The child makes repetitive movements. Doctor Komarovsky about obsessive movement syndrome in children. Signs and symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder in children

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 their preschooler from factors that traumatize his psyche?

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 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

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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 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 obsessive movement neurosis. 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 diligently engage in hygiene procedures: they wash their hands repeatedly, sniff deliberately, and then carefully wipe their nose, constantly adjusting 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 had 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 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 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 (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 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; with timely treatment, they give 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, and 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) (more details in the article:). 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.

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.

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

What is a disorder

Obsessive movement neurosis is commonly 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, these are completely 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;
• Presence of chronic diseases.

The occurrence of a disorder due to biological causes is difficult to influence. In this situation, the most important role is played by quickly identifying the disease and starting 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 when visiting kindergarten for the first time);
• 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 about this.

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. Up to a certain age, a child 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 in a 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 the constant repetition of the action, 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, obsessive-compulsive neurosis 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.

It is easier for parents to notice the psychological state of a child than for 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 of drug treatment. The specialist will select the optimal therapy for a particular child.

You should not start treatment with antidepressants without consulting a doctor.! Each individual drug has a specific 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.

A common type of mental disorder in preschool and primary school age is obsessive movement neurosis in children, the treatment of which should be carried out by a specialist in close contact with the parents of the small patient. Neurotic manifestations in a child usually occur in response to a traumatic situation or severe stress. Factors that provoke the development of neurosis can be tense relationships between parents, an authoritarian line of upbringing, pressure in the children's team or its change, overwork, etc. Thus, an increase in symptoms is possible with increasing or constant stress. The most likely age range for the onset of obsessive movement neurosis is defined as 2-3 years and 5-9 years.

Symptoms of a neurotic state

Neurosis of obsessive movements in a child can be suggested by observing him. Usually this does not take much time, since the manifestations of the disorder are very characteristic. For example, the following involuntary actions, repeatedly repeated in behavior, allow us to assume neurosis:

• the child bites his nails and hair ends;
• sucking a finger or item of clothing;
• fiddles with buttons;
• stamps his foot;
• sniffles;
• shakes his head;
• bites lips, etc.

It is difficult to list all possible actions, since they are different in each individual case. They are united by a constant repetition, sometimes reaching the point of the child causing harm to himself (biting his nails until they bleed, tearing out his hair, etc.). Finding the cause of obsessive movements usually leads a specialist to discover a broader psychological problem, which is called obsessive-compulsive neurosis in children. It is formed by the fears and negative emotions experienced (or experienced) by the child. The occurrence of obsession with certain movements, as a rule, has a clear and tangible connection with fears of a neurotic nature.

A mental condition in which the patient involuntarily compensates for his anxiety by performing certain actions is called obsessive-compulsive disorder in medicine.

The classic manifestation of this type of neurosis is often accompanied by symptoms indicating a general unfavorable mental state of the child: causeless tantrums, insomnia, loss of appetite, decreased attention, memory impairment. In this regard, treatment of the child should begin as early as possible upon diagnosis. When diagnosing obsessive action neurosis, it is important to distinguish obsessive movements themselves from nervous tics. The latter manifest themselves in the automatic movement of muscles, their twitching, which cannot be stopped by force of will or controlled. It should be remembered that nervous tics are not always associated with a psychological reason. The child is able to stop the repetition of obsessive movements at a specific moment on his own or after focusing attention on them from an adult. The emergence of neurotic actions is always due to psychological discomfort.

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Treatment methods for neurosis

The first step towards ridding a child of obsessive movement neurosis should always be to determine the cause that provoked it. It is impossible and often pointless to treat the disease without identifying and eliminating the root of the problem, since the symptoms will regularly return.

Treatment of obsessive movement neurosis should be carried out by an experienced specialist with the active participation of parents.

Neurotic manifestations of motor obsession are treated by using an integrated approach. First of all, you should consult a neurologist with your child, since obsessive movement neurosis is often a consequence of increased reactivity of the nervous system. To reduce anxiety, your doctor may prescribe a course of medications, which may include sedatives and antidepressants. These medications have different effects on the central nervous system and can cause side effects, so using them without a doctor’s prescription is dangerous, especially in children. Drug therapy is usually required if the disease is advanced.

In the early stages, obsessive movement neurosis in a child can be dealt with with the help of a psychologist or psychotherapist. The basis of treatment in this case will be a course of psychotherapy. During regular meetings with the child and working with his parents, the specialist will help determine and eliminate the cause of the child’s anxiety. He will give advice on normalizing the psychological climate in the family and indicate the optimal vector of upbringing that is suitable for the child depending on the characteristics of his nervous system. By interacting with a young patient during psychotherapy sessions, an experienced doctor will help him learn to control his feelings, notice the onset of an anxiety attack in time and relieve it in other, more appropriate ways. The result of joint work should ideally be complete relief from the manifestations of neurosis.

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Parental support

The correct parental attitude towards the problem is considered extremely important for eliminating the symptoms of motor obsession in children. If parents do not notice a mental disorder in a child for a long time or dismiss it as an insignificant and temporary phenomenon, neurosis can lead to serious psychological problems in the development of the child’s personality, not to mention the fact that obsessive actions will become a harmful and difficult habit. In order for the work of a psychotherapist to be effective, parents must try to create the most gentle atmosphere for the child. This applies to both intrafamily relationships and the child’s presence in society. It is necessary to eliminate excessive information and emotional load during therapy.

Depending on the type of temperament and interests of the child, you should select activities that help relieve stress, throw out accumulated negative emotions or change their polarity. A significant role is played by feasible physical activity. An excellent source of positive emotional charge will be spending time together as a family. Moreover, the quality of communication during a common family affair is more important than the form of the event itself. It is not necessary to organize grandiose family holidays or cultural outings to show your child your love. Creating something together or reading good books, cooking dinner or a leisurely walk in the park will help your child relax and cope with his fears. During such events, adults should, if possible, put aside their business and telephone conversations so that the child feels significant and protected.

Childhood neurosis is a common phenomenon among children of all ages. A negative atmosphere at school or at home, overwork, a huge amount of information, a lot of noise, psychological trauma, divorce or constant quarrels between parents, too high demands on the child - all this can lead to the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder in children (or movements).

There are many ways to deal with this, but first you need to make sure the diagnosis is correct.

It is very easy to confuse obsessive movements and tics. But if you correctly understand the nature of these phenomena, distinguishing them will not be difficult at all. Tic is an automatic muscle contraction, twitching that cannot be controlled and is not always due to psychological reasons. Obsessive movements can be restrained by willpower, and they are always a consequence of the psychological discomfort that the child experiences.

The following symptoms indicate obsessive movement neurosis in children:

• the child bites his nails;
• snaps fingers;
• turns his head sharply;
• twitches his lip;
• smacks his lips;
• walks around all objects only on the left or only on the right;
• twists buttons;
• bites lips;
• blows on the palms, etc.

It is impossible to list all obsessive movements: it is too individual. Their main feature is their annoying repetition, almost every minute. If you do not pay attention to them, this can lead to nails being bitten until they bleed, lips being bitten through, all the buttons on clothes being torn off, etc.

Moreover, all this may be accompanied by outbreaks of hysteria that did not exist before, insomnia, tearfulness, and decreased performance. That is why treatment of obsessive movement neurosis in children must begin as soon as you notice the symptoms of this disease.

How to treat obsessive movement neurosis

Drawing with paints will help you throw out negative emotions

High-quality and effective treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder in children involves working with a psychologist, and in some cases, a psychotherapist. In the most advanced cases, it comes to medical assistance.

1. Drug therapy

After examination by a psychotherapist, the doctor may prescribe sedatives and antidepressants. For each case they can be different:

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

These medications should not be used without a doctor’s prescription, as they differ in their effect on the central nervous system. It is necessary to take into account at what stage the neurosis develops: at the initial stage, a few sessions with a psychologist will be enough; in advanced forms, drug therapy is prescribed. But only a doctor can determine all this.

2. Treatment with folk remedies

After consulting with a psychologist (psychotherapist) who is observing your child, you can use folk remedies in the treatment of obsessive movement neurosis. They can be very effective.

1. Infusion of oat grains. Rinse oat grains (500 g) with cold water, add cold water (1 l), cook over low heat until half-cooked. Strain, add honey (a teaspoon). Give a glass a day.
2. Decoctions of herbs such as valerian root, motherwort, tricolor violet, hawthorn, lemon balm, mint, calendula, centaury.
3. Honey water before bed: dilute a tablespoon of honey in a glass of water at room temperature.
4. Baths with soothing herbs (lavender, mint, for example) or sea salt.
5. Dance therapy: turn on music at home - let the child throw out all the negativity in dance.
6. In the summer, give him the opportunity to run barefoot on the ground, grass, and sand more often.
7. Reading bedtime stories.
8. Drawing will also help to throw out what worries the baby, so give him paper and paints, pencils, and crayons more often.
9. A holiday or cooking a favorite dish will also help bring him out of an anxious state.

In addition to home remedies for treating this type of neurosis, parents should also work on their own behavior.

3. Parental behavior

A very important point in the treatment of this type of childhood neurosis is the correct behavior of parents:

• do not scold the baby for these movements (read:);
• as soon as he starts doing this, you need to talk to him about what is bothering him;
• devote more time to him;
• try to understand the reason for the baby’s worries and eliminate it;
• limit your passion for computers and TV, but wisely, without pressure or yelling.

Any parent should know how to treat obsessive movement neurosis in children in order to provide timely help. Moreover, the causes of this disease lie in the psycho-emotional sphere. Give your child a happy, joyful childhood without unnecessary worries, worries and fears.

The child began to bite his nails, make strange movements with his hands or head, and often blink or squint for no reason. All these signs may be manifestations of obsessive movement syndrome. We will tell you what it is and what to do about it in this material.

What it is

Obsessive movement neurosis is quite common in childhood. Most often, monotonous repetitive movements or series of such movements appear in children of preschool or primary school age. This is not a separate disease, but a whole complex of disorders both at the mental and emotional levels. The movements that the child makes are unmotivated and are very difficult to control.

Medicine classifies this phenomenon as a manifestation of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Obsessive-compulsive neuroses are included in the classification of diseases. Despite this, childhood syndrome has been studied quite little, and one can only guess about its true causes and mechanisms.

In order not to frighten parents, it should immediately be noted that a child with obsessive movements is not considered mentally ill. He is not disabled, does not need isolation and does not pose any danger to others. The only person he can harm is himself. And even then, only in cases where obsessive movements are traumatic.

Most often, according to current pediatric practice, parents go to the doctor with complaints that the child has begun to bite his lips, chew his legs and skin on his hands, bite his own hands, pull out his hair or almost constantly twirl his hair. finger, wave your arms and shake your hands, swing your body from side to side. It is noteworthy that the baby begins to repeat such movements precisely when he finds himself in an awkward or uncomfortable, from a psychological point of view, situation. If he is afraid, if he is confused, upset, irritated, offended, he begins to compensate for the discomfort with a familiar and calming movement or a whole series of them.

The manifestations of the syndrome do not always have pathological neurological or psychiatric causes. Due to little knowledge, it is sometimes very difficult to establish what became the “trigger mechanism”. But this diagnosis, if given to a child, is not a death sentence and in most cases does not even require classical treatment.

Causes

It is believed that the main cause of the bad habit of making obsessive movements is severe stress, a deep emotional shock that the child has experienced. Due to the fact that the baby cannot express in words the feelings overwhelming him, emotions find a way out on the physical level. This disorder is usually temporary, and as soon as the baby recovers from the experience, he will be able to get rid of unnecessary movements and actions.

Psychological reasons also include:

1. mistakes in raising a child (strictness, physical punishment, connivance and permissiveness)
2. difficult psychological climate in the family (divorce of parents, scandals and quarrels between adults in front of the child, physical violence);
3. a sharp change in the usual habitat (sudden move, transfer to another school, another kindergarten, transfer to a grandmother, etc.);
4. conflicts between the child and peers.

Physical causes that can lead to the disorder or contribute to its development under unfavorable external conditions include:

• history of traumatic brain injury;
• unfavorable heredity (there are close relatives with mental disorders, diseases of the central nervous system, as well as alcohol or drug abusers);
• concomitant neurological diagnoses (hyperactivity syndrome);
• congenital mental illnesses (autism, schizophrenia);
• congenital pathologies of the brain and central nervous system.

Sometimes children experience a whole complex of causes that combine both physical and psychological factors that contribute to the development of obsessive movements. Establishing the true cause is an incredibly difficult task even for an experienced doctor, but this must be done in order to know what specific help the child needs. Some of the reasons can be easily resolved by a confidential conversation with the baby or a visit to the office of a child psychologist, but some will have to be treated with medication.

Symptoms

Obsessive movement syndrome has a great variety of manifestations. It all depends on the child’s personality, his character, temperament, physical development, and age. Tics are most common in children under six years of age. They are always physiological in nature, involuntary and often disappear as suddenly as they appeared.

Obsessive movements of a more complex level are better influenced by volitional effort. Theoretically, a person can prohibit himself from biting his nails, but the child’s will and motivation are not very good, and therefore he is simply not able to cope with such movements. Most often, obsessive movement syndrome is manifested by the child biting his nails, the skin around them, smacking or twitching his lips with enviable regularity, biting his lips, blinking frequently and deliberately, constantly coughing or sniffling. Sometimes the syndrome manifests itself more pronouncedly - by rocking the body back and forth or from side to side, shaking the head, and unjustifiably waving the arms.

All such movements pose absolutely no danger if they are isolated or occur rarely.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder syndrome is characterized by cyclicality, regularity, monotony and constant repetition of very specific movements.

Often parents try to simply stop such manifestations. If they are pathological in origin, the child does not perceive criticism and demands to stop adequately, the movements intensify, and with the persistence of adults, the baby may begin to become hysterical.

Diagnostics

Not a single doctor in the world, when parents come to him with complaints about obsessive movements of a child, can say exactly what is causing this behavior in the baby. Therefore, mom and dad need to take a very careful look at the child, analyze recent events, and only after that go to see a doctor.

It is better to start diagnosing by visiting a neurologist. Parents will have to tell this specialist in detail in what situations and how often the series of movements are repeated, what nature they are, and also whether the child has recently had stress or upheaval.

In addition, you should write down and bring to the doctor a list of all the medications your child has taken over the past couple of months. Some medications can have this effect on the nervous system.

If after this there is no clear reason, the doctor will advise you to undergo an MRI of the brain(to rule out brain pathologies), and also pay a visit to a child psychiatrist, who will examine the child for mental disorders. It will be useful to take blood and urine tests, which will help determine whether there is any inflammatory process in the body, as well as whether it has a deficiency of vitamins and some minerals (in particular, calcium). Their lack can also lead to disorders of the nervous system.

This is where the available list of diagnostic measures ends. In medicine today there is no single standard for assessing such a condition as obsessive movement neurosis, and therefore doctors will make a diagnosis based mainly on the stories of parents.

Treatment

If the psychiatrist and neurologist consider that the child is healthy, and the tests did not show any significant deviations from the norm, then parents should not worry and do not rush to stuff their child with pills and injections. This requires a different approach. Therapy will consist of eliminating all phenomena and events that traumatize the baby’s psyche.

You need to communicate with your child, talk, walk, draw together, watch movies, read. And be sure to discuss everything.

Sooner or later, the baby will definitely report what bothered him so much, and the parents will be able to understand why the obsessive movements arose.

Under no circumstances should you forcefully stop the child’s attempts to make movements; you should not once again focus your attention on them and draw the child’s attention. If the child’s movements pose a danger to himself (he bites himself, scratches his face), you should definitely attend classes with him from a child psychologist, and, if necessary, from a psychotherapist. The baby needs to be monitored more closely.

Medication and concomitant treatment for obsessive movement neurosis are prescribed mainly when medical specialists find justified medical reasons for the occurrence of the disorder.

In particularly difficult cases, antidepressants are prescribed. In all other cases, they try to make do with milder therapy options.

Prescribe mild sedatives, preferably of natural or plant origin, which include "Glycine" And "Persen", to improve cerebral blood supply is prescribed "Cinnarizine" together with magnesium preparation "Asparkam". To strengthen the nervous system, B vitamins are prescribed, in particular, the drug "Milgamma". Herbal teas with a sedative effect - based on mint, valerian, oregano, and motherwort - can also be recommended as a sedative. At home, it will be possible to give your child soothing medicinal baths with medicinal herbs, however, provided that the doctor approves of this, because such procedures quite often cause an inadequate reaction in children with a predisposition to allergies.