions. Additionally, the sphere of communication and communication with others is developing.
Medical treatment. It is worth resorting to the last method of treatment only if all the previous ones did not have the desired effect. A pediatric neurologist prescribes medications based on the data of all examinations.

Seriously worrying about this disease is when symptoms appear before the age of three - this may indicate the presence of another mental illness. If tics appear later, then you should not panic ahead of time, as Dr. Komarovsky often recommends. Tics that start at the age of 3-6 years decrease with time, and those that appear at the age of 6-8 years can be permanently cured without consequences.

Often, parents, especially young ones, cannot understand what is a symptom of a disorder in the behavior of children, and what is considered the norm, and this not only frightens them, but also causes a lot of anxiety. If a child suddenly begins to lick his lips often or blink, many parents start to panic, but in fact, a nervous tic in children is a fairly common problem, but it cannot be left unattended.

What is a nervous tic and how does it outwardly manifest itself in children

A nervous tic is an involuntary spasm of the muscles, in which they make an irregular, but stereotyped movement. Such spasmodic movements often occur in stressful situations and may be exacerbated.. As a rule, several types of such a condition are distinguished in children, differing in the severity of the course, as well as in the need for therapy.

Among the types of ticks, there are 2: primary and secondary, while primary can be:

Chronic motor character;
Transient;
Tics associated with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome.

Transient tics

They arise under the influence of impulses of the central nervous system of an electrochemical nature and represent muscle spasms. Most often, such tics occur on the face, in the area of \u200b\u200bthe eyes, on the arms, torso or on the neck.. Tics are temporary and do not pose a health risk. This condition can last for about a year, with tics appearing intermittently without warning symptoms, but in most cases the problem disappears completely after a few weeks.

Outwardly, transient tics appear:

Private grimacing.
Constant licking of the lips, as well as protruding the tongue from the mouth.
Frequent coughing.
Blinking of the eyes and frequent blinking, twitching of the outer corners of the eyes.

Such manifestations are considered motor and simple.. In rare cases, complex signs can also be observed, for example, involuntary palpation of objects, as well as constant throwing (stroking the head from the forehead to the back of the head) of the hair back when pulling the eye.

The main properties of transient tics in children can be called:

No definite rhythm.
Short duration of spasms.
Their spontaneity or manifestation in stressful situations.
A high frequency of spasms, as a rule, they go one after another.
A change in the intensity and nature of muscle movements, which usually occurs with age.

Children are able to suppress such manifestations, but for a short period of time.

Tics of a chronic nature

This category includes tics, the manifestations of which persist for more than a year, but they are quite rare, especially in children. Gradually, such manifestations may weaken, become more smoothed., but often persist for life, intensifying with stress.

Some scientists call chronic tics mild form disease, called Tourette's syndrome, but most often they are distinguished into a separate special group.

As a rule, the first manifestations of Tourette's syndrome are observed in children under the age of 15 years., while tics can be not only motor, but also vocal, manifested by peculiar vocal phenomena in the form of grunting or barking, meowing and other sounds against the background of twitching of the eye muscles. Motor phenomena can also appear in the form of falls, jumps, jumps on one leg, imitation of any movements.

The disease has a hereditary etiology and occurs 5 times more often in boys than in girls.

Manifestations of secondary tics are usually associated with a malfunction of certain organs. In this case, muscle twitches of the eyes and face are observed in the presence of encephalitis, meningitis, schizophrenia, autism, and Huntington's disease. Wherein external signs often similar to the manifestations of tics in the primary category, but are added to this and various symptoms underlying disease.

Causes of a nervous tic in children

As a rule, the triggering factor for the appearance of tics in children is a stressful situation associated with changes in life, in the very way of existence. For example, when moving, changing the usual composition of the family (when younger children appear in the family, parents divorce, the appearance of a stepmother or stepfather), when habitual conditions change.

The reason for the appearance of a nervous tic can even be the first trip to kindergarten or the transition from kindergarten to school.

At the same time, if parents had similar manifestations in childhood (or remained in adulthood), then in children the risk of developing a nervous tic increases significantly. Almost anything can serve as a start to the disease, including uncontrolled TV viewing, as well as constant games on the computer.

Doctors often forget that that the cause of tics is many diseases of the eyes themselves rather than a hereditary or psychological factor. For example, dust gets into the baby’s eye or an eyelash falls, which causes discomfort, pain and irritation of the mucous membrane, as well as a natural desire to rub the eye. At the same time, the baby begins to blink intensely, and if the situation repeats often, then the usual spasmodic movement is also formed in the process.

Subsequently, when removing foreign body muscle contractions can continue for a long time. Some diseases also lead to this, therefore, if any eye twitches appear, it is important to contact an ophthalmologist first of all.

Epilepsy attacks are accompanied by convulsions, while the motor activity of all the muscles of the body changes under the influence of signals coming from the brain. Epileptic seizures and bursts may have varying degrees severity, and various situations can lead to their occurrence, in particular, stress, certain diseases, a state of suffocation caused, for example, by a strong closeness around, as well as an increase in body temperature, including due to heat.

Chorea is an uncontrolled stereotyped movement of any part of the body. that occurs in various situations, for example, in case of poisoning carbon monoxide or any medications, as well as in the presence of nervous diseases of a hereditary nature, in case of injuries and certain types of infections. Such movements are involuntary and cannot be controlled.

Medical diagnostics

If nervous tics are not related to eye disease, then their diagnosis, as well as further treatment, will be handled by a neuropathologist, in this case, a children's one. You should contact your doctor immediately if:

The tic in a child is very pronounced.
The tick is plural.
The condition causes severe physical discomfort to the baby.
The condition provokes difficulties in the field social adaptation baby.
Tic has been observed for more than one year.

At the appointment, the doctor may ask a few questions to clarify the situation and clarify the whole picture of the condition. For example, about when the tick appeared for the first time, in what situation it happened, about the existing history, about possible heredity. As a diagnostic measure, the doctor can evaluate not only general condition the child, but also his motor activity, as well as sensory functions and reflexes.

As additional studies, general blood tests, helminth analysis, ionograms, as well as electroencephalography and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) are often prescribed.

In some cases, additional consultations of other specialists may be required, in particular: an infectious disease specialist, a geneticist, a psychotherapist, an oncologist, a toxicologist.

What to do if a child has a nervous tic

If the tic that has appeared causes the child emotional or physical suffering, he should be helped by using a few simple tricks to quickly eliminate the muscle spasm that has arisen.

It is important to distract the baby from the problem. This method is very effective and allows you to eliminate the tick for a while. You can involve the child in the game or come up with any interesting activity for him, but you can’t distract him with a cartoon or a computer game.

Any activity that is interesting for the baby creates a zone of special activity in the brain, emitting special impulses, thanks to which the nervous tic quickly disappears. But, unfortunately, such a measure gives only a temporary result, and when the session is completed, the tic can very quickly begin again.

To quickly eliminate a nervous tic, you should:

Press lightly on the superciliary arch area with your thumb or forefinger, approximately in the middle. This is where the nerve that controls upper eyelids. The finger should be held for about 10 seconds.
Then, with the same force, it is necessary to press on the areas of the corners of the eyes, best of all at the same time, holding for 10 seconds.
After that, you should ask the baby to close his eyes tightly for about 5 seconds, while the eyelids should be as tense as possible. After a minute of rest, squinting should be repeated twice.

Such activities allow you to quickly relieve muscle tension, but the effect will be temporary and can last from several minutes to 2 to 3 hours.

Treatment of a nervous tic in a child

As a rule, most of the nervous tics of the primary group pass on their own after a certain time, while not having a special effect on the health of the crumbs and without creating serious problems. But if the severity of tics is strong, if they cause discomfort and affect the condition and life of the baby, it is important to carry out treatment, and it should be started as early as possible.

Treatment can be carried out by 3 methods:

Methods not drug therapy.
With the help of medicines and medical procedures.
Traditional medicine methods.

The priority direction of therapy is always considered a non-drug approach, which is used independently to eliminate the primary type of tics, as well as as part of complex therapy in the treatment of tics of the secondary category.

The directions of non-drug therapy in this case may be different.:

Individualized psychotherapy, since most of the tics appear precisely due to stressful situations.
Change in family environment, creating favorable conditions for the crumbs. Parents should understand that the manifestation of a nervous tic is not a whim or pampering. This is a disease that requires appropriate treatment, so you can’t scold him for it and demand control over yourself. The baby will not be able to cope with this on his own.
Changing Parental Behavior if needed. It is important that relatives do not try to focus on the existing problem, but treat the baby as an ordinary healthy and completely normal child. It is important to protect the baby from various stresses, provide a calm environment, maintain it and consult a doctor in a timely manner if necessary.

Of great importance is the regime of the day, or rather, its proper organization.. It is important that the child fully rested, especially at night. Time during the day must be properly distributed. The child should wake up no later than 7 hours, while putting him to bed should be no later than 21-00.

After waking up, you need to do exercises and carry out morning water procedures, then be sure to eat a nutritious and healthy breakfast and go to school (kindergarten). Returning home, you should not rush, it is better to walk at a walking pace in order to be in the air for about half an hour.

After lunch, the child should rest, and it is better to sleep, for about 1.5 hours, then take a walk on the street again for about half an hour, eat an afternoon snack and sit down to do it. homework if he attends school. After that, he must perform his duties around the house, have dinner, take a walk for half an hour, rest and start getting ready for bed.

A good sleep is important point, since during this period there is a restoration of all systems, including the nervous one. If the sleep pattern is disturbed, if the child is constantly sleep deprived, this causes unnecessary nervous tension and can worsen the situation. On average, children under 14 should sleep for about 10 hours, including daytime rest.

Good nutrition is also of particular importance for the health of the child.. It is necessary to provide the baby with healthy and natural food, from which he will receive all the necessary elements daily. It is important to enrich the diet with foods containing a large number of calcium, since an insufficient amount of this element contributes to increased muscle spasms.

To medical treatment includes the use of certain drugs, mainly the sedative category, as well as antipsychotics. But, besides this, drugs are also used that improve brain activity, its metabolic processes and blood circulation. It is important that the drugs are mild, not having a serious effect, and the doses of these drugs are minimal.

Most often, in the treatment of nervous tics, children are prescribed Novo-Passit, Cinnarizine, Thioridazine (Sonopax), Phenibut, Calcium Gluconate (or Glycerophosphate), Haloperidol, Diazepam (which can be replaced by Relanium, Sibazone or Seduxen).

Treatment of nervous tics in children with folk remedies

Of course, for the treatment of children it is best to use folk remedies that have a beneficial effect on the nervous system of babies. The use of sedative herbal preparations, infusions and decoctions of herbs helps to reduce the intensity of the manifestation of nervous tics to a large extent.

Most often used:

motherwort tincture. To prepare it, you should take dry chopped raw herbs (2 tablespoons), pour it with a glass of boiling water and leave for about 2 hours until it cools completely. Strain the finished infusion thoroughly and put it in a dark, cool place outside the refrigerator. Give your child this infusion three times a day, half an hour before meals.. For children under 14 years of age, the dosage is 1 teaspoon per reception, for those over 14 years old, it is necessary to give the remedy for a dessert spoon.
Valerian Root Infusion. Pour the crushed raw materials (1 tablespoon) with a glass of boiling water and heat in a water bath for 15 minutes in a closed container. Infuse until completely cooled (about 2 hours), strain and store outside the refrigerator, but in a cool and dark place. Give the child an infusion 4 times a day for half an hour before meals, as well as before going to bed, 1 teaspoon. But you should not take this infusion for longer than 6 weeks.

Hawthorn infusion. Dry crushed berries (1 tbsp.) Pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 2 hours, strain. Give the child a tablespoon three times a day for half an hour before meals.
Camomile tea. Dry flowers (1 tbsp.) Pour a glass of boiling water, leave for about 3 hours, strain. Give your child ¼ of a glass half an hour before meals three times a day.

Nervous tic of the face and eyes

Most often, according to statistics, in children different ages tick is found in the area of the eyes and face. Most of the time, for some specific reason, tics show up in children. different ages from 2 years old to adulthood.

On average, the first manifestation of a tick is observed in the period from 6 to 7 years, which is associated with a change in the situation and the usual life of the child, with his admission to school, to a new children's team, to a society of strangers and strangers(teachers and classmates).

In the preschool period, tic of the face and eyes is much less common than in the group of younger schoolchildren, mainly in overly emotional kids. In almost 96% of cases, the first time a tick occurs before 11 years of age., while outwardly the problem is manifested by twitching of the facial muscles or very frequent blinking.

The intensity of manifestations varies. The peak of the disease, as a rule, occurs in the period of 10-11 years, after which the intensity of manifestations (with a benign development of the disease) decreases, and gradually the manifestations disappear. In some cases, the child may need treatment.

Prevention of the recurrence of a nervous tic

The occurrence of such a violation in a child is impossible to predict. Today, among children, this violation occurs quite often, since the very environment of modern life creates a lot of stressful situations and nervous strain, especially among children living in big cities.

This is due to the fact that in children the nervous system does not yet have sufficient maturity and cannot function in full, so the risk of tics in childhood is very high, especially in cases where there is a genetic predisposition to them. But today this problem is curable.

It is important after therapy to prevent the recurrence of the disease, for which it is necessary:

Ensure that the family maintains a normal psychological environment.
To educate stress resistance in the baby, not to isolate himself from him when problems arise, but, on the contrary, to discuss them with him, to look for a solution together so that the child gets used to adulthood and perceives difficult situations correctly.
Make sure your child gets enough sleep and a healthy diet.
Make sure that he walks every day for a total of at least an hour a day.
Practice meditation or yoga with your child.
Ventilate housing, especially the child's room (be sure to do this before going to bed).
Protect the baby from anything that can provoke the recurrence of tics.

Any short-term involuntary simple movement that occurs due to the contraction of one or more muscles on an erroneous command of the brain is called hyperkinesis. If the inappropriately performed movement becomes fast, repetitive, this phenomenon is called a tick.

In this case, not only the muscular apparatus, but also the vocal apparatus can be affected. Along with movements, these can be smacking, uttering any sounds, etc. A person understands that these manifestations are inappropriate, but they are unable to cope with them. Unfortunately, this problem is becoming more and more common and occurs on average in every fourth child under the age of 10 years.

Among neurological diseases in childhood, it occupies one of the leading places. Next, we propose to find out what it is - a nervous tic in a child, what are the causes of eye twitching, coughing and coughing, shoulder movements and other symptoms, how to get rid of it, how to treat babies and what is the treatment for older children.

Causes of development depending on age

The mechanism by which tics occur is complex and has not been definitively determined in many respects. All researchers agree that not only genetic, but also psychological factors are involved, as well as possible organic damage to the brain in the perinatal period.

In order for a nervous tic to appear, at least three factors must coincide:

A predisposition often referred to as heredity. Often, with tics, it is discovered that the father or grandfather had the same problem, and the mother or grandmother suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Wrong upbringing. Increased control and uncompromisingness of parents, lack of communication, intra-family conflicts and a formal attitude towards the child contribute to the creation of the problem.
Severe stress, which can be attributed to severe viral disease or operation.

Usually initially the child has increased anxiety, which leads to chronic stress.

Frequent small stresses also lead to this, as a result of which the baby’s brain goes into constant expectation of some kind of danger and does not rest even in a dream.

The mechanisms adapting to stress are gradually depleted, and if initially the baby had a predisposition to insufficient brain inhibition of pathological reactions, a traumatic factor can cause the onset of a tick.

In infants, immediately after birth, a tremor may occur, in which physiological twitching of the legs and / or arms occurs, mandible, lip. The reason for the onset of tremor is anything: colic, crying, bathing, changing clothes, hunger. All these manifestations usually disappear without a trace within the first three months of life.

You should start to worry when, in addition to everything else, the head also starts to twitch. This is already a pathology, which usually increases with time. Tremor can occur on any part of the body and as the baby grows, it becomes more intense and longer.

Inexperienced parents of babies are often frightened, seeing a deviation in almost every movement, and begin to sound the alarm. As a rule, it turns out that there are no pathologies behind all this, the baby outgrows. For your own peace of mind, it is enough to consult a pediatrician.

Main types, signs, description

Tiki can be classified according to several indicators:

by etiology- hereditary, primary (psychogenic, nervous), secondary (symptomatic, resulting from any disease);
by length allocate transient and chronic;
by complexity- consisting of elementary movements (simple) and consisting of complex movements (complex);
according to the involvement of muscle groups- nervous tics of the limbs, mimic (the muscles of the face of the child are involved), vocal (the vocal muscles are involved);
by prevalence- involving several muscle groups (generalized) and involving one muscle group (localized);
by manifestation- motor (expressed by movement, this includes tics of the limbs and mimic) and vocal (sound).

The way the tic manifests itself is a clear characteristic, understandable even to a non-specialist. As an example, here are some common types of nervous tics in children:

Such manifestations, having arisen once, can gradually disappear by themselves. But if the child does not find support in the environment, all this turns into a pathological habit and gradually transforms into a tick. Often this happens after severe viral diseases.

Exacerbations of the problem begin in autumn and winter, which is associated with an increasing mental load during schooling. In the summer, remission often occurs (attenuation of symptoms).

Complex manifestations

Several muscle groups are involved in a complex tic: abdomen, back, limbs, neck, facial, vocal. In most children, nervous tics begin with blinking of the eyes, gradually raising the shoulders, looking up, turning the head, moving the limbs, which prevents the child from performing written buildings during learning.

This may be accompanied by coprolalia (cursing), echolalia (repetition of single words), or rapid unintelligible speech (palilalia), most often in this case the last word in the spoken sentence is repeated.

Getting more complicated clinical picture usually from top to bottom: first, the muscles of the face are involved in the process, then the problem captures the shoulders and arms, later the torso and legs join uncontrolled movements.

The most severe form is Tourette's syndrome, described in the 19th century as a disease of multiple tics.

The clinical picture combines obsessive-compulsive disorder with attention deficit, vocal and motor tics.

This disease occurs with a frequency of one case per 1 thousand boys or 10 thousand girls. The first time the problem manifests itself at the age of 3-7 years is twitching of the shoulders and local facial tics.

One type of tick is replaced by another. After a few years, vocal tics join, but in some cases the disease begins with them, it all depends on the age of the child and the characteristics of the organism. The consciousness of the child during tics is completely preserved, but he cannot control these movements.

The peak of manifestations occurs at the age of 8–11 years. Muscle pains can appear from excessive movements, for example, in the cervical spine due to frequent and strong turns of the head or due to a sharp tilting of the head back, the child can hit a hard object behind, which is fraught with injuries.

During exacerbations, children have a problem with self-care, and they cannot attend school. At 12-15 years old, the disease enters the residual phase - the final one, in which the process stops, residual symptoms are observed in the clinical picture.

This is manifested most often by local tics. If Tourette's syndrome was not complicated by an obsessive-compulsive disorder, then in the residual phase a complete cessation of tics may occur.

Watch a video about Tourette's syndrome in children:

How to save a baby from an illness

The duration and nature of the course of the disease is influenced by the age at which the disease began to develop:

up to 3 years - often this is a symptom of an existing complex disease (brain tumor, schizophrenia, autism, etc.);
in the interval from 3 to 6 years - the problem usually drags on until adolescence and then begins to gradually decrease;
in the interval from 6 to 8 years - a favorable prognosis, the problem will pass without a trace.

The main principle of therapy is an integrated approach and taking into account the individual characteristics of the body and the course of the disease. First, during a conversation with parents, the doctor finds out possible reasons problem, methods of pedagogical correction are discussed. Drug therapy, as a rule, is not immediately resorted to.

Signs of a concussion in a child - how to determine and what to do in this situation? Everything is detailed in a separate article.

Anyone interested in the question of whether epilepsy is treated in children, what types of disorders are there and how to provide first aid during an attack, we recommend that you go here.

And what to do if a child has convulsions at a temperature, you will find out here.

What can be done at home

First of all, the identified provoking factors are eliminated. Often, the severity of tics decreases when the requirements for the child are reduced. It is necessary to observe the daily routine, adjust the diet, removing from it products that do not carry any benefit to the body (soda, fast food, etc.), establish adequate physical activity.

If intermittent traumatic family situations are identified, family therapy may be needed. Any joint activity (cleaning the apartment, cooking, baking a pie), a kind word said in time will help the child get rid of internal tension.

The easiest way to calm down the nervous system is evening walks, swimming, warm baths with essential oils lavender and melissa.

Watch a video about how a nervous tic manifests itself in a child and what are the symptoms and treatment of the disorder in children of primary school age:

How can a doctor help

The diagnosis is established by a neurologist after examining the child. It will be good if parents prepare to shoot the problem at home, because during communication with the doctor, the picture may be “blurred”.

The child should also be examined by a psychologist and assessed for his emotional characteristics, degree of attentiveness, ability to remember and ability to control impulsive behavior.

Psychiatric consultation, magnetic resonance imaging or electroencephalogram may be needed. The doctor may advise you to take a course of psychological correction individually or in group sessions.

Specially trained specialists will help to correct the emotional or mental sphere that is late in development, using games, conversations or drawing to work on the baby's self-esteem.

A teenager in a group will be able to beat possible conflict situations with peers and, having rehearsed in advance, pick up the best option behavior that will increase the chance of avoiding a tic exacerbation.

Medical treatment is resorted to only when the previous possibilities of therapy have exhausted themselves without giving tangible results.

Drugs are prescribed by a neurologist, self-medication is strictly prohibited.

After the complete disappearance of the tick, the medication continues for at least another six months, then the doses are gradually reduced until completely canceled.

What medications are prescribed

Antipsychotics can be prescribed, which in combination have analgesic, anticonvulsant, antiemetic, antihistamine, sedative, antipsychotic actions: Fluphenazine, Haloperidol, Pimozide, Tiapride, Risperidone.

Often, auxiliary agents are connected to the main course: to maintain general well-being (vitamins), vascular drugs and nootropics that improve metabolic processes in the brain.

If obsessive-compulsive disorder is also present, then antidepressants are added to the treatment. Fluoxetine (Prozac), Clomipramine (Clofranil, Clominal, Anafranil).

When choosing a drug for a child, the convenience of titration (dosing) of the drug should also be taken into account. The most convenient are drops (Risperidone, Haloperidol) - using a liquid form, it is convenient to measure the required supporting volume, avoiding unjustified overdoses. This is very important when prescribing long courses.

Folk remedies

As an easily accessible remedy, it is easiest to use motherwort tincture, giving it to a child at bedtime. Or you can buy a few herbs and make your own fees:

Grass cudweed, thyme, valerian and chicory roots, heather leaves chop and mix, adding 2 parts of the remaining components to 1 part of chicory. Brew a tablespoon of the mixture like tea in a glass of boiling water for about half an hour, give the child three times a day from 50 to 150 ml, depending on age. This infusion quickly relieves stress and soothes.
To 3 parts of pharmacy chamomile, add 1 part of valerian root and 2 parts of mint and lemon balm. Brew in the same dosage as in the previous recipe, take in the morning before meals and at bedtime from 50 to 150 ml, depending on age.

Massage and exercise

With nervous tics, massage has proven itself in the best way, since it is effective tool. But it should be understood that the features of the procedure depend on the type of disorder. The essence of all manipulations is to relax the necessary part of the body.. Light stroking, rubbing, kneading are performed.

Sharp strong impacts, toning muscles, are not allowed, the goal of all movements is relaxation. To improve the blood supply to the brain, the collar zone is massaged.

Improving blood circulation in the brain improves the condition of the entire nervous system .

Perfectly relieves muscle tension and underwater massaging shower. Usually a course of 10 sessions is prescribed, you need to complete it completely, even if you feel better sooner. Exercises, in particular, Strelnikova's breathing exercises, are of great help.

Therapeutic stretching with weights will also be effective.. With the help of a complex selected by a specialist, it is possible to change muscle tone and form the correct functioning of the brain. Thanks to biofeedback between muscles and brain neurons, it is possible to change existing behavioral programs.

The alternation of stretching and relaxation has a beneficial effect on the entire body.

Loads should be directed not to the elasticity of one muscle, but to the entire body, emphasizing the spinal column, as well as the shoulder and hip joints.

Features of the treatment of infants

For infants with pathological tremor, massage is mandatory to avoid such serious consequences as hyperglycemia, pathological changes intracranial pressure, hypocalcemia, cerebral hemorrhage, etc. Children's massotherapy with a nervous tic in a child up to a year old, it can be used from 1.5 months of age, with its help, muscle spasms are removed, the nervous system is stabilized.

It is preferable to contact a specialist for a massage course, or at least go through a few initial sessions with him in order to continue to massage at home on your own.

Movements are used simple (stroking, rubbing, kneading, vibration), but you should learn how to perform them correctly and see which areas on the body of the baby should be avoided (lymph nodes, the region of the heart, liver and spine).

For babies up to 3 months, the procedure should not exceed 5 minutes, for older children, the time can be increased, but the duration of the session should not exceed 20 minutes.

The main criterion during the massage is the behavior of the child, if he behaves restlessly or is capricious, the procedure is stopped.

Prevention of not only tics, but also any psycho-emotional problems is a friendly, calm atmosphere in the family, a balanced diet, in which all foods and drinks that excite the nervous system (coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa) are limited.

Spending time at the computer and in front of the TV should be limited to half an hour a day, and devote all free time to sports, needlework, and walks.

The psychological aspect is very important, all parents should remember this, therefore, at every opportunity:

listen to the opinion of the baby;
avoid overwhelming tasks
praise the child if deserved;
refer a vulnerable child to a psychologist.

You need to be patient with the child and engage in his upbringing, and not let development take its course. The state of the physical and mental health of the child largely depends on the relationships that develop with peers in kindergarten and school, from the fulfillment of their duties by parents, from their attitude towards themselves and towards each other.

In a comfortable microclimate, everyone's self-esteem increases, which excludes the appearance of neuroses and similar conditions that can lead to the formation of a nervous tic.

If it so happens that the tic nevertheless began, one should not wait in the hope that it will pass by itself, but one should immediately contact a specialist.

What to do if you notice manifestations of a nervous tic in a child, and how to cure the disease, you will learn from this video:

Every mom wants her little miracle to grow up as a strong and healthy child. Alas, no matter how hard she tries, sooner or later the baby gets sick. If many are ready for viral infections and various acute respiratory infections, then a nervous tic in a child can scare even the most experienced parents. To provide timely assistance, avoid complications and just save your own nerves, it is enough to know the basic information about the disease: symptoms, causes, varieties and treatment.

A nervous tic can occur not only in an adult, but also in a baby - parents should pay special attention to the symptom

What is a tic and how can you tell it apart from other similar disorders?

blinking;
twitching of the corners of the mouth or cheeks;
shuddering and shrugging;
eyebrow raising;
head tilt and more.

It is important to be able to distinguish a nervous tic from convulsive muscle contractions that may accompany another disease. Such signs include:

The child's ability to reproduce, partially control and temporarily suppress tics.
The dependence of the frequency of tics on the mood, the activity of the baby, the time of year and even the time of day.
Absence of tics during voluntary movements (drinking from a cup, eating with a spoon, etc.).
Change of localization. For example, twitching of the corners of the mouth over time can turn into a shrug or blink. You need to understand: most likely, this is a new attack of an old disease, and not another disease.

When a child draws or is engaged in another activity that is interesting for him, the tic often temporarily recedes.

Classification of nervous tics

First, there are two types of tics:

simple;
complex.

The first type includes tics that affect only one specific muscle group: the eyes or head, arms or legs. Complex tics are a combined contraction of the muscles of several different groups at once.

Secondly, tics are subdivided, starting from their external manifestation:

motor;
vocal;
rituals;
generalized forms.

The first kind is: blinking, shrugging, throwing the head back, twitching the corners of the mouth or cheeks, and other involuntary body movements. Vocal tics get their name from the sound they make, such as sniffling, sniffling, or coughing. Constantly repeating actions of the same type - walking back and forth or in a circle, belong to the so-called rituals. With the last form of tics, the child manifests several of their variants at once.

The specialized literature describes the classical pathway of symptoms: first blinking, then sniffing, coughing, then shoulder movements and complex repetitive movements of the arms and legs, plus speech stereotypes that occur several years after the disease (“say no” - “no, no, no ”). However, in practice this pattern is rare. So, if the occurrence of a tick coincided with a cold, then during this period, overexcitation of the nasopharynx will lead to coughing or sniffing, and blinking will join later. In this case, one symptom can be transformed into another, single signs are replaced by their combinations. In the absence of qualified assistance and delay in treatment, a severe form of tic disorder may develop - de la Tourette's syndrome - a combination of voice and multiple movement disorders, plus hyperactivity with attention deficit and obsessive fears.

From a medical point of view, the following forms of nervous tics are distinguished:

transient, in other words, passing;
chronic.

In the first case, the child develops complex or simple varieties of tics that recur every day for a month, but not longer than a year. It is very difficult for a baby to control such mannered and rapidly repetitive movements. The chronic form of the disorder can last for more than a year with almost daily, but not simultaneous, repetition of different types of nervous tics.

Causes of the disease

Before starting to treat the disorder in a baby, it is necessary to find out its cause. These may be:

hereditary predisposition. The likelihood of developing a disorder in children increases in the family where one of the close relatives suffers from a similar disease.
Behavior of parents and the atmosphere in the family. Undoubtedly, genetics and the environment do not occupy the last place in the formation of the child's personality, traits of his character and ability to adequately respond to external stimuli, but the family and its internal state play a primary role in this. A pronounced violation in the ratio of verbal and non-verbal communication between parents and children and between themselves provokes unnatural behavior and anomalies in the child's character. Constant prohibitions and remarks, tight control and tension, endless screams can lead to restraint of physiological activity, which, in turn, can lead to one of the forms of nervous tics in the future. A situation with permissiveness and connivance can also end in a similar ending, so in raising children it is necessary to find a golden mean, which is individual for each child, depending on his temperament and personal qualities.

The causes of tics refute the common myth that only restless and excitable children are susceptible to this nervous breakdown, because at a certain period of their lives absolutely all children are nervous, capricious and uncontrollable.

Factors that provoke tics

What exactly can be the impetus for the appearance of ticks? The answer is obvious - psychological stress caused by the inability of the child to independently cope with a problem or a difficult situation for him.

Quarrels or strained relations between parents are keenly felt by the child, even if he does not see confirmation of his guesses. This can be one of the causes of a tic condition.

Diagnosis of the disease

Sometimes additional measures may be required to make a diagnosis: psychiatric consultation, magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalography. Appointment for them should be given exclusively by a doctor.

Stages of treatment

Family psychotherapy. First of all, it is necessary for families in which the internal tense situation directly affects the psychological state of the child. This practice will also be useful for families in which the child grows up in a favorable and harmonious atmosphere - this will only benefit relationships in the family circle and prevent possible mistakes in the future.
Correction with a psychologist. In individual classes, using a variety of psychological techniques, the child is helped to cope with an internal feeling of anxiety and discomfort, to raise self-esteem. With the help of conversations and games, they stimulate the development of lagging areas of mental activity: memory, self-control, attention (see also:). In group classes there are children with similar diseases or disorders, and the main idea of the classes is to create conflict situations in a playful way. Thus, the child learns to behave in conflicts, look for possible solutions and draw conclusions. Additionally, the sphere of communication and communication with others is developing.
Medical treatment. It is worth resorting to the last method of treatment only if all the previous ones did not have the desired effect. A pediatric neurologist prescribes medications based on the data of all examinations.

Seriously worrying in the case of this disease is when symptoms appear before the age of three - this may indicate the presence of another mental illness. If tics appear later, then you should not panic ahead of time, as Dr. Komarovsky often recommends. Tics that start at the age of 3-6 years decrease with time, and those that appear at the age of 6-8 years can be permanently cured without consequences.

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

What causes a nervous tic in childhood

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

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

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

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

Classification and features of the disease

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

The most striking symptoms of the disease are:

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

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

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

Complex manifestations

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is the essence of treatment

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

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

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

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

Therapy at home

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

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

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

Professional medical approach

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

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

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

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

What medicines are suitable for nervous tics

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

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

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

Recipes of traditional healers

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

cudweed;
thyme;
valerian;
chicory;
heather.

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

Gymnastics and massage

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

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

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

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

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

How to deal with a nervous tic in infants

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

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

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

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

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

Childhood neurosis frightens and puzzles parents, especially if such mental states are associated with the manifestation of tics. In search of reasons and answers to their questions, adults bypass dozens of doctors, but often it is not possible to clarify the situation. The only thing that parents get is a prescription for a psychotropic drug, which adequate parents absolutely do not want to feed their child. In this article, we will help you understand what neurotic tics are associated with, what are the causes of neuroses and how to help a child without heavy medications.

What it is?

The concept of "neurosis" hides a whole group of psychogenic disorders. The bad news for moms and dads is that all neurosis is prone to a very protracted, chronic course. And the good news is that neuroses are reversible, and in most cases the child is completely able to get rid of such conditions.

Due to the fact that children cannot always tell in words what worries or worries them, constant nervous tension transforms into a neurotic state in which disturbances are observed both at the mental and physical levels. Child's behavior changes, may slow down mental development, a tendency to hysteria appears, mental activity suffers. Sometimes internal tension finds a kind of release on the physical level - this is how nervous tics occur. They are not independent disorders and always appear against the background of a neurosis or a neurosis-like state. However, the neurosis itself may well proceed without tics. Here much depends on the personality of the child, his character, temperament, upbringing, the state of the nervous system and other factors.

Neurosis practically does not occur in infants, but then the frequency of such disorders in children begins to grow rapidly, and at kindergarten age, approximately 30% of children have neuroses to one degree or another, and by the middle school age the number of neurotics grows to 55%. Almost 70% of adolescents have neuroses.

Nervous tics are for the most part a problem exclusively for children. There are few adults in the world who suddenly, under the influence of stress, began to suffer from a tic. But there are adults who endured neurotic tics from their childhood, since most often the violation is laid down precisely in childhood.

Tics of various types are most common in children between the ages of 5 and 12. Approximately a quarter of all neurotic children suffer from some kind of tic. In girls, physical manifestations of nervous conditions are 2 times less common than in boys of the same age. Experts explain this fact by the fact that the psyche of girls is more labile, it quickly undergoes age-related changes and there is a period of development.

Neurosis and tics are disorders of higher nervous activity. Modern medicine believes that these conditions contribute to the emergence of a wide variety of diseases and pathologies. There was even a whole direction - psychosomatics, which studies the possible connections of psychological and mental states with the development of certain diseases.

So, it is believed that hearing problems most often occur in children whose parents were too authoritarian and suppressed the child, and kidney disease is characteristic of children whose mothers and fathers often conflict with each other and often verbally and physically abuse their child. Since neuroses are reversible conditions, the task of parents is to start the process of reverse development as soon as possible, and for this it is necessary to find the cause of the child's condition and put all their efforts into eliminating it.

The reasons

Finding the causes of neurosis in a child is always a very difficult task. But if you look at the problem from a medical point of view, the search area narrows significantly. Neurosis, and consequently, neurotic tics, is always associated with the development of conflict - internal and external. The fragile children's psyche with great difficulty can withstand many circumstances that do not seem out of the ordinary for adults. But for children, such circumstances are very difficult, causing psychological trauma, stress, overstrain of the intellectual, mental and emotional spheres.

Scientists and doctors are still arguing how exactly the mechanism for the development of a violation of nervous activity is realized. The difficulty of studying this issue is primarily due to the fact that the mechanisms are quite individual, unique for each baby, because a child is a separate person with his own fears, attachments and the ability to resist stress.

Most common causes the occurrence of neuroses and neurosis-like states are considered:

unfavorable situation in the family (scandals, quarrels, divorce of parents);
total mistakes in raising a child (hyper-care, lack of attention, permissiveness or excessive severity and exactingness of parents in relation to the baby);
features of the child's temperament (cholerics and melancholics are more prone to the development of neuroses than sanguine and phlegmatic people);
fears, phobias of the baby, with which he is not able to cope due to age;
overwork and overstrain (if the baby does not get enough sleep, attends several sections and two schools at the same time, then his psyche works “for wear and tear”);

psychological trauma, stress (we are talking about specific traumatic situations - the death of a loved one, forced separation from one of the parents or both, physical or moral violence, conflict, severe fear);
doubts and fears for safety in the future (after moving to a new place of residence, after transferring the child to a new kindergarten or a new school);
age-related "crises" (during periods of active reconfiguration of the nervous system and psyche - at 1 year old, at 3-4 years old, at 6-7 years old, during puberty - the risks of developing neuroses increase tenfold).

Nervous tics develop in about 60% of neurotics of preschool age and in 30% of schoolchildren. In adolescents, tics on the background of neurosis appear only in 10% of cases.

The reasons for the development of involuntary muscle contractions on an erroneous command of the brain can also be different:

past disease(after severe bronchitis, reflex coughing may develop into a tic, and after conjunctivitis, the habit of blinking frequently and fractionally may remain as a tic);
mental shock, severe fear, a situation that caused enormous psychological trauma (this is not about prolonged exposure to stress factors, but about a specific one-time situation in which the nervous system and psyche of the child did not have time to “compensate” for the damage, since the impact of stress turned out to be many times stronger);
desire to imitate(if a child observes tics in one of the relatives or other children in the kindergarten or school team, he can simply start copying them and gradually these movements will become reflex movements);
aggravation of manifestations of neurosis(if the negative factor that caused the neurosis not only does not disappear, but also increases its impact).

The true causes may remain unknown, since the field of the human psyche has not yet been sufficiently studied, and not all violations in the child's behavior can be explained by doctors from the point of view of science.

Classification

All childhood neuroses, despite the lack of scientific data on the causes and mechanisms of development, have a strict classification, indicated in international classification diseases (ICD-10):

obsessional or obsessive-compulsive disorder(characterized by increased anxiety, anxiety, conflict of needs and norms of behavior);
anxiety neuroses or phobic neuroses(associated with intense and uncontrollable fear of something, such as fear of spiders or the dark);
hysterical neuroses(destabilization of the emotional sphere of the child, in which there are behavioral disorders, hysterical attacks, motor and sensory disorders that occur in the child in response to situations that the child considers hopeless);
neurasthenia(the most common type of illness in childhood, in which the child experiences an acute conflict between the requirements for himself and the actual inability to meet these requirements);
compulsive movement neurosis(a condition in which the child uncontrollably performs certain cyclic movements with annoying methodicalness);
food neurosis(bulimia nervosa or anorexia - overeating, constant feeling hunger or refusal of food against the background of nervous rejection);
panic attacks(violations characterized by bouts of intense fear that the child cannot control and explain);
somatoform neuroses(conditions in which the activity of internal organs and systems is disrupted - neurosis of the heart, neurosis of the stomach, etc.);
guilt neurosis(disturbances in the activity of the psyche and nervous system, which developed against the background of a painful and in most cases unjustified feeling of guilt).

Nervous transient tics that can develop against the background of any type of neurosis also have their own classification.

They are:

Mimic- with involuntary repetitive contraction of the muscles of the face. These include facial tics, eye tics, tics of the lips and wings of the nose.
Vocal- with spontaneous nervous contraction of the vocal muscles. An audio tic can be manifested as a stutter or an obsessive repetition of a certain sound, a cough. Voice tics are very common among children, especially preschoolers.
Motor- with contraction of the muscles of the limbs. These are twitching of arms and legs, waving and splashing of arms, which are repeated often and have no logical explanation.

All tics are divided into local (when one muscle is involved) and generalized (when a whole group of muscles or several groups work at once during the movement). Also, tics are simple (with elementary movement) and complex (with more complex movements). Usually, children develop primary tics as a result of severe stress or other psychogenic causes. Doctors talk about secondary only if tics accompany brain pathologies (encephalitis, trauma).

Quite rarely, but still there are hereditary tics, they are called Tourette's syndrome.

What kind of tics a child has is not difficult to establish, it is much more difficult to find the true cause, including the connection with neurosis. And without this, a full-fledged treatment is not possible.

History of study

For the first time, neurosis was described in the 18th century by the Scottish doctor Cullen. Until the 19th century, people with neurotic and neurosis-like tics were thought to be possessed. At different times they stood up to fight obscurantism famous people. Sigmund Freud explained neurosis as a conflict between the true needs of the body and personality and social and moral norms that are invested in a child from childhood. He devoted a whole scientific work to this theory.

Academician Pavlov, not without the help of his famous dogs, concluded that neurosis is a violation of higher nervous activity, which is associated with violations of nerve impulses in the cerebral cortex. Society ambiguously perceived the information that neurosis is characteristic not only of people, but also of animals. American psychologist Karen Horney in the 20th century concluded that childhood neurosis is nothing more than a defensive reaction from the negative impact of this world. She also proposed to divide all neurotics into three groups - those who strive for people, pathologically need love, communication, participation, those who try to move away from society and those who act contrary to this society, whose behavior and actions have the goal of proving to everyone that they can do a lot and are more successful than everyone else.

Neurologists and psychiatrists of our time hold different points of view. But they are in solidarity on one thing - neurosis is not a disease, rather, it is a special condition, and therefore its correction is both desirable and possible in all cases.

Symptoms and signs

Neurosis in children and the possible accompanying tics have different symptoms, which depend on the type and type of disorder. However, all neurotic states are characterized by a group of signs that can be traced in all neurotic children.

Mental manifestations

Neurosis is by no means considered mental disorder, since violations arise under the influence of external circumstances, while the majority of truly mental illnesses are associated with internal factors. Most mental illnesses do not have a sign of reversibility and are chronic, and neurosis can be overcome and forgotten about.

With real mental illnesses, the child has growing signs of dementia, destructive personality changes, and backwardness. With neurosis, there are no such signs. Mental illness does not cause rejection in a person, the patient regards it as part of himself and is not capable of self-criticism. With neurosis, the child understands that he is doing something wrong, not right, and this does not give him rest. Neurosis causes inconvenience not only to his parents, but also to himself, with the exception of certain types of tics, which the baby simply does not control, and therefore does not consider significant.

You can suspect a neurosis in a child by the following changes:

Child's mood changes frequently, unexpectedly and without objective reasons. Tears can turn into laughter in a matter of minutes, and a good mood can change into depressive, aggressive or otherwise in seconds.
Almost all types of neurosis in children are characterized by pronounced indecision. It is very difficult for a child to make even a simple decision on his own - which T-shirt to wear or which breakfast to choose.
All children with neurotic changes experience certain communication difficulties. It is difficult for some to establish contacts, others experience a pathological attachment to the people they communicate with, others cannot maintain communication for a long time, they are afraid to say or do something wrong.
Self-esteem of children with neurosis is not adequate. It is either overestimated and this cannot go unnoticed, or underestimated and the child sincerely does not consider himself capable, talented, successful.
Without exception, all children with neurosis experience from time to time bouts of fear and anxiety. Moreover, there are no objective reasons for alarm. This symptom can be mildly expressed - only occasionally the child expresses fears or behaves wary. It also happens that the attacks are pronounced, up to panic attacks.
A child with neurosis can't decide on a value system the concepts of “good and bad” are somewhat blurred for him. His desires and preferences often contradict each other. Often a child even at preschool age shows signs of cynicism.

Children with certain types of neurosis are often irritable. This is especially true for neurasthenics. Irritability and even anger can manifest themselves in the simplest life situations- it didn’t work the first time to draw something, the laces on the shoes were untied, the toy broke.
In neurotic children, almost no stress tolerance. Any little stress causes them attacks of deep despair or pronounced unmotivated aggression.
Can talk about neurosis excessive tearfulness, increased resentment and vulnerability. Such behavior should not be attributed to the character of the child; normally, these qualities are balanced and not striking. With neurosis, they hypertrophy.
Often a child dwells on the situation that traumatized him. If the neurosis and tics were caused by the attack of a neighbor's dog, the baby often experiences this situation again and again, the fear grows and turns into a fear of all dogs in general.
The performance of a child with neurosis is reduced. He quickly gets tired, cannot concentrate his memory for a long time, quickly forgets previously learned material.
neurotic children hard to handle loud noises sudden noises, bright lights and temperature changes.
In neuroses of all types, there are sleep problems- it can be very difficult for a child to fall asleep, even if he is tired, sleep is often restless, superficial, the baby often wakes up, does not get enough sleep.

physical manifestations

Since there is a connection between neurosis and the work of internal organs and systems, a violation cannot but be accompanied by signs of a physical property.

They can be very different, but most often neurologists and child psychiatrists note the following symptoms:

The child often complains of headaches, tingling in the heart, palpitations, shortness of breath and pain of unknown origin in the abdomen. Wherein medical examinations for the search for diseases of these organs and areas, no pathologies are detected, the child's tests are also within the normal range.
Children with neuroses are often lethargic, sleepy, they don't have the power to do anything.
Children with neuroses have unstable blood pressure. It then rises, then decreases, while there are bouts of dizziness, nausea. Often doctors diagnose - vegetative-vascular dystonia.
In some forms of neurosis in children, vestibular disorders are observed. associated with difficulties when necessary to keep balance.

Problems with appetite characteristic of the vast majority of neurotics. Children can be undernourished, overeat, feel almost constantly hungry, or, conversely, almost never feel very hungry.
Children with neurotic disorders unstable chair- constipation is replaced by diarrhea, vomiting often occurs for no particular reason, indigestion occurs quite often.
neurotics are very sweating and more often than other children run to the toilet for a small need.
Neuroses are often accompanied idiopathic cough without a justified reason, in the absence of any pathologies from the respiratory system.
With neurosis, there may be enuresis.

In addition, children with neurosis are more susceptible to acute viral infections, colds they have weaker immunity. In order to conclude whether a child has a neurosis or prerequisites for its development, one should evaluate not one or two individual symptoms, but a large list of signs of both physical and psychological properties together.

If more than 60% of the above symptoms match, you should definitely make an appointment with a doctor.

Manifestations of tics

Nervous tics are visible to the naked eye. With primary tics, all involuntary movements are local in nature. They rarely spread to large muscle groups. Most often, they involve the face and shoulders of the child (blinking, twitching the lips, blowing the wings of the nose, shrugging).

Tics are not noticeable at rest and only get worse when the child is in a stressful situation.

The most common primary violations are manifested as:

blinking;
walking in a vicious circle or in a straight line back and forth;
teeth grinding;
splashes of hands or strange movements with the hands;
winding strands of hair around your finger or pulling hair out;
strange sounds.

Hereditary and secondary tics usually appear in a child closer to 5-6 years. They are almost always generalized (involving muscle groups). They are manifested by blinking and grimaces, uncontrolled shouting of curses and obscene expressions, as well as the constant repetition of the same word, including that heard from the interlocutor.

Diagnostics

There is a big problem in diagnosing neuroses - overdiagnosis. It is sometimes easier for a neurologist to make such a diagnosis for a child than to search true reason violations. That is why statistics show a rapid increase in the number of neurotic children over the past few decades.

Not always a child with poor appetite, sleep disturbances or mood swings is a neurotic. But parents demand help from a specialist, and the doctor has no choice but to make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment. After all, it is incredibly difficult to refute the diagnosis of "neurosis", and therefore no one can accuse the doctor of incompetence.

If there are suspicions of a neurosis in a child, it is not enough for parents to visit a district neurologist alone. It will be necessary to show the child to two more specialists - a child psychiatrist and a psychotherapist. The psychotherapist will try to understand as much as possible in what psychological environment the child lives in; for children of middle and senior school age, the method of hypnotic sleep can be used. Special attention this specialist draws on the relationship between parents, between parents and the child, between the child and his peers. If necessary, a series of tests for behavioral reactions will be carried out, an analysis of the baby's drawings, a study of his reactions during the game process.

The psychiatrist examines the child for a connection between neurosis and impaired brain function, for this specific tests will be used, an MRI of the brain may be prescribed. A neurologist is a specialist with whom the examination should begin and with which it is then completed.

He summarizes the data received from the psychiatrist and psychotherapist, analyzes their conclusions and recommendations, prescribes:

general and biochemical analysis blood;
radiography and computed tomography brain;
electroencephalography.

The presence of neurosis as such can be judged in cases where:

the child did not have pathologies of the brain and conduction of impulses;
the child has no mental illness;
the child does not have and did not have craniocerebral trauma in the recent past;
the baby is somatically healthy;
neurotic manifestations are repeated for six months or more.

Treatment

The treatment of neurosis always begins not with taking pills, but with the correction of relationships in the family where the baby lives and is brought up. Psychologists and psychotherapists help with this. Parents should change their attitude towards the child, eliminate or correct their pedagogical mistakes, try to protect the child from severe stress, frightening and traumatic situations. Joint activities are very useful - reading, creativity, walking, playing sports, as well as the subsequent detailed discussion of everything that has been done, seen or read together.

If a child learns to formulate his feelings and emotions in a particular situation, it will be easier for him to get rid of traumatic memories.

A marriage that is bursting at the seams is not necessarily saved for the sake of a child who has developed a neurosis on this occasion. Parents should weigh well how it will be better - without one of the parents who fights, drinks, uses violence or with him.

However, it should be remembered that one parent who is calm, self-confident, who loves and appreciates the baby is better for the child than two tormented and suffering parents.

Very much in the treatment of neurosis falls on the shoulders of the family. Without her participation, the doctor will not be able to do anything, and pills and injections will not bring any result. Therefore, drug treatment is not considered the main type of therapy for neuroses. A neurologist, a psychologist, and a psychotherapist, who have interesting methods of helping neurotic children, are ready to help parents in their difficult task.

Types of therapy

In the arsenal of a psychotherapist and a child psychologist there are such methods of correcting the condition of the baby, such as:

creative treatment(the specialist sculpts, draws and cuts together with the baby, while talking with him and helping to sort out a complex internal conflict);
pet therapy(treatment through communication and interaction with pets);
play psychotherapy(classes on special methods, during which the specialist will carefully observe and evaluate the behavioral and psychological reactions of the child to stress, failure, excitement, etc.);
fairy tale therapy(understandable for children's understanding and an entertaining way of psycho-correction, allowing the child to accept models of correct behavior, set priorities, determine personal values);
autotraining(a method of relaxation on the physical and mental levels, great for teenagers and children of high school age);
hypnotherapy(a method of correcting the psyche and behavior by creating new settings during immersion in a trance. Suitable only for older children and adolescents);
group sessions with a psychotherapist(allow to correct the neuroses associated with difficulties in communication, in adapting to new conditions).

A good result is brought by classes in which children are present with their parents. After all, the main type of therapy for neurosis, which has no equal in terms of effectiveness, is love, trust, mutual understanding between the child and his family members.

Medicines

Medicines for the treatment of simple and uncomplicated types of neurosis are usually not required. The doctor may recommend herbal preparations that have a calming effect: "Persen", a pharmacy collection of motherwort. The child can be given as an aid tea with lemon balm, mint, motherwort, do baths with decoctions of these herbs.

In some cases, the doctor prescribes nootropic drugs Pantogam, Glycine. They require systematic and long-term use, because they have a cumulative property of action. To improve cerebral circulation prescribed "Cinnarizine" in age dosage. If a laboratory tests show a lack of calcium or magnesium in the child's body, which also contributes to neurological disorders, the doctor prescribes accordingly "Calcium gluconate " or its analogues, and "Magnesium B6" or other magnesium preparations.

The list of drugs that can be prescribed for nervous tics is much longer. It may include antipsychotics and psychotropic drugs. A prerequisite for the appointment of such powerful and serious drugs - tics must be secondary, that is, associated with disorders of the brain and central nervous system.

Depending on the nature of tics and other behavioral characteristics (aggressiveness, hysteria or apathy), Haloperidol, Levomepromazine, Phenibut, Tazepam, Sonapax. For severe convulsive tics, the doctor may advise Botox and botulinum toxin preparations. They allow you to "turn off" a specific muscle from the pathological chain of nerve impulses for a time during which this connection can cease to be a reflex. Any medicine for serious neurotic disorders must be prescribed and approved by a doctor, self-medication is inappropriate.

Most neurotic children are helped by drugs that promote normal sound sleep. After a few weeks, the child becomes more calm, adequate, friendly. Doctors do not advise the use of strong sleeping pills for childhood neurosis. It will be enough to light drugs or homeopathic remedies like drops "Bayu-Bai", "Dormikind", "Hare".

Physiotherapy and massage

Massage is useful for all children with neuroses. It is not necessary to turn to the expensive services of specialists, because therapeutic massage is not indicated for such disorders. A relaxing massage will be enough, which any mother can do on her own at home. The main condition is not to do tonic techniques that have the opposite effect - exciting and invigorating. Massage should be just relaxing. When carrying out such an impact, pressure, tingling, deep kneading should be avoided.

The relaxing effect can be achieved with gentle strokes, circular motions hands without effort, light rubbing of the skin.

In the presence of nervous tics of a primary nature, additional massage techniques can be added to the place affected by involuntary muscle contraction. Massage of the face, hands, shoulder girdle should also be relaxing, non-aggressive, measured. It is enough to massage once a day, in the evening, before bathing. For kids, it is important that massage gives them pleasure, so it is desirable to conduct it in a playful way.

With secondary tics, professional therapeutic massage is required. It is better to turn to a good specialist who, in a few sessions, will teach mom or dad all the necessary techniques, so that they can then carry out course treatment of the child on their own. Among physiotherapeutic methods, acupuncture is quite often and quite successfully practiced. The method has no age restrictions, however, provided that the child is somatically healthy.

The effect of physiotherapy exercises. Children at 2-3 years old can already attend such classes with their parents. When drawing up a lesson plan for a particular baby, a specialist will take into account all the motor manifestations of neurosis, teach special exercises that will allow you to relax and strain desired groups muscles to relieve the child from the manifestation of tics.

A child with neurosis and tics will benefit from swimming. In the water, the child relaxes all muscle groups, and exercise stress on them when moving is uniform. It is not necessary to enroll the child in the professional sports section, it is enough to visit the pool once a week, and for the kids to arrange swims in a large home bath.

See the following video for what treatment Dr. Komarovsky recommends for this type of disorder.

Prevention

Avoiding the development of neurosis in a child will help measures that maximize prepare the child's psyche for possible stressful situations:

Adequate upbringing. A child should not grow up in greenhouse conditions, so as not to grow up as a weak-willed and insecure neurasthenic. However, excessive severity and even parental cruelty can also disfigure the baby's personality beyond recognition. Do not resort to blackmail, manipulation, physical punishment. The best tactic is cooperation and constant dialogue with the child from an early age.
Family well-being. It is not so important whether a baby grows up in a complete or incomplete family. Of greater importance is the microclimate that reigns at home. Scandals, drunkenness, tyranny and despotism, physical and moral violence, swearing, shouting - all this provides fertile ground for the development of not only neuroses, but also more complex mental problems.

Daily routine and nutrition. Free-romantics are more likely to experience neurotic disorders in their children than parents who have taught the child from birth to follow a certain daily routine. The regimen is especially important for children of primary school age, who are already in a state of severe stress - the beginning of schooling requires endurance and patience from them. Children's nutrition should be balanced, rich in vitamins and all the necessary trace elements. Fast food should be mercilessly limited.

Timely psychological help. It will not be possible to completely protect the child from stress and negative effects on the psyche, no matter how hard the parents try. However, they must be sensitive enough to notice the slightest change in the behavior and mood of your child, in order to respond in a timely manner and help the baby understand what happened. If your own strength and knowledge is not enough for this, you should contact a psychologist. Today there are such specialists in every kindergarten, in every school, and their task is to help a child, regardless of his age, overcome a difficult situation, find the right solution, make an adequate and informed choice.
harmonious development. A child must develop in several directions in order to become a whole person. Children whose parents require only sports records or excellent school performance are more likely to become neurotic. It is good if the child combines sports with reading books, with music lessons. At the same time, parents should not overestimate their requirements and torment their child with their high expectations. Then failures will be perceived as a temporary test, and the child's feelings about this will not overpower the compensatory abilities of his psyche.

Nervous tics in children: non-drug treatment. Nervous tics in children

The course of ticks

The reasons

genetic predisposition

Wrong upbringing

severe stress

Nervous tic in children - symptoms

Diagnostics

Treatment

Related video

General information about ticks

Classification of tics in children

Symptoms and Causes

Treatment of a nervous tic in children

Medical therapy

Causes of development depending on age

Main types, signs, description

Complex manifestations

How to save a baby from an illness

What can be done at home

How can a doctor help

What medications are prescribed

Folk remedies

Massage and exercise

Features of the treatment of infants

What is a tic and how can you tell it apart from other similar disorders?

Classification of nervous tics

Causes of the disease

Factors that provoke tics

Diagnosis of the disease

Stages of treatment

What causes a nervous tic in childhood

Classification and features of the disease

Complex manifestations

What is the essence of treatment

Therapy at home

Professional medical approach

What medicines are suitable for nervous tics

Recipes of traditional healers

Gymnastics and massage

How to deal with a nervous tic in infants

What it is?

The reasons

Classification

History of study

Symptoms and signs

Mental manifestations

physical manifestations

Manifestations of tics

Diagnostics

Treatment

Types of therapy

Medicines

Physiotherapy and massage

Prevention