Obsessive movements in an 8-year-old child, treatment. Obsessive movement syndrome: how to help your child

04.11.2019 -

They say that a child is like a sponge, absorbing everything that surrounds him. It often happens that in a family or team there is not too much favorable atmosphere. The result is neurosis in the child. How to recognize an obsessive state, we will consider further.

What is a disorder

Neurosis obsessive movements usually called type of mental disorder, which is characterized by the patient’s uncontrolled repetition of the same body movements.

A disorder of the nervous system leads to the fact that the patient cannot control his desire to repeat stereotypical behavior.

Some parents confuse this disorder with a nervous tic. However, this is absolutely different situations. In the case of a tic, the movements are involuntary and therefore cannot be controlled. Obsessive movements are difficult to stop with willpower, but it is still possible with careful control and constant emphasis on this.

When diagnosing obsessive movement neurosis The symptoms that often accompany the disorder help:

Bed-wetting;
The child's temper and touchiness;
Loss of appetite;
Sleep problems.

The clinical picture of neurosis is most often observed in children who have reached the age of nine. A patient under 9 years of age does not understand that compulsive movement is something unnatural. After reaching this age, children usually begin to understand and feel embarrassed about their “habit.”

It should be understood that neurosis is not a mental disorder. But the situation requires immediate intervention.

Causes

Doctors call the main cause of obsessive behavior mental trauma, which the person received earlier. The connection between the event itself and the obsessive state is difficult to establish for the reason that neurosis develops not as a result of the trauma itself, but as a result of the internal experience of the immature psyche.

When what happened goes beyond the child’s understanding, he tries to comprehend it, processes it in his thoughts for a long time and, if he is unable to adapt to the situation, experiences emotional shock. The experience causes stimulation of certain lobes of the brain, and in order to relieve tension, the baby makes obsessive movements that help him relax.

There are three main groups of factors that lead to the occurrence of obsessive movement neurosis in children:

Biological factor:

Hereditary predisposition;
Traumatic situations during pregnancy or labor activity;
Presence of chronic diseases.

For the occurrence of a disorder as a result biological reasons difficult to influence. In this situation vital role plays a quick identification of the disease and the beginning of work on it.

Psychological causes of obsessive movement neurosis:

Social factors:

Unfavorable family situation;
Undesirability of having children;
Difficulties in adapting to the team (especially common on the first visit) kindergarten);
Incorrect parenting methods;
Earlier separation of the mother from the child, for example, going to kindergarten before the age of three;
Incorrect distribution of roles in the family, dominance of the mother;
Conflict situation in the house;
Quarrels and divorce of parents.

It is important for parents to know that the main cause of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is not the temperament of the child himself, but the environment around him. Children with weak personalities are more susceptible to developing the disorder, but temperament or personality traits are not the main cause. The “trigger mechanism” is an unfavorable environment.

Obsessive movement neurosis can develop due to constant nervous tension which arises due to frequent welding in the house, unreasonable punishments and obsessive thoughts on this occasion.

An example of the influence of a parent on the psyche:

The father constantly reminds his son that he is weak and not courageous enough. The child thinks differently and tries in every possible way to prove his strength to his father. The parent stubbornly does not notice the child’s efforts and continues to stand his ground. As a result, the son's own thoughts about himself differ from the parent's, which leads to internal contradiction. To get rid of obsessive nervous excitement, he makes stereotypical movements that help relieve tension.

Complicating the situation is parents' emphasis on neurosis as bad behavior. It is important to understand that actions occur unconsciously and do not serve the purpose of attracting attention.

How to recognize

Parents need to know how to recognize compulsive movements.

In some situations, it can be difficult to recognize childhood neurosis. Baby before of a certain age performs manipulations so naturally that they do not seem to parents to be a symptom of a disorder.

Common symptoms of OCD:

In addition to the symptoms described, there are some “rituals” that the patient can follow. He feels the need:

Rubbing your hands when certain situation;
Blow into your palms before heading out the door;
Tries to walk around all objects on one side only;

It is difficult to describe all manifestations of OCD, since each child exhibits experiences individually. The main feature is constant repetition actions, almost minute-by-minute execution.

Some symptoms are dangerous. The patient may involuntarily bite his nails into wounds, pull out hair, etc. In some cases, children may experience an unreasonable outburst of rage and nervous agitation.

Also neurosis obsessive states carries a danger to the psyche. Indecisive, weak-willed children become hostage to their fears, mired in the problem and the inability to solve it.

At the first symptoms of obsessive movement syndrome, it is necessary to urgently begin treatment, since the advanced situation will be more difficult to change.

Treatment

If the situation arose as a result of mental trauma against the background of an unfavorable situation, the first thing to do is the irritant needs to be eliminated. Most often, along with the source of the experience, the neurosis itself disappears.

Before starting treatment for the syndrome, parents should carefully review the child's living conditions. You need to pay attention to situations in which the baby feels comfortable, and also notice in which situations neurosis manifests itself in the most acute way.

Easier for parents to notice psychological condition child than to strangers, so before going to the doctor you need to try figure out the situation on your own.

If it is impossible to determine the cause of stress, you should consult a specialist. A psychotherapist, neurologist and psychologist will deal with the elimination of obsessive movement neurosis. In children, treatment consists of finding the cause and normalizing the mental state.

The basis of treatment for OCD is psychotherapy. In advanced cases, the doctor may prescribe sedatives and antidepressants. Don't be afraid drug treatment. The specialist will select the optimal therapy for a particular child.

You should not start treatment with antidepressants without consulting a doctor.! Every separate drug has a certain effect on the central nervous system, so a specialist must select treatment.

In most cases, when treating obsessive disorders, the doctor does not resort to the use of medications. Most often, it is enough to work with a psychotherapist who will find the cause of the child’s stress.

Psychotherapy includes the following techniques:

Art therapy;
Sand therapy;
Dance classes;
Game activities.

During the treatment of neurosis, counseling parents is of great importance to determine the picture of relationships in the family. In most cases, to eliminate the child's problem, you will need to change the atmosphere in the house.

The task of parents is not to try to calm the child, but normalize his condition. To relieve your baby of anxiety, walk with him more often, draw, and play sports. Activities during which the child’s consciousness will take a break from obsessive thoughts will benefit his condition.

It is important to be patient and not scold your child for obsessive movements. Remember that he does this unconsciously, and your task is not to overcome the movement, but to eliminate the situation that led to its occurrence.

Folk remedies

After consulting with a doctor, you can help your child overcome obsessive states using traditional methods. The main task of parents is to try to calm the baby’s nervous system.

This can be done using the following tools:

Infusion of oat grains with honey;
Decoctions of valerian and other herbs with a calming effect: motherwort, lemon balm, calendula;
Regular honey water;
Baths with soothing infusions.

Obsessive neurosis often occurs in children of different age groups. A fragile child's psyche cannot successfully deal with disturbing factors. Life is busy these days different events, carries a lot of information that can contribute to chronic stress in both adults and children. Obsessive-compulsive neurosis in children most often manifests itself in the form of obsessive-compulsive neurosis.

Obsessive neurosis can occur in children of all ages

It is impossible to successfully cure neurosis without identifying the negative factors that caused it.. It is believed that the development of neurosis in children is due to three main reasons.

Psychological, characterized by insufficient coherence of the processes of inhibition and excitation in the cerebral cortex, as well as the characteristics of the baby’s temperament:

If a child is choleric, then restrictions that prevent motor activity and free expression of emotions. This may lead to him becoming even more active. All this can contribute to the development of neurosis.
If your child is phlegmatic, then attempts to speed up his actions can also lead to the development of neurosis. At the same time, the baby will slow down his actions even more, become withdrawn and stubborn.
The development of obsessive movement neurosis can be facilitated by circumstances that traumatize the child’s psyche.

Biological reasons: hereditary predisposition, past illnesses, insufficient sleep duration, mental and physical stress.

Social reasons such as:

Sometimes these movements take the form of bizarre rituals. Children can only walk around objects they encounter on the right or left. There are times when a “little one” begins to jump before going to bed and at the same time does a certain number of jumps. By this he protects himself from the fear of being in the dark.

There are many other obsessive movements that are logically impossible to explain, and the repetition of which children themselves are not able to cope with. Such movements do not disappear without appropriate treatment.

Along with this, neurosis is almost always accompanied poor appetite, decreased performance, insomnia, tearfulness. A child with obsessive movement neurosis is often teased by his peers, and this further traumatizes the child’s psyche.

Treatment

Obsessive movement neurosis in children cannot be left without appropriate treatment.. Before contacting a doctor, parents are advised to take a closer look at their baby and try to determine the cause of the unusual behavior. If it is not possible to find out, then it is necessary to bring him to a psychologist, sometimes the help of a psychotherapist is required.

A psychotherapist should treat neurosis

The following treatment methods are used:

Behavioral therapy

It is considered the main method of treatment, the features of which are:

learning the ability to get rid of internal anxiety, which helps to wean oneself from obsessive actions;
creating a situation in which the child, under the control of a psychologist, encounters something that frightens him - this helps to eliminate anxiety and delay the exacerbation of the disease;
interaction between the psychotherapist and the child’s parents during treatment in order to identify the source of anxiety and eliminate it, as well as to improve family relationships and correct parenting methods;
There are cases when children with symptoms of neurosis have no idea how certain actions are performed normally - this problem can be resolved by illustrative examples mother and father, teachers, peers.

Drug treatment

In very advanced cases of obsessive movement neurosis in children, treatment will be required with medications that have a sedative and antidepressant effect, such as:

person;
cinnarizine;
milgamma;
pantogam;
glycine;
Sonapax;
asparkam.

These drugs are prescribed by a doctor. They cannot be used independently, since they have different effects on the central nervous system.

Treatment with folk remedies

During treatment childhood neurosis obsessive movements folk remedies used in addition to primary therapy. A doctor's consultation is required. The following have a calming effect:

Decoctions of motherwort, valerian, lemon balm.

Infusion of oat grains. It is prepared in this way: you need to take half a kilogram of raw material, rinse it, then add one liter of water. Boil over low heat until the grains are half cooked. After this, strain the infusion and add a teaspoon of honey. Give your baby 1 glass daily.

Honey water. To prepare it, you need to stir a tablespoon of honey in a glass. warm water. Give your child a drink before he goes to bed. Relieves insomnia, relieves irritability.

Helps well taking baths before bed with the addition of mint, lavender, sea salt.

Carry out activities to promote health:

spend more time in nature with him;
in summer, let your baby run barefoot;
turn on the music - let him dance;
Give paper, pencils, and paints more often so that he can draw more;
read fairy tales before bed, which greatly distracts from negative thoughts;
arrange holidays for the child - they bring joy and relieve anxiety;
Cook together with your baby some food that he loves.

All this really helps him throw out negative energy.

Features of parental behavior with obsessive neurosis:

you need to devote more time and attention to your child;
try to find out what is bothering the baby and try to eliminate it;
you cannot reproach him for obsessive movements; instead, you need to talk to him about the disturbing situation;
never scold for obsessive movements;
try to gently limit the time you use the computer and watch TV, and switch the child’s attention to some other interesting activity.

Prevention of obsessive movement neurosis

Measures to prevent the occurrence of neurosis should be carried out both with healthy children and with children who have recovered from neurosis. Children may not remember psychological trauma, which caused the development pathological process. But they remain in the subconscious and lead to obsessive states.

Therefore, it is very important to identify negative factors and their timely elimination. A child’s psyche is not the same as that of adults - it has not yet formed, and it is very difficult for children to resist disturbing situations.

In this regard, he must be taught to cope with stress. This is achieved proper upbringing baby from birth:

It is necessary to instill in him such qualities as the ability to overcome difficulties, not to panic in danger, and teach patience and endurance.
From early childhood, you need to teach your child to follow the rules of hygiene, to be neat and tidy - this should become his habit.
It is necessary to raise a child to be persistent and hardworking.
Get used to physical education and sports.

If the baby learns these qualities, this will protect him from stress and associated painful disorders of the nervous system.

It is necessary to accustom your child to physical education

Some features of the prevention of neuroses

Parents and teachers must have proper contact with their child:

It is necessary to create a trusting relationship so that the child can always turn to his parents with any question. This will prevent prolonged stress from occurring.
It is necessary to praise the child adequately for his achievements, since an overly enthusiastic attitude will lead to the fact that the child will constantly expect praise, and in the absence of it will become offended. It is also impossible to belittle successes.
If he needs to be limited in something or even prohibited from doing something, it is necessary to explain to him the reasons for this.
To prevent your child from becoming uninitiative, you cannot remind him of his shortcomings all the time.

Komarovsky about obsessive movement neurosis in children

E.O. Komarovsky is a famous pediatrician, writer, and has extensive work experience. The most famous is his book “Child Health and common sense his relatives." Komarovsky has a great advantage - the ability to clearly explain to any mother how to maintain the health of a child given by nature.

Komarovsky's basic principles are very simple:

dress the child according to the weather;
play outdoor games with him fresh air, which promotes a good appetite;
if the baby does not want to eat, do not force him;
temper the child, walk with him in the fresh air more often;
Maintain the temperature at home no more than 22 degrees.

According to Dr. Komarovsky, obsessive movement neurosis is a disorder mental activity and is not a disease. No organic changes are observed with it. The main reason for the development of neurosis is a factor that traumatizes the child’s psyche.. Obsessive movements are a reversible disorder, and when eliminated negative impacts The baby's condition is normalizing.

Emotional well-being is important for mental health baby

If parents promptly determine what is bothering their child and eliminate these factors, obsessive movements may stop. However, this is a difficult task, so in any case you should definitely contact a child psychiatrist.

It is necessary to constantly remember that a child’s healthy psyche is directly related to a friendly environment and emotional well-being in the family.

It is during the period of preschool childhood that obsessive-compulsive syndrome can occur - a certain reaction of children to psychological trauma or various kinds of situations. High susceptibility of preschool children to neuroses in to a greater extent is explained by crisis manifestations: they arise as contradictions between the growing independence of the baby and the biased attitude of adults towards him. The appearance of such conditions affects the child’s behavior and negatively affects his mental development. What can parents do to protect a preschooler from factors that traumatize his psyche?

Most childhood neuroses manifest themselves in preschool age, when the child enters the intermediate stage between childhood and independence.

What causes influence the appearance of neuroses?

Parents simply must know the reasons that provoke the appearance of neurosis in children. The degree of its manifestations depends on the age of the child, the nature of the traumatic situation, and is also associated with the preschooler’s emotional response to it. Experts say that most often the reasons may be:

various types of psychological trauma in the family and kindergarten;
unfavorable environment (frequent quarrels between relatives, divorce of parents);
mistakes in family education;
change in the child’s usual lifestyle (new place of residence, transfer to another preschool institution);
excessive physical or emotional stress on the child’s body;
severe fear (we recommend reading: ).

This classification is quite arbitrary, since preschool children react differently to any psychological influence, but it is precisely these reasons, according to experts, that can influence changes in the psyche and behavior of children, and in the future - the manifestation of neurosis in them. If parents are attentive to their children, they will notice oddities in their behavior in time - this will make it possible to prevent neurosis or cope with it in a fairly mild form.

Experts also draw the attention of parents that children of a special personality type are most susceptible to negativity: preschoolers with increased anxiety, with such characteristic features as suspiciousness, timidity, suggestibility, touchiness. If excessive demands are placed on a child, then proud children who have a hard time experiencing their own failures are at risk.

Symptoms of neuroses in children

How do you know that a child has a neurosis? What symptoms should parents be wary of? Psychologists warn that the manifestation of neuroses may be indicated by:

frequently recurring anxiety thoughts;
involuntary, repeated movement;
complex behavioral actions, so-called.

The most common syndrome neurotic state The thing that causes obsessive thoughts is fear. The baby may be afraid of the dark, visiting a kindergarten, a doctor, a confined space, etc. (more details in the article: etc.). At the same time, he often has thoughts that no one needs him, his parents don’t love him, and his peers don’t want to be friends with him.

In addition to obsessive thoughts, in preschool age repetitive actions often occur, which then develop into a neurosis of obsessive movements. In these cases, the child may often shake his hands, stomp his feet, and shake his head. If such a syndrome is present, he constantly sniffs, blinks his eyes rapidly, bites his nails, twirls his hair around his finger, snaps his fingers (we recommend reading:). Sometimes preschoolers study hard hygiene procedures: They wash their hands repeatedly, sniff deliberately, and then carefully wipe their nose, constantly straighten their clothes and hair.

It is difficult to list all the symptoms in which obsessive movement neurosis is detected, since they can manifest themselves in each child individually. But adults should know their main sign - frequent involuntary execution.

"Ritual" obsessive movements

In the most difficult cases obsessive movements take the form of “rituals”, which are in the nature of a child’s defensive reaction to a traumatic factor. “Rituals” may consist of a constant series of obsessive movements. For example, experts know of a case of certain actions during preparation for bed, when the boy needed to jump up the required number of times. Or the child may begin any actions only with certain manipulations - for example, he walks around objects exclusively from the left.

In addition to annoying obsessive movements, neuroses are usually accompanied by general deterioration child's health. So, often the baby becomes irritable, hysterical, whiny, he suffers from insomnia, often screams, cries at night. His appetite and performance deteriorate; he is lethargic and withdrawn. All this can affect relationships with the child’s immediate environment (adults, peers) and cause additional psychological trauma.

Even such a common and seemingly harmless action as nail biting is also characteristic feature possible neurosis

The need to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder in children

There is no need to expect that the neurosis of obsessive movements in children will pass over time, since a dismissive attitude towards the child’s problems will only worsen his situation. A well-known specialist in child education and development, Dr. Komarovsky, speaks of the need to eliminate the causes causing the syndrome obsessive thoughts and movements. He points out that the neuroses of preschoolers are not a disease, but a mental disorder, a lesion emotional sphere. Therefore, during preschool childhood, parents are required to know the developmental features of preschoolers and the characteristics of age-related crises (more details in the article:). For adults who are attentive to their children, it is not difficult to notice the first signs of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (even something as simple as sniffling) and seek advice from a specialist. After examining the baby and identifying the causes of the neurosis, a psychologist or psychoneurologist will prescribe further treatment.

Prevention and treatment of childhood neuroses

Methods for the prevention and treatment of childhood neuroses have been sufficiently developed in medical practice, if treated in a timely manner, gives good results. In treatment, as a rule, personal and psychological characteristics baby: his temperament, level mental development, features of emotional perception. Depending on the level of the disorder, the duration of therapeutic and psychological impact takes different times.

For mild forms of neurosis, general strengthening exercises and psychotherapeutic techniques are used (game psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, which involves a “meeting” of a child with fear, autogenic training, art therapy) (more details in the article:). To restore the child’s mental and behavioral reactions, which are disturbed to varying degrees during neurosis, it is used complex treatment, including medications and psychotherapeutic techniques.

Features of the technique are the use of certain techniques:

modeling situations that frighten a child, when he “lives” his fear in order to relieve anxiety;
to get rid of obsessive thoughts and movements, preschoolers are taught the ability to manage emotions, suppress anxiety, and cope with aggression;
organization useful communication(examples of behavior) with surrounding people, peers, parents, educators;
consulting parents in order to eliminate the source of neurosis (building correct relationships in the family, correcting parenting methods);
conducting psycho-gymnastics to correct the thoughts, emotions, and behavior of a preschooler.

To treat the consequences of neurosis, and subsequently prevent its manifestations in preschool children, joint work of specialists and parents is necessary. It is better if such prevention is organized from the very birth of the baby.

Obsessive movements in a child are quite common. They are difficult not to notice, since they represent a constant repetition of monotonous movements throughout long period time. For example, parents may begin to worry about why the child bites his nails, sways, shakes his head, and so on.

Let’s try to understand in more detail the concept of “obsessive movement syndrome.” In addition, we will consider the symptoms, causes, methods of treatment and prevention of the disorder.

Why does obsessive movement syndrome occur?

Who is most susceptible to this type of disorder? What is the cause of obsessive movements?

Most often, they affect children who are often in stressful situations, brought up in dysfunctional families, or children who have suffered traumatic brain injuries. But there are also cases when obsessive movements appear in a child for no apparent (to parents and others) reasons. In any case, it is important to identify the factor that contributes to the development of the disorder and eliminate it in time so as not to aggravate the situation even further.

Symptoms of obsessive movements

There are many variations in the manifestation of this type of disorder. Caring parents should be alert to situations where their child very often:

snaps fingers or sucks them;
bites nails;
shakes his head or sways his whole body;
often sniffles (not including the presence of a runny nose);
swings his arms or swings his leg;
pinches the skin on the hands or other parts of the body;
blinks frequently;
often turns the neck or tilts it to one side;
twirls her hair on her finger.

At the same time, it is important to repeat that the presence of a problem can be said not by performing the above actions once, but by repeating them regularly.

What can obsessive movements be associated with?

In young children, symptoms of the disorder mostly manifest themselves. There may be a constant repetition of any one or several signs at once.

As for children school age, then their obsessive movements may be accompanied by enuresis, stuttering or neurotic insomnia. This is especially true for expectation neurosis, which manifests itself as a result of the fear of making a mistake (for example, when answering near the board, and so on). In this case, obsessive movements in a child may be accompanied by tics in the form of coughing, sniffing, blinking, and grunting. Their intensification is usually observed during times of excitement, fear, worry, and anxiety.

Are obsessive movements normal in a child?

What do doctors say about this, including everyone? famous doctor Komarovsky? Obsessive movements do not always indicate the presence of mental problems. In cases of mild severity, they may soon disappear on their own. It is important to remember that often such actions are the next stage in learning about the world and growing up.

But if the child is already for a long time snaps fingers, bites nails, shakes his head, or other symptoms of a problem are observed, it is worth contacting your local pediatrician for a special diagnosis and, possibly, prescribing the necessary type of treatment.

Diagnosis of the disorder

We must not forget that obsessive movements in children are not a separate disease, but may indicate the presence of more serious problems. And only with the help of special diagnostics can the presence of pathologies be excluded or detected. For example, the cause of constantly repeating movements may be the presence of the following diseases:

Tourette's syndrome.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Trichotillomania.

Moreover, they can manifest themselves at absolutely any age, both in completely healthy children and in those who are distinguished by a slow pace of intellectual development.

Therapy for obsessive movement neurosis

How to get rid of such a problem as obsessive movements in children? Treatment involves different types therapy, depending on the degree of manifestation and severity of the symptoms of the disorder.

If in some cases drug treatment is not required, in others they are used medicines. The most effective combination of psychotherapeutic sessions is child psychologist And drug therapy. At the same time, parents must understand that for the child’s successful recovery, they will also have to make some efforts.

First of all, you should reconsider your parenting methods. It is unacceptable to use shouting or assault against a child. The look and voice should always be calm and friendly.

In addition to this, the baby needs to be taught independence, neatness and cleanliness, and from the very beginning. early age. It would be useful to conduct hardening exercises, communicate with peers, read together, and so on. At the same time, it is important not to overdo it and prevent both physical and mental fatigue.

It is advisable to dance with your child for at least a few minutes every day. You need to choose funny and rhythmic songs that the baby will like first of all.

Drug treatment

After it was identified the real reason If the child bites his nails or makes other obsessive movements, the pediatrician may decide on the need for drug treatment.

The most commonly prescribed drugs are:

"Asparkam."
"Glycine".
"Cinnarizine."
"Pantogam."
"Persen."
"Milgamma".

We must not forget that such drugs can only be used as prescribed by a doctor, as they affect the central nervous system. They are used only in extreme cases, when serious deviations are observed or the disease is in a very advanced stage.

Treatment with traditional medicine

Folk remedies for getting rid of the disorder can be used in combination with basic therapy. Some of them help entertain the child and distract him from the problem, while others help calm his nervous system.

Let's consider several possible options:

Soothing baths. During daily water procedures You can use herbs such as string, chamomile, lavender, mint. They calm the nervous system and relieve tension.
Water with honey. It would seem such a simple remedy, but it has an excellent effect. To prepare it, you need to dilute a teaspoon of honey in a glass of warm (in no case hot!) water and give it to your child to drink just before bedtime.
Decoction of oat grains. To prepare it, you need to rinse the oat grains and cook them until half cooked over low heat in a liter of water. After this, strain the resulting broth and add one spoon of honey to it. Give it to your child a glass once a day.

Preventing the appearance of the disorder

It is within the power of each parent to prevent or at least reduce the likelihood of the child developing obsessive movements or any other mental disorders and neuroses.

First of all, prevention methods include sufficient communication with the baby. It is important to set aside at least some time every day to talk with your child (regardless of his age, even with a baby), read fairy tales to him, find joint entertainment (drawing, modeling, dancing, active games and so on). This will help establish trust and make the child calmer.

The next stage is protection from stressful situations. Of course, it is impossible to foresee everything, but parents have the power to do everything possible so that the child is as prepared as possible for them. To do this, you can, for example, act out scenes with different unforeseen situations, so that if they arise, the baby will not be confused or scared, but will know how to act correctly.

It is necessary to establish a daily routine and strictly adhere to it. In addition, it is important to teach the child independence and responsibility.

Another important point, which was already mentioned above: in no case should mental and physical fatigue, since they do not have the best effect on mental balance. For healthy children, you can also use the methods that were described in the section “Treatment with traditional medicine", - soothing baths with herbs and sea salt, water with honey at night and so on.

The main thing that absolutely all parents need to remember is that the child’s health (including psychological) is completely in their hands.

It is during the period of preschool childhood that obsessive-compulsive syndrome can occur - a certain reaction of children to psychological trauma or various kinds of situations. The high susceptibility of preschool children to neuroses is largely explained by crisis manifestations: they arise as contradictions between the growing independence of the child and the biased attitude of adults towards him. The appearance of such conditions affects the child’s behavior and negatively affects his mental development. What can parents do to protect a preschooler from factors that traumatize his psyche?

Most childhood neuroses manifest themselves in preschool age, when the child enters the intermediate stage between childhood and independence. What reasons influence the appearance of neuroses?

various types of psychological trauma in the family and kindergarten;
unfavorable environment (frequent quarrels between relatives, divorce of parents);
mistakes in family education;
change in the child’s usual lifestyle (new place of residence, transfer to another preschool institution);
excessive physical or emotional stress on the child’s body;
severe fear (how to treat fear in a child?).

Experts also draw the attention of parents that children of a special personality type are most susceptible to negativity: preschoolers with increased anxiety, with such characteristic traits as suspiciousness, timidity, suggestibility, and touchiness. If excessive demands are placed on a child, then proud children who have a hard time experiencing their own failures are at risk.

Symptoms of neuroses in children

How do you know that a child has a neurosis? What symptoms should parents be wary of? Psychologists warn that the manifestation of neuroses may be indicated by:

frequently recurring anxiety thoughts;
involuntary, repeated movement;
complex behavioral actions, so-called.

The most common neurotic condition syndrome that causes obsessive thoughts is fear. The baby may be afraid of the dark, visiting kindergarten, the doctor, closed spaces, etc. At the same time, he often has thoughts that no one needs him, his parents don’t love him, and his peers don’t want to be friends with him.

In addition to obsessive thoughts, in preschool age repetitive actions often occur, which then develop into a neurosis of obsessive movements. In these cases, the child may often shake his hands, stomp his feet, and shake his head. If such a syndrome is present, he constantly sniffs, blinks his eyes rapidly, bites his nails, twirls his hair around his finger, and snaps his fingers. Sometimes preschoolers diligently engage in hygiene procedures: they wash their hands repeatedly, sniff deliberately, and then carefully wipe their nose, constantly adjusting their clothes and hair.

"Ritual" obsessive movements

In the most difficult cases, obsessive movements take the form of “rituals”, which are in the nature of a child’s defensive reaction to a traumatic factor. “Rituals” may consist of a constant series of obsessive movements. For example, experts know of a case of certain actions during preparation for bed, when the boy needed to jump up the required number of times. Or the child may begin any actions only with certain manipulations - for example, he walks around objects exclusively from the left.

In addition to annoying obsessive movements, neuroses are usually accompanied by a general deterioration in the child’s health. So, often the baby becomes irritable, hysterical, whiny, he suffers from insomnia, often screams, cries at night. His appetite and performance deteriorate; he is lethargic and withdrawn. All this can affect relationships with the child’s immediate environment (adults, peers) and cause additional psychological trauma.

Even such a common and seemingly harmless action as nail biting is also a characteristic sign of a possible neurosis. The need for treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorders in children

There is no need to expect that the neurosis of obsessive movements in children will pass over time, since a dismissive attitude towards the child’s problems will only worsen his situation. A well-known specialist in child education and development, Dr. Komarovsky, speaks of the need to eliminate the causes of the syndrome of obsessive thoughts and movements. He points out that neuroses in preschoolers are not a disease, but a mental disorder, a lesion of the emotional sphere. Therefore, during preschool childhood, parents are required to know the developmental features of preschoolers and the characteristics of age-related crises (for more details, see the article: how to behave during a crisis in children aged 8?). For adults who are attentive to their children, it is not difficult to notice the first signs of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (even something as simple as sniffling) and seek advice from a specialist. After examining the baby and identifying the causes of the neurosis, a psychologist or psychoneurologist will prescribe further treatment.

Prevention and treatment of childhood neuroses

The method of prevention and treatment of childhood neuroses has been sufficiently developed in medical practice, and with timely treatment it gives good results. During treatment, as a rule, the personal and psychological characteristics of the baby are taken into account: his temperament, level of mental development, characteristics of emotional perception. Depending on the level of the disorder, the duration of therapeutic and psychological intervention takes different times.

For mild forms of neurosis, general strengthening exercises and psychotherapeutic techniques are used (play psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, which involves “meeting” the child with fear, autogenic training, art therapy). To restore the child’s mental and behavioral reactions, which are disturbed to varying degrees during neurosis, complex treatment is used, including medications and psychotherapeutic techniques.

Features of the technique are the use of certain techniques:

modeling situations that frighten a child, when he “lives” his fear in order to relieve anxiety;
to get rid of obsessive thoughts and movements, preschoolers are taught the ability to manage emotions, suppress anxiety, and cope with aggression;
organizing useful communication (examples of behavior) with people around you, peers, parents, educators;
consulting parents in order to eliminate the source of neurosis (building correct relationships in the family, correcting parenting methods);
conducting psycho-gymnastics to correct the thoughts, emotions, and behavior of a preschooler.

Diseases of the nervous system in young children preschool age- Not unusual. Unfortunately, such disorders occur in many children. The development of such diseases is promoted not only by an unfavorable psychological situation in the family or children's group, but also hereditary factor. That is why every loving parent should know how to recognize obsessive movement disorder in their child and what to do about this condition.

Obsessive Obsessive Syndrome: Causes

This disease hides disorders of the nervous system, which manifest themselves in the same movements occurring regardless of a person’s will and desire. Obsessive states are very difficult to control. They can be short-lived, associated with irritability and fatigue, or they can persist for a long time, developing into a habit.

The main causes of obsessive movements in a child include psychological trauma. Even stressful situation, in which the child is, seems frivolous for the parents, the baby can perceive it as a real tragedy. Moreover, children with obsessive movement syndrome often suffer from depression, throw tantrums, become aggressive, or, conversely, “withdraw into themselves.” At the same time, the situation in the house greatly influences the child’s psyche. Constant scandals, quarrels, fights, different opinions about raising children - all this causes severe trauma to the fragile psyche of the child.

Another reason for this condition is a sudden change in environment, lifestyle or routine. Such seemingly insignificant circumstances, such as moving to another school, moving to another city or country, sometimes have an adverse effect on the baby’s health and can become factors provoking neurosis. Children with a weakened nervous system and overly spoiled are especially susceptible to nervous pathology.

If someone from the older generation had problems with the nervous system or psyche, then under certain circumstances the disease may also manifest itself in your baby. The risk group also includes children who have had infectious diseases, head injuries, suffer chronic pathologies of cardio-vascular system.

Childhood neurosis: symptoms

It is sometimes very difficult for parents to recognize obsessive movements or distinguish them from other diseases. But if we consider the nature of these phenomena, the symptoms will be obvious.

So, nervous tic- automatic muscle contraction, twitching that cannot be controlled. However, such movements are not always caused psychological reasons. But obsessive movements can be restrained by willpower, and they are always a consequence of psycho-emotional discomfort.

Symptoms of childhood neurosis include:

nail biting;
snapping fingers;
head movements;
lip twitching;
smacking;
coughing;
constant sniffing;
blinking;
grinding of teeth;
neck turn;
swings of the hands;
twirling hair on a finger, etc.

In addition, a child with neurosis can only walk around all objects from a certain direction; blow on your palms before sitting at the table; pull out curls and perform other involuntary movements. It is impossible to list all the symptoms of the disease, since they manifest themselves differently in each child. Their main symptom is annoying repetition, almost every minute. If you do not pay attention to such actions, the child may injure himself - chew his legs until they bleed, bite his lip, tear off all the buttons on his clothes, etc. Moreover, all this may be accompanied by outbreaks of hysteria that did not exist before.

Children's neurosis affects fearful, indecisive children who find it difficult to deal with their fears and negative emotions. They often refuse food, are capricious, and look tired. Therefore, treatment of obsessive movement neurosis in children must begin as soon as you notice the symptoms of the pathology.

How to treat obsessive movement neurosis in a child?

Before you see a doctor about the problem, we recommend that you take a closer look at your baby and try to determine for yourself what is hidden. main reason his neurosis. At the same time, it is desirable to minimize negative situations and provide the child with comfortable living conditions.

Very often, children's nervous behavior and movements are associated with the situation in the family between parents. In such an ambiguous way, the baby can show his attitude to the problem. You can solve it by admitting your own parental mistakes and changing your behavior. If parents cannot determine what is causing the child’s obsessive movements, then it is necessary to consult a specialist. High quality and effective treatment neurosis in children involves working with a psychologist or psychotherapist.

Drug treatment: drugs

After examination by a psychotherapist, the doctor may prescribe anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants. However, this treatment regimen is often used in advanced cases. Moreover, parents of children suffering from neurosis should not be afraid of drug treatment. An experienced doctor will select medications that will not harm the child’s health or cause drowsiness and apathy. Separate medications are selected for each case. The most effective are the following drugs:

Sonapax;
cinnarizine;
asparkam;
milgamma;
pantogam;
glycine;
pers.

Please note that antidepressants and sedatives cannot be used without a doctor’s prescription. Each of the medications has its own effect on the child’s central nervous system. Therefore, the doctor prescribes them based on the stage of development of childhood neurosis. Yes, on initial stage For obsessive movement syndrome, a few sessions with a psychologist will be enough, but in advanced forms of the disease, additional medication will be required.

Treatment with folk remedies

Therapy for obsessive movement neurosis can be supplemented traditional methods. However, before using them, you should consult your doctor. The following folk remedies can calm the baby’s nervous system:

Infusion of oat grains. Medicinal raw materials in the amount of 500 g must be washed and poured into a liter cold water, cook over low heat until half cooked. Then you need to strain the broth, add 1 teaspoon of honey and give the baby a glass of medicine to drink a day.
Decoctions of valerian, motherwort, hawthorn, lemon balm, and calendula also help fight neurosis in children. To prepare the medicine, you need to pour 1 tbsp. spoon of herbs with a glass of water, boil in a water bath for 30 minutes, judge and give the child 50 ml of decoction three times a day.
Honey water will help get rid of insomnia and irritability. Add 1 tbsp to a glass of warm water. a spoonful of honey and give it to your child to drink before bed.
Baths with soothing herbs (lavender, mint) and sea salt have a good effect on the child’s nervous system. It is better to carry out such procedures before bedtime.

Psychologists and traditional healers In the fight against obsessive movement syndrome in children, it is recommended to conduct dance therapy sessions, practice yoga, play sports, run barefoot on the grass, and draw. It is also worth giving your baby weekends in nature more often to get him out of his anxious state.

Don't forget that parents also need to work on their own behavior. Try not to swear or sort things out in the presence of a child. And under no circumstances scold your baby for obsessive movements. As soon as he starts doing this, talk to him about what is bothering him.

Obsessive movements in children: Komarovsky

Dr. Komarovsky draws the attention of parents to the fact that childhood neurosis is a disorder of mental activity, and not a disease in which tests and examinations can solve the problem. With obsessive movements in children there is no inflammation, no tumor, no disruption of the blood vessels in the brain. Neurosis is a damage to the child’s psyche and emotional sphere. And the reason for this condition is hidden in the psychotraumatic factor. Consequently, obsessive movements in children are a reversible mental disorder. When the traumatic factor is eliminated, recovery occurs. That's why main task It is the responsibility of parents to timely identify and eliminate the causes that adversely affect the child’s psyche. However, it is not always possible to discover these problems and get rid of them on your own, without the help of a child psychiatrist. Therefore, you need to contact specialists mandatory, if your child begins to behave in a special way.

Give your kids a wonderful future, without fears and worries. Monitor their health and if you identify the slightest problem, do not hesitate to seek help from specialists.

Health to you and your children!

Especially for nashidetki.net - Nadezhda Vitvitskaya

Obsessive neurosis often occurs in children of different age groups. A fragile child's psyche cannot successfully deal with disturbing factors. Currently, life is full of different events and carries a lot of information, which can contribute to the occurrence of chronic stress in both adults and children. Obsessive-compulsive neurosis in children most often manifests itself in the form of obsessive-compulsive neurosis.

Obsessive neurosis can occur in children of all ages

Causes of neurosis

It is impossible to successfully cure neurosis without identifying the negative factors that caused it.. It is believed that the development of neurosis in children is due to three main reasons.

Psychological, characterized by insufficient coherence of the processes of inhibition and excitation in the cerebral cortex, as well as the characteristics of the baby’s temperament:

If a child is choleric, then restrictions that interfere with motor activity and free expression of emotions are contraindicated. This may lead to him becoming even more active. All this can contribute to the development of neurosis.
If your child is phlegmatic, then attempts to speed up his actions can also lead to the development of neurosis. At the same time, the baby will slow down his actions even more, become withdrawn and stubborn.
The development of obsessive movement neurosis can be facilitated by circumstances that traumatize the child’s psyche.

Biological causes: hereditary predisposition, past illnesses, insufficient sleep, mental and physical stress.

Social reasons such as:

mother's coldness;
difficulties communicating with the father;
difficulties in getting the baby accustomed to kindergarten;
parental divorce;
family quarrels;
non-compliance with the daily routine;
stress that accompanies a change in environment.

Family conflicts may be the cause nervous disorder baby

The baby perceives obsessive movements as voluntary; in fact, these movements are unconscious and are made with the aim of easing internal anxiety. However, the anxiety subsides for a short time, and the obsessive movements return again and become more persistent. All this contributes to the emergence vicious circle and the appearance of obsessions more often every time.

Symptoms of obsessive movement neurosis in children

The presence of obsessive movement neurosis in children is evidenced by frequently repeated actions such as:

twisting buttons;
nail biting;
blinking;
too much frequent washing hands;
licking lips;
twitching of arms, shoulders;
constantly repeated tugging of clothing.

Along with this, neurosis is almost always accompanied by poor appetite, decreased performance, insomnia, and tearfulness. A child with obsessive movement neurosis is often teased by his peers, and this further traumatizes the child’s psyche.