Neurasthenia in children
Neurasthenia in children and adolescents is a borderline disease with temporary, reversible dysfunctions of the nervous system. This phenomenon occurs under the influence of various psychotraumatic factors. Nervous disorders develop in the first year of life, as well as at school age, more often in boys than in girls and are characterized by special, varied and dynamic symptoms.
The reasons causing the development of childhood neurasthenia include fear, fear of punishment, incorrect, prejudiced attitude towards them by parents and teachers. Such states are the result of separation from one of the parents after a divorce, nervous breakdowns occur from the fact that the child attended kindergarten for the first time, and this also applies to transfer to another school or change of place of residence.
The development of neurosis in a child is facilitated by the predominance of individual traits, a developing character, a weakening of the protective properties of the body after physiological and bodily diseases, an unbalanced emotional state of the mother during gestation, a hereditary factor, etc. With neurasthenia, there is tension and disruption of inhibition processes. Neurasthenia in children is manifested by certain symptoms. There is increased irritability, tearfulness.
A sick child gets tired quickly, both physically and mentally. Often, the disease is accompanied by a decrease in attention, vegetative-vascular disorders, headaches, drowsiness, and increased sweating. Fainting, decreased appetite are possible. Nervous exhaustion can be caused by unbearable loads, if the child, in addition to the usual school loads, is additionally loaded with the study of foreign languages, music, sports, and is engaged in various circles.
Children can be moody, excited, or vice versa lethargic, frightened, too insecure. The cause of childhood neurotic disorders is fear, fearfulness. Many children are afraid of the dark, of strangers. The transferred infectious disease and the effect of toxic and chemical substances adversely affect the child's nervous system.
The manifestation of neurasthenia can be striking with special characteristics of behavior. Such children, as a rule, are too active, irritable, mobile, difficult to control, noisy and fussy, unable to restrain emotions. They are characterized by selfishness, increased exactingness to others, their perseverance is difficult to resist.
Parents often cannot refuse or reassure such a child. But some children, on the contrary, are inactive, impressionable and whiny. Fatigue leads to moodiness and whining. Diagnosis of this disease is carried out on the basis of findings from parental observations of the child's behavior.
In addition to the above symptoms, the disease provokes a change in the work of the gastrointestinal tract, constipation, nausea occur, and vomiting is possible. Sleep is of a superficial and short-term nature, with a frequent change in the position of the child. Sleeplessness at night, the desire to play at night, fear of the dark, decreased appetite, uncontrolled nighttime urination - these are not all problems that parents of young children with neurasthenia face.
Often, babies throw tantrums and are difficult to stop, such situations arise suddenly in the store when he wants to buy a toy or at home when it is impossible to force him to have dinner. It is difficult to cope with a teenager who is already developing his own vision of the world around him; here you cannot do without the help of a psychologist, unfortunately, many parents rarely turn to professionals, and in vain, it is practically impossible to solve such problems on their own.
How to eliminate neurasthenia in children?
In some cases, to clarify the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes an examination of all organs and systems of the sick child by laboratory, electrophysiological methods. In the process of treatment, the main task is to eliminate the causes and reduce mental and physical stress.
During the recovery period, it is necessary to change the intensive study regime and devote more time to rest. Any activity should evoke positive emotions in the child. Walks in the fresh air before bedtime, autogenous training are welcome.
You need to take care of a balanced diet rich in vitamins. If possible, it is best to change the environment, for example, spend a few days in nature with your family. It is useful to use psychotherapeutic methods that help to normalize the work of the nervous system, which have a calming effect.
For example, you can watch beautiful, colorful fish in an aquarium and listen to a melodic piece of music. Parents are obliged to create a calm atmosphere in the house, to restrain their emotions. There are many ways to do this, you need patience and adherence to the recommendations of specialists.
Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist
Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".
