Nervous tic in a child. Causes and treatment of a nervous tic in a child

Involuntary twitching of the muscles of the eye in children is usually neurological in nature. Nervous tic expressed in frequent blinking, squinting, wide opening of the eyes. A feature of tics is the inability to control movements, since they are not amenable to volitional control. What to do if a child has symptoms of a nervous tic of the eyes?

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What is a nervous tic eye

The nervous tic of the eye is a stereotyped movement that occurs suddenly and is repeated many times. Even if you draw the attention of the child to his peculiarity, he will not be able to prevent the appearance of movements. On the contrary, if the parents want to force the child to stop blinking, the tic increases and manifests itself with greater force.

Experts cite research data, according to which this problem is often found in children. Up to 30% of children of different ages suffer from manifestations of nervous obsessive movements. Boys are subject to a neurotic reaction three times more often. Usually this phenomenon appears during the period of getting used to the conditions of a kindergarten, school, or after a strong fright. Often, a nervous tic of the eye passes without a trace, but in a chronic form, you should consult a doctor. It happens that a tick is pronounced and causes unpleasant emotional experiences to a child or teenager.

Reasons for the appearance

The nervous tic of the eye in children is divided into:

• primary;
• secondary.

The primary tic appears as a result of a disorder of the nervous system. Secondary tics are formed as a result of past illnesses CNS. Eye twitching usually begins in age period five to twelve years old. It is during this period that children are most vulnerable to emotional overload. The main causes of tic eye:

1. Severe emotional trauma. It can be fear, a conflict situation in the family, experienced violence. Children can accumulate internal tension due to authoritarian upbringing, overwhelming demands, formal attitudes of adults without affection. The internal negativity comes out of the child along with the tic, so the children get rid of the neurotic disorder.
2. fatigue, lack physical activity. They don’t walk much with children, they wrap him up and protect him in every possible way, not allowing him to develop naturally and splash out excitability as a result of physical activity.
3. Heredity. According to research, nervous tics are transmitted from close relatives. If one of the parents had tics as a child, then the chance of inheritance is 50%.

The influence of parenting

Experts note that some aspects of parenting call for a nervous tic of the eye in children. What distinguishes these parents?

1. Parents have hypersocialized character traits. This is excessive categorical judgments, increased adherence to principles, unjustified persistence. Parents often make a career, their attitude towards their son or daughter is dry, with a lot of moral moralizing. At the same time, there is no warm and lively communication.
2. Anxiety of one of the parents. Such a person tries to foresee everything, worries over trifles, regulates the life of the child, controls his activity and protects him from imaginary dangers. Manifestations of a nervous tic of the eye in this case - the child cannot be himself.

Frequent restrictions and prohibitions cause unbearable inner tension. As a rule, a nervous tic of the eye in children is psychomotor discharges of psychological tension that cannot be expressed externally.

An example from the practice of a psychotherapist A.I. Zakharova

Boy B. 5 years old afraid of strangers, timid, has recently become unassembled, lethargic. Tics appeared - frequent blinking and swelling of the cheeks. The mother had an anxious character, wrapped the baby up, took care of him. From the age of eight months, the child often began to get sick. At the age of 4, he underwent an operation, and it was difficult for him to endure the absence of his mother in the hospital. It was at this time that the first signs of an eye tick appeared.

The situation was complicated by the beginning of attending a kindergarten. The boy was afraid of the teacher, assignments, other children. For a child, this burden has become an unbearable burden. The tics got worse. Parents regarded it as antics, pulled up, often shouted.

How to treat

The initial diagnosis of nervous tics deals with pediatric neurologist, then, if necessary, other specialists are connected to the treatment. Usually, a doctor is consulted when the nervous tic of the eye is severe, causes physical and emotional discomfort, does not go away within one month, and is accompanied by other symptoms.

What is included in the treatment?

1. Normalization state of mind child. For this, psychotherapy is used, including work with both the child and the parents. To improve the condition, it is important to create a favorable family microclimate, organize a rest regime and include leisure physical activity.
2. If necessary, medical treatment is used. It includes sedatives, as well as drugs that improve metabolic processes brain.
3. Relaxing massage . A special technique relieves emotional stress, improves blood circulation in the muscles and brain. For a child suffering from a nervous tic of the eyes, a relaxing massage of the face, head, and back is recommended.

Nervous tic in a child - fast and involuntary monotonous muscle contraction

As a rule, nervous tics are observed in children aged 2-17 years, the average age is 6-7 years. The incidence of the disease in childhood- 6-10%. In 96% of cases, a nervous tic occurs before 11 years of age. The most common manifestation of the disease is blinking. At the age of 8-10 years, there may be observed vocal tics, the initial manifestation of which is coughing and sniffing. The disease proceeds on the rise, the peak falls on 10-12 years, then there is a decrease in symptoms. In 90% of cases, the prognosis for local ticks is favorable. In 50% of patients, the symptoms of common nervous tics regress completely.

Symptoms of nervous tics in children

Tics are repetitive, sudden, short, stereotyped movements or utterances that appear to be voluntary.

Types of nervous tics in a child

organic

Organic tics are manifested as a result of a traumatic brain injury, as a result of past or current organic brain diseases. Such nervous tics are stereotypical and persistent, have an elementary character.

Psychogenic

They arise against the background of a chronic or acute psychotraumatic situation. Psychogenic nervous tics are divided into neurotic and obsessive, which are less common.

neurosis-like

They develop without obvious exogenous influence against the background of current and/or early somatic pathology. Often, a child with a tic has a history of hyperactivity and early childhood nervousness. External manifestations of such tics are very variable. They are recurrent in nature and can be complex or simple.

reflex

Such tics occur on the principle of conditioned reflexes, which are biologically inappropriate, but are associated with prolonged local tissue irritation, for example, spasms after conjunctivitis, sniffing after rhinitis, etc. A reflex tic is a stereotyped involuntary movement that was initially a response to a specific stimulus.

Tic-like hyperkinesis

They are observed in pathological diseases. Such nervous tics include violent movements of the hands and face with, for example, additional peculiar movements to facilitate the pronunciation of words and speech in general.

idiopathic

Idiopathic tics develop without specific reason except for the possibility of hereditary predisposition.

When treating a nervous tic in a child, it is necessary to choose methods of pedagogical correction

The main principle of the treatment of tics in children is differentiated and A complex approach. Before prescribing medication or other therapy, it is necessary to determine possible reasons the appearance of the disease and choose methods of pedagogical correction. In the case of a moderate tic, treatment is usually carried out on an outpatient basis so that the child can be in a familiar environment and attend Kindergarten. In most cases, they are prescribed for oral administration, since injection therapy negatively affects the emotional state of the child and can provoke an attack of a nervous tic.

Psychological impact

Often, the severity of nervous tics decreases when parents reduce the requirements for the baby, stop focusing on shortcomings and begin to perceive his personality as a whole without "bad" and "good" qualities. A positive effect is exerted by sports, adherence to the daily routine, walking on fresh air. In some cases, treatment should include the help of a psychotherapist, since certain types of nervous tics are removed by suggestion.

Medical treatment

With drug treatment, the child is prescribed nootropic and psychotropic drugs. When choosing this therapy, consider accompanying illnesses, etiology, age of the baby and the nature of the nervous tic. A course of drug treatment is carried out with persistent, pronounced and severe tics, which are combined with behavioral disorders, poor progress in educational institution, affect well-being, complicate the social and limit the possibilities of self-realization. This type of treatment is not prescribed if the tics do not disrupt the normal activity of the baby, but only parents are concerned.

Don't Focus on Tics

Parents should try not to notice the baby's nervous tics, regardless of their severity. Remember that positive changes in your child's behavior may not appear as quickly as you would like.

Create a positive emotional environment

Games and fun will help to “revive” the baby, breathing optimism and cheerfulness into him. It is important to choose for a child suffering from a nervous tic, emotionally significant hobbies and hobbies, among which sports are the most effective.

Control the psychophysical well-being of the baby

Your baby understands that a nervous tic is a painful and unusual movement. He is embarrassed by this in public, trying to restrain himself, from which he begins to experience a strong internal tension that tires him. Try to make sure that a baby who has a tic feels as little discomfort as possible from everyone's attention and does not feel different from everyone else.

Do calming exercises with your child

If a baby suffering from a nervous tic is offended or outraged by something and is ready to burst into tears, offer him to perform special exercises, but rather do them with him. For example, stand on one leg like a heron, tucking the other under you, and then jump up and down a few times. Reliable and fast way to relax is to quickly tighten the muscles and release them.

Determining the degree of anxiety in a child

Read the statements carefully and answer “Yes” to those that apply to your baby. Then count how many times you answered "Yes". For each “yes”, put 1 point and determine the total amount.

sign	Availability
Cannot work for a long time without getting tired	Sweats profusely when excited
Difficulty focusing on something	Does not have a good appetite
Performing any task causes unnecessary anxiety	Difficulty falling asleep and restless sleep
Very constrained and tense when performing tasks	Shy, many things cause him a feeling of fear
Often embarrassed	Easily upset and usually restless
Often talks about stressful situations	Can't usually hold back tears
Usually blushes in unfamiliar surroundings	Doesn't handle waiting well
Talks about nightmares	Doesn't like to start new things
He usually has wet and cold hands.	Unsure of yourself and your abilities
He often has constipation or upset stool	Afraid of difficulties

Calculation of the results of the test "Determination of anxiety of a child"

• 1-6 points – low level anxiety
• 7-14 points – middle level anxiety
• 15-20 points- high level of anxiety

Children with high level anxiety needs help from parents and a psychologist.

Tenoten Children's will help reduce the level of anxiety and speed up the recovery of your baby!

Nervous tics are called involuntary, sharp and repetitive muscle contractions. This disease is familiar to many people, but most often it affects children under ten years of age. Parents do not immediately notice the child, treatment is delayed because of this. Over time, frequent blinking or coughing alerts adults, and the baby is taken to a specialist. Since usually all indicators are normal, he advises to consult a neurologist. Only then do parents begin to deal with the problem. It takes a lot of time to diagnose the disease, so do not hesitate. It is better to seek help as soon as the alarming symptoms appear.

How does a tic manifest and when does it occur?

Most often, contractions are most noticeable on the face and neck. They can be manifested by blinking, sniffing, moving the head or shoulders, twitching of the lips and nose. Sometimes a child has more than one symptom.

Neurologists say that the most likely time for the onset of the disease is 3-4 years and 7-8 years. This is due to the peculiarities of the development of the body: at this age, children face various crises and move to new life stages.

Symptoms

It is not easy to identify this disorder, since for a long time neither the child nor the parents are aware that the movements are involuntary. The most important criterion that should alert is the inability to control muscle contractions. When observed in a child, they can quickly blink and twitch. This is one of the most common symptoms.

Types of nervous tics

Depending on how long the disease lasts, tics are usually classified as follows:

• Transistor. In this case, the symptoms appear less than a year.
• Chronic. It lasts over a year.
• Syndrome of Gilles de la Tourette. It is diagnosed when a child has extensive motor tics and at least one vocal tic.

If a nervous tic is found in a child, treatment will depend on which muscle groups are involved. Therefore, the disease is usually divided into types:

Local (one muscle group);

Common (several groups);

Generalized (almost all muscles contract).

Why does this disorder occur?

When nervous tics occur in children, the causes of this phenomenon are of great concern to their parents. To make the picture more understandable, experts recommend remembering what events preceded these manifestations. As a rule, the disease is caused by a complex of reasons.

hereditary factor

Neurologists say that it is he who is of paramount importance. But there are a number of reservations.

If one of the parents suffers from such a disease, it is not necessary that the child also be diagnosed with a tick. This indicates his predisposition, but does not guarantee this disorder.

It is impossible to determine by external factors whether a genetic predisposition is present. Perhaps the parents had psychological problems which, through upbringing, were transmitted to the child through uncontrolled emotions. In this case, it is worth talking about the way of responding, not genes.

Feelings and stress

Parents are very worried when a nervous tic is detected in a child. They begin treatment immediately, but sometimes it is first necessary to think about provoking factors and eliminate them. If a specialist says that stress can be the cause, parents are skeptical about this. But it is worth remembering that for adults and children, the reasons for experiencing can be completely different. In addition, even positive emotions, if they are especially bright, can excite the nervous system of an impressionable baby.

TVs and computers

Children's neurology manifests itself in many children, so parents should take timely action. Big problems bring prolonged viewing of TV. This is due to the fact that flashing light affects the intensity of the brain. When this happens very often, the natural rhythm that is responsible for calmness gets lost.

Insufficient physical activity

Parents need to figure out how to get rid of a nervous tic, because it affects mental health child and over time can move from one type to another and grow. Their main mistake is that they attach great importance to the mental load of the child and completely forget about the physical. It is also necessary for children so that the energy finds an outlet. Otherwise, reflex muscle contractions may occur.

Errors of education

Children's neurology can suffer from parental traits over which they have no control. The following factors can lead to this disorder.

Psychogenic and symptomatic tics

To understand how to get rid of a nervous tic, you need to know that they are primary (psychogenic) and secondary (symptomatic). The first ones occur most often between the ages of five and seven, since this period is the most critical for the child. They may be caused by stress and psychological trauma, which are divided into acute and chronic.

Symptomatic disorders are caused by birth trauma, tumors and metabolic disorders of the brain. Sometimes the reason is viral infection, which caused short-term hypoxia.

How to treat the disorder?

Parents who have identified a nervous tic in a child should not shelve treatment. First of all, you need to contact a neurologist, and then a psychologist. If the tics last for a long time, the baby will be prescribed medication, but in order to get good results, pills alone are not enough. Correction of all factors that can cause the disorder is necessary.

AT without fail parents should:

Reduce the time allotted for watching TV;

Provide physical activity;

Develop an optimal daily routine and follow it;

Minimize anxiety and stress;

If possible, conduct sand therapy or modeling sessions;

Do exercises for tension and relaxation of the muscles of the face;

Do not focus the child's attention on the problem so that he does not try to control contractions.

Do not despair if a child is diagnosed with a nervous tic. Causes and treatment may differ in each case, but you need to know the general rules. Not recommended for baby potent drugs because there is a high chance of side effects. If the disorder is a consequence of another disease, then complex treatment should be carried out.

Prevention

When there is a nervous tic in children, the symptoms can be both pronounced and completely invisible. But it is better not to wait until the disease begins to progress, and spend preventive actions. The kid should have enough rest, walk in the fresh air, and it is also very important to surround him with care and love, to provide a comfortable and calm environment.

Nervous tic- a type of hyperkinesis ( violent movements), which is a short-term, stereotyped, normally coordinated, but inappropriately performed movement of a certain muscle group that occurs suddenly and repeats many times. A nervous tic is characterized as an irresistible desire to perform a certain action, and although the child is aware of the very existence of a tick, he is not able to prevent his appearance.

According to recent studies, up to 25% of children of primary school age suffer from a nervous tic, with boys getting sick three times more often than girls. Often this disease does not cause serious harm to the health of the child and disappears without a trace with age, so only 20% of children with a nervous tic seek specialized medical care. However, in some cases, a nervous tic can have very pronounced manifestations, cause serious harm to the physical and psycho-emotional state of the child and manifest itself at an older age. In such cases, the help of a specialist doctor is necessary.

Nervous tics can be motor or vocal ( voice).

Motor tics are:

• blinking of the eye/eyes;
• frowning of the forehead;
• grimacing;
• wrinkling of the nose;
• lip biting;
• twitching of the head, arm, or leg.

Vocal tics are:

• sniffing in the nose;
• coughing;
• snort;
• hiss.

Interesting Facts

• A nervous tic, unlike other types of obsessive movements, is either not recognized by the child, or is recognized as a physiological need.
• When tics appear, the child himself long time may not notice them, without experiencing any discomfort, and the concern of the parents becomes the reason for going to the doctor.
• A nervous tic can be suppressed by the child's will for a short time ( A couple of minutes). At the same time, nervous tension increases and soon the nervous tic resumes with greater force, new tics may appear.
• A tic can involve several muscle groups at once, giving it the appearance of a purposeful, coordinated movement.
• Nervous tic is manifested only in the state of wakefulness. In sleep, the child does not show any signs of illness.
• Nervous tics suffered such famous personalities as Mozart and Napoleon.

Innervation of the muscles of the face

To understand the mechanism of occurrence of a nervous tic, certain knowledge from the field of anatomy and physiology is needed. This section will describe the physiology of skeletal muscles, since it is their contraction that occurs during a nervous tic, as well as the anatomical features of the innervation of the muscles of the face ( most often, a nervous tic in children affects the facial muscles).

Pyramidal and extrapyramidal systems

All voluntary human movements are controlled by certain nerve cells ( neurons), located in the motor area of ​​the cerebral cortex - in the precentral gyrus. The combination of these neurons is called the pyramidal system.

In addition to the precentral gyrus, motor zones are distinguished in other parts of the brain - in the cortex of the frontal lobe, in subcortical formations. The neurons of these zones are responsible for coordination of movements, stereotypical movements, maintaining muscle tone and are called the extrapyramidal system.

Each voluntary movement includes the contraction of some muscle groups and the simultaneous relaxation of others. However, a person does not think about which muscles need to be reduced and which to relax in order to make a certain movement - this happens automatically, thanks to the activity of the extrapyramidal system.

The pyramidal and extrapyramidal systems are inextricably linked with each other and with other areas of the brain. Recent studies have established that the occurrence of nervous tics is associated with increased activity of the extrapyramidal system.

Nerves that innervate the muscles of the face

The contraction of the skeletal muscle is preceded by the formation of a nerve impulse in the motor neurons of the precentral gyrus. The resulting impulse is carried along the nerve fibers to each muscle human body, causing it to contract.

To each muscle there are motor nerve fibers from certain nerves. The muscles of the face receive motor innervation mainly from facial nerve (n. facialis) and also, in part, from trigeminal nerve (n. Trigeminus), which innervates the temporal and masticatory muscles.

The zone of innervation of the facial nerve includes:

• forehead muscles;
• circular muscle of the orbit;
• cheek muscles;
• nose muscles;
• lip muscles;
• circular muscle of the mouth;
• zygomatic muscles;
• subcutaneous muscle of the neck;

Synapse

In the zone of contact of the nerve fiber with the muscle cell, a synapse is formed - a special complex that ensures the transmission of a nerve impulse between two living cells.

The transmission of a nerve impulse occurs through certain chemical substances- mediators. The mediator that regulates the transmission of nerve impulses to skeletal muscles is acetylcholine. Being released from the end of the nerve cell, acetylcholine interacts with certain areas ( receptors) on the muscle cell, causing the transmission of a nerve impulse to the muscle.

Muscle structure

Skeletal muscle is a collection of muscle fibers. Each muscle fiber is made up of long muscle cells ( myocytes) and contains many myofibrils - thin filamentous formations that run parallel along the entire length of the muscle fiber.

In addition to myofibrils, muscle cells contain mitochondria, which are the source of ATP ( adenosine triphosphate) - the energy necessary for muscle contraction, the sarcoplasmic reticulum, which is a complex of tanks located in the immediate vicinity of the myofibrils, and depositing calcium necessary for muscle contraction. An important intracellular element is magnesium, which promotes the release of ATP energy and is involved in the process of muscle contraction.

The direct contractile apparatus of muscle fibers is the sarcomere - a complex consisting of contractile proteins - actin and myosin. These proteins are in the form of filaments arranged parallel to each other. The protein myosin has peculiar processes called myosin bridges. At rest, there is no direct contact between myosin and actin.

Muscle contraction

When a nerve impulse arrives at a muscle cell, calcium is rapidly released from its place of deposition. Calcium, along with magnesium, binds to certain regulatory regions on the surface of actin and enables contact between actin and myosin via myosin bridges. Myosin bridges attach to actin filaments at an angle of approximately 90° and then change their position by 45°, thereby causing mutual approach of actin filaments and muscle contraction.

After the cessation of the flow of nerve impulses to the muscle cell, calcium from the cell is quickly transferred back to the sarcoplasmic cisterns. A decrease in intracellular calcium concentration leads to detachment of myosin bridges from actin filaments and their return to their original position - the muscle relaxes.

Causes of a nervous tic

Depending on the initial state of the child's nervous system, there are:

• primary nervous tics;
• secondary nervous tics.

Primary nervous tics

Primary ( idiopathic) is commonly called a nervous tic, which is the only manifestation nervous system disorders.

Most often, the first manifestations of nervous tics occur in children aged 7 to 12 years, that is, in the period psychomotor development when the child's nervous system is most vulnerable to all kinds of psychological and emotional overload. The appearance of tics before the age of 5 years suggests that the tic is the result of some other disease.

The causes of primary nervous tics are:

• Psycho-emotional shock. Most common cause nervous tics in children. The occurrence of a tick can be provoked as an acute psycho-emotional trauma ( fear, quarrel with parents), and a long-term unfavorable psychological situation in the family ( lack of attention to the child, excessive demands and strictness in education).
• Teak first September. In about 10% of children, a nervous tic will debut in the first days of attending school. This is due to the new environment, new acquaintances, certain rules and restrictions, which is a strong emotional shock for a child.
• Eating disorder. A lack of calcium and magnesium in the body, which are involved in muscle contraction, can cause muscle spasms, including tics.
• Abuse of psychostimulants. Tea, coffee, all kinds of energy drinks activate the central nervous system, forcing it to work "for wear and tear." With the frequent use of such drinks, a process of nervous exhaustion occurs, which is manifested by increased irritability, emotional instability and, as a result, nervous tics.
• Overwork. Chronic sleep deprivation long stay at the computer, reading books in low light lead to increased activity different zones brain with the involvement of extrapyramidal systems and the development of nervous tics.
• hereditary predisposition. Recent studies indicate that tics are transmitted in an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance ( if one of the parents has a defective gene, then he will manifest this disease, and the probability of inheriting his child is 50%). Availability genetic predisposition will not necessarily lead to the development of the disease, but the chance of developing a nervous tic in such children is greater than in children without a genetic predisposition.

According to the severity of the primary nervous tic can be:

• local- one muscle/muscle group is involved, and this tick dominates throughout the entire period of the disease.
• multiple- manifests itself in several muscle groups at the same time.
• Generalized (Tourette syndrome) is a hereditary disease characterized by generalized motor tics of various muscle groups in combination with vocal tics.

The duration of the primary nervous tic is:

• Transient- lasting from 2 weeks to 1 year, after which it passes without a trace. After a certain time, the tick may resume. Transient tics can be local or multiple, motor and vocal.
• Chronic- longer than 1 year. It can be either local or multiple. During the course of the disease, tics may disappear in some muscle groups and appear in others, however complete remission does not come.

Secondary nervous tics

Secondary tics develop against the background of previous diseases of the nervous system. Clinical manifestations primary and secondary nervous tics are similar.

Factors contributing to the occurrence of nervous tics are:

• congenital diseases of the nervous system;
• traumatic brain injury, including congenital;
• encephalitis - an infectious and inflammatory disease of the brain;
• generalized infections - herpes virus, cytomegalovirus, streptococcus;
• intoxication carbon monoxide, opiates;
• brain tumors;
• some medications - antipsychotics, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, central nervous system stimulants ( caffeine);
• trigeminal neuralgia - hypersensitivity of the skin of the face, manifested by pain with any touch to facial area;
• hereditary diseases- Huntington's chorea, torsion dystonia.

Changes in the body of a child with a nervous tic

With a nervous tic, there are changes in the function of all body structures involved in muscle contraction.

Brain
Under the influence of the factors listed above, the activity of the extrapyramidal system of the brain increases, which leads to excessive formation of nerve impulses.

Nerve fibers
Excess nerve impulses are carried along the motor nerves to the skeletal muscles. In the contact zone nerve fibers with muscle cells, in the area of ​​synapses, there is an excessive release of the mediator acetylcholine, which causes contractions of the innervated muscles.

Muscle fibers
As mentioned earlier, muscle contraction requires calcium and energy. With a nervous tic, frequent contractions of certain muscles are repeated for several hours or throughout the day. Energy ( ATP), used by the muscle in the process of contraction, is consumed in large quantities, and its reserves do not always have time to recover. This can lead to muscle weakness and muscle pain.

With a lack of calcium, a certain number of myosin bridges cannot connect to actin filaments, which causes muscle weakness and can cause muscle spasm ( prolonged, involuntary, often painful muscle contraction).

The psycho-emotional state of the child
Constant nervous tics, manifested by winking, grimacing, sniffing and in other ways, attract the attention of others to the child. Naturally, this leaves a serious imprint on the emotional state of the child - he begins to feel his defect ( although before that, perhaps, did not attach any importance to it).

Some children, being in public places, for example, at school, try to suppress the manifestation of a nervous tic by force of will. This, as mentioned earlier, leads to an even greater increase in psycho-emotional stress, and as a result, the nervous tic becomes more pronounced, new tics may appear.

An interesting lesson creates an activity zone in the child's brain, which drowns out pathological impulses coming from the extrapyramidal zone, and the nervous tic disappears.

This effect is temporary, and after the cessation of the "distracting" activity, the nervous tic will resume.

Rapid elimination of the nervous tic of the eyelids

• Moderately press with your finger in the area of ​​​​the superciliary arch ( exit point from the cranial cavity of the nerve that innervates the skin upper eyelid ) and hold for 10 seconds.
• With the same force, press in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe inner and outer corners of the eye, holding for 10 seconds.
• Close both eyes tightly for 3-5 seconds. In this case, you need to strain your eyelids as much as possible. Repeat 3 times with an interval of 1 minute.

The implementation of these techniques can reduce the severity of a nervous tic, but this effect is temporary - from several minutes to several hours, after which the nervous tic will resume.

Geranium leaf compress

Grind 7-10 green geranium leaves and apply to the teak affected area. Cover with a pad of several layers of gauze and wrap with a warm scarf or handkerchief. After an hour, remove the bandage and rinse the skin in the area of ​​application of the compress with warm water.

Nervous tic treatment

Approximately 10-15% of primary nervous tics, being mild, do not have a serious impact on the health and psycho-emotional state of the child and disappear on their own after a while ( weeks - months). If the nervous tic is severe, causes inconvenience to the child and negatively affects his psycho-emotional state, it is necessary to start treatment as soon as possible in order to prevent the progression of the disease.


In the treatment of a nervous tic in children, there are:

• not medical methods treatment;
• medical methods of treatment;
• folk methods treatment.

Non-drug treatments

They are priority methods of treatment for primary nervous tics, as well as for secondary nervous tics as part of complex therapy. Non-drug treatment includes a set of measures aimed at restoring the normal state of the nervous system, metabolism, and normalizing the psycho-emotional and mental state of the child.

Main directions non-drug treatment nervous tic in children are:

• individual psychotherapy;
• creating a favorable environment in the family;
• organization of the regime of work and rest;
• good sleep;
• complete nutrition;
• exclusion of nervous strain.

Individual psychotherapy
This is the most preferred method for the treatment of primary nervous tics in children, since in most cases their occurrence is associated with stress and an altered psycho-emotional state of the child. A child psychiatrist will help a child understand the causes of increased excitability and nervousness, thereby eliminating the cause of a nervous tic, and teach the correct attitude to a nervous tic.

After a course of psychotherapy, children show a significant improvement emotional background, normalization of sleep, reduction or disappearance of nervous tics.

Creating a favorable family environment
First of all, parents should understand that a nervous tic is not pampering, not the whims of a child, but a disease that requires appropriate treatment. If a child has a nervous tic, you should not scold him, demand that he control himself, say that he will be laughed at at school, and so on. The child is unable to cope with a nervous tic on his own, and the wrong attitude of the parents only strengthens his inner psycho-emotional stress and exacerbate the course of the disease.

How should parents behave if a child has a nervous tic?

• do not focus on the nervous tic of the child;
• treat the child as a healthy, normal person;
• if possible, protect the child from all kinds of stressful situations;
• maintain a calm, comfortable atmosphere in the family;
• try to find out what problems the child has or had recently and help in solving them;
• if necessary, contact a pediatric neurologist in a timely manner.

Organization of the regime of work and rest
Improper distribution of time leads to overwork, stress and nervous exhaustion of the child. With a nervous tic, it is extremely important to exclude these factors, for which it is recommended to follow certain rules regarding work and rest.

Climb	7.00
Morning exercises, toilet	7.00 – 7.30
Breakfast	7.30 – 7.50
Road to school	7.50 – 8.30
Study at school	8.30 – 13.00
Walk after school	13.00 – 13.30
Dinner	13.30 – 14.00
Afternoon rest/sleep	14.00 – 15.30
Walks in the open air	15.30 – 16.00
afternoon tea	16.00 – 16.15
Studying, reading books	16.15 – 17.30
Outdoor games, housework	17.30 – 19.00
Dinner	19.00 – 19.30
Rest	19.30 – 20.30
Preparation for sleep	20.30 – 21.00
Dream	21.00 – 7.00

Full sleep
During sleep, the nervous, immune, and other systems of the body are restored. Sleep disruption and chronic sleep deprivation leads to increased nervous tension, deterioration of the emotional state, increased irritability, which can be manifested by nervous tics.
Complete nutrition
The child must observe the time of the main meals, the food must be regular, complete and balanced, that is, contain all the substances necessary for the growth and development of the child - proteins, fats, carbohydrates, various vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

Particular attention should be paid to products containing calcium, since the lack of this element reduces the excitation threshold of muscle cells and contributes to the manifestation of nervous tics.

Depending on age, the need for calcium in children is as follows:

• from 4 to 8 years - 1000 mg ( 1 gram) calcium per day;
• from 9 to 18 years - 1300 mg ( 1.3 grams) calcium per day.

Product name	Calcium content in 100 g of product
processed cheese	300 mg
white cabbage	210 mg
cow's milk	110 mg
Black bread	100 mg
Cottage cheese	95 mg
Sour cream	80 - 90 mg
Dried fruits	80 mg
Black chocolate	60 mg
White bread	20 mg

Exclude nervous tension
Activities that require the utmost concentration of the child's attention lead to rapid fatigue, bad sleep and an increase in stress. As a result, the manifestations of a nervous tic intensify, new tics may appear.

With a nervous tic in a child, the following should be excluded or limited:

• computer and video games, especially at bedtime;
• long TV viewing, more than 1 - 1.5 hours a day;
• reading books in inappropriate conditions - in transport, in poor lighting, lying down;
• listening to loud music, especially 2 hours before bedtime;
• tonic drinks - tea, coffee, especially after 18.00.

Medical treatment of a nervous tic

Medical treatment used to treat primary and secondary nervous tics. For the medical treatment of a nervous tic in children, sedatives and antipsychotic drugs are used, as well as drugs that improve blood circulation and metabolic processes in the brain. You should start with the most “light” drugs and with the minimum therapeutic dose.

Medications prescribed for children with a nervous tic

Name of medication	Mechanism of action	Methods of application and dosage in children
Novo-Passit	Combined sedative drug plant origin. Reduces psycho-emotional stress, facilitates the process of falling asleep.	It is recommended to try on 1 teaspoon 2-3 times a day to normalize the psycho-emotional state.
Thioridazine (Sonapax)	Antipsychotic drug. eliminates the feeling of anxiety and fear; relieves psycho-emotional stress.	It is applied inside, after eating. from 3 to 7 years - 10 mg in the morning and evening; from 7 to 16 years - 10 mg three times a day, every 8 hours; from 16 to 18 years - 2 tablets of 20 mg three times a day, every 8 hours.
Cinnarizine	A drug that improves cerebral circulation. Reduces the flow of calcium into the muscle cells of blood vessels. Expands cerebral vessels, increasing blood flow to the brain.	Take 2 times a day, morning and evening, 12.5 mg 30 minutes after meals. Treatment is long - from several weeks to several months.
Phenibut	Nootropic drug operating at the level of the brain. normalizes brain metabolism; improves blood supply to the brain; increase the resistance of the brain to various damaging factors; eliminates the feeling of anxiety and anxiety; normalizes sleep.	Regardless of food intake. up to 7 years - 100 mg 3 times a day; from 8 to 14 years - 200 - 250 mg 3 times a day; over 15 years - 250 - 300 mg 3 times a day.
Diazepam (Seduxen, Sibazon, Relanium)	A drug from the group of tranquilizers. relieves emotional tension, anxiety and fear; has a calming effect; reduces motor activity; speeds up the process of falling asleep; increases the duration and depth of sleep; relaxes muscles through action on the brain and spinal cord.	With severe manifestations of nervous tics, regardless of food intake. from 1 to 3 years - 1 mg in the morning and evening; from 3 to 7 years - 2 mg in the morning and evening; older than 7 years - 2.5 - 3 mg in the morning and evening. The course of treatment is no more than 2 months.
Haloperidol	A potent antipsychotic drug. in more than sonapaks eliminates anxiety and relieves psycho-emotional stress; stronger than diazepam suppresses excessive motor activity.	It is used in severe cases of nervous tics, with the ineffectiveness of other drugs. The dose is determined by the neurologist, based on the diagnosis and general condition child.
Calcium Gluconate	A calcium preparation that compensates for the lack of this microelement in the body. Normalizes the processes of muscle contraction and relaxation.	Take before meals. Grind before use. Drink a glass of milk. from 5 to 7 years - 1 g 3 times a day; from 8 to 10 years - 1.5 g 3 times a day; from 11 to 15 years - 2.5 g 3 times a day; over 15 years old - 2.5 - 3 g three times a day.

Folk methods for the treatment of a nervous tic

It has been proven that the use of sedatives, decoctions and infusions has a beneficial effect on the child's nervous system and reduces the manifestations of a nervous tic.

Sedatives used for nervous tics in children

Tool name	Cooking method	Application rules
motherwort tincture	2 tablespoons of chopped dry grass plants pour a glass of boiling water ( 200 ml); refrigerate for two hours at room temperature; strain through cheesecloth several times; store the resulting infusion in a place protected from the sun at room temperature.	Take 3 times a day, 30 minutes before meals. from 7 to 14 years - 1 teaspoon; over 14 years old - 1 dessert spoon. Duration of application is not more than 1 month.
Valerian Root Infusion	Pour 1 tablespoon of crushed plant root with a glass of hot boiled water; heat for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath; cool at room temperature and strain several times through cheesecloth; store at a temperature not exceeding 20ºС in a place protected from the sun.	Give children 1 teaspoon of the resulting infusion 4 times a day 30 minutes after meals and at bedtime. It is not recommended to take the infusion for more than a month and a half.
Infusion of flowers chamomile	Place 1 tablespoon of dried flowers in a thermos and pour 1 glass ( 200 ml) boiling water; insist for 3 hours, strain thoroughly; store at a temperature not exceeding 20ºС.	Children are advised to take a quarter cup of decoction ( 50 ml) three times a day, 30 minutes after meals.
Infusion of hawthorn fruit	1 tablespoon of dried and crushed fruits of the plant pour a glass of boiling water; insist for 2 hours; carefully strain through cheesecloth.	Children over 7 years of age take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day, 30 minutes before meals. The recommended duration of use is no more than 1 month.

Other Treatments for Nervous Tics in Children

In the treatment of nervous tics in children, successfully used:

• relaxing massage;
• electrosleep.

Relaxing massage
Properly performed massage reduces the excitation of the nervous system, reduces psycho-emotional stress, improves blood circulation in the brain and muscles, restores mental comfort, which can reduce the severity of tics. With a nervous tic, a relaxing massage of the back, head, face, legs is recommended. Acupressure of the tick area is not recommended, as this creates additional irritation and can lead to more pronounced manifestations of the disease.

electrosleep
This is a physiotherapy method that uses weak, low-frequency electrical impulses. They enter the cranial cavity through the eye sockets and act on the central nervous system ( central nervous system), enhancing the processes of inhibition in the brain and causing the onset of sleep.

Electrosleep effects:

• normalization of the emotional state;
• calming effect;
• improvement of blood supply and nutrition of the brain;
• normalization of the metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

The electrosleep procedure is carried out in a special room of the clinic or hospital, equipped with a comfortable couch with a pillow and a blanket. The room should be isolated from street noise and sunlight.

The child should remove outer clothing and lie down on the couch. A special mask is put on the child's eyes, through which an electric current is supplied. The current frequency usually does not exceed 120 hertz, the current strength is 1 - 2 milliamps.

The procedure lasts from 60 to 90 minutes - during this time the child is in a state of drowsiness or sleep. For achievement therapeutic effect usually assigned 10 - 12 sessions of electrosleep.

Prevention of recurrence of a nervous tic

Modern conditions living in big cities inevitably leads to increased nervous tension and stress. Children, due to the functional immaturity of the nervous system, are especially sensitive to overstrain. If a child has a predisposition to nervous tics, then the probability of their occurrence at an early age is very high. However, today a nervous tic is a curable disease, and subject to certain rules and restrictions, you can not remember this ailment for many years.

What should be done to avoid a recurrence of a nervous tic?

• maintain a normal psycho-emotional environment in the family;
• provide adequate nutrition and sleep;
• teach the child the right behavior under stress;
• do yoga, meditation;
• exercise regularly ( swimming, athletics );
• spend at least 1 hour outdoors every day;
• ventilate the child's room before going to bed.

What can trigger a recurrence of a nervous tic?

• stress;
• overwork;
• chronic sleep deprivation;
• tense psycho-emotional situation in the family;
• lack of calcium in the body;
• abuse of tonic drinks;
• long time watching TV;
• spending a lot of time at the computer;
• long video games.

Parents often worry about their child's behavior - is it normal or a symptom of a serious illness? So if healthy baby suddenly begins to constantly blink his eyes or lick his lips, then this becomes a reason for panic. In fact, such nervous tics in children require attention, but are a very common problem in childhood.

A tick is a spasmodic movement of a group of muscles that is stereotyped and non-rhythmic in nature, and also increases with stress. In children, there are several types of such twitches, differing in the severity of the course and the need for therapy.

Types of ticks

1. Primary
   • Transient
   • Chronic motor
   • Tics in Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome
2. Secondary

Transient tick

Under the influence of electrochemical impulses from the central nervous system, muscle spasms can occur. Most often it occurs in the muscles of the face, neck, torso and arms. Transient, or temporary, these movements are named in connection with good quality. This condition usually lasts no more than a year, and more often - several weeks.

External manifestations:

• Lip licking and grimacing
• Tongue movements (sticking it out of the mouth)
• Blinking and blinking eyes
• coughing

The above signs are simple motor and vocal manifestations. There are also complex ones: throwing hair back, feeling objects. They don't meet that often.

Tick ​​properties:

• the duration of one spasm is extremely short
• muscle spasms can go one after another, almost without interruption
• no definite rhythm
• the nature and intensity of movements may change with age
• spasms can be spontaneous or triggered by stress
• children may suppress symptoms for a short time

Chronic tics

Motor or vocal "fits" that persist longer than a year are called chronic. They are much less common than transient ones. Over time, the manifestations may subside, but often certain signs remain for life. Many scientists believe that chronic tics are soft form Tourette's syndrome, while others put them in a separate category.

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome

The first symptoms of this disease usually occur in childhood, before the age of 15. It is based on chronic tics of two types: motor and voice. The latter often look like complex vocal phenomena: barking, grunting, and sometimes shouting out swear words (the so-called coprolalia). Sometimes there are complex motor combinations in the form of jumps, falls, imitations of any activity. It is believed that there is a certain hereditary predisposition to this condition, and boys get sick 3-4 times more often than girls. In total, about 0.5% of the population suffers from some form of the syndrome in the world.

In addition to the above, children with Tourette's syndrome have an increased risk of developing certain conditions: obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit disorder and, as well as various behavioral abnormalities.

The nature of this disease is still unknown. It is believed that such a result gives a combination of hereditary, psychological factors and environmental influences. There is a separate type of syndrome (PANDAS), which appears abruptly after suffering. In this case, antibodies to the infectious agent (Streptococcus A) can mistakenly attack brain cells, leading to such consequences. Treatment of angina reduces and completely eliminates all symptoms of the disease, but re-infection can "wake up" them again.

Diagnostic criteria for Tourette's syndrome

• A combination of motor and speech tics (not necessarily both)
• Symptoms have been present for a year or more
• The first signs appear before the age of 18
• Condition not associated with substance use or severe illness

Treatment of Tourette's syndrome mainly involves behavioral control and assistance with adaptation. In some cases, when children are too hard to socialize, antipsychotic therapy may be prescribed. This is necessary due to the frequent cases of depression and self-harm in children with severe symptoms. It is important to remember that the disease can be combined with attention deficit disorder, which is treated with psychostimulants. Such therapy worsens the course of the disease, so a balanced and competent approach is needed. In most patients, after adolescence manifestations of Tourette's syndrome are significantly weakened.

Secondary tics

The name "secondary tics" is not entirely accurate. The term means muscle twitching against the background of the underlying disease. Such a disease can be:

• inflammation of the meninges ()
• brain (encephalitis)
• genetic pathologies (Huntington's disease)
• mental disorders (, schizophrenia)

External manifestations are similar to primary spasms (for example, a nervous tic of the eyes in a child), but other symptoms are added to them.

The appearance, along with twitches, of nausea, vomiting, impaired consciousness, inability to move parts of the body is a reason for immediate appeal to the doctor.

Why do muscle twitches appear

The main cause of nervous tics in children (or rather, the triggering factor) is psychological maladaptation. There is a major change in the child's lifestyle or family composition that the child cannot handle immediately and easily. Such the starting point may be the first trip to kindergarten, school, divorce of parents, the birth of a brother or sister. The risk is especially high in children whose next of kin had a similar problem or syndrome. obsessive states. The situation is not improved by frequent and prolonged viewing of TV or playing games on the computer.

Differential Diagnosis:

• eye diseases
• epileptic seizures
• Chorea

eye diseases

Parents and doctors very often forget that the cause of the nervous tic of the eyes can be in the organs of vision themselves. For example, a curled eyelash scratches the mucous membrane, the child constantly rubs his eyes and blinks, a habitual movement is formed. Even after removing the eyelash, the “tic” may persist for some time, since it is quite difficult to get rid of the habit right away. Therefore, with any twitching in the eye area, it is worth contacting an ophthalmologist.

epileptic seizures

Epileptic seizures are paroxysmal changes motor activity under the influence of signals from the brain. They happen at least once in a lifetime in 10% of all children, but only less than a third of cases are due to epilepsy. Seizure may occur due to high temperature, illness, suffocation, stress, and never happen again.

Some epileptic seizures cannot be confused with anything, as they are accompanied by a fall, contraction of the muscles of the whole body and a blackout. But some of the attacks have features.

Read about the causes of epilepsy in children.

Absences

The second name for this phenomenon is petit mal attacks. The child abruptly stops doing what he was doing, freezes, his eyes become absent, and sometimes there is frequent blinking. Absences often occur after 5 years in girls, last up to 30 seconds, after an attack, the child continues to do what he left off. These petit mals can recur very often throughout the day, accompanied by changes in the EEG (which does not happen with tics)

Simple partial seizures

Such seizures look like a turn of the head and eyes, lasting 10-20 seconds, while speech and consciousness remain intact. It is the latter fact that may suggest ordinary ticks. The main sign of the epileptic nature of such movements is that they cannot be controlled and completed on request.

Chorea

Chorea is a stereotypical "dancing" movement of any part of the body in a child. It can occur in case of poisoning with medicines, carbon monoxide, hereditary diseases of the nervous system, infectious processes, injuries. Chorea cannot be controlled, although the child may try to disguise it as purposeful movement. An important feature is the constant presence of involuntary movements, pauses rarely reach 30-60 seconds.

So, in some cases, it can be difficult to distinguish benign tics from symptoms of a serious illness. Therefore, you have to be examined by several specialists: an oculist, a psychologist or a psychiatrist, a neurologist or an epileptologist, who will decide how to treat a tick in a child. Sometimes an EEG (electroencephalogram) is required to rule out epilepsy, MRI or CT of the brain, and psychological tests. But in most cases, tics are harmless, so one examination by a pediatrician is enough to make a diagnosis and instill peace in parents.

Treatment of tics

The choice of treatment for a nervous tic in a child (and its need) depends on the type of disorder.

• Transient tics do not require treatment. The worst thing parents can do in this situation is to focus on the child's strange behavior. This approach will make the baby even more worried, which can aggravate the twitches. Main principle therapy - elimination of a traumatic situation. It happens that it is enough to talk with the child about problems at school, to help establish contact with peers - and the tics immediately go away.
• Chronic twitches and vocalizations, as well as Tourette's syndrome, are conditions that require therapy. Often it is enough to observe a psychologist who will help the child to socialize and not acquire complexes. In severe cases, drug treatment (for example, antipsychotics) is prescribed.
• Secondary tics are just a symptom of the underlying disease. Therefore, therapy should be directed to the primary disease. With streptococcal infection - these are antibiotics, with drug poisoning - the fastest cleansing of the body, with mental illness - treatment by a psychiatrist.

Prevention

It is impossible to predict whether a child will experience muscle twitches or vocal spasms, although 25% of all children experience some degree of them. But there is quite effective ways reduce this risk or speed up the recovery process. For prevention it is necessary:

• discuss with the child all the problems that have arisen
• be especially attentive to the baby when changing his usual lifestyle
• support his desire to be friends with peers
• when symptoms of a nervous tic appear in children, do not focus on them, but try to distract
• organize the correct mode of work and rest
• diversify the daily activities of the child (leisure, sports, study, etc.)
• limit watching TV shows and playing games on the computer

And finally, the most important rule is to love your baby the way he is. In this case, all the problems that have arisen will be temporary, easily solved, and will not lead to a chronic mental disorder.