Children's psychological diseases. Nervous disorder: symptoms. Diagnosis and treatment

The child's psyche is very sensitive and easily vulnerable, so many provoking factors can cause mental disorders at such a young age. The clinical severity of symptoms, their duration and reversibility depend on the age of the child and the duration of the traumatic events.

Adults often attribute pathology of development and behavior to the child’s age, believing that over the years his condition can normalize. Oddities in the mental state are usually attributed to childhood whims, age-related infantilism and a lack of understanding of things happening around. Although in fact all these manifestations may indicate mental problems.

It is customary to distinguish four groups of mental disorders in children:

• autism spectrum disorders;
• mental retardation;
• attention deficit disorder.

What can trigger a mental disorder?

Mental disorders childhood can be caused by many reasons. Psychological, social and biological factors influence a child's mental health.

This includes:

• genetic predisposition to the occurrence of mental illnesses;
• organic brain lesions;
• conflicts in the family and at school;
• dramatic life events;
• stress.

Children can often react neurotically to their parents' divorce. In addition, the likelihood of developing mental problems higher in children with dysfunctional families rises.

Having a sick relative can lead to mental disorders. In this case, the cause of the disease may affect the tactics and duration of further treatment.

How do mental disorders manifest in children?

Symptoms of mental illness are:

• fears, phobias, increased anxiety;
• nervous tics;
• obsessive movements;
• aggressive behavior;
• mood lability, emotional imbalance;
• loss of interest in usual games;
• slowness of body movements;
• thinking disorders;
• isolation, depressed mood for two weeks or longer;
• auto: self-harm and suicide attempts;
• which are accompanied by tachycardia and rapid breathing;
• symptoms of anorexia: refusal to eat, inducing vomiting, taking laxatives;
• problems with concentration, hyperactive behavior;
• addiction to alcohol and drugs;
• changes in behavior, sudden changes in the child’s character.

Children are more prone to nervous disorders during age-related crises, namely at the ages of 3-4 years, 5-7 years and 12-18 years.

Before the age of one year, psychogenic reactions are the result of dissatisfaction of the main vital needs: sleep and food. At 2-3 years old, children may begin to suffer due to excessive attachment to their mother, which leads to infantilization and developmental inhibition. At 4-5 years of age, mental illness can manifest itself in nihilistic behavior and protest reactions.

You should also be wary if the child experiences developmental degradation. For example, the baby’s vocabulary becomes scarcer, he loses already acquired skills, becomes less sociable and stops taking care of himself.

At the age of 6-7 years, school is a stressful factor. Often mental disorders in these children are manifested psychosomatically by deterioration of appetite and sleep, fatigue, headaches and dizziness.

In adolescence (12-18 years), mental disorders have their own characteristics of symptoms:

• The child becomes prone to melancholy, anxiety, or, conversely, to aggressiveness and conflict. A common feature is emotional instability.
• The teenager shows vulnerability to other people's opinions, outside assessments, excessive self-criticism or inflated self-esteem, and disregard for adult advice.
• Schizoid and cyclical.
• Children demonstrate youthful maximalism, theorizing, philosophizing, and many internal contradictions.

It must be remembered that the above symptoms do not always indicate the presence of a mental illness. Only a specialist can understand the situation and determine the diagnosis.

Treatment options

It is usually very difficult for parents to decide to visit a psychotherapist. Recognition of mental disorders in a child is often associated with various restrictions in the future, ranging from the need to attend a special school and ending with a limited choice of specialty. Because of this, changes in behavior, developmental features, and personality quirks that may be symptoms of mental dysfunction are often ignored.

If parents want to somehow solve the problem, treatment often begins at home using alternative medicine. Only after long-term failures and deterioration of the offspring’s health does the first visit to a qualified medical specialist take place.

Mental disorders in children arise due to special factors that provoke developmental disorders of the child’s psyche. The mental health of children is so vulnerable that clinical manifestations and their reversibility depend on the age of the child and the duration of exposure to special factors.

The decision to consult a child with a psychotherapist is usually not an easy one for parents. In the understanding of parents, this means recognizing suspicions that the child has neuropsychiatric disorders. Many adults are afraid of registering their child, as well as the limited forms of education associated with this, and the limited choice of profession in the future. For this reason, parents often try not to notice behavioral features, development, and oddities, which are usually manifestations of mental disorders in children.

If parents are inclined to believe that the child needs to be treated, then first, as a rule, attempts are made to treat neuropsychiatric disorders using home remedies or advice from familiar healers. After unsuccessful independent attempts to improve the condition of their offspring, parents decide to seek qualified help. When turning to a psychiatrist or psychotherapist for the first time, parents often try to do this anonymously and unofficially.

Responsible adults should not hide from problems and, when recognizing early signs of neuropsychiatric disorders in children, promptly consult a doctor and then follow his recommendations. Every parent should have the necessary knowledge in the field neurotic disorders in order to prevent deviations in the development of your child and, if necessary, seek help at the first signs of a disorder, since issues related to the mental health of children are too serious. It is unacceptable to experiment with treatment on your own, so you should promptly contact specialists for advice.

Often, parents attribute mental disorders in children to age, implying that the child is still small and does not understand what is happening to him. This condition is often perceived as a common manifestation of whims, but modern experts argue that mental disorders are very noticeable to the naked eye. Often these deviations have a negative impact on the baby’s social capabilities and development. At timely application With help, some disorders can be completely cured. If suspicious symptoms are detected in a child in the early stages, serious consequences can be prevented.

Mental disorders in children are divided into 4 classes:

• developmental delays;
• early childhood;
• attention deficit disorder.

Causes of mental disorders in children

The appearance of mental disorders can be caused for various reasons. Doctors say that their development can be influenced by all sorts of factors: psychological, biological, sociopsychological.

Provoking factors are: genetic predisposition to mental illness, incompatibility in the type of temperament of parent and child, limited intelligence, brain damage, family problems, conflicts, traumatic events. Family education is not the least important.

Mental disorders in children of primary school age often arise due to parental divorce. The chance of mental disorders often increases in children from single-parent families, or if one of the parents has a history of any mental illness. To determine what type of help needs to be provided to your baby, you must accurately determine the cause of the problem.

Symptoms of mental disorders in children

These disorders in a baby are diagnosed based on the following symptoms:

• tics, obsession syndrome;
• ignoring established rules;
• without visible reasons frequently changing mood;
• decreased interest in active games;
• slow and unusual body movements;
• deviations associated with impaired thinking;

The periods of greatest susceptibility to mental and nervous disorders occur during age-related crises, which cover the following age periods: 3-4 years, 5-7 years, 12-18 years. From this it is obvious that adolescence and childhood are the right time for the development of psychogenics.

Mental disorders in children under one year of age are caused by the existence of a limited range of negative and positive needs (signals) that children must satisfy: pain, hunger, sleep, the need to cope with natural needs.

All these needs are of vital importance and cannot be unsatisfied, therefore, the more pedantic the parents observe the regime, the faster a positive stereotype is developed. Failure to satisfy one of the needs can lead to a psychogenic cause, and the more violations are noted, the more severe the deprivation. In other words, the reaction of a baby under one year old is determined by the motives of satisfying instincts and, of course, in the very first place, this is the instinct of self-preservation.

Mental disorders in children 2 years of age are observed if the mother maintains an excessive connection with the child, thereby promoting infantilization and inhibition of its development. Such attempts by the parent, creating obstacles to the child’s self-affirmation, can lead to frustration, as well as elementary psychogenic reactions. While the feeling of overdependence on the mother persists, the child’s passivity develops. With additional stress, such behavior can take on a pathological character, which often happens in insecure and fearful children.

Mental disorders in 3-year-old children manifest themselves in capriciousness, disobedience, vulnerability, increased fatigue, and irritability. It is necessary to be careful when suppressing the growing activity of a child at the age of 3 years, since this can contribute to a lack of communication and a lack of emotional contact. A lack of emotional contact can lead to (withdrawal), speech disorders (delayed speech development, refusal to communicate or verbal contact).

Mental disorders in children 4 years old manifest themselves in stubbornness, protest against the authority of adults, and psychogenic breakdowns. Internal tension, discomfort, and sensitivity to deprivation (restriction) are also noted, which causes.

First neurotic manifestations in children 4 years old are found in behavioral reactions of refusal and protest. Minor negative influences are enough to disrupt the baby’s mental balance. The baby is able to respond to pathological situations, negative events.

Mental disorders in 5-year-old children reveal themselves in advance mental development peers, especially if the child’s interests become one-sided. The reason for seeking help from a psychiatrist should be the child’s loss of previously acquired skills, for example: he rolls cars aimlessly, his vocabulary becomes poorer, he becomes untidy, he stops role-playing games, and communicates little.

Mental disorders in children aged 7 years are associated with preparation and entry into school. Instability of mental balance, fragility nervous system, readiness for psychogenic disorders may be present in children 7 years old. The basis for these manifestations is a tendency to psychosomatic asthenia (appetite disturbances, sleep disturbances, fatigue, dizziness, decreased performance, tendency to fear) and overwork.

Classes at school then become the cause of neurosis when the demands placed on the child do not correspond to his capabilities and he lags behind in school subjects.

Mental disorders in children 12-18 years old manifest themselves in the following features:

- tendency to sharp fluctuations moods, restlessness, melancholy, anxiety, negativism, impulsiveness, conflict, aggressiveness, conflicting feelings;

- sensitivity to others’ assessment of one’s strength, appearance, skills, abilities, overconfidence, excessive criticality, disregard for the judgments of adults;

- a combination of sensitivity with callousness, irritability with painful shyness, desire for recognition with independence;

- rejection of generally accepted rules and deification of random idols, as well as sensual fantasy with dry philosophizing;

- schizoid and cycloid;

- the desire for philosophical generalizations, a tendency to extreme positions, internal inconsistency of the psyche, the egocentrism of youthful thinking, uncertainty in the level of aspirations, a tendency to theorize, maximalism in assessments, a variety of experiences associated with awakening sexual desire;

- intolerance to care, unmotivated mood swings.

Often the protest of teenagers grows into absurd opposition and senseless stubbornness to any sound advice. Self-confidence and arrogance develop.

Signs of mental disorder in children

The likelihood of developing mental disorders in children varies at different ages. Considering that mental development in children is uneven, during certain periods it becomes disharmonious: some functions are formed faster than others.

Signs of mental disorder in children can manifest themselves in the following manifestations:

- a feeling of isolation and deep sadness that lasts more than 2-3 weeks;

- attempts to kill or harm yourself;

- all-consuming fear without reason, accompanied by fast breathing and strong heartbeat;

- participation in numerous fights, use of weapons with the desire to harm someone;

- uncontrollable, cruel behavior that causes harm to both oneself and others;

- refusing to eat, using laxatives, or throwing away food in order to lose weight;

- severe anxiety that interferes with normal activities;

- difficulty concentrating, as well as the inability to sit still, which poses a physical danger;

- use of alcohol or drugs;

- severe mood swings leading to relationship problems;

- changes in behavior.

It is difficult to establish an accurate diagnosis based on these signs alone, so parents should contact a psychotherapist if they discover the above manifestations. These signs do not necessarily have to appear in children with mental disorders.

Treatment of mental problems in children

For help in choosing a treatment method, you should contact a child psychiatrist or psychotherapist. Most disorders need long-term treatment. To treat young patients, the same drugs are used as for adults, but in smaller doses.

How to treat mental disorders in children? Antipsychotics, anti-anxiety drugs, antidepressants, various stimulants and mood stabilizers are effective in treatment. Of great importance: parental attention and love. Parents should not ignore the first signs of disorders developing in a child.

If incomprehensible symptoms appear in a child’s behavior, you can get advice on issues of concern from child psychologists.

The main types of mental disorders that are typical for adults occur in childhood and adolescence. Timely diagnosis in this case has great value, since it affects the treatment and further prognosis of the development of severe psychopathology. Mental disorders in school-age children are most often limited to the following categories: schizophrenia, anxiety and disorders social behavior. Also, adolescents often have psychosomatic disorders that have no underlying cause. organic reasons.

Mood disorders (depression) are most common in adolescence and can have the most dangerous consequences. At this time, his entire existence seems hopeless to the teenager, he sees everything in black tones. A fragile psyche is the cause of suicidal thoughts among young people. This problem has acquired important, including medical, significance.

In most cases, depression begins with the child’s complaints about his neuropsychic state and subjective feelings. The teenager isolates himself from others and withdraws into himself. He feels inferior, depressed and often aggressive. His critical attitude towards himself further aggravates his difficult mental state. If the teenager is not provided at this moment medical care, then you can lose it.

Early symptoms of a mental disorder in children may indicate a problem:

• The child's behavior changes for no apparent reason.
• Academic performance is deteriorating.
• Appear and constant feeling fatigue.
• The child withdraws, withdraws into himself, and can lie idle all day long.
• Shows increased aggressiveness, irritability, and tearfulness.
• The child does not share his experiences, becomes detached, forgetful, and ignores requests. He is silent all the time, does not tell people about his affairs and gets irritated if they ask him about them.
• Suffering from bulimia or complete absence appetite.

The list goes on, but if a teenager exhibits most of the listed signs, then you should immediately contact a specialist. Childhood mental disorders should be treated by a doctor who specializes in the treatment of adolescent psychopathologies. Treatment for depression most often involves a combination of pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions.

Schizophrenia

Timely detection and pharmacotherapy initial stage schizophrenia in childhood and adolescence helps to improve the prognosis in the future. Early signs of this disorder are vague and similar to common problems. adolescence. However, after a few months the picture changes, and the pathology becomes more distinct.

It is believed that schizophrenia always manifests itself as delusions or hallucinations. In fact, early signs of schizophrenia can be very diverse: from obsessions, anxiety disorders to emotional impoverishment, etc.

Signs of mental disorder in school-aged children and adolescents:

• The child's warm feelings towards his parents weaken and his personality changes. Groundless aggression, anger, and irritation arise, although relationships with peers may remain the same.
• Initial symptoms can be expressed in the form of loss of former interests and hobbies, in the absence of new ones. Such children may wander aimlessly on the street or laze around the house.
• At the same time, lower instincts weaken. Patients lose interest in food. They do not feel hungry and may skip meals. In addition, teenagers become sloppy and forget to change dirty things.

A characteristic sign of pathology is a sharp decline academic performance and loss of interest in school life. Personality changes are accompanied by unmotivated aggression. As the disease progresses, the symptoms become more obvious, and a specialist will be able to easily recognize the signs of schizophrenia.

Psychosomatic disorders

In adolescence, psychosomatic disorders often occur: abdominal or head pain, sleep disorders. These physical problems are caused by psychological reasons related to age-related changes in organism.

Stress and nervous tension caused by school and family troubles, result in a teenager in and bad feeling. The student has difficulty falling asleep in the evening or wakes up too early in the morning. In addition, he may suffer from nightmares, enuresis or sleepwalking. All of these disorders are indications for seeing a doctor.

Schoolchildren, both girls and boys, often suffer from obsessive headaches. In girls, this is sometimes associated with a certain period menstrual cycle. But mostly they arise without organic causes. They are caused by psychosomatic disorders as in respiratory diseases.

Painful sensations are caused by increased muscle tone, and prevent the child from studying normally at school and doing homework.

Examination of children under 6 years of age

Assessment is more complex than assessing an adult patient. Toddlers lack the language and cognitive capabilities to describe their emotions and sensations. Thus, the doctor should rely mainly only on observation data of the child’s parents and educators.

The first signs of mental disorder in children preschool age:

• Nervous and mental disorders after 2 years of age arise due to the fact that the mother limits the child’s independence and overprotects him, continuing breast-feeding grown up baby. Such a child is timid, dependent on his mother, and often lags behind his peers in the development of skills.
• At the age of 3 years, mental disorders are expressed in increased fatigue, moodiness, irritability, tearfulness, speech disorders. If you suppress sociability and activity three year old child, this can lead to isolation and autism. There may be problems in interacting with peers in the future.
• Neurotic reactions in 4-year-old children are expressed in protest against the will of adults and hypertrophied stubbornness.
• The reason to seek help from a doctor regarding disorders in a 5-year-old child is the occurrence of symptoms such as impoverishment vocabulary, loss of previously acquired skills, refusal of role-playing games and joint activities with peers.

When assessing the mental state of children, we must not forget that they develop within a family framework, and this greatly influences the child’s behavior.

A child with a normal psyche who lives in a family of alcoholics and is periodically exposed to violence may have signs of mental disorders. Fortunately, in most cases, childhood mental disorders have mild degree and respond well to therapy. At severe forms pathology treatment is carried out by a qualified child psychiatrist.

The concept of mental disorder in children can be quite difficult to explain, let alone define, especially on your own. Parents' knowledge is usually not enough for this. As a result, many children who could benefit from treatment do not receive the help they need. This article will help parents learn to identify warning signs of mental illness in children and highlight some options for help.

"A warning also worsens a child's success in school or teachers' harshness toward his behavior," the psychologist adds. There is still no protection for children with mental disorders in Czech education, there is little interest in children with mental disabilities with a condition other than autism, and tens of thousands of children are left without the necessary psychiatric care. These are just some of the problems that, according to child psychiatrist Jaroslav Matys is being persecuted by Czech pediatric psychiatry. The Health Diary spoke to him about autism, psychiatric reform and educational issues.

Why is it difficult for parents to determine the state of mind of their child?

Unfortunately, many adults are unaware of the signs and symptoms of mental illness in children. Even if parents know the basic principles of recognizing serious mental disorders, they often find it difficult to distinguish mild signs of deviations from normal behavior in children. And the child sometimes does not have enough vocabulary or intellectual baggage to explain his problems verbally.

There is a lot of talk about autism today. Who and how is allowed to record their diagnosis in order to be recognized by the insurance company? Clinical diagnoses are the responsibility of the physician and no one else. Considering the Preamble World Organization health care, for which the classification of diseases is intended, is only health. Performed by professionals who are trained and able to diagnose. Diabetes cannot be diagnosed by a biochemist in a laboratory. He must be a clinician who also belongs to psychiatry.

However, this is an exception, since we do not only use medical methods, i.e. instruments and laboratories, but also psychological methods. For us, the key clinical psychologists are children who must be trained and certified. Everything else is a consulting service. That's why there was a clash with education. Here a draft law was prepared on special pedagogical centers, where psychologists without psychological education in clinical psychology and not at all in medicine wanted to take upon themselves the right to determine and control the diagnosis of psychiatrists.

Concerns about stereotypes associated with mental illness, the cost of using some medicines, as well as logistical complexity possible treatment, often delay the timing of therapy, or force parents to explain their child’s condition as some simple and temporary phenomenon. However, a psychopathological disorder that is beginning to develop cannot be restrained by anything other than proper, and most importantly, timely treatment.

Finally, based on pressure and gratitude from the deputies, he dropped out. Education is not here for treatment and diagnosis, but for training. Diagnostics are also provided, for example, by the National Autism Institute, which, according to its director, is a social institution.

This is not a medical facility, so it is not eligible to operate as a clinical workstation. They are not regulated by the law on the provision medical services And medical workers, therefore, they are not subject to punishment within the meaning of these laws - there is no criminal liability for false diagnosis and misconduct. This, however, would mean that they would have to hire a child psychiatrist, make a work order as a medical facility, prove that they have the necessary staffing and equipment, and proceed to the region selection process.

The concept of mental disorder, its manifestation in children

Children can suffer from the same mental illnesses as adults, but they manifest them in different ways. For example, depressed children often show more signs irritability than adults, who tend to be more sad.

Children most often suffer from a number of diseases, including acute or chronic mental disorders:

However, a number of associations have the right to give clinical diagnosis for a non-medical facility that they are paying for, and then follow-up services for that type of “diagnosis.” This is a conflict of interest and a violation of laws. Today they are also at the highest level to monitor whether they are allowed to make recommendations to schools as a specialized teaching center. They do not have registration or receipt, because education in the Kyrgyz Republic, including consulting services, is free.

So does the diagnosis of autism in the Czech Republic follow international standards? We follow international standards which we cannot leave behind. The standards have legal significance for courts and valuers. This is difficult, it is part of the certification, and the doctor must know this. There were suggestions from parent organizations that only a clinical psychologist could do this. Then let's say that the psychiatrist is moving towards the philosophy department, we are taking medications, and the clinical psychologist will be focusing on schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

Children suffering from anxiety disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social phobia and generalized anxiety disorder, clearly show signs of anxiety, which is a constant problem that interferes with their daily activities.

There is pressure from parents, why this cannot happen - until something goes away and someone dies. When parents suspect that their child has autism, where to diagnose and what to look for? They should go straight to the doctor and not to a counsellor. Parents can also contact child psychologist- who doesn't matter once because we collaborate and share news.

In differential diagnosis, we work with neurologists to rule out certain processes in the brain, with genetics and often with speech therapists. How does the pediatrician have an indispensable role in diagnosis? Autism spectrum disorder is one of the most difficult diagnoses in psychiatry. It's not that difficult to identify symptoms that fall under the umbrella of autism. The most difficult is differential diagnosis from other mental disorders that have similar symptoms, but in a different final picture.

Sometimes anxiety is traditional part experiences of each child, often moving from one developmental stage to another. However, when stress takes over active positions, it becomes difficult for the child. It is in such cases that symptomatic treatment is indicated.

• Attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder.

This disorder typically includes three categories of symptoms: difficulty concentrating, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. Some children with this condition have symptoms of all categories, while others may have only one sign.

There are at least 15-20 other mental disorders that can mimic it. In addition, the psychiatrist must distinguish between mental disorders such as brain, metabolism or endocrine disorder or intoxication. In addition, the psychiatrist must work with other specialists, such as cardiology, neurology or neurosurgery, to know that if something is happening in the brain, whether it is the result of surgery or a developmental issue. When medications are given, we must agree with other experts because we are responsible for the patient.

This pathology is a serious developmental disorder that manifests itself in early childhood - usually before the age of 3 years. Although symptoms and their severity are subject to change, the disorder always affects a child's ability to communicate and interact with others.

• Eating disorders.

Disorders eating behavior- such as anorexia and gluttony are quite serious diseases that threaten the life of a child. Children can become so preoccupied with food and their weight that it prevents them from focusing on anything else.

Both child and adult psychiatrists must be able to distinguish between other comorbid conditions. The person who was not in medicine could not know this. If you learn the algorithm for one diagnosis but you don't know the others, you cannot differentiate between the diagnoses. When such a focus has only autism, social phobia turns into Asperger's. Some specific intelligence studies are completely absent, while two thirds of children are lagging behind. But they cannot differentiate between delays, autism, language development disorders, anxiety, which we can effectively treat today, or hyperactivity.

• Mood disorders.

Affect disorders such as depression and can lead to the stabilization of persistent feelings of sadness or sudden changes moods much more serious than the usual variability common in many people.

• Schizophrenia.

This chronic mental illness causes the child to lose touch with reality. Schizophrenia most often appears in late adolescence, from about 20 years of age.

Determining a diagnosis based on confirming the symptoms of one diagnosis is simply meaningless and dangerous for the patient. If you first asked the question about relevance for insurance companies, this is at first glance. It is important that in the legislation on diagnosis there are no doctors in addition to doctors. It is impossible for a consulting psychologist in a non-medical institution to allow medical diagnosis. These are organizations registered as social and educational services. But when people are stressed, they pay, although if a psychiatrist does the same thing, it is covered by public health insurance.

Depending on the child's condition, illnesses can be classified as temporary mental disorders or permanent ones.

Main signs of mental illness in children

Some markers that a child may have mental health problems are:

What awaits such a diagnosis? To ensure patient safety, a complete physical examination should be performed to rule out other causes. Autism is a neurological disorder, but there is a percentage caused by disorders other than just brain development. This is an associated morbidity that needs to be treated. There are myths, even found in government office material, that if autism is diagnosed on time, there is no need for medication. It is clear that autism medication helps correct the mental disorders that contribute to autism and sociability.

Mood changes. You should pay attention to the dominant signs of sadness or melancholy that last for at least, two weeks, or severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships at home or at school.

Too strong emotions. Acute emotions of overwhelming fear for no reason, sometimes combined with tachycardia or rapid breathing, are a serious reason to pay attention to your child.

With medications, children are better educated and educated. How do we have multidisciplinary teams in the Czech Republic, where more expertise will be involved in diagnostics? We have no problems with medical care in neurology, pediatrics and other doctors. The problem is related to other professions that work with children. We study and help civil associations. If everything remained in special pedagogical centers, the money would be paid to autistic people. There we have to establish a boundary, and this is also stagnation, which is not easy.

As a result, at the age of 18 he cannot do this because he could not, but did not teach. But he will not achieve disability. So there have to be social services where they try to train, and when that doesn't really happen, there are other supportive things. Participation should be mandatory, we not only want it, we don’t want it. If you don't do this, you won't benefit. Only when we discover that this is indeed the case should they have a right to them.

Uncharacteristic behavior. This may include sudden changes in behavior or self-image, as well as dangerous or out of control actions. Frequent fights with the use of third-party objects, a strong desire to harm others are also warning signs.

Difficulty concentrating. Characteristic manifestation Similar signs are very clearly visible at the time of preparing homework. It is also worth paying attention to teachers’ complaints and current school performance.

Is there any way in the Czech Republic that screening for autism spectrum disorders can be carried out by practitioners within preventive examinations? We work with children and teenagers. Early diagnosis important, but this cannot be done until the fourth to fifth year, with severe autism a little earlier. Screening methods in the world are the methodology for the Czech Republic and the conditions of stay of doctors and adolescents in the Czech Republic for children and adolescents, who must be within two months.

These are screening methods that select certain symptoms, but because autism is a developmental disorder, brain development may not necessarily occur in autism. The child should then be seen by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist, but the screening method is not necessary for a final diagnosis.

Unexplained weight loss. Sudden loss of appetite frequent vomiting or laxative use may indicate an eating disorder;

Physical symptoms. Compared to adults, children with mental health problems may often complain of headaches and stomach pains rather than sadness or anxiety.

Can autism be recognized through devices? This is still ten or twenty years away from standardized brain imaging in children with autism. Today we know where the problems are. But when you now do brain images of autism and schizophrenia, they are very similar in comparison, they are not specific. The brain is so complex that it cannot be made yet. Therefore, in autism and psychiatry it decides clinical picture- how the patient works, how he looks, what he does, how he thinks and how he behaves.

Any scale may indicate suspicion, but the clinical picture decides. So you can't rely on the scale? The scales are optional and parents sometimes confuse this because they think that when the scale comes out, it is given. Also, he is often an autistic parent - and do you think that a father with autism or Asperger's sees his son's social blindness? He doesn't write it, and the whole range is useless - it's a false negative. In other cases, parents of the disease learn today, even for financial reasons, or are motivated to apologize for aggression and even criminal behavior of their child, and then they say the learned phrases from a book or the Internet.

Physical damage. Sometimes mental health conditions lead to self-injury, also called self-harm. Children often choose far inhumane methods for these purposes - they often cut themselves or set themselves on fire. Such children also often develop thoughts of suicide and attempts to actually commit suicide.

Substance abuse. Some children use drugs or alcohol to try to cope with their feelings.

Actions of parents if a child is suspected of having mental disorders

If parents are truly concerned about their child's mental health, they should contact a professional as soon as possible.

The clinician should describe the present behavior in detail, focusing on the most striking discrepancies with more early period. For getting additional information before visiting a doctor, it is recommended to talk with school teachers, class teacher, close friends or other persons who spend some long time with the child. As a rule, this approach is very helpful in making up your mind and discovering something new, something that a child would never show at home. We must remember that there should be no secrets from the doctor. And yet - there is no panacea in the form of pills.

General actions of specialists

Mental health conditions in children are diagnosed and treated on the basis of signs and symptoms, taking into account the impact of psychological or psychiatric disorders on daily life child. This approach also allows us to determine the types of mental disorders of the child. There is no simple, unique or 100% guaranteed positive result tests. In order to make a diagnosis, the doctor may recommend the presence of related specialists, for example, a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, psychiatric nurse, mental health educators or behavioral therapist.

The doctor or other specialists will work with the child, usually individually, to determine first whether the child actually has a disability. normal condition mental health based diagnostic criteria, or not. For comparison, special databases of child psychological and mental symptoms are used, which are used by specialists all over the world.

In addition, the physician or other mental health case manager will seek other possible reasons, explaining the child’s behavior, such as a history of previous illnesses or injuries, including family ones.

It is worth noting that diagnosing childhood mental disorders can be quite difficult, since expressing their emotions and feelings correctly can be a serious challenge for children. Moreover, this quality always varies from child to child - there are no identical children in this regard. Despite these challenges, an accurate diagnosis is an integral part of proper, effective treatment.

General therapeutic approaches

Common treatment options for children who have mental health problems include:

• Psychotherapy.

Psychotherapy, also known as “talk therapy” or behavior therapy, is a way to treat many mental health problems. Speaking with a psychologist, while showing emotions and feelings, the child allows you to look into the very depths of his experiences. During psychotherapy, children themselves learn a lot about their condition, mood, feelings, thoughts and behavior. Psychotherapy can help a child learn to respond to difficult situations against the backdrop of healthy overcoming problematic barriers.

• Pharmacological therapy.

• Combination of approaches.

In the process of searching for problems and their solutions, specialists themselves will offer the necessary and most effective option treatment. In some cases, psychotherapy sessions will be quite enough, in others, it will be impossible to do without medications.

It is worth noting that acute mental disorders are always easier to treat than chronic ones.

Parental help

At such moments, the child needs the support of his parents more than ever. Children with mental health diagnoses, just like their parents, typically experience feelings of helplessness, anger and frustration. Ask your child's doctor for advice on how to change the way you interact with your son or daughter and how to cope with difficult behavior.

Look for ways to relax and have fun with your child. Praise him strengths and abilities. Explore new techniques that can help you understand how to calmly respond to stressful situations.

Family counseling or support groups can be a good help in treating childhood mental disorders. This approach is very important for parents and children. This will help you understand your child's illness, his feelings, and what you can do together to provide maximum help and support.

To help your child succeed in school, keep your child's teachers and school officials informed about your child's mental health. Unfortunately, in some cases, you may have to change your educational institution to a school whose curriculum is designed for children with mental problems.

If you are concerned about your child's mental health, seek professional advice. No one can make a decision for you. Don't avoid help because you are ashamed or afraid. With the right support, you can find out the truth about whether your child has disabilities and can explore treatment options, thereby ensuring your child continues to have a decent quality of life.

Mental disorders in children are very common, and their number is increasing every year. According to statistics, today every fifth child has developmental problems varying degrees. The danger of such diseases is that parents often do not recognize the symptoms in time and do not attach much importance to the condition of their children, attributing everything to bad character or age. But it is important to know that mental disorders do not go away on their own with age. Most of them require complex specialized treatment. Serious approach and timely recognition of the problem is a chance to return the child to full mental health.

What are the features of mental disorders in children?

Mental disorders in children develop in most cases in the first months of a baby’s life, but can also appear at an older age. They represent inferiority and disruptions in the functioning of the psyche and, accordingly, affect general development child.

Mental disorders, depending on the age and stage of the disease, can manifest themselves in different forms. In total, doctors distinguish four general groups:

• or mental retardation - it is characterized by a low level of intelligence, imagination, memory and attention;
• Mental retardation - first makes itself felt at about a year old; it is characterized by problems with speech, motor skills, and memory;
• – this syndrome causes hyperactivity, impulsiveness and inattention, while there is a decrease in the level of intelligence;
• Autism is a condition in which a child's ability to communicate and socialize is impaired.

Sometimes parents cheat negative manifestations the baby's age and hope that it will go away over time. However, mental disorders need to be treated. With age, diseases only worsen and it is more difficult to choose the right and effective therapeutic methods. And no matter how difficult it may be for parents to admit that their child has mental disabilities, they need to seek help from a psychotherapist.

Factors provoking mental disorders

Mental disorders arise under the influence of several factors. Moreover, many of their forms develop during the prenatal period. There are several key reasons:

• Genetic predisposition - hereditary transmission of mental disorders, occurs in 40% of cases;
• Peculiarities of upbringing – wrong choice of upbringing methods or lack thereof;
• Infectious diseases affecting the brain and central nervous system;
• Ancestral and postpartum trauma baby's head;
• Dysfunction of the metabolic system;
• Severe or overvoltage;
• Low level of intelligence;
• Unfavorable family environment;

Symptoms and signs of mental disorders in children

The first signs of disease manifest themselves differently, depending on the age of the child. At home, parents may notice the following changes, which may symbolize a mental disorder:

• A child’s bad mood is worth paying attention to if it dominates for several weeks without a specific reason;
• Frequent mood changes;
• Inattention and difficulty concentrating;
• Nervousness, aggressiveness;
• Constant and feeling of threat;
• Changes in the child’s behavior – the child begins to do dangerous things and becomes uncontrollable;
• A constant desire to draw attention to ourselves or, conversely, to hide from others;
• Loss of appetite and, accordingly, significant weight loss;
• Nausea and vomiting;
• Headaches and causeless abdominal pain;
• Conversation with yourself or an imaginary friend;
• Actions that cause harm to oneself and others;
• Decreased interest in favorite things and activities;
• Use of alcohol and drugs.

You can notice these signs yourself. But doctors diagnose mental disorders based not only on these, but also on other medical symptoms:

• Tachycardia and rapid breathing;
• Changes in the organic structure of blood;
• Changes in the structure of brain cells;
• Digestive system disorders;
• Low IQ;
• Physical underdevelopment;
• Special form.

Such diseases usually cause several symptoms, so observation alone is not enough to confirm the diagnosis, a medical examination is necessary.

Diagnosis and treatment

To choose the right therapeutic method, need to go full diagnostics. It happens according to this scheme:

• Study and analysis of obvious symptoms;
• Laboratory testing of blood, urine;
• MRI examination of the cerebral cortex;
• Conducting testing.

In order to approach treatment correctly, it is necessary to examine the child by several specialists: a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist, a neurologist. Moreover, examinations must be carried out by each specialist in turn: each of the doctors can thus determine the symptoms that characterize his area.

It is important to remember that drug therapy cannot completely cure mental disorders. To help the child and return full-fledged mental health, you need to use a set of procedures and methods.

There are several ways to combat this problem:

• Drug therapy. It consists of taking antidepressants, tranquilizers, sedatives, as well as general tonic vitamins. The choice of drug lies with the doctor, he prescribes special remedy, which corresponds to the age and form of development of the disorder.
• Psychotherapy. In psychotherapy, there are many techniques to overcome mental disorders in children. It all depends on the age and stage of neglect of the process. Individual talking therapy or group therapy with appropriate selection of children is considered very effective. Psychotherapy is considered the most effective method of treating this type of disease.
• Family therapy. The family is very important for the formation of a child’s psyche; this is where the first concepts are laid. Therefore, in case of mental disorders, family members must achieve maximum interaction with the baby, help him achieve something, constantly talk to him, and do exercises together.
• Complex therapy. It provides combinations drug treatment with another type of therapy. It is necessary when acute forms disorders when psychological activities alone are not enough.

The sooner parents identify mental problems in their child and take him to a doctor, the greater the chance of returning him to a full-fledged lifestyle. The main rule is to seek help from a specialist in order to avoid unpleasant consequences.

Mental disorders in children or mental dysontogenesis are deviations from normal behavior, accompanied by a group of disorders that relate to pathological conditions. Arise due to genetic, sociopathic, physiological reasons, sometimes their formation is facilitated by injuries or diseases of the brain. Disorders that arise at an early age become the cause of mental disorders and require treatment by a psychiatrist.

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Causes of disorders

The formation of a child’s psyche is associated with biological features body, heredity and constitution, the rate of formation of the brain and parts of the central nervous system, acquired skills. The root of the development of mental disorders in children should always be sought in biological, sociopathic or psychological factors that provoke the occurrence of disorders; often the process is triggered by a combination of agents. The main reasons include:

• Genetic predisposition. Assumes initially malfunction nervous system due to congenital features body. When close relatives have mental disorders, there is a possibility of passing them on to the child.
• Deprivation (inability to satisfy needs) in early childhood. The connection between mother and baby begins from the first minutes of birth; it sometimes has a major influence on a person’s attachments and the depth of emotional feelings in the future. Any type of deprivation (tactile or emotional, psychological) partially or completely affects a person’s mental development and leads to mental dysontogenesis.
• Limited mental abilities also refer to a kind of mental disorder and affect physiological development, sometimes causes other violations.
• Brain injury occurs as a result of difficult childbirth or head injuries, encephalopathy is caused by infections during intrauterine development or after illness. In terms of prevalence, this reason takes the leading place along with the hereditary factor.
• Bad habits of the mother, the toxicological effects of smoking, alcohol, drugs have Negative influence on the fetus during the period of gestation. If the father suffers from these ailments, the consequences of intemperance often affect the child’s health, affecting the central nervous system and brain, which negatively affects the psyche.

Family conflicts or dysfunctional conditions in the home - significant factor, traumatic for the developing psyche, aggravating the condition.

Mental disorders in childhood, especially under one year of age, are united by a common feature: the progressive dynamics of mental functions are combined with the development of dysontogenesis associated with a violation of the morphofunctional brain systems. The condition occurs due to cerebral disorders, congenital characteristics or social influences.

Relationship between disorders and age

In children psychophysical development occurs gradually, is divided into stages:

• early - up to three years;
• preschool – up to the age of six;
• junior school – up to 10 years;
• school-puberty – up to 17 years.

Critical periods are considered to be time periods during the transition to the next stage, which are characterized by rapid changes in all body functions, including an increase in mental reactivity. At this time, children are most susceptible to nervous disorders or worsening of existing mental pathologies. Age crises occur at 3-4 years, 5-7 years, 12-16 years. What features are characteristic of each stage:

• Before one year of age, babies develop positive and negative sensations and form initial ideas about the world around them. In the first months of life, disorders are associated with the needs that the child must receive: food, sleep, comfort and absence of painful sensations. The crisis of 7-8 months is marked by awareness of the differentiation of feelings, recognition of loved ones and the formation of attachment, so the child requires the attention of the mother and family members. The better parents provide satisfaction of needs, the faster a positive behavioral stereotype is formed. Dissatisfaction causes negative reaction, the more unfulfilled desires accumulate, the more severe the deprivation, which subsequently leads to aggression.
• In 2-year-old children, active maturation of brain cells continues, motivation for behavior appears, orientation towards evaluation by adults, and positive behavior is identified. With constant control and prohibitions, the inability to assert oneself leads to a passive attitude and the development of infantilism. With additional stress, behavior takes on a pathological character.
• Stubbornness and nervous breakdowns, protests are observed at 4 years of age, mental disorders can manifest themselves in mood swings, tension, and internal discomfort. Restrictions cause frustration, the child’s mental balance is disturbed due to even minor negative influences.
• At 5 years of age, disorders can manifest themselves when mental development is advanced, accompanied by dysynchrony, that is, a one-sided direction of interests appears. Also, attention should be paid if the child has lost skills acquired earlier, has become untidy, limits communication, has a decreased vocabulary, or does not play role-playing games.
• In seven-year-olds, the cause of neuroses is schoolwork; with the start of the school year, disturbances manifest themselves in instability of mood, tearfulness, fatigue, and headaches. The reactions are based on psychosomatic asthenia (poor sleep and appetite, decreased performance, fears), fatigue. The failure factor is the discrepancy between mental abilities and the school curriculum.
• In school and adolescence, mental disorders manifest themselves in anxiety, increased anxiety, melancholy, mood swings. Negativism is combined with conflict, aggression, and internal contradictions. Children react painfully to others' assessment of their abilities and appearance. Sometimes there is increased self-confidence or, conversely, criticism, posturing, and disdain for the opinions of teachers and parents.

Mental disorders should be distinguished from anomalies of post-schizophrenic defect and dementia resulting from organic brain disease. In this case, dysontogenesis acts as a symptom of pathology.



Types of pathologies

Children are diagnosed with mental disorders typical of adults, but children also have specific age-related ailments. Symptoms of dysontogenesis are varied, depending on age, stage of development and environment.

The peculiarity of the manifestations is that in children it is not always easy to distinguish pathology from characteristics of character and development. There are several types of mental disorders in children.



Mental retardation

Pathology refers to acquired or congenital mental underdevelopment with a clear lack of intelligence, when the child’s social adaptation is difficult or completely impossible. In sick children the following decreases, sometimes significantly:

• cognitive abilities and memory;
• perception and attention;
• speech skills;
• control over instinctual needs.

The vocabulary is poor, the pronunciation is unclear, the child is poorly developed emotionally and morally, and is unable to predict the consequences of his actions. IN mild degree It is detected in children upon entering school; moderate and severe stages are diagnosed in the first years of life.

The disease cannot be cured completely, but proper upbringing and training will allow the child to learn communication and self-care skills; with a mild stage of the disease, people are able to adapt to society. IN severe cases A person will need care throughout their entire life.

Impaired mental function

A borderline state between oligophrenia and the norm, disorders are manifested by delays in the cognitive, motor or emotional, speech sphere. Mental retardation sometimes occurs due to slow development of brain structures. It happens that the condition passes without a trace or remains as an underdevelopment of one function, while it is compensated by other, sometimes accelerated, abilities.

There are also residual syndromes - hyperactivity, decreased attention, loss of previously acquired skills. The type of pathology can become the basis for pathocharacterological manifestations of personality in adulthood.

ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)

A common problem in children of preschool age and up to 12 years old, it is characterized by neuro-reflex excitability. It shows that the child:

• active, unable to sit still or do one thing for a long time;
• constantly distracted;
• impulsive;
• intemperate and talkative;
• does not finish what he starts.

Neuropathy does not lead to a decrease in intelligence, but if the condition is not corrected, it often becomes the cause of difficulties with studying and adaptation in the social sphere. In the future, the consequences of attention deficit disorder may include incontinence, drug or alcohol addiction, and family problems.

Autism

A congenital mental disorder is accompanied not only by speech and motor disorders; autism is characterized by a violation of contact and social interaction with people. Stereotypical behavior makes it difficult to change the environment and living conditions; changes cause fear and panic. Children tend to perform monotonous movements and actions, repeating sounds and words.

The disease is difficult to treat, but the efforts of doctors and parents can correct the situation and reduce the manifestations of psychopathological symptoms.

Acceleration

Characteristic for pathology accelerated development child physically or intellectually. Reasons include urbanization, improved nutrition, and interethnic marriages. Acceleration can manifest itself as harmonious development, when all systems develop evenly, but these cases are rare. With the progress of physical and mental development, somatovegetative abnormalities are noted at an early age, and endocrine problems are identified in older children.

The mental sphere is also characterized by disorder, for example, during the formation of early speech skills, motor skills or social cognition lag behind, and physical maturity is combined with infantilism. With age, differences smooth out, so violations usually do not lead to consequences.

Infantilism

With infantilism, the emotional-volitional sphere lags behind in development. Symptoms are identified at the stage of school and adolescence, when big child behaves like a preschooler: prefers to play rather than gain knowledge. Does not accept school discipline and requirements, while the level of abstract logical thinking is not impaired. In an unfavorable social environment, simple infantilism tends to progress.

The reasons for the formation of the disorder are often constant control and restriction, unjustified guardianship, projection negative emotions on the child and incontinence, which encourages him to close down and adapt.

What to look for?

Manifestations of mental disorders in childhood are varied, and sometimes it is difficult to confuse them with a lack of upbringing. Symptoms of these disorders can sometimes appear in healthy children, so only a specialist can diagnose the pathology. You should consult a doctor if signs of mental disorders manifest themselves clearly, expressed in the following behavior:

• Increased cruelty. child in younger age does not yet understand that by dragging the cat by the tail, he hurts the animal. The student is aware of the level of discomfort of the animal; if he likes it, he should pay attention to his behavior.
• The desire to lose weight. The desire to be beautiful arises in every girl in adolescence, when... normal weight The schoolgirl considers herself fat and refuses to eat, so there is a good reason to go to a psychiatrist.
• If a child has a high degree of anxiety, panic attacks often occur, the situation cannot be left unattended.
• Bad mood and blues are sometimes common to people, but the course of depression for more than 2 weeks in a teenager requires increased attention from parents.
• Mood swings indicate mental instability and inability to adequately respond to stimuli. If a change in behavior occurs without a reason, this indicates problems that require solutions.

When a child is active and sometimes inattentive, there is nothing to worry about. But if this makes it difficult for him to even play outdoor games with peers because he is distracted, the condition requires correction.

Treatment methods

Timely detection behavioral disorders in children and the creation of a favorable psychological atmosphere makes it possible to correct mental disorders in most cases. Some situations require lifelong monitoring and medication. Sometimes it is possible to cope with the problem in a short time, sometimes it takes years to recover, with the support of the adults around the child. Therapy depends on the diagnosis, age, causes of formation and type of manifestations of disorders; in each specific case, the treatment method is selected individually, even when the symptoms vary slightly. Therefore, when visiting a psychotherapist or psychologist, it is important to explain to the doctor the essence of the problem, to present Full description characteristics of the child's behavior, based on comparative characteristics before and after changes.

The following are used in the treatment of children:

• In simple cases, psychotherapeutic methods are sufficient, when the doctor, in conversations with the child and parents, helps to find the cause of the problem, ways to solve it, and teaches how to control behavior.
• A set of psychotherapeutic measures and medications indicate more serious development pathology. At depressive states, aggressive behavior, mood swings, sedatives, antidepressants, and antipsychotics are prescribed. Nootropics and psychoneuroregulators are used to treat developmental delays.
• In case of severe disorders, inpatient treatment is recommended, where the child receives the necessary therapy under the supervision of a doctor.

During the treatment period and after it, it is necessary to create a favorable environment in the family, eliminate stress and negative impact environment influencing behavioral reactions.

If parents have doubts about the adequacy of the child’s behavior, they should contact a psychiatrist, a specialist will conduct an examination and prescribe treatment. It is important to identify pathology at an early stage in order to correct behavior in time, prevent the progression of the disorder and eliminate the problem.