Every mother needs to know the signs of hyperactivity in children under 3 years old. Contrary to popular belief, hyperactivity is not just the inability to sit still, inattention, excessive noise and mobility of the baby. This is a diagnosis that should be given to you by the treating neurologist who knows your child and observes him for some time.

The brain generates nerve impulses too quickly. These processes prevent a small person from concentrating on some business, switching from active games to relaxing, falling asleep. Hyperactivity can begin in a child not in the “difficult” three years, but much earlier. Some symptoms can be recognized already in infancy. And the sooner you do this, the better it will be for you and your baby.

Here are some distinguishing features of hyperactive children:

• The child physically develops faster than their peers. Such babies sit down early, get up, start walking and crawling. They often fall off sofas and drive their parents crazy with this, while their peers are still peacefully lying in cradles. By itself, this symptom does not mean anything, if there is real hyperactivity, it will manifest itself somehow else.
• These children cannot simply fall asleep or rest if they are very tired. Instead of sitting down, a hyperactive baby will begin to “cut” circles around the apartment, screaming at breakneck speed, and then. It is difficult to put a child with such a diagnosis to sleep even in infancy, often a mother has to swing and carry her child in her arms for a long time before sleep finally comes.
• From the very beginning of life, hyperactive children sleep less than others. Newborns spend in their sleep most days, but not those with hyperactivity. These babies can stay awake for 5 hours, cry for a long time, but not fall asleep.

• Another manifestation of ADHD is light sleep. The child wakes up from every rustle, shudders from any slight noise. It is very difficult to put him back to sleep, you have to rock him for a long time and carry him in your arms
• A change of scenery, guests, new faces - all this is a real test for a hyperactive child. It is difficult for him to withstand such an active lifestyle of his mother, he can fall into tantrums from a large number of impressions, he recovers for a long time and comes to his senses after a day full of emotions. From stormy delight, he turns into a long cry, then falls asleep, exhausted from tears. The more people in the room, the more tired the child.
• A symptom of ADHD, that is, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a strong attachment to the mother. The kid is afraid of other adults, does not make contact, hides behind his mother. Such children are jealous of their mother for strangers and turn every conflict into a tantrum.
• A girl or boy with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder cannot do one thing for a long time. Any toy quickly gets bored, the baby either takes one and throws it, then takes another and also throws it.
• Frequent mood swings are an important symptom of ADHD. Just now the child was laughing, and now he is screaming and destroying everything from anger. If this happens often, it is worth taking him to a neurologist for examination.
• Not only impulsivity and irritability signal problems nervous system. If a child often floats away somewhere in dreams, thinks and does not hear what is being addressed to him and does not pay attention to what is happening around, this is also a reason to ask a neurologist a question.
• ADHD is often accompanied by a child's depressive mood and fears. You may notice that the baby has become withdrawn, looks sad and tired. He seemed to have lost interest in games and hobbies. Fears can make a child unnecessarily touchy and anxious.
• Hyperactive children often twitch their arms and legs, and fidget in their chair when they need to be quiet. When standing in line for a game, they may jump up and down with impatience. If you play a quiz with such a baby, there is a chance that he will shout out the answer even before you say the full question.
• Losing things, making mistakes due to inattention, switching to things that are irrelevant are the eternal companions of patients diagnosed with ADHD.

All these signs do not mean that your child is necessarily diagnosed with hyperactivity. It should be placed by a neurologist. Similar behavior occurs in healthy children and is a consequence of their healthy temperament. In order not to panic ahead of time and not heal a healthy child, you need to take a very responsible approach to the issue of diagnosis and not judge by a few symptoms “by eye”.

A healthy child can also run, jump and stand on his head, but he will not fall into hysterics, but will come to sit quietly, watch cartoons. Another difference is that it is easy to distract a healthy child from hysteria with a toy, a song, a bird outside the window. Good long sleep and fast falling asleep are also a sign of a healthy nervous system.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is not really a disease. With the right approach and behavior of adults, the child will “outgrow” this condition, and in the future the peculiarity of the brain will not cause him any problems.

The causes of a child's hyperactivity may be hidden during the mother's pregnancy. If she suffered from toxicosis and high blood pressure throughout her pregnancy, and the child suffered from intrauterine hypoxia, then the risk is 3 times higher than usual that the child will be born with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Stress, hard work or smoking during pregnancy can also affect the health of the nervous system of the unborn baby. In addition to perinatal factors, the course of childbirth can also influence the brain. At risk are deliveries by caesarean section, prolonged labor with fetal hypoxia, a long anhydrous period and the imposition of forceps, and, on the contrary, very rapid labor.

The doctor asks the mother about the family history, whether there were people with such a diagnosis in the family, asks to give a description of the baby. It is important to tell the neurologist about anything that raises suspicions, whether it is poor sleep or severe excitability. There are certain diagnostic criteria approved by the American Psychiatric Organization, it is with them that the neurologist will correlate the stories of the parents.

In addition to the conversation, there are hardware diagnostic methods, such as an electroencephalographic study or a study using magnetic resonance imaging. These are completely painless methods that can give a complete picture of the state of the child's nervous system.

How to raise a child with hyperactivity

If you are a mother of a hyperactive child, try not to overload his psyche with excessive vivid impressions and noise. Think carefully about visiting and family holidays, visits to parks and cultural events. Do not turn on the TV in the background, watch cartoons for a long time. After watching cartoons, children are often very tired, without realizing it.

Some tips for dealing with hyperactive children:

• Be clear about your requests and requirements. Do not speak in long sentences and florid language, do not load the request to remove the toys with additional morality and meaning. A baby with hyperactivity has poorly developed logical and abstract thinking, it will be difficult for him to understand you.
• Formulate the restrictions correctly. Try to limit the use of negatives and the word "no", instead of "do not run in the club" say "run on the sidewalk". Any prohibition should have a reason, clearly and briefly explain it to the child. Suggest an alternative. For example, you can’t beat a cat, but you can pet it. You can’t pour water from a mug onto the floor, but you can into the bath.
• Don't forget the sequence. No need to set the child several tasks at once. “Put away your toys, wash your hands and go eat”, he most likely will not understand. At some stage, he will be distracted, forget what was required of him, play too much. Voice each request separately, first about toys, when the toys are removed, it’s time to wash your hands, and only then invite them to the table.
• Help to navigate the time. Instead of dragging your child home from a walk right away, warn him in advance that it’s time to go home soon - 20 minutes before the right time, for example. After 10 minutes, remind again, after five - again. By the time of the training camp, the child will already be mentally prepared for the fact that you need to switch from the game. The same applies to "time to go to bed" and "time to turn off the cartoons".
• Provide a choice. Invite the child to choose from two toys, items of clothing, two or three dishes. This setting of the usual “get dressed” and “go eat” gives the child the feeling that he himself can make some decisions, which means that his mother trusts him.

If you clearly see that the child is overexcited and cannot cope with emotions, take him to a quiet place, for example, to another room, offer him water. Hugs and pats on the head will help. The child should feel that the mother is calm and that she loves him. Before going to bed, observing rituals, a bath with an extract of hop cones or needles, reading a book helps a lot. You can do a light massage, sing a quiet song. It is not recommended to watch cartoons before going to bed, a maximum of one short cartoon lasting 10-15 minutes.

Rules for Parents

Follow a clear daily routine. This is essential for a child with ADHD. , sleeping and bathing - everything should happen at the same time. This will help your beloved child to tune in in advance and give him a sense of calm and solid ground under his feet. In nutrition, it is worth limiting the consumption of food additives and dyes, the use of chocolate and large amounts of sugar and salt.

In the baby's room there should not be a lot of bright distracting pictures, a large number of scattered toys lying on the floor and scattering his attention. For a very young child, give out toys one or two at a time, remove them as soon as he loses interest. A 2-year-old can already take part in the cleaning himself.

Every time the child coped with himself, overcame the tantrum and was able to calm down in time, praise and encourage him. Positive reinforcement will help him regulate his behavior. Your relationship must be trusting. Believe me, it’s already hard for him, you shouldn’t aggravate the matter with swearing and quarrels.

Permissiveness creates an intuitive fear in children and leads to neuroses. For yourself, clearly define what exactly is impossible and why, do not deviate from the accepted framework. It is important not to overdo it with prohibitions. You can celebrate the success of the child with stars, and when they accumulate 5 or 10, reward the baby with a cute present.

Remember, the baby behaves this way not to spite you, it is difficult for him to cope with himself. He draws attention to himself, asking for your help. Be an ally of your child in conflicts on the playground, do not listen to relatives who say that you do not need to take the child in your arms and reassure, and advisers with the eternal "let him roar." In a difficult moment, a little person needs a loving and calm mother nearby, her support and understanding.

Drug therapy for the treatment of ADHD

It is good for a child with ADHD to take a multivitamin and mineral supplement, it is worth enriching the diet with omega-3 fatty acids. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are particularly important and are often deficient in the blood of those suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The combination of magnesium and vitamin B6 is very useful for the nervous system. Patients experience a decrease in aggressiveness and an improvement in attention, after. In some cases, a doctor may prescribe mild sedatives such as valerian and motherwort.

Russian doctors often prescribe nootropic drugs (piracetam, glycine, phenibut, pantogam) to improve metabolic processes in the brain and increase cortical tone in patients with ADHD. Clinically, their effectiveness has not been proven, but neuropathologists often note in practice an improvement in the condition of children with hyperactivity and a decrease in the severity of symptoms of attention deficit disorder.

Diet in the treatment of hyperactivity

Many parents report improvements in their children's condition when following a gluten-free diet. Others benefit from a diet that eliminates sucrose and starch. For patients with hyperactivity, everything that is good for brain tissue is useful: a large amount of protein from meat, nuts and legumes, carbohydrates from vegetables and fruits, fatty fish, olive oil. Exclude sweets and snacks with preservatives and flavor enhancers, dyes from the child's diet.

Experts advise moms and dads to find those foods to which the baby may have an individual intolerance. To do this, rotate products, keep a food diary. Eliminate one product at a time from the child's diet and monitor his condition.

If the child goes to kindergarten, talk to the teacher, tell about the problem. Hyperactive children need special approach and attention. Teachers working with a child should know his diagnosis and characteristics. The same applies to relatives and family friends who often visit your home. Hyperactivity is a diagnosis that your baby will definitely outgrow if you learn about it in time and provide the child with the right care and help. There is nothing terrible in it, mostly adults who suffered from ADHD in childhood forget about their condition and live the same way as all healthy men and women. There is a chance that after a year or two of proper treatment you will get rid of any manifestations of hyperactivity.

Hyperactivity is a form of disorder that is quite often manifested in children of the preschool age group, as well as in children of early school age, although the “transition” to further age groups is not excluded in the absence of appropriate measures to address it. Hyperactivity, the symptoms of which are excessive energy and mobility of the child, is not a pathological condition and is often caused by a violation of attention.

general description

Hyperactivity consists, in addition to the listed symptoms in the form of excessive energy and increased activity, in the inability to concentrate on any particular subject, impulsiveness and restlessness of the child, in the absence of control over their own actions.

The behavioral characteristics of children with hyperactivity are reduced on average in 70% of cases to the appearance of anxiety, similar indicators fall on the relevance of neurological habits, in about 50% of cases there are problems with appetite and in 46% - problems with sleep. In addition to this, awkwardness, the appearance of annoying movements in the child, twitching can be indicated.

In the general terms of consideration, hyperactivity is usually denoted with attention deficit, which defines such an abbreviation for this condition as ADHD, that is, it corresponds to the designation "attention deficit hyperactivity disorder". It should be noted right away that the lack of attention in this case does not indicate that the child is given little time and attention, but that he cannot focus his attention on anything.

Hyperactivity determines the need for more efforts aimed at teaching the skills of writing, reading, etc. Communication with peers is almost mandatory with hyperactivity of children accompanied by problems of a communicative scale, conflicts. Educators and teachers treat such children as not too “convenient” personalities, which is caused by the problems that arise with them during the educational process due to the peculiarities of their behavior inherent against the background of hyperactivity.

Based on research data, it is known that hyperactivity is relevant for an average of 2-20% of children, while hyperactivity syndrome in boys is diagnosed up to five times more often than, respectively, in girls.

Due to the fact that the brain of children with hyperactivity processes incoming information poorly, a similar reaction on its part also falls on the impact of external and internal stimuli. As a result, an inattentive child is “uncontrollable”, because neither persuasion, nor punishment, nor requests work with him. Regardless of the conditions, the child will act impulsively, without the appropriate attention to a particular situation. To understand your own line of behavior in relation to a hyperactive child, you should find out what exactly are the causes of hyperactivity.

To top it off, we add that hyperactivity and ADHD in particular in 30-80% of cases accompany the adult life of patients. Moreover, it is against the background of this disorder, not identified in childhood, there are subsequently problems associated with the inability to maintain attention, with the organization of interpersonal relationships and the general surrounding space, as well as problems associated with the development of new information and materials.

Hyperactivity: causes

Hyperreactivity syndrome can be triggered by complications associated with the development of the child, in particular those that were relevant during the mother's pregnancy, during labor or during infancy. We highlight the main causes of hyperreactivity below:

• the presence of a chronic disease in the mother;
• toxic effects due to poisoning during pregnancy, provoked by certain foods, smoking, alcohol, medications taken;
• transferring injuries during pregnancy, bruises;
• transfer during pregnancy of infectious diseases;
• the presence of a risk factor for miscarriage, relevant, as you know, during the mother's pregnancy;
• complications of labor activity that provoked hemorrhages, asphyxia;
• features of childbirth, excluding their natural course (caesarean section, stimulation of labor, transience of labor or, conversely, protracted course of labor);
• features of the ecological situation in the region of residence;
• transmission of certain diseases.

Hyperactivity: symptoms

As a rule, the first symptoms of hyperactivity make themselves felt at the age of 2-3 years, while parents are in no hurry to see a doctor with the problems associated with this disorder. Because of this, any measures in this direction begin to be taken only when the critical point is reached, which in many cases occurs by the time they enter school.

The main basic signs corresponding to hyperactivity can be identified as a triad of manifestations, and this is increased motor disinhibition, impulsivity, and a deficit in the active form of attention.

The deficit of the active form of attention consists, for example, in the impossibility of keeping attention on a specific process or phenomenon during a specific time period. Focus is achieved by identifying a specific motivation for it. The motivational mechanism is formed with sufficient personal maturity for this.

As for the next option, and this is increased motor disinhibition, it acts as a manifestation of such a state as fatigue. In children, fatigue is often comparable to overexcitation and a lack of ability to control behavior, which, as is clear, distinguishes it from fatigue in its usual sense.

As for such a manifestation as impulsivity, it consists in the unpreparedness for inhibition of emerging urges and desires. Because of this, hyperactive patients often do certain things thoughtlessly, only under the influence of a momentary factor, at a specific moment that caused the emergence of a specific impulse or desire. Children are not capable of obeying the rules when impulsive.

A rather characteristic feature of children with hyperactivity is such a moment as cyclicality, it lies in the fact that the productivity of their brain is about 15 minutes of time, followed by a 5-minute "break", allowing you to prepare for the next cycle of activity. As a result of such a switch, one can notice that within approximately the same time and corresponding to the indicated figures, the child, as it were, “drops out” of the process in which he was involved at the time of the “reboot” (communication, specific actions). The child can provide the opportunity to stay in the conditions of a concrete reality by performing any third-party actions, that is, he can begin to turn his head, spin - due to such motor activity, the constancy of the brain is maintained.

When alone, a hyperactive child cannot concentrate, he also becomes lethargic, the activities he is capable of are mostly monotonous and easy to perform. Here the child needs external activation. Staying in a family or in small groups determines quite adequate behavior of a hyperactive child, but as soon as he finds himself in a larger group, in a public place, etc. - Excessive excitement occurs, full-fledged activity becomes impossible.

Among the additional manifestations of symptoms, one can also indicate the relevance of awkward movements, which are caused by weakness in motor coordination. In general, children can have a good general intelligence, although its development is conditioned by certain difficulties due to the existing hyperactivity.

Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis of hyperreactivity is made on the basis of a general collection of information of a subjective scale, as well as on the basis of a psychological and hardware examination. The doctor's appointment will include questions regarding the characteristics of the course of pregnancy and delivery, as well as previous and current diseases of the child. Diagnosis also includes a series of tests, on the basis of which parameters are evaluated that determine the degree of his attentiveness. As for the hardware examination, it includes the procedure of an electroencephalogram, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Based on a comprehensive picture of the results obtained, specific individual treatment principles are determined.

The treatment of hyperactive children is complex in terms of the nature of the implementation of measures, it is based on the methods of drug therapy, psychological and pedagogical influence and methods of influence due to certain elements of psychotherapy. Drugs that can be prescribed in the treatment do not contribute to the treatment of hyperactivity as such, but due to their use, it is possible to achieve a reduction in symptoms (impulsivity, etc.), as well as improve the ability to learn and work. Also, with the help of medications, it is possible to achieve an improvement in the coordination of movements, which is required in particular for writing, sports activities, etc.

Parents in communication with the child should exclude negation in sentences. Conflict situations require the greatest possible calm on their part. It is important to designate any assigned tasks through clear formulations of actions, long formulations, on the contrary, are excluded, sentences should be short. The instructions given to the child should be built in their appropriate logical sequence; several instructions cannot be given at once. In addition, it is important to make it clear to the child that regardless of the situation and where he is, parents will always support him, helping to cope with the difficulties that arise.

If symptoms suggestive of hyperactivity appear, it is necessary to consult a neurologist.

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Diseases with similar symptoms:

Mental disorders, characterized mainly by a decrease in mood, motor retardation and thought failures, are a serious and dangerous disease, which is called depression. Many people believe that depression is not a disease and, moreover, does not carry any special danger, in which they are deeply mistaken. Depression is a rather dangerous type of disease, caused by the passivity and depression of a person.

hyperactive child- This is a baby suffering from excessive motor mobility. Previously, the presence of hyperactivity in the anamnesis of the baby was considered a pathological minimal disorder of mental functions. Today, hyperactivity in a child is referred to as an independent disease, which is called a syndrome. It is characterized by increased physical activity of children, restlessness, easy distractibility, impulsivity. At the same time, individuals with a high level of activity have a level of intellectual development that meets their age norm, and for some, even above the norm. Primary symptoms of increased activity are less common in girls and begin to be detected already at an early age. This violation is considered a fairly common disorder of the behavioral-emotional aspect of mental functions. Children with overactivity syndrome are immediately noticeable in the environment of other babies. Such crumbs cannot sit still for a minute in one place, they are constantly moving, rarely bring things to an end. Symptoms of hyperactivity are observed in almost 5% of the child population.

Signs of a hyperactive child

Diagnosis of hyperactivity in a child is possible only after long-term observation of children's behavior by specialists. Some manifestations of increased activity can be seen in most children. Therefore, it is so important to know the signs of hyperactivity, the main of which is the impossibility of concentrating attention for a long time on one phenomenon. When this symptom is detected, it is necessary to take into account the age of the baby, since at different stages of child development, the inability to focus attention manifests itself differently.

A child suffering from increased activity is too restless, he constantly fidgets or rushes about, runs. If the baby is in constant aimless movement and he has an inability to concentrate, then we can talk about hyperactivity. Also, the actions of a baby with increased activity should have a certain amount of eccentricity and fearlessness.

The signs of a hyperactive child include the inability to combine words into sentences, a strong desire to take everything in hand, disinterest in listening to children's fairy tales, and the inability to wait in line.

Hyperactive children have a decrease in appetite along with an increased sense of thirst. These babies are difficult to put to sleep, both during the day and at night. Older children with overactivity syndrome suffer. They overreact to completely ordinary situations. Along with this, they are quite difficult to console and reassure. Children with this syndrome are overly touchy and quite irritable.

Obvious harbingers of hyperactivity in the early age period include sleep disturbances and decreased appetite, low weight gain, anxiety and increased excitability. However, it should be borne in mind that all of the listed signs may have other causes that are not related to hyperactivity.

In principle, psychiatrists believe that a diagnosis of increased activity can be made to babies only after they have overcome the age of 5 or 6 years. In the school period, manifestations of hyperactivity become more noticeable and pronounced.

In learning, a child with hyperactivity is characterized by the inability to work in a team, the presence of difficulties with retelling textual information and writing stories. Interpersonal relationships with peers do not add up.

A hyperactive child often shows in relation to the environment. He is inclined not to fulfill the teacher's requirements in the classroom, is restless in the classroom and unsatisfactory behavior, often does not do his homework, in a word, such a baby does not obey the established rules.

Hyperactive babies, in most cases, are overly talkative and extremely awkward. In such children, usually, everything falls out of their hands, they touch everything or hit everything. More pronounced difficulties are observed in fine motor skills. It is difficult for such children to fasten buttons or tie their own shoelaces on their own. They usually have bad handwriting.

A hyperactive child can be broadly described as inconsistent, illogical, restless, distracted, rebellious, stubborn, sloppy, clumsy. At the older age stage, restlessness and eccentricity usually go away, but the inability to concentrate remains, sometimes for life.

In connection with the foregoing, the diagnosis of increased activity in children should be treated with caution. You also need to understand that even if the baby has a history of hyperactivity, this does not make him bad.

Hyperactive child - what to do

Parents of a hyperactive child should, first of all, contact a specialist to determine the cause of this syndrome. Such reasons may be a genetic predisposition, in other words, hereditary factors, socio-psychological reasons, for example, the climate in the family, living conditions in it, etc., biological factors, which include various brain lesions. In cases where, after establishing the cause that provoked the appearance of hyperactivity in a child, appropriate treatment by a therapist is prescribed, such as massage, adherence to a regimen, taking medications, it must be strictly followed.

Corrective work with hyperactive children, first of all, should be carried out by the parents of the kids, and it begins with the creation of a calm, favorable environment around the crumbs, since any disagreements in the family or loud showdowns only “charge” them with negative emotions. Any interaction with such kids, and in particular, communicative, should be calm, gentle, in view of the fact that they are extremely susceptible to the emotional state and mood of loved ones, especially parents. All adult members of family relationships are encouraged to follow a single model of behavior in raising a child.

All actions of adults in relation to hyperactive children should be aimed at developing their skills of self-organization, removing disinhibition, building respect for surrounding individuals and teaching accepted norms of behavior.

An effective way to overcome the difficulties of self-organization is the hanging of special flyers in the room. To this end, it is necessary to determine the two most important and most serious things that the baby can successfully complete during daylight hours, and write them on pieces of paper. Such leaflets should be posted on a so-called bulletin board, for example, in the children's room or on the refrigerator. Information can be displayed not only through written speech, but also with the help of figurative drawings, symbolic images. For example, if the baby needs to wash the dishes, then you can draw a dirty plate or spoon. After the baby completes the assigned assignment, he must make a special note on the memo sheet opposite the corresponding assignment.

Another way to develop self-organization skills is to use color coding. So, for example, for classes at school, you can get certain colors of notebooks, which in the future will be easier for the student to find. In order to teach the child to put things in order in the room, multi-colored symbols also help. For example, on boxes for toys, clothes of notebooks, attach leaflets of different colors. Labeling sheets should be large, highly visible and have different designs to represent the contents of the boxes.

In the primary school period, classes with hyperactive children should mainly be targeted at developing attention, developing voluntary regulation, and training the formation of psychomotor functions. Also, therapeutic methods should cover the development of specific skills of interaction with peers and adults. The initial corrective work with an overly active baby should be done individually. At this stage of corrective action, it is necessary to teach a small individual to listen, understand the instructions of a psychologist or another adult and pronounce them loudly, express independently during classes the rules of behavior and the norms for performing a specific task. It is also desirable at this stage to develop, together with the crumbs, an order of rewards and a system of punishments, which will subsequently help him adapt in a peer group. The next stage involves the involvement of an overly active baby in collective activities and should also be implemented gradually. First, the child must be involved in the game process or work with a small group of children, and then he can be invited to participate in group activities that involve a large number of participants. Otherwise, if this sequence is not followed, the baby may become overexcited, which will cause loss of control of behavior, general overwork and a lack of active attention.

At school, it is also quite difficult to work with overly active children, however, such children also have their own attractive features.

Hyperactive children at school are characterized by a fresh spontaneous reaction, they are easily inspired, always willing to help teachers and other peers. Hyperactive kids are completely forgiving, they are more enduring than their peers, relatively less often than classmates are prone to diseases. They often have a very rich imagination. Therefore, teachers are recommended to choose a competent strategy of behavior with such kids to try to understand their motives and determine the model of interaction.

Thus, it has been practically proven that the development of the motor system of babies has an intense effect on their comprehensive development, namely, on the formation of visual, auditory and tactile analyzer systems, speech abilities,. Therefore, classes with hyperactive children must necessarily contain motor correction.

Working with hyperactive children

Three key areas involve the work of a psychologist with hyperactive children, namely the formation of mental functions that are lagging behind in such children (control over movements and behavior, attention), the development of specific abilities to interact with peers and an adult environment, work with anger.

Such corrective work occurs gradually and begins with the development of a single function. Since a hyperactive baby is physically unable to listen to the teacher with the same attention for a long time, restrain impulsiveness and sit still. Once stable positive results have been achieved, one should proceed to the simultaneous training of two functions, for example, lack of attention and behavioral control. At the last stage, you can introduce classes aimed at developing all three functions at the same time.

The work of a psychologist with a hyperactive child begins with personal lessons, then you should move on to exercises in small groups, gradually connecting an increasing number of children. Since the individual characteristics of babies with excessive activity prevent them from concentrating when there are many peers nearby.

In addition, all activities should take place in an emotionally acceptable form for the kids. The most attractive for them are classes in the form of a game. A hyperactive child in the garden requires special attention and approach. Since with the advent of such a baby in a preschool institution, many problems arise, the solution of which lies with the educators. They need to direct all the actions of the crumbs, and the system of prohibitions should be accompanied by alternative proposals. Game activity should be directed to stress relief, lowering, the formation of the ability to focus attention.

A hyperactive child in the garden has a hard time withstanding a quiet hour. If the baby is not able to calm down and fall asleep, then the teacher is recommended to sit next to him and gently talk to him, stroking his head. As a result, muscle tension and emotional arousal will decrease. Over time, such a baby will get used to a quiet hour, and after it he will feel rested and less impulsive. When interacting with an overly active baby, emotional interaction and tactile contact have a rather effective effect.

Hyperactive children in school also require a special approach. First of all, it is necessary to increase their educational motivation. For this purpose, non-traditional forms of correctional work can be used, for example, using older students to teach children. Older students act as instructors and can teach the art of origami or beadwork. In addition, the educational process should be focused on the psychophysiological characteristics of students. So, for example, it is necessary to change activities if the child is tired, or to realize his motor need.

Teachers need to take into account the eccentricity of disorders in children with hyperactive behavior. Often they interfere with the normal conduct of classes, because it is difficult for them to control and manage their own behavior, they are always distracted by something, they are more excited than their peers.

In the course of schooling, especially at the beginning, it is quite difficult for children with excessive activity to complete a learning task and be neat at the same time. Therefore, teachers are recommended to reduce the requirements for accuracy in such children, which in the future will help them develop a sense of success, increase self-esteem, which will result in an increase in learning motivation.

Very important in the corrective impact is the work with the parents of a hyperactive child, aimed at explaining to adults the characteristics of a child with excessive activity, teaching them verbal and non-verbal interaction with their own children, and developing a unified strategy for educational behavior.

A psychologically stable situation and a calm microclimate in family ties are key components of the health and successful development of any baby. That is why it is necessary, first of all, for parents to pay attention to the environment surrounding the baby at home, as well as in a school or preschool institution.

Parents of a hyperactive child should ensure that the child does not overwork. Therefore, it is not recommended to exceed the required load. Overwork leads to children's whims, irritability and deterioration of their behavior. In order for the crumbs not to become overexcited, it is important to follow a certain daily routine, in which time for daytime sleep is necessarily allotted, outdoor games are replaced by calm games or walks, etc.

Also, parents should remember that the less they make comments to their hyperactive child, the better it will be for him. If adults do not like children's behavior, then it is better to try to distract them with something. You need to understand that the number of prohibitions should correspond to the age period.

For a hyperactive child, praise is very necessary, so you should try to praise him as often as possible. However, at the same time, one should not do this too emotionally, so as not to provoke overexcitation. You should also try to ensure that a request addressed to a child does not carry several instructions at the same time. When talking with the baby, it is recommended to look into his eyes.

For the correct formation of fine motor skills and the comprehensive organization of movements, children should be actively involved in choreography, various types of dance, swimming, tennis or karate. It is necessary to attract crumbs to games of a mobile nature and sports orientation. They must learn to understand the goals of the game and obey its rules, and also try to plan the game.

When raising a child with high activity, one should not go too far, in other words, parents are advised to adhere to a sort of middle position in behavior: one should not show excessive softness, but one should also avoid excessive demands that children are not able to fulfill, combining them with punishments. The constant change of punishments and moods of parents has a negative impact on kids.

Parents should spare no effort or time for the formation and development of obedience, accuracy, self-organization in children, for the development of responsibility for their own actions and behavior, the ability to plan, organize and bring to completion what they have begun.

To improve concentration during lessons or other tasks, if possible, eliminate all annoying and distracting factors for the baby. Therefore, the child needs to allocate a quiet place in which he can concentrate on lessons or other activities. In the process of doing homework, parents are advised to periodically look at the baby to check whether he is completing tasks. You also need to provide a short break every 15 or 20 minutes. Discuss with the child his actions and behavior should be in a calm and benevolent manner.

In addition to all of the above, corrective work with hyperactive children also consists in increasing their self-esteem, gaining confidence in their own potential. Parents can do this by teaching children new skills and abilities. Also, success in school or any achievements in everyday life contribute to the growth of self-esteem in babies.

A child with increased activity is characterized by excessive sensitivity, he inadequately responds to any remarks, prohibitions or notations. Therefore, children suffering from excessive activity, more than others, need the warmth of loved ones, care, understanding and love.

There are also many games aimed at mastering hyperactive children's control skills and learning to manage their own emotions, actions, behavior, attention.

Games for hyperactive children are the most effective way to develop the ability to concentrate and help relieve disinhibition.

Often, relatives of children with increased activity experience many difficulties in the process of educational activities. As a result, many of them, with the help of harsh measures, are at war with the so-called children's disobedience, or, conversely, in despair, "give up" to their behavior, thereby giving complete freedom of action to their children. Therefore, work with the parents of a hyperactive child, first of all, should include enriching the emotional experience of such a child, helping him to master elementary skills, which helps to smooth out the manifestations of excessive activity and thereby leads to a change in relationships with close adults.

Treatment of a hyperactive child

Today, the question arose about the need for treatment of hyperactivity syndrome. Many therapists are sure that hyperactivity is a psychological condition that must be corrected for further adaptation of children to life in a team, while others are against drug therapy. The negative attitude towards drug treatment is a consequence of the use of amphetamine-type psychotropic drugs for this purpose in some countries.

In the former CIS countries, the drug Atomoxetine is used for treatment, which does not belong to psychotropic drugs, but also has a number of side effects and contraindications. The effect of taking this drug becomes noticeable after four months of therapy. Choosing drug intervention as a means of combating hyperactivity, it should be understood that any drugs are aimed solely at eliminating the symptoms, and not at the causes of the disease. Therefore, the effectiveness of such an intervention will depend on the intensity of manifestations. But still drug treatment hyperactive child should be used only in the most difficult cases. Since it can often harm the child, due to the fact that it has a huge number of side effects. Today, the most sparing medications are homeopathic remedies, since they do not have such a strong effect on the activity of the nervous system. However, taking such drugs requires patience, since the effect of them occurs only after accumulation in the body.

Non-drug therapy is also successfully used, which should be comprehensive and developed individually for each baby. Typically, such therapy includes massage, manual manipulation of the spine, and physiotherapy exercises. The effectiveness of such drugs is observed in almost half of the patients. The disadvantages of non-drug therapy are the need for an individual approach, which is practically impossible in the conditions of modern healthcare organization, huge financial costs, the need for constant correction of therapy, the lack of qualified specialists and limited effectiveness.

Treatment of a hyperactive child also involves the use of other methods, such as the use of biofeedback techniques. So, for example, the biofeedback technique does not completely replace treatment, but it helps to reduce and adjust the doses of drugs. This technique belongs to behavioral therapy and is based on the use of the latent potential of the body. The key task of this technique involves the formation of skills and mastering them. The biofeedback technique belongs to modern trends. Its effectiveness lies in improving the ability of toddlers to plan their own activities and understand the consequences of inappropriate behavior. The disadvantages include inaccessibility for most families and the inability to obtain effective results in the presence of injuries, displacement of the vertebrae and other diseases.

Behavioral therapy has also been used quite successfully to correct hyperactivity. The difference between the approach of specialists in software and the approach of followers of other areas lies in the fact that the former do not seek to understand the causes of the phenomenon or predict their consequences, while the latter are looking for the origins of problems. Behaviorists work directly with behavior. They positively reinforce so-called "right" or right behaviors and negatively reinforce "wrong" or inappropriate ones. In other words, they develop a kind of reflex in patients. The effectiveness of this method is observed in almost 60% of cases and depends on the severity of symptoms and the presence of concomitant diseases. The disadvantages include the fact that the behavioral approach is more common in the United States.

Games for hyperactive children are also methods of corrective action that contribute to the development of skills to control motor activity and control their own impulsivity.

Comprehensive and individually designed treatment contributes to the onset of a positive effect in the correction of hyperactive behavior. However, one should not forget that for the maximum result, the jointly directed efforts of the parents and other close circle of the baby, teachers, doctors and psychologists are necessary.

or ADHD is the most common cause of behavioral problems and learning problems in preschool and school children.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child- a developmental disorder that manifests itself in a violation of behavior. A child with ADHD is restless, shows “stupid” activity, cannot sit in class at school or kindergarten, and will not do what he is not interested in. He interrupts the elders, plays in the classroom, goes about his own business, can crawl under the desk. At the same time, the child correctly perceives the environment. He hears and understands all the instructions of the elders, but cannot follow their instructions due to impulsiveness. Despite the fact that the child understood the task, he cannot complete what he started, he is not able to plan and foresee the consequences of his actions. Associated with this is a high risk of domestic injury, getting lost.

Neurologists consider attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child as a neurological disease. Its manifestations are not the result of improper upbringing, neglect or permissiveness, they are a consequence of the special work of the brain.

Prevalence. ADHD is found in 3-5% of children. Of these, 30% "outgrow" the disease after 14 years, another 40% adapt to it and learn to smooth out its manifestations. Among adults, this syndrome is found in only 1%.

Boys are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 3-5 times more often than girls. Moreover, in boys, the syndrome is more often manifested by destructive behavior (disobedience and aggression), and in girls by inattention. According to some studies, fair-haired and blue-eyed Europeans are more susceptible to the disease. Interestingly, in different countries, the incidence varies significantly. Thus, studies conducted in London and Tennessee revealed ADHD in 17% of children.

Types of ADHD

• Attention deficit and hyperactivity are expressed in equally;
• Attention deficit predominates, and impulsivity and hyperactivity appear slightly;
• Hyperactivity and impulsivity predominate, attention is slightly impaired.

Treatment. The main methods are pedagogical measures and psychological correction. Drug treatment is used in cases where other methods have been ineffective, since the drugs used have side effects.
If you leave attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child untreated increases the risk of developing:

• alcohol addiction, narcotic substances, psychotropic drugs;
• difficulties with the assimilation of information that disrupt the learning process;
• high anxiety, which comes to replace physical activity;
• tics - repetitive muscle twitches.
• headaches;
• antisocial changes - a tendency to hooliganism, theft.

Controversial moments. A number of leading experts in the field of medicine and public organizations, including the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, deny the existence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child. From their point of view, the manifestations of ADHD are considered a feature of temperament and character, and therefore are not subject to treatment. They can be a manifestation of mobility and curiosity, natural for an active child, or protest behavior that occurs in response to a traumatic situation - abuse, loneliness, divorce of parents.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child, causes

Cause of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children cannot be installed. Scientists are convinced that the disease provokes a combination of several factors that disrupt the functioning of the nervous system.

1. Factors that disrupt the formation of the nervous system in the fetus, which can lead to oxygen starvation or hemorrhage into the brain tissue:

• environmental pollution, high content of harmful substances in the air, water, food;
• taking medications by a woman during pregnancy;
• exposure to alcohol, drugs, nicotine;
• infections carried by the mother during pregnancy;
• Rh factor conflict - immunological incompatibility;
• risk of miscarriage ;
• fetal asphyxia;
• cord entanglement;
• complicated or rapid childbirth, leading to injury to the head or spine of the fetus.

1. Factors that disrupt brain function in infancy

• diseases accompanied by a temperature above 39-40 degrees;
• taking certain drugs that have a neurotoxic effect;
• bronchial asthma, pneumonia;
• severe kidney disease;
• heart failure, heart disease.

1. Genetic factors. According to this theory, 80% of cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are associated with disorders in the gene that regulates the release of dopamine and the work of dopamine receptors. The result is a violation of the transmission of bioelectric impulses between brain cells. Moreover, the disease manifests itself if, in addition to genetic abnormalities, there are unfavorable environmental factors.

Neurologists believe that these factors can cause damage in limited areas of the brain. In this regard, some mental functions (for example, volitional control over impulses and emotions) develop inconsistently, with a delay, which causes manifestations of the disease. This confirms the fact that in children with ADHD, a violation of metabolic processes and bioelectrical activity in the anterior parts of the frontal lobes of the brain was found.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child, symptoms

A child with ADHD equally shows hyperactivity and inattention at home, in kindergarten, visiting strangers. There are no situations in which the baby would behave calmly. In this he differs from the usual active child.

Signs of ADHD at an early age

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child, symptoms which are most pronounced at 5-12 years old, can be recognized at an earlier age.

• Early they begin to hold their heads, sit, crawl, walk.
• Experiencing trouble falling asleep, sleeping less than normal.
• If they get tired, they do not engage in a calm type of activity, do not fall asleep on their own, but fall into hysterics.
• Very sensitive to loud noises, bright lights, strangers, changes in scenery. These factors cause them to cry loudly.
• Throw away toys before they even had a chance to see them.

These signs may indicate a tendency to ADHD, but they are also present in many restless children under 3 years of age.
ADHD also affects the functioning of the body. The child often experiences digestive problems. Diarrhea is the result of excessive stimulation of the intestines by the autonomic nervous system. Allergic reactions and skin rashes appear more often than in peers.

Main symptoms

1. Attention disorder

• R the child has difficulty concentrating on one subject or activity. He does not pay attention to details, unable to distinguish the main from the secondary. The child tries to do all the things at the same time: he paints all the details without finishing, reads the text, jumping over the line. This is due to the fact that he does not know how to plan. When performing tasks together, explain: “First we will do one thing, then another.”
• The child, under any pretext, tries to avoid routine matters, lessons, creativity. This may be a quiet protest when the child runs away and hides, or a tantrum with screams and tears.
• There is a cyclical nature of attention. A preschooler can do one thing for 3-5 minutes, a child of primary school age up to 10 minutes. Then, over the same period, the nervous system restores the resource. Often at this time it seems that the child does not hear the speech addressed to him. Then the cycle repeats.
• Attention can only be focused if you are left alone with the child. The child is more attentive and obedient if the room is quiet and there are no irritants, toys, other people.

1. Hyperactivity

• The child makes a large number of inappropriate movements, most of which he does not notice. A hallmark of motor activity in ADHD is its aimlessness. This can be rotation of the hands and feet, running, jumping, tapping on the table or on the floor. The child runs, not walks. Climbing on furniture . Breaks toys.
• Talking too loud and fast. He answers without listening to the question. Shouts out an answer, interrupting the answerer. He speaks in unfinished phrases, jumping from one thought to another. Swallows the endings of words and sentences. Constantly asks again. His statements are often thoughtless, they provoke and offend others.
• Mimicry is very expressive. The face expresses emotions that quickly appear and disappear - anger, surprise, joy. Sometimes he grimaces for no apparent reason.

It has been established that motor activity in children with ADHD stimulates the brain structures responsible for thinking and self-control. That is, while the child runs, knocks and disassembles objects, his brain is improving. New neural connections are established in the cortex, which will further improve the functioning of the nervous system and save the child from the manifestations of the disease.

1. Impulsiveness

• Guided solely by their own desires and execute them immediately. Acts on the first impulse, without considering the consequences and without planning. For a child, there are no situations in which he must sit still. In the classroom in kindergarten or at school, he jumps up and runs to the window, into the corridor, makes noise, shouts out from his place. Takes the favorite thing from peers.
• Can't follow instructions, especially those with multiple items. The child constantly has new desires (impulses) that prevent him from completing the work he has begun (doing homework, collecting toys).
• Unable to wait or endure. He must immediately get or do what he wants. If this does not happen, he makes a row, switches to other things or performs aimless actions. This is clearly noticeable in class or when waiting for your turn.
• Mood swings happen every few minutes. The child goes from laughing to crying. Short temper is especially characteristic of children with ADHD. Angry, the child throws objects, may start a fight or ruin the offender's things. He will do it at once, without thinking or hatching a plan of revenge.
• The child does not feel threatened. He can do things that are dangerous to health and life: climb to a height, walk through abandoned buildings, go out on thin ice, because he wanted to do it. This property leads to a high level of trauma in children with ADHD.

The manifestations of the disease are due to the fact that the nervous system of a child with ADHD is too vulnerable. She is not able to master the large amount of information coming from the outside world. Excessive activity and lack of attention is an attempt to protect yourself from an unbearable load on the National Assembly.

Additional symptoms

• Difficulties in learning with a normal level of intelligence. The child may have difficulty writing and reading. At the same time, he does not perceive individual letters and sounds or does not fully master this skill. The inability to learn arithmetic may be an independent impairment or accompany problems with reading and writing.
• Communication disorders. A child with ADHD may be obsessive towards peers and unfamiliar adults. He can be too emotional or even aggressive, which makes it difficult to communicate and establish friendly contacts.
• Lag in emotional development. The child behaves excessively capriciously and emotionally. He does not tolerate criticism, failures, behaves unbalanced, "childishly". A pattern has been established that with ADHD there is a 30% lag in emotional development. For example, a 10-year-old child behaves like a 7-year-old, although he is intellectually developed no worse than his peers.
• Negative self-esteem. The child hears a huge number of remarks during the day. If at the same time he is also compared with his peers: “Look how well Masha behaves!” this makes the situation worse. Criticism and claims convince the child that he is worse than others, bad, stupid, restless. This makes the child unhappy, distant, aggressive, instills hatred for others.

Manifestations of attention deficit disorder are due to the fact that the child's nervous system is too vulnerable. She is not able to master the large amount of information coming from the outside world. Excessive activity and lack of attention is an attempt to protect yourself from an unbearable load on the National Assembly.

Positive qualities of children with ADHD

• Active, active;
• Easily read the mood of the interlocutor;
• Ready for self-sacrifice for the people they like;
• Not vindictive, unable to hold a grudge;
• Fearless, they are not characterized by most childhood fears.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child, diagnosis

Diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may include several stages:

1. Collection of information - interview with the child, conversation with parents, diagnostic questionnaires.
2. Neuropsychological examination.
3. Pediatric consultation.

As a rule, a neurologist or psychiatrist makes a diagnosis based on a conversation with a child, after analyzing information from parents, caregivers and teachers.

1. Collection of information

The specialist receives most of the information during a conversation with the child and observing his behavior. With children, the conversation takes place orally. When working with adolescents, the doctor may ask you to fill out a questionnaire that resembles a test. Information received from parents and teachers helps complete the picture.

Diagnostic questionnaire is a list of questions designed to gather as much information about the child's behavior and mental state as possible. It usually takes the form of a multiple choice test. To identify ADHD are used:

• Vanderbilt Adolescent ADHD Diagnostic Questionnaire. There are versions for parents, teachers.
• Parental symptomatic questionnaire of ADHD manifestations;
• Structured questionnaire Conners.

According to the international classification of diseases ICD-10 diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child is set when the following symptoms are detected:

• Violation of adaptation. It is expressed by a discrepancy with the characteristics normal for this age;
• Violation of attention, when the child cannot focus his attention on one subject;
• impulsivity and hyperactivity;
• The development of the first symptoms before the age of 7 years;
• Violation of adaptation manifests itself in various situations (in kindergarten, school, at home), while the intellectual development of the child corresponds to age;
• These symptoms persist for 6 months or more.

The doctor has the right to diagnose "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" if the child has at least 6 symptoms of inattention and at least 6 symptoms of impulsivity and hyperactivity detected and followed for 6 months or more. These signs appear in constantly, not from time to time. They are so pronounced that they interfere with the child's learning and daily activities.

Signs of inattention

• Doesn't pay attention to details. In his work, he makes a large number of mistakes due to negligence and frivolity.
• Easily distracted.
• Difficulty concentrating when playing and performing tasks.
• Does not listen to speech addressed to him.
• Unable to complete the task, do homework. Can't follow instructions.
• Has difficulty doing independent work. Needs guidance and supervision from an adult.
• Resists performing tasks that require prolonged mental effort: homework, tasks of a teacher or psychologist. Avoids such work under various reasons, shows dissatisfaction.
• Often loses things.
• In daily activities shows forgetfulness and absent-mindedness.

Signs of impulsivity and hyperactivity

• Makes a lot of unnecessary movements. Cannot sit comfortably in a chair. Spins, makes movements, with feet, hands, head.
• Cannot sit or remain still in situations where it is necessary to do this - in a lesson, at a concert, in transport.
• Shows thoughtless motor activity in situations where this is unacceptable. He gets up, runs, spins, takes things without asking, tries to climb somewhere.
• Can't play well.
• Overly mobile.
• Too talkative.
• He answers without listening to the end of the question. Doesn't think before answering.
• Impatient. Hardly waiting for his turn.
• Interferes with others, sticks to people. Intervenes in a game or conversation.

Strictly speaking, the diagnosis of ADHD is based on the subjective opinion of a specialist and his personal experience. Therefore, if the parents do not agree with the diagnosis, then it makes sense to contact another neurologist or psychiatrist who specializes in this problem.

1. Neuropsychological examination for ADHD

In order to study the features of the brain, the child is electroencephalographic examination (EEG). This is a measurement of the bioelectrical activity of the brain at rest or while performing tasks. To do this, the electrical activity of the brain is measured through the scalp. The procedure is painless and harmless.
For ADHD the beta rhythm is reduced, and the theta rhythm is increased. The ratio of theta rhythm and beta rhythm several times higher than normal. This suggests that the bioelectrical activity of the brain is reduced, that is, a smaller number of electrical impulses are generated and passed through the neurons, compared to the norm.

1. Pediatrician's consultation

Manifestations similar to ADHD can be caused by anemia, hyperthyroidism and other somatic diseases. A pediatrician can confirm or exclude them after a blood test for hormones and hemoglobin.
Note! As a rule, in addition to the diagnosis of ADHD, a neurologist indicates a number of other diagnoses in the child’s medical record:

• Minimal brain dysfunction(MMD) - mild neurological disorders that cause disturbances in motor functions, speech, behavior;
• Increased intracranial pressure(ICP) - increased pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid (cerebrospinal fluid), which is located in the ventricles of the brain, around it and in the spinal canal.
• Perinatal CNS damage- damage to the nervous system that occurred during pregnancy, childbirth or in the first days of life.

All these violations have similar manifestations, therefore they are often written in a complex. Such an entry in the card does not mean that the child has a large number of neurological diseases. On the contrary, the changes are minimal and can be corrected.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child, treatment

1. Medication treatment for ADHD

Medications are prescribed according to individual indications only if without them it is not possible to improve the behavior of the child.

Drug group	Representatives	The effect of taking medication
Psychostimulants	Levamphetamine, Dexamphetamine, Dexmethylphenidate	The production of neurotransmitters increases, due to which the bioelectric activity of the brain is normalized. Improve behavior, reduce impulsivity, aggressiveness, manifestations of depression.
Antidepressants, norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors	Atomoxetine. Desipramine, Bupropion	Reduce the reuptake of neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin). Their accumulation in synapses improves signal transmission between brain cells. Increase attention, reduce impulsivity.
Nootropic drugs	Cerebrolysin, Piracetam, Instenon, Gamma-aminobutyric acid	They improve metabolic processes in the brain tissue, its nutrition and oxygen supply, and the absorption of glucose by the brain. Increase the tone of the cerebral cortex. The effectiveness of these drugs has not been proven.
Sympathomimetics	Clonidine, Atomoxetine, Desipramine	Increase the tone of the brain vessels, improving blood circulation. Contribute to the normalization of intracranial pressure.

Treatment is carried out with low doses of drugs to minimize the risk of side effects and addiction. It has been proven that improvement occurs only at the time of taking the drugs. After their withdrawal, the symptoms reappear.

1. Physical therapy and massage for ADHD

This set of procedures is aimed at treating birth injuries of the head, cervical spine, relieving spasm of the neck muscles. This is necessary to normalize cerebral circulation and intracranial pressure. For ADHD apply:

• Physiotherapy aimed at strengthening the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle. Must be done daily.
• Collar zone massage courses of 10 procedures 2-3 times a year.
• Physiotherapy. Apply infrared irradiation (heating) spasmodic muscles using infrared rays. Paraffin heating is also used. 15-20 procedures 2 times a year. These procedures are well combined with massage of the collar zone.

Please note that these procedures can only be started after consultation with a neurologist and orthopedist.
Do not resort to the services of manual therapists. Treatment by an unqualified specialist, without a preliminary x-ray of the spine, can cause serious injury.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child, behavior correction

1. BOS-therapy (biofeedback method)

biofeedback therapy is a modern treatment method that normalizes the bioelectrical activity of the brain, eliminating the cause of ADHD. It has been effectively used to treat the syndrome for more than 40 years.

The human brain generates electrical impulses. They are divided depending on the frequency of oscillations per second and the amplitude of oscillations. The main ones are: alpha, beta, gamma, delta and theta waves. With ADHD, the activity of beta waves (beta rhythm) is reduced, which are associated with focusing attention, memory, and information processing. At the same time, the activity of theta waves (theta rhythm) increases, which indicate emotional stress, fatigue, aggressiveness and imbalance. There is a version that the theta rhythm contributes to the rapid assimilation of information and the development of creativity.

The task of biofeedback therapy is to normalize the bioelectrical oscillations of the brain - to stimulate the beta rhythm and reduce the theta rhythm to normal. For this, a specially developed hardware-software complex "BOS-LAB" is used.
Sensors are attached to certain places on the child's body. On the monitor, the child sees how his biorhythms behave and tries to change them arbitrarily. Also, biorhythms change during the performance of computer exercises. If the task is done correctly, then a sound signal sounds or a picture appears, which are an element of feedback. The procedure is painless, interesting and well tolerated by the child.
The effect of the procedure is increased attention, reduced impulsivity and hyperactivity. Improved performance and relationships with others.

The course consists of 15-25 sessions. Progress is noticeable after 3-4 procedures. The effectiveness of treatment reaches 95%. The effect persists for a long time, for 10 years or more. In some patients, biofeedback therapy completely eliminates the manifestations of the disease. Has no side effects.

1. Psychotherapeutic methods

The effectiveness of psychotherapy is significant, but progress may take from 2 months to several years. You can improve the result by combining various psychotherapeutic techniques, pedagogical measures of parents and teachers, physiotherapeutic methods and adherence to the daily routine.

1. Cognitive Behavioral Methods

The child, under the guidance of a psychologist, and then independently, forms various models of behavior. In the future, the most constructive, “correct” ones are chosen from them. In parallel, the psychologist helps the child to understand his inner world, emotions and desires.
Classes are held in the form of a conversation or a game, where the child is offered various roles - a student, a buyer, a friend or an opponent in a dispute with peers. Children act out the situation. Then the child is asked to determine how each of the participants feels. Did he do the right thing.

• Anger management skills and expressing your emotions in an acceptable way. What do you feel? What do you want? Now say it politely. What we can do?
• Constructive conflict resolution. The child is taught to negotiate, seek compromise, avoid quarrels or get out of them in a civilized manner. (If you don’t want to share - offer another toy. You are not accepted into the game - come up with an interesting activity and offer it to others). It is important to teach the child to speak calmly, to listen to the interlocutor, to clearly articulate what he wants.
• Appropriate ways of communicating with the teacher and with peers. As a rule, the child knows the rules of behavior, but does not follow them because of impulsiveness. Under the guidance of a psychologist in the game, the child improves communication skills.
• Correct methods of behavior in public places - in kindergarten, at the lesson, in the store, at the doctor's office, etc. mastered in the form of "theater".

The effectiveness of the method is significant. The result appears in 2-4 months.

1. play therapy

In the form of a game that is pleasant for the child, the formation of perseverance and attentiveness, learning to control hyperactivity and increased emotionality takes place.
The psychologist individually selects a set of games based on the symptoms of ADHD. At the same time, he can change their rules if the child is too easy or hard.
Play therapy at first is carried out individually, then it can become a group or family. Also, games can be "homework", or conducted by the teacher during the five-minute lesson.

• Games for the development of attention. Find 5 differences in the picture. Define the scent. Identify the object by touch with your eyes closed. Broken phone.
• Games for the development of perseverance and the fight against disinhibition. Hide and Seek. Silent. Sort items by color/size/shape.
• Games for the control of motor activity. Throwing the ball at a set pace that gradually increases. Siamese twins, when children in a pair, hugging each other by the waist, must complete tasks - clap their hands, run.
• Games to relieve muscle clamps and emotional stress. Aimed at the physical and emotional relaxation of the child. "Humpty Dumpty" for alternate relaxation of various muscle groups.
• Games for the development of memory and overcoming impulsivity."Speak!" - the facilitator asks simple questions. But you can answer them only after the command “Speak!”, Before which he pauses for a few seconds.
• Computer games, which simultaneously develop perseverance, attention and restraint.

1. Art therapy

Engaging in various types of art reduces fatigue and anxiety, frees from negative emotions, improves adaptation, allows you to realize your talents and raise your child's self-esteem. It helps to develop internal control and perseverance, improves the relationship between the child and the parent or psychologist.

Interpreting the results of the child's work, the psychologist gets an idea about his inner world, mental conflicts and problems.

• Painting colored pencils, finger paints or watercolors. Sheets of paper of different sizes are used. The child can choose the plot of the drawing himself or the psychologist can suggest a topic - “At school”, “My family”.
• sand therapy. You need a sandbox with clean, moistened sand and a set of various molds, including human figures, vehicles, houses, etc. The child himself decides what exactly he wants to reproduce. Often he plays up stories that disturb him unconsciously, but he cannot convey this to adults.
• Modeling from clay or plasticine. The child sculpts figures from plasticine on a given topic - funny animals, my friend, my pet. classes contribute to the development of fine motor skills and brain functions.
• Listening to music and playing musical instruments. Rhythmic dance music is recommended for girls, and marching music for boys. Music relieves emotional stress, increases perseverance and attention.

The effectiveness of art therapy is average. It is a helper method. Can be used to establish contact with the child or for relaxation.

1. Family therapy and work with teachers.

The psychologist informs adults about the developmental features of a child with ADHD. He talks about effective methods of work, forms of influence on the child, how to form a system of rewards and sanctions, how to convey to the child the need to fulfill duties and comply with prohibitions. This reduces the number of conflicts, makes training and education easier for all its participants.
When working with a child, a psychologist draws up a psycho-correction program for several months. At the first sessions, he establishes contact with the child and conducts diagnostics to determine how pronounced inattention, impulsiveness and aggressiveness are. Taking into account individual characteristics, he draws up a correction program, gradually introducing various psychotherapeutic techniques and complicating tasks. Therefore, parents should not expect drastic changes after the first meetings.

1. Pedagogical measures

Parents and teachers need to be aware of the cyclical nature of the brain in children with ADHD. On average, a child assimilates information for 7-10 minutes, then the brain needs 3-7 minutes to recover and rest. This feature must be used in the process of learning, doing homework and in any other activity. For example, give your child tasks that he will have time to complete in 5-7 minutes.

Proper parenting is the main way to deal with the symptoms of ADHD. Whether the child “outgrows” this problem and how successful it will be in adulthood depends on the behavior of the parents.

• Be patient, keep self-control. Avoid criticism. Peculiarities in the behavior of the child are not his fault and not yours. Insults and physical violence are unacceptable.
• Communicate expressively with your child. Expressions of emotion in facial expressions and voice will help to keep his attention. For the same reason, it is important to look into the eyes of the child.
• Use physical contact. Hold the hand, stroke, hug, use massage elements when communicating with the child. It has a calming effect and helps to focus.
• Provide clear control of the execution of tasks. The child does not have sufficient willpower to complete what he started, he is tempted to stop halfway. Knowing that an adult will supervise the task will help him see it through to the end. Will provide discipline and self-control in the future.
• Set challenging tasks for your child. If he is not up to the task that you have set for him, then next time simplify it. If yesterday he did not have the patience to put away all the toys, then today ask him only to collect the cubes in a box.
• Set the child a task in the form of short instructions. Give one task at a time: "Brush your teeth." When this is completed, ask to wash.
• Take breaks of a few minutes between each activity. Collected toys, rested for 5 minutes, went to wash.
• Allow your child to be physically active during class. If he waves his legs, twists various objects in his hands, shifts near the table, this improves his thought process. If you limit this small activity, then the child's brain will fall into a stupor and will not be able to perceive information.
• Praise for every success. Do it one on one and with your family. The child has low self-esteem. He often hears how bad he is. Therefore, praise is vital to him. It encourages the child to be disciplined, to put even more effort and perseverance in completing tasks. Well, if the praise is visual. These can be chips, tokens, stickers, cards that the child can count at the end of the day. Change "rewards" from time to time. Forfeiting a reward is an effective form of punishment. He must follow immediately after the offense.
• Be consistent in your requirements. If you can not watch TV for a long time, then do not make exceptions when you have guests or your mother is tired.
• Warn your child about what's to come. It is difficult for him to interrupt activities that are interesting. Therefore, 5-10 minutes before the end of the game, warn that he will soon finish playing and collect toys.
• Learn to plan. Together, make a list of tasks that need to be done today, and then cross off what you have done.
• Make a daily routine and stick to it. This will teach the child to plan, distribute their time and anticipate what will happen in the near future. This develops the work of the frontal lobes and creates a sense of security.
• Encourage your child to play sports. Martial arts, swimming, athletics, cycling will be especially useful. They will direct the activity of the child in the right useful direction. Team sports (football, volleyball) can be difficult. Traumatic sports (judo, boxing) can increase the level of aggressiveness.
• Try different types of activities. The more you offer your child, the higher the chance that he will find his hobby, which will help him become more diligent and attentive. This will build his self-esteem and improve relationships with peers.
• Protect from prolonged viewing TV and computer seats. The approximate norm is 10 minutes for each year of life. So a 6-year-old child should not watch TV for more than an hour.

Remember, if your child has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, this does not mean that he is behind his peers in intellectual development. The diagnosis only indicates the borderline state between the norm and deviation. Parents will have to make more efforts, show a lot of patience in education, and in most cases, after 14 years, the child will “outgrow” this condition.

Often children with ADHD have high IQs and are referred to as "indigo children". If the child is interested in something specific in adolescence, then he will direct all his energy to it and bring it to perfection. If this hobby develops into a profession, then success is guaranteed. This is proved by the fact that most of the big businessmen and prominent scientists in childhood suffered from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Hyperactivity is an overly lively behavior of people, in which the increased excitability of a person is clearly visible. Usually this behavior is due to the inability to control emotions. Therefore, hyperactivity syndrome is observed mainly in children and adolescents. If adults behave in this way, we can talk about the presence of some kind of mental disorder.

With regard to hyperactivity syndrome in children and adolescents, experts have a different opinion. They believe that excessive activity and high excitability in this case are mainly due to attention deficit. Attention deficit in this case refers to the inability to concentrate on a particular object, sound or activity.

In addition, the causes of such a child's behavior may be birth trauma, any infection, insufficient or malnutrition, poisoning with poisons of chemical origin.

The syndrome of hyperactivity in boys is much more common than in girls. Usually it makes itself felt already in two or three years. To date, increased excitability is observed in almost 10% of primary school students. It is often accompanied by sleep disturbances, speech defects, developmental pathologies, diarrhea, enuresis.

Symptoms

Despite the fact that the symptoms of hyperactivity in children appear at a very early age, they most often get an appointment with a specialist by the age of 8-10 years. This is explained by the fact that initially others consider the child restless or simply do not attach much importance to his uncontrolled mobility. It begins to require increased attention when it becomes a hindrance to studying at school and hinders adaptation in society.

The main symptoms of hyperactivity in children are:

• Inability to focus on something for a long time;
• Lack of concentration, inability to concentrate on one subject;
• Difficulty concentrating on one activity;
• Unwillingness to solve tasks that require mental effort;
• distraction;
• Constant forgetfulness;
• Regular distraction to extraneous noise;
• Continuous fidgeting in the chair;
• Frequent jumping up from a place;
• Impulsive swinging of the arms and uncontrolled movements of the legs during excitement;
• Inability to calmly wait for something and listen to something to the end;
• Constant desire to break away.

If such actions in the child's behavior take place, there is a serious reason to suspect that he has a hyperactivity syndrome. This can have negative consequences, expressed in poor social adaptation and disruption of the normal learning process, excessive irritability and irascibility. Such children cannot concentrate, they experience anger when they have to wait for something and do not realize the consequences of an action at the moment.

Especially risky manifestations of hyperactivity syndrome are in conflict adolescence. Boys and girls with this syndrome have a strong desire for leadership and often commit defiant, bordering on antisocial acts. They start smoking, drinking alcohol or drugs early.

Children with symptoms of hyperactivity require a specific approach in education and supervision. Their behavior is not due to negative character traits, but to a violation of the reticular formation. This is one of the functions of the brain responsible for processing information and for the degree of concentration. A failure in its work leads to excessive brain fatigue and an increase in emotional anxiety, against which an uncontrollable desire for constant movement appears.

Treatment and correction

Hyperactivity in children is not amenable to the usual strict control, since the child in this case is not able to respond to comments and adequately perceive the threat of punishment for his actions. The primary task of correction is to teach self-management. It consists in directing energy in a safe direction. It can be sports or energetic exciting games, combined with careful observance of the daily routine and mandatory walks in the fresh air.

The process of treating hyperactivity does not allow intellectual overwork and prolonged presence of a person among a large mass of people. The child should be protected from stress and emotional shocks. Such children should not be placed too high demands. But being too soft with them is also unacceptable. The nutrition of the child should be correct, with a sufficient content of trace elements and vitamins.

Therapeutic treatment of hyperactivity consists in the use of nootropic drugs in combination with manual methods. Amphetamines are used as psychostimulants, which can be taken once a day. If psychostimulants do not give tangible results, antipsychotics and antidepressants are prescribed. However, the use of such funds requires constant monitoring of the child, as it creates the risk of cardiovascular abnormalities.

Tranquilizers, sleeping pills, and H1 blockers are also used. They are used in cases where other drugs are ineffective and only after a painstaking analysis of the reasons for the failure of the previous treatment. Additionally, to suppress or correct hyperactivity, clonidine and a number of anticonvulsant drugs are prescribed - carbamazepine, valproic acid, etc.