Symptoms, signs and treatment of hyperactivity in infants. Hyperactive children: what to do with a restless child, how to raise them and whether they need treatment - advice from a psychologist to parents

is a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), neurological and behavioral disorders that develop in childhood. The behavior of a hyperactive child is characterized by restlessness, distractibility, difficulty concentrating, impulsiveness, increased motor activity, etc. A hyperactive child requires a neuropsychological and neurological (EEG, MRI) examination. Helping a hyperactive child involves individual psychological and pedagogical support, psychotherapy, non-drug and drug therapy.

According to the criteria developed by the DSM in 1994, ADHD can be recognized if a child maintains at least 6 signs of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity over a six-month period. Therefore, upon initial contact with specialists, a diagnosis of ADHD is not made, but the child is observed and examined. In the process of clinical and psychological examination of a hyperactive child, methods of interview, conversation, and direct observation are used; obtaining information from teachers and parents using diagnostic questionnaires, neuropsychological testing.

The need for a basic pediatric and neurological examination is due to the fact that ADHD-like syndrome may hide various somatic and neurological disorders (hyperthyroidism, anemia, epilepsy, chorea, hearing and vision impairment, and many others). For the purpose of clarifying diagnosis, a hyperactive child may be prescribed consultations with specialized pediatric specialists (pediatric endocrinologist, pediatric otolaryngologist, pediatric ophthalmologist, epileptologist), EEG, MRI of the brain, general and biochemical blood tests, etc. Consultation with a speech therapist allows for the diagnosis of disorders of written speech and outline a plan for corrective work with a hyperactive child.

Hyperactivity in children should be differentiated from fetal alcohol syndrome, post-traumatic damage to the central nervous system, chronic lead poisoning, manifestations of individual characteristics of temperament, pedagogical neglect, mental retardation, etc.

ADHD correction

A hyperactive child needs comprehensive individualized support, including psychological and pedagogical correction, psychotherapy, non-drug and medicinal correction.

A hyperactive child is recommended to have a gentle learning regimen (small-sized classes, shortened lessons, dosed tasks), adequate sleep, nutritious meals, long walks, and sufficient physical activity. Due to increased excitability, the participation of hyperactive children in public events should be limited. Under the guidance of a child psychologist and psychotherapist, autogenic training, individual, group, family and behavioral psychotherapy, body-oriented therapy, and biofeedback technologies are conducted. In the correction of ADHD, the entire environment of the hyperactive child should be actively involved: parents, educators, school teachers.

Pharmacotherapy is an auxiliary method for correcting ADHD. It involves the administration of atomoxetine hydrochloride, which blocks the reuptake of norepinephrine and improves synaptic transmission in various brain structures; nootropic drugs (pyritinol, cortexin, choline alfoscerate, phenibut, hopantenic acid); micronutrients (magnesium, pyridoxine), etc. In some cases, a good effect is achieved using kinesiotherapy, cervical spine massage, and manual therapy.

Elimination of written speech disorders is carried out within the framework of targeted speech therapy sessions for the correction of dysgraphia and dyslexia.

Prediction and prevention of ADHD

Timely and comprehensive correctional work allows a hyperactive child to learn to build relationships with peers and adults, control his own behavior, and prevent difficulties in social adaptation. Psychological and pedagogical support for a hyperactive child contributes to the formation of socially acceptable behavior. In the absence of attention to the problems of ADHD in adolescence and adulthood, the risk of social maladjustment, alcoholism and drug addiction increases.

Prevention of hyperactivity disorder and attention deficit disorder should begin long before the birth of a child and include providing conditions for the normal course of pregnancy and childbirth, caring for the health of children, and creating a favorable microclimate in the family and children's team.

In this article:

For many years, childhood hyperactivity has caused a lot of controversy and disagreement. Doctors, teachers, psychologists look at this problem differently.

A lot of research has been done in recent years. It turned out that general signs of hyperactivity are present in children with special developmental features of the nervous system. Usually the first manifestations of the disease are visible already at 2-3 years. At this time, the child goes to kindergarten. There he may encounter a number of problems: reluctance to listen to adults, constant activity, problems with communication.

He is really very active, he cannot sit still for even a couple of minutes, and quiet games are not for him. But if it seems to you that the child is simply cheerful and full of energy, then this is not so. His actions are spontaneous, nervousness is visible, he quickly begins to cry, does he have big problems with sleep? In such cases, you should consult a doctor.

What is hyperactivity

The concept of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been around for many years. This diagnosis is made to children all over the world. Its signs are known to all doctors, but parents cannot always recognize in time that the baby needs treatment. And is it even necessary? Let's figure out what ADHD is.

The cause of all problems is the peculiarity of the functioning
nervous system in children. A weak central nervous system tolerates stress very poorly. And not only physical, but also psychological, mental, emotional.

To put it simply, it takes a little for the child to become overexcited and go into a state of increased nervous activity. Such conditions are classified as neurotic. This has many health consequences:

• sleep problems;
• increased sweating;
• problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
• speech disorders;
• high blood pressure.

Remember that it is very difficult for your child himself. Remember a situation when you were very nervous, everything was falling out of your hands, you yourself didn’t know what to tackle first. Now imagine that your baby lives like this every day.

Bad Education?

Parents of a child with ADHD often hear that the child is poorly raised. This is offensive to the mother, especially if she makes great efforts to help him. He breaks a plate at a party, cannot complete a task in kindergarten, gets into conversations, runs away in the middle of class - those around him immediately say that he is poorly brought up.

Often problems
education is really present. But the point here is not that parents do not pay attention to upbringing. It’s just that standard methods are not suitable here. If you notice all these signs and consult a doctor, he will definitely explain to you what to do.

We'll have to change our parenting tactics. You will need:

• strict time frames (the baby has a poor understanding of time);
• clear sequence of actions;
• logical arguments;
• logical explanations;
• logic in punishments;
• the ability to find a compromise.

Of course, there is no need to explain all these subtleties to the curious on the playground. Your child needs your help first and foremost. Help him, ask specialists, communicate with those mothers who have the same problems.

With the help of proper upbringing, you can significantly alleviate the baby’s condition. He will study, he will have friends and the most ordinary life of a child.

Main signs of hyperactivity

After 30-40 minutes with such a baby, you will definitely understand that something is wrong with him. A hyperactive baby shows the following signs:

7 Classic Signs of ADHD

There are 7 signs that neurologists and psychologists use to make a final diagnosis.

ADHD or just a curious kid?

Parents should understand the difference well and not be needlessly afraid. The most ordinary inquisitive kid who never loses heart. He is interested in everything, he constantly wants to do something, climb somewhere. Usually his games are accompanied the crash of objects and his cheerful laughter. He really has a lot of energy. At 2-3 years old this is quite normal. True, such behavior is difficult for parents, because the baby needs an eye and an eye.

Remember these signs of a healthy, growing baby. Now remember again what we said about a hyperactive child. He does not have such a positive character - there is a lot of nervousness in his actions, he quickly turns to crying. It’s hard for him to play with other children, because he has to follow their rules, and he can’t do that. We can say that his activities are unfocused. The baby may forget why he did something, why he cried, what he fought for. Or, having achieved the desired role in the game, he gives up everything and leaves. His change of activities is usually spontaneous.

These two children are nothing alike. The first one only needs a good upbringing, while the second one, unfortunately, will need help.

What to do next

A hyperactive child needs your love, understanding, care and acceptance. Scolding him for something he cannot change is stupid and wrong. But this does not mean that you tolerate any of his behavior. You need to figure out how you will structure his preschool and school life, communication, when he may need the help of a specialist.

Kindergarten

This is usually where the problems are the least. Children have a lot of free time to play and do not have such strict discipline. For children with ADHD, adaptation to kindergarten takes longer and is more painful. They are very attached to their mother, without her they begin to be capricious and behave unbalanced.

It is best if the child is sent to kindergarten for the first 1-3 months
someone else. Grandma, dad, a neighbor who takes her baby to the same garden, a nanny. It will be easier this way.

You have a choice:

• regular kindergarten;
• a special preschool institution for children with neurological problems.

Many psychologists believe that it is better to send the baby to a regular kindergarten. Yes, it will be difficult at first. But the baby will learn to overcome many of his social problems. Being in society and not following its laws is a difficult test. But it will help you adapt.

If the problem is very acute, then it is better not to torment your child and other children. Take him to a place where professional educators are guaranteed to be able to help. The child there will receive more attention and no less knowledge and skills.

School

If after kindergarten you see that the situation is leveling out, then go to a regular school. Warn the teacher that your child has ADHD. An experienced and intelligent teacher will treat this normally and not with prejudice.

Studying at school requires a more stringent disciplinary framework. Here
It will no longer be possible to get up in the middle of the lesson and run to play. Or discard an uninteresting task. You should start worrying about this in advance.

You can conduct small activities at home with your baby, playing out school situations. He is the student, you are the teacher. Give him tasks, explain everything about lessons and changes. If the child is ready, and the situation is not new, then adapting to the new environment is much easier.

If there were problems and a special institution was recommended to you in kindergarten, then it is better to continue your education there. Special schools do not differ in their curriculum from general education schools. At the end of the day, the child will receive exactly the same diploma as students in regular schools.

But in such a school there are more adults who are ready to help. Here teachers, nannies, and students are formed into small groups, which means that everyone can receive maximum attention. This is also behavior control. It happens that after 1-3 years in such a school, the child can already be transferred to a regular one.

Communication with peers

Your child may experience serious difficulties communicating with other children. However, there is no point in scolding him. He does not always understand that he offends the kids when he wants to play by his own rules and occupy
interesting playing roles.

It's worth working out with him at home. Try to act out communication scenes and stick to game scenarios. Explain to your child logically that he cannot always be a prince or a superhero. Sometimes you need to agree to another role. Or objectively prove that he will cope better with this or that game role. Or you can put it simply: today you will be an evil character, and tomorrow you will be a good one. The logic of your explanations will help him cope with discontent or aggression.

Consultation with a psychologist

Whatever the level of ADHD, you need to visit a psychologist. It is important that a professional clearly shows parents the principles of working with a child. The specialist sees signs of a problem developing. Visit him 1-2 times a year for consultation. This can be useful, because by the age of 6-7 years the baby will desperately need to know the answers to the questions:

• Why don't other children want to play with me?
• Does the teacher scold me more often than others?
• Am I somehow worse?
• why do I go to another school?

A professional can easily answer these and other questions.

Surveys

A whole range of examinations is carried out. Family history is very important, especially if there are other examples of children with hyperactivity in the family. The doctor will definitely ask you to talk about the progress of your pregnancy, show tests and studies.
Hyperactivity can often be indicated by:

• severe toxicosis;
• maternal high blood pressure;
• labor too fast;
• labor is too slow;
• complications, hypoxia.

This can lead to disruption of the baby's central nervous system.

Examinations are carried out by a therapist, neurologist, neuropathologist, psychologist, and defectologist.

Is therapy necessary?

Mom cannot make such a decision on her own. Even if the baby has all the signs of hyperactivity. Be sure to wait for the doctor’s conclusion and prescription of medications. The child may receive drug therapy. It serves solely to reduce the level of nervous tension. You don't have to take it all the time. Already by the beginning of puberty, therapy is revised.

Questions for a child psychologist

Not all parents can immediately understand what a diagnosis of ADHD means. Some people think that nothing bad is happening, everything will go away on its own. Others are very concerned, attributing a variety of traits to ADHD. The most important thing for mom and dad is to find a good specialist. With him you can calmly discuss all the nuances of working with your child, training, therapy, and classes.

So, let's look at the most frequently asked questions to specialists regarding children with ADHD.

At 3 years old, the baby was diagnosed with ADHD. Drug treatment was prescribed. What happens if you don’t give pills to your child?

Of course, parents can choose whether their child will receive therapy or not. Treatment with medications is usually recommended. Yes, many parents say that feeding a 2-year-old child pills, and no one knows what kind, is not the best idea. Others are simply afraid of such doctor's advice.

However, it is precisely
drug therapy is designed for this age. Typically, ADHD is diagnosed at this time. The tablets will not harm the health of the baby and certainly will not cause him addiction. Do not think that by starting to give medications now, you are dooming your baby to take pills for the rest of his life.

Many medications are discontinued during adolescence with the onset of puberty. Of course, there are serious cases. But remember that your doctor will prescribe medications to relieve symptoms. It will be easier for the child to communicate, he will be able to calmly study at school and enter a university. Medicines enable him to lead a very ordinary life. After all, this is what you go for for your baby.

My son’s so-called hyperactivity only occurs in kindergarten. At home he behaves calmly and quietly. What does it mean?

Most likely, there is no hyperactivity here. In the medical, medical sense of the word. It's just you
active child. The kindergarten is full of other children and toys. There he found himself and feels freedom.

The teachers are probably complaining. Does he break everything, doesn’t want to eat, can bully other children, doesn’t go to bed on time? This is a reason to go to a child psychologist. He will most likely just teach you how to calm your baby down and prescribe baths with aromatic oils before bed. Your baby is active, cheerful and inquisitive, which is especially evident in the company of his peers.

If a child has ADHD, does this mean that he will not be able to study in a regular school?

It all depends on the degree of the disease. If it is minimal, then the child will be able to study at a regular school, graduate from it, enter
University or college. It won't be easy, not like with other children. But ADHD is quite treatable. You need to raise your child and inform the teacher.

A special school is not a place for mentally retarded or unpromising students. There, conditions are created for children in which they can learn, communicate and develop without problems. There is nothing shameful here for parents.

Do children with hyperactivity disorder have reduced intelligence?

Such combinations do occur, but are quite rare. In this case, we are talking about complex disorders of the brain and nervous system. In most cases, the baby's intelligence is quite normal.

I don't understand anything about this diagnosis. Which doctor should we contact so that he can explain everything to us in detail?

It's worth going to your pediatrician. Tell him everything about the existing problems, share your suspicions. If you have any conclusions from the kindergarten teacher, bring them. In any case, the pediatrician will prescribe an examination for the child. Then you can go to a therapist, neurologist, psychologist or even a psychiatrist. It all depends on what the reasons for your diagnosis are. There is no need to be afraid of doctors. The most “scary” examination for a baby can be a blood test. Everything else doesn't hurt at all.

Every mother needs to know the signs of hyperactivity in children under 3 years of age. 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 made to you by the treating neurologist who knows your child and has been observing him for some time.

The brain of a hyperactive child forms nerve impulses too quickly. These processes prevent the little person from concentrating on something, switching from active games to quiet rest, and falling asleep. Hyperactivity may begin in a child not at the “difficult” three years, but much earlier. Some symptoms can be recognized as early as infancy. And the sooner you do this, the better it will be for you and your child.

Signs of hyperactivity

Here are some distinctive characteristics of children suffering from hyperactivity:

• The child develops physically faster than his peers. Such babies sit down early, stand up, begin to walk and crawl. They often fall off the sofas and drive their parents crazy, while their peers are still lying peacefully in their cradles. In itself, this sign does not mean anything; if there is real hyperactivity, it will manifest itself in some other way.
• 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 fall into hysterics. Putting a child with this diagnosis to sleep is difficult even in infancy; often the mother has to rock 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 most of the day sleeping, but not those who are hyperactive. 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 minor noise. It is very difficult to put him back to sleep; you have to rock him to sleep 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 hysterics from a large number of impressions, it takes a long time to recover and come 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 becomes.
• A symptom of ADHD, that is, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a strong attachment to mom. The baby is afraid of other adults, does not make contact, and hides behind his mother. Such children are jealous of their mother towards strangers and turn every conflict into hysterics.
• A girl or boy with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder cannot do one thing for a long time. Any toy quickly gets boring, the baby either picks up one thing and throws it away, then picks up another and also throws it away.
• Frequent mood swings are an important symptom of ADHD. One moment the child was laughing, and now he is screaming and destroying everything out of anger. If this happens often, it is worth taking him to a neurologist for examination.
• Not only impulsivity and irritability signal problems of the nervous system. If a child often floats off somewhere in his dreams, gets lost in thought and doesn’t hear anyone talking to him and doesn’t pay attention to what’s happening around him, this is also a reason to ask a neurologist a question.
• ADHD is often accompanied by a child's depressed mood and fears. You may notice that your baby has become withdrawn and looks sad and tired. He seemed to have lost interest in games and hobbies. Fears can make a child overly touchy and anxious.
• Hyperactive children often jerk their arms and legs, fidget in their chair when they should sit quietly. While standing in line to play, they may jump up and down with anticipation. If you play a quiz with such a kid, there is a chance that he will shout out the answer even before you say the full question.
• Losing things, mistakes due to inattention, switching to things that are not relevant are the eternal companions of patients diagnosed with ADHD.

All these signs do not mean that your child necessarily has a diagnosis of hyperactivity. It should be diagnosed by a neurologist. Similar behavior occurs in healthy children and is a consequence of their healthy temperament. In order not to cause premature panic and not to heal a healthy child, you need to approach the issue of diagnosis very responsibly 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 and watch cartoons. Another difference is that a healthy child can be easily distracted from hysteria with a toy, a song, or a bird outside the window. Good long sleep and falling asleep quickly are also a sign of a healthy nervous system.

Causes of hyperactivity

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is not really a disease. With the correct approach and behavior of adults, the child will “outgrow” this condition, and in the future this brain feature will not cause him problems.

The reasons for 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 labor may also affect the brain. At risk are births by cesarean section, prolonged labor with fetal hypoxia, a long anhydrous period and the use of forceps, and also, conversely, very rapid labor.

Diagnosis of ADHD

The doctor asks the mother about her family history, whether there were people in the family with this diagnosis, and asks her to characterize the baby. It is important to tell the neurologist about anything that causes suspicion, be it poor sleep or severe excitability. There are certain diagnostic criteria approved by the American Psychiatric Organization, and it is with them that the neurologist will correlate the parents’ stories.

In addition to conversation, there are hardware diagnostic methods, such as electroencephalography or 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 the mother of a hyperactive child, try not to overload his psyche with unnecessary vivid impressions and noise. Carefully consider visits and family holidays, visits to parks and cultural events. You should not turn on the TV in the background or watch cartoons for a long time. After watching cartoons, children often get very tired without realizing it.

Some tips for dealing with hyperactive children:

• Clearly formulate your requests and requirements. Do not speak in long sentences and flowery language, and do not load the request to remove the toys with additional morality and meaning. A child with hyperactivity has poorly developed logical and abstract thinking, and it will be difficult for him to understand you.
• Formulate prohibitions correctly. Try to limit the use of negatives and the word “no”; instead of “don’t run around the club” say “run along the sidewalk”. Any prohibition must have a reason; explain it clearly and briefly to your child. Offer an alternative. For example, you can’t hit a cat, but you can pet it. You cannot pour water from a mug onto the floor, but you can pour it into the bathtub.
• Don't forget about consistency. There is no need to give your child several tasks at once. “Put away the toys, wash your hands and go eat,” he most likely will not understand. At some stage he will get distracted, forget what was required of him, and start playing. Voice each request separately, first about toys, when the toys are put away, it’s time to wash your hands, and only then invite them to the table.
• Help you navigate through time. Instead of dragging your child home from a walk right away, warn him in advance that it will be time to go home soon - 20 minutes before the required time, for example. After 10 minutes, remind me again, after five - again. By the time of training camp, the child will already be mentally prepared for the fact that he needs to switch from the game. The same applies to “it’s time to go to bed” and “it’s time to turn off the cartoons.”
• Provide choice. Invite your child to choose from two toys, items of clothing, or two or three dishes. This arrangement 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, and 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, following rituals, a bath with an extract of hop cones or pine needles, and reading a book helps a lot. You can give a light massage, sing a quiet song. It is not recommended to watch cartoons before bed, maximum one short cartoon lasting 10-15 minutes.

Rules for parents

Keep a clear daily routine. This is essential for a child with ADHD. Playing, sleeping and bathing should all happen at the same time. This will help your beloved child tune in in advance and give him a feeling of calm and solid ground under his feet. In your diet, you should limit the consumption of food additives and dyes, the consumption of chocolate and large amounts of sugar and salt.

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

Every time the child managed to control himself, overcame hysteria and was able to calm down in time, praise and encourage him. Positive reinforcement will help him regulate his behavior. Your relationship should be trusting. Believe me, it’s already hard for him, there’s no need to aggravate the matter with swearing and quarrels.

Permissiveness creates intuitive fear in children and leads to neuroses. Clearly define for yourself what exactly is not allowed and why, do not deviate from the accepted framework. It is important here not to overdo it with prohibitions. You can mark your child’s successes with stars, and when they accumulate 5 or 10, reward the baby with a cute present.

Remember, the baby does not behave this way to spite you; it is difficult for him to cope with himself. He attracts attention to himself by asking for your help. Be your child’s ally in conflicts on the playground, do not listen to relatives who say that you don’t need to pick up the child and calm him down, and to advisers with the eternal “let him yell.” In difficult times, a little person needs a loving and calm mother nearby, her support and understanding.

Drug therapy for ADHD

A child with ADHD may benefit from taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement and enriching their diet with omega-3 fatty acids. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are especially important; they are often deficient in the blood of those suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The combination of magnesium and vitamin B6 is very beneficial for the functioning of the nervous system. Patients experience a decrease in aggressiveness and improvement in attention after using these drugs. In some cases, your 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 neurologists 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 for treating hyperactivity

Many parents note an improvement 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: large amounts of protein from meat, nuts and legumes, carbohydrates from vegetables and fruits, fatty fish, olive oil. Eliminate sweets and snacks with preservatives, flavor enhancers, and dyes from your child’s diet.

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

If your child goes to kindergarten, talk to the teacher and tell them about the problem. Hyperactive children need special approach and attention. Teachers working with a child must know his diagnosis and characteristics. The same goes for relatives and family friends who often visit your home. Hyperactivity is a diagnosis that your baby will definitely outgrow if you find out about it in time and provide your child with the right care and assistance. There is nothing terrible about 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 within a year or two of proper treatment you will get rid of any manifestations of hyperactivity.

Childhood hyperactivity is a condition in which the child’s activity and excitability significantly exceeds the norm. This causes a lot of trouble for parents, educators and teachers. And the child himself suffers from difficulties in communicating with peers and adults, which is fraught with the further formation of negative psychological characteristics of the individual.

How to identify and treat hyperactivity, what specialists should you contact to make a diagnosis, how to properly communicate with your child? All this is necessary to know in order to raise a healthy baby.

What is hyperactivity?

This is a neurological-behavioral disorder, which in the medical literature is often called hyperactive child syndrome.

It is characterized by the following violations:

• impulsive behavior;
• significantly increased speech and motor activity;
• attention deficit.

The disease leads to poor relationships with parents, peers, and poor performance at school. According to statistics, this disorder occurs in 4% of schoolchildren; in boys it is diagnosed 5-6 times more often.

The difference between hyperactivity and activity

Hyperactivity syndrome differs from the active state in that the baby’s behavior creates problems for the parents, those around him and himself.

It is necessary to contact a pediatrician, neurologist or child psychologist in the following cases: motor disinhibition and lack of attention appear constantly, behavior makes it difficult to communicate with people, school performance is low. You also need to consult a doctor if your child shows aggression towards others.

Causes

The causes of hyperactivity can be different:

• premature or complicated birth;
• intrauterine infections;
• the influence of harmful factors at work during a woman’s pregnancy;
• bad ecology;
• stress and physical overload of a woman during pregnancy;
• hereditary predisposition;
• unbalanced diet during pregnancy;
• immaturity of the central nervous system of the newborn;
• disturbances in the exchange of dopamine and other neurotransmitters in the infant’s central nervous system;
• excessive demands from parents and teachers on the child;
• disorders of purine metabolism in a baby.

Provoking factors

This condition can be caused by late toxicosis or the use of medications during pregnancy without the consent of a doctor. Possible exposure to alcohol, drugs, smoking during pregnancy. Read more about the effect of smoking on pregnancy →

Conflict relationships in the family and family violence can contribute to the appearance of hyperactivity. Low academic performance, due to which the child is subject to criticism from teachers and punishment from parents, is another predisposing factor.

Symptoms

Signs of hyperactivity are similar at any age:

• anxiety;
• restlessness;
• delayed speech development;
• irritability and tearfulness;
• poor sleep;
• stubbornness;
• inattention;
• impulsiveness.

In newborns

Hyperactivity in infants under one year of age is indicated by restlessness and increased physical activity in the crib; the brightest toys arouse short-term interest in them. When examined, such children often exhibit stigmata of disembryogenesis, including epicanthal folds, abnormal structure of the auricles and their low location, gothic palate, cleft lip, and cleft palate.

In children aged 2-3 years

Parents most often begin to notice manifestations of this condition from the age of 2 or even earlier. The child is characterized by increased capriciousness.

Already at the age of 2, mom and dad see that it is difficult to interest the baby in something, he is distracted from the game, spins in his chair, and is in constant motion. Usually such a child is very restless and noisy, but sometimes a 2-year-old baby surprises with his silence and lack of desire to come into contact with parents or peers.

Child psychologists believe that sometimes such behavior precedes the appearance of motor and speech disinhibition. At two years old, parents may observe signs of aggression in the child and a reluctance to obey adults, ignoring their requests and demands.

From the age of 3, manifestations of egoistic traits become noticeable. The child strives to dominate his peers in group games, provokes conflict situations, and disturbs everyone.

In preschoolers

Preschooler hyperactivity often manifests itself as impulsive behavior. Such children interfere in the conversations and affairs of adults and do not know how to play group games. Especially painful for parents are the hysterics and whims of a 5-6-year-old child in crowded places, his violent expression of emotions in the most inappropriate environment.

Preschool children show restlessness, they do not pay attention to comments made, interrupt, and shout down their peers. It is completely useless to reprimand and scold a 5-6 year old for hyperactivity; he simply ignores information and does not learn the rules of behavior well. Any activity captivates him for a short time, he is easily distracted.

Varieties

Behavioral disorder, which often has a neurological background, can occur in different ways.

Attention deficit disorder without hyperactivity

This disorder is characterized by the following behavioral features:

• listened to the task, but could not repeat it, immediately forgetting the meaning of what was said;
• cannot concentrate and complete an assignment, although he understands what his task is;
• does not listen to the interlocutor;
• does not respond to comments.

Hyperactivity without attention deficit disorder

This disorder is characterized by the following symptoms: fussiness, verbosity, increased motor activity, and the desire to be in the center of events. Also characterized by frivolity of behavior, a tendency to take risks and adventures, which often creates life-threatening situations.

Hyperactivity with attention deficit disorder

It is referred to in the medical literature as ADHD. We can talk about such a syndrome if the child has the following behavioral characteristics:

• cannot concentrate on completing a specific task;
• abandons the work he started without finishing it;
• selective attention, unstable;
• negligence, inattention in everything;
• does not pay attention to addressed speech, ignores offers of help in completing a task if it causes him difficulties.

Impaired attention and hyperactivity at any age make it difficult to organize your work, complete a task accurately and correctly, without being distracted by external interference. In everyday life, hyperactivity and attention deficit lead to forgetfulness and frequent loss of belongings.

Attention disorder with hyperactivity is fraught with difficulties when following even the simplest instructions. Such children are often in a hurry and commit rash acts that can harm themselves or others.

Possible consequences

At any age, this behavioral disorder interferes with social contacts. Due to hyperactivity, preschool children attending kindergarten have difficulty participating in group games with peers and communicating with them and teachers. Therefore, visiting kindergarten becomes a daily psychological trauma, which can adversely affect the further development of the individual.

Schoolchildren's academic performance suffers; going to school only brings negative emotions. The desire to study, to learn new things disappears, teachers and classmates are annoying, contact with them has only a negative connotation. The child withdraws into himself or becomes aggressive.

A child's impulsive behavior sometimes poses a threat to his health. This is especially true for children who break toys, have conflicts, and fight with other children and adults.

If you do not seek help from a specialist, a person may develop a psychopathic personality type with age. Hyperactivity in adults usually begins in childhood. One in five children with this disorder continue to have symptoms into adulthood.

The following features of hyperactivity are often observed:

• tendency to aggression towards others (including parents);
• suicidal tendencies;
• inability to participate in dialogue and make a constructive joint decision;
• lack of skills in planning and organizing one’s own work;
• forgetfulness, frequent loss of necessary things;
• refusal to solve problems that require mental effort;
• fussiness, verbosity, irritability;
• fatigue, tearfulness.

Diagnostics

The child's attention deficit and hyperactivity become noticeable to parents from an early age, but the diagnosis is made by a neurologist or psychologist. Usually, hyperactivity in a 3-year-old child, if it occurs, is no longer in doubt.

Diagnosing hyperactivity is a multi-step process. Anamnesis data is collected and analyzed (the course of pregnancy, childbirth, the dynamics of physical and psychomotor development, illnesses suffered by the child). The specialist is interested in the opinion of the parents themselves about the child’s development, assessment of his behavior at 2 years old, at 5 years old.

The doctor needs to find out how the adaptation to kindergarten went. During the reception, parents should not pull the child back or make comments to him. It is important for the doctor to see his natural behavior. If the child has reached the age of 5, a child psychologist will conduct tests to determine attentiveness.

The final diagnosis is made by a neurologist and child psychologist after receiving the results of electroencephalography and MRI of the brain. These examinations are necessary to exclude neurological diseases, which may result in impaired attention and hyperactivity.

Laboratory methods are also important:

• determining the presence of lead in the blood to exclude intoxication;
• biochemical blood test for thyroid hormones;
• Complete blood count to rule out anemia.

Special methods can be used: consultations with an ophthalmologist and audiologist, psychological testing.

Treatment

If a diagnosis of hyperactivity is made, complex therapy is necessary. It includes medical and pedagogical activities.

Educational work

Specialists in child neurology and psychology will explain to parents how to deal with their child’s hyperactivity. Kindergarten teachers and school teachers also need to have relevant knowledge. They must teach parents the correct behavior with their child and help them overcome difficulties in communicating with him. Specialists will help the student master relaxation and self-control techniques.

Change of terms and conditions

You need to praise and encourage your child for any successes and good deeds. Emphasize positive character traits and support any positive endeavors. You can keep a diary with your child to record all his achievements. In a calm and friendly tone, talk about the rules of behavior and communication with others.

From the age of 2, the baby must get used to the daily routine, sleep, eat and play at certain times.

From the age of 5, it is advisable for him to have his own living space: a separate room or a corner fenced off from the common area. There should be a calm environment in the house; quarrels between parents and scandals are unacceptable. It is advisable to transfer the student to a class with fewer students.

To reduce hyperactivity at 2-3 years old, children need a sports corner (wall bars, children's parallel bars, rings, rope). Exercise and games will help relieve stress and expend energy.

What parents should not do:

• constantly pull back and scold, especially in front of strangers;
• humiliate the child with mocking or rude remarks;
• constantly speak strictly to the child, give instructions in a commanding tone;
• prohibit something without explaining to the child the reason for your decision;
• give too difficult tasks;
• demand exemplary behavior and only excellent grades at school;
• carry out household chores that were assigned to the child if he did not complete them;
• accustom to the idea that the main task is not to change behavior, but to receive a reward for obedience;
• use methods of physical coercion in case of disobedience. Read more about the impact of physical punishment on children →

Drug therapy

Drug treatment of hyperactivity syndrome in children plays only a supporting role. It is prescribed when there is no effect from behavioral therapy and special training.

The drug Atomoxetine is used to eliminate the symptoms of ADHD, but its use is only possible as prescribed by a doctor; there are undesirable effects. Results appear after about 4 months of regular use.

If the baby is diagnosed with this, he may also be prescribed psychostimulants. They are used in the morning. In severe cases, tricyclic antidepressants are used under medical supervision.

Games with hyperactive children

Even with board and quiet games, the hyperactivity of a 5-year-old child is noticeable. He constantly attracts the attention of adults with erratic and aimless body movements. Parents need to spend more time with their baby and communicate with him. Cooperative games are very useful.

It is effective to alternate calm board games - lotto, putting together puzzles, checkers, with outdoor games - badminton, football. Summer provides many opportunities to help a child with hyperactivity.

During this period, you should strive to provide your child with country holidays, long hikes, and teach swimming. During walks, talk more with your child, tell him about plants, birds, and natural phenomena.

Nutrition

Parents need to make adjustments to their diet. The diagnosis made by specialists implies the need to adhere to meal times. The diet should be balanced, the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates should correspond to the age norm.

It is advisable to exclude fried, spicy and smoked foods, and carbonated drinks. Eat less sweets, especially chocolate, increase the amount of vegetables and fruits you consume.

Hyperactivity at school age

Increased hyperactivity in school-age children forces parents to seek medical help. After all, school makes completely different demands on a growing person than preschool institutions. He must remember a lot, gain new knowledge, and solve complex problems. The child is required to be attentive, persevering, and able to concentrate.

Problems with studies

Attention deficit and hyperactivity are noticed by teachers. The child is distracted during the lesson, physically active, does not respond to comments, and interferes with the lesson. The hyperactivity of younger schoolchildren at 6-7 years old leads to the fact that children do not learn the material well and do their homework carelessly. Therefore, they constantly receive criticism for poor performance and bad behavior.

Teaching children with hyperactivity often becomes a serious problem. A real struggle begins between such a child and the teacher, since the student does not want to comply with the teacher’s demands, and the teacher fights for discipline in the class.

Problems with classmates

It is difficult to adapt to a group of children; it is difficult to find a common language with peers. The student begins to withdraw into himself and becomes secretive. In group games or discussions, he stubbornly defends his point of view, without listening to the opinions of others. At the same time, he often behaves rudely and aggressively, especially if people do not agree with his opinion.

Correction of hyperactivity is necessary for the child’s successful adaptation to the children’s group, good learning ability and further socialization. It is important to examine the baby at an early age and provide timely professional treatment. But in any case, parents must realize that most of all the child needs understanding and support.

Useful video about raising hyperactive children

Every child is active and inquisitive, but there are children whose activity is increased compared to their peers. Can such children be called hyperactive or is this a manifestation of the child’s character? And is a child’s hyperactive behavior normal or does it require treatment?

What is hyperactivity

This is the abbreviated name for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which is also abbreviated as ADHD. This is a very common brain disorder in childhood and is also present in many adults. According to statistics, 1-7% of children have hyperactivity syndrome. It is diagnosed 4 times more often in boys than in girls.

Early recognition of hyperactivity, which requires therapy, allows the child to develop normal behavior and better adapt to a group environment among other people. If a child's ADHD is left unattended, it persists into an older age. A teenager with such a disorder acquires school skills worse, is more prone to antisocial behavior, and is hostile and aggressive.

ADHD - a syndrome of excessive impulsivity, hyperactivity and stable inattention. Signs of ADHD

Not every active and easily excited child is classified as a child who has hyperactivity syndrome.

To diagnose ADHD, you should identify the main symptoms of this disorder in your child, which include:

1. Attention deficit.
2. Impulsivity.
3. Hyperactivity.

Symptoms usually begin before age 7 years. Most often, parents notice them at 4 or 5 years old, and the most common age period for contacting a specialist is 8 years and older, when the child is faced with many tasks at school and around the house, where his concentration and independence are needed. Children who have not yet turned 3 years old are not diagnosed immediately. They are monitored for a period of time to ensure that they have ADHD.

Depending on the predominance of specific symptoms, two subtypes of the syndrome are distinguished: attention deficit and hyperactivity. A separate subtype of ADHD is distinguished, in which the child has symptoms of both attention deficit and hyperactivity.

Signs of hyperactivity are more common in children 4-5 years old

Manifestations of attention deficit:

1. The child cannot concentrate on objects for a long time. He often makes careless mistakes.
2. The child is unable to maintain attention for a long time, which is why he is not collected during the task and often does not complete the task to the end.
3. When a child is spoken to, it appears that he is not listening.
4. If you give a child a direct instruction, he does not follow it, or he begins to carry it out and does not finish it.
5. It is difficult for a child to organize his activities. He frequently switches from one activity to another.
6. The child does not like tasks that require prolonged mental effort. He tries to avoid them.
7. A child often loses things that he needs.
8. The baby is easily distracted by extraneous noise.
9. In everyday activities, the child is noted to have increased forgetfulness.

Manifestations of impulsivity and hyperactivity:

1. The child often gets up from his seat.
2. When a child is excited, he moves his legs or arms intensely. In addition, the baby periodically squirms in the stool.
3. He gets up very quickly and runs often.
4. It is difficult for him to participate in quiet games.
5. His actions can be described as “whimsical.”
6. During classes, he may shout from his seat or make noise.
7. The child answers before he hears the full question.
8. He cannot wait his turn during a lesson or game.
9. The child constantly interferes with other people's activities or conversations.

To make a diagnosis, a child must have at least 6 of the signs listed above, and they must be present for a long time (at least six months).

Childhood hyperactivity manifests itself in the inability to sit still. How does hyperactivity manifest at an early age?

Hyperactivity syndrome is detected not only in schoolchildren, but also in preschool children and even infants.

In the youngest children, this problem manifests itself with the following symptoms:

• Faster physical development when compared with peers. Babies with hyperactivity roll over, crawl, and walk much faster.
• The appearance of whims when the child is tired. Hyperactive children often get excited and become more active before bedtime.
• Less sleep duration. A child with ADHD sleeps much less than he should for his age.
• Difficulty falling asleep (many children need to be rocked to sleep) and very light sleep. A hyperactive child reacts to any rustle, and if he wakes up, it is very difficult for him to fall asleep again.
• A very violent reaction to loud sounds, new surroundings and unfamiliar faces. Because of such factors, children with hyperactivity become excited and begin to be more capricious.
• Quick switching of attention. Having offered the baby a new toy, the mother notices that the new object attracts the baby’s attention for only a short time.
• Strong attachment to mother and fear of strangers.

If your baby is often capricious, reacts violently to new surroundings, sleeps little and has difficulty falling asleep, these could be the first signs of ADHD ADHD or character?

Increased activity of a child may be a manifestation of his innate temperament.

Unlike children with ADHD, a temperamental healthy child:

Causes of hyperactivity in children

Previously, the occurrence of ADHD was associated primarily with brain damage, for example, if the newborn suffered hypoxia while in the mother's womb or during childbirth. Nowadays, studies have confirmed the influence of genetic factors and disorders of intrauterine development of the baby on the appearance of hyperactivity syndrome. The development of ADHD is facilitated by too early childbirth, cesarean section, low birth weight, a long anhydrous period during childbirth, the use of forceps and similar factors.

ADHD can occur during difficult childbirth, impaired intrauterine development, or be inherited. What to do

If you suspect your child has hyperactivity syndrome, the first thing you need to do is go to a specialist. Many parents do not go to the doctor right away because they are hesitant to admit that their child has a problem and are afraid of being judged by their friends. By such actions they waste time, as a result of which hyperactivity becomes the cause of serious problems with the child’s social adaptation.

There are also parents who bring a completely healthy child to a psychologist or psychiatrist when they cannot or do not want to find an approach to him. This is often observed during crisis periods of development, for example, at 2 years or during a three-year crisis. At the same time, the baby does not have any hyperactivity.

If you discover some signs of hyperactivity in your child, contact a specialist without delaying this problem.

In all these cases, without the help of a specialist, it will not be possible to determine whether the child really needs medical help or whether he just has a bright temperament.

If a child is confirmed to have hyperactivity syndrome, the following methods will be used in his treatment:

1. Explanatory work with parents. The doctor must explain to mom and dad why the child developed hyperactivity, how this syndrome manifests itself, how to behave with the child and how to raise him correctly. Thanks to such educational work, parents stop blaming themselves or each other for the child’s behavior, and also understand how to behave with the baby.
2. Changing learning conditions. If hyperactivity is diagnosed in a student with poor academic performance, he is transferred to a specialized class. This helps to cope with delays in the formation of school skills.
3. Drug therapy. Medications prescribed for ADHD are symptomatic and effective in 75-80% of cases. They help facilitate the social adaptation of children with hyperactivity and improve their intellectual development. As a rule, medications are prescribed for a long period, sometimes until adolescence.

Treatment of ADHD is carried out not only with medication, but also under the supervision of a psychiatrist. Opinion of Komarovsky

The popular doctor has encountered many times in his practice with children diagnosed with ADHD. Komarovsky calls the main difference between such a medical diagnosis and hyperactivity as a character trait the fact that hyperactivity does not interfere with a healthy child’s development and communication with other members of society. If a child has a disease, without the help of parents and doctors he cannot become a full-fledged member of the team, study normally and communicate with peers.

To make sure whether the child is healthy or has ADHD, Komarovsky advises contacting a child psychologist or psychiatrist, since only a qualified specialist will not only easily identify hyperactivity in a child as a disease, but will also help parents understand how to raise a child with ADHD.

• When communicating with your baby, it is important to establish contact. If necessary, for this purpose you can touch the child on the shoulder, turn him towards you, remove the toy from his field of vision, turn off the TV.
• Parents must set specific and enforceable rules of behavior for their child, but it is important that they are followed at all times. In addition, each such rule must be understandable to the child.
• The space in which a hyperactive child lives must be completely safe.
• The routine should be followed at all times, even if parents have a day off. For hyperactive children, according to Komarovsky, it is very important to wake up, eat, walk, swim, go to bed and perform other usual daily activities at the same time.
• All complex tasks for hyperactive children must be broken down into parts that are understandable and easy to complete.
• The child should be constantly praised, noting and emphasizing all the baby’s positive actions.
• Find what the hyperactive child does best, and then create conditions so that the child can do such work and get satisfaction from it.
• Provide a child with hyperactivity with the opportunity to spend excess energy by directing it in the right direction (for example, walking the dog, attending sports clubs).
• When going to the store or visiting with your child, think about your actions in detail, for example, what to take with you or what to buy for your child.
• Parents should also take care of their own rest, since, as Komarovsky emphasizes, for a hyperactive child it is very important that mom and dad are calm, peaceful and adequate.

From the video below you can learn even more about hyperactive children.

You will learn about the role of parents and many important nuances by watching the video of clinical psychologist Veronica Stepanova.

A hyperactive child is characterized by a number of qualities: impulsive, excited, stubborn, capricious, spoiled, inattentive, absent-minded, unbalanced. It is important to understand: in what situations you need professional help from a psychologist, drug treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and when it is necessary to reconsider the principles of education. It often happens that parents are looking for a “rescue pill.” But it is enough to rebuild the relationship with your son or daughter for recovery to occur in the most natural way. This requires time, effort, patience and, most importantly, the desire to change something in yourself and your relationship with your children.

What is hyperactivity associated with?

The causes of hyperactivity in children most often lie in the perinatal period of fetal development and difficult labor.

• Unfavorable pregnancy. Stress, smoking, poor lifestyle, illness, taking medications during pregnancy - all this can affect the development and formation of the fetal nervous system.
• Neurological disorders during fetal development and at birth. Hypoxia (lack of oxygen during intrauterine development) and asphyxia (suffocation) are the most common causes of ADHD. Rapid or premature labor and stimulation of labor can also affect.
• Additional factors. Unfavorable psychological atmosphere in the family, conflicts between parents, too harsh or soft methods of education, nutrition, lifestyle, temperament of the child.

The likelihood of ADHD increases significantly if these factors are combined. For example, a child was born with asphyxia, premature, he is brought up in strictness and constant conflicts - hyperactivity in such a baby can clearly manifest itself.

How to recognize hyperactivity in a child

Diagnosing ADHD is not easy because signs of hyperactivity can be symptoms of other neurological disorders. What should you pay attention to?

• First symptoms. May appear in infancy. Poor sleep, a long period of wakefulness from the first months of life, excitability of the baby, an atypical violent reaction to noise, bright light, games, hygiene procedures, a slight lag in the development of motor skills - all these can be the first precursors of hyperactivity in children under one year old.
• Age 3 years. A turning point in a child’s life, when the famous three-year crisis occurs. At this time, most children experience capriciousness, stubbornness, and mood swings. In hyperactive children, these signs appear even more clearly. Also, children with ADHD experience awkward, chaotic, fussy movements, and speech develops late.
• Health. Hyperactive kids often complain of fatigue and headaches. Such children are often diagnosed with enuresis and nervous tics.
• The first signs of restlessness. Kindergarten teachers can pay attention to them. When the process of socialization begins and the child leaves the family, signs of restlessness become more obvious. In kindergarten, it is impossible to put a baby to sleep, feed him, sit him on a potty, or calm him down.
• Disturbances in the development of memory and attention in preschool age. Children under 7 years of age develop intensively memory and attention. A child with ADHD experiences slow learning when preparing for school. And this is not explained by a developmental delay, but by insufficient concentration of attention. It is difficult for a child with signs of hyperactivity to sit in one place and listen to the teacher.
• Failure in school. Let us emphasize once again that poor grades in children are associated with hyperactivity disorder and attention deficit disorder, and not with their mental inclinations. On the contrary, hyperactive schoolchildren are often precocious. But the problem is that it is difficult for them to integrate into the system and discipline: it is difficult to sit through 45 minutes of a lesson, listen, write, and complete the teacher’s assignments.
• Mental aspects. Over time, the following qualities appear: hot temper, irritability, touchiness, tearfulness, anxiety, mistrust, suspicion. Already at an early age, a child may develop phobias, which can persist into adolescence and throughout life if they are not addressed.
• Perspective. In adolescence, such a child, as a rule, develops (more precisely, it is formed by adults) low self-esteem. A hyperactive teenager can be aggressive, intolerant, conflict-ridden, and uncommunicative. It is difficult for him to find friends, to establish warm, friendly relationships. In the future, he may develop antisocial behavior.

Symptoms of ADHD in children appear complexly and regularly. You should not immediately attribute a “fashionable” diagnosis to your child for excitability, poor sleep, and moodiness, which are observed from time to time. Many objective factors can change the psycho-emotional state of the baby. The reason may be teething, a change of environment, visiting a kindergarten, failure in a game, etc. Even climatic conditions affect the condition and behavior of the baby.

Diagnosis of ADHD

And yet, until the age of 6-7, no one makes a neurological diagnosis, even if there are signs of ADHD. This is explained by the psychological characteristics of preschool children. In preschool age, children experience two serious psychological crises - at 3 years old and 7 years old. What criteria are used to make a medical diagnosis of ADHD?

8 manifestations of hyperactivity

1. Chaotic, fussy movements.
2. Restless sleep: turns around, talks in his sleep, throws off the blanket, can walk at night.
3. Cannot sit in a chair for long, spins around all the time.
4. Unable to be at rest, often in motion (running, jumping, spinning).
5. If you need to sit and wait (for example, in a queue), you can get up and leave.
6. Excessively talkative.
7. Doesn't answer the questions asked, interrupts, interferes in someone else's conversation, doesn't hear what they say to him.
8. Shows impatience if asked to wait.

8 manifestations of attention deficit

1. Carelessly and quickly completes assigned tasks (homework, cleaning the room, etc.), does not complete the task.
2. Has difficulty concentrating on details, cannot remember or reproduce them.
3. There is an absent look, immersion in one’s own world, and communication difficulties.
4. Difficulty in understanding the terms of the game and often violates them.
5. Absent-minded, he often loses personal items or puts them away in such a way that he cannot find them later.
6. There is no self-discipline, you need to organize it all the time.
7. Easily shifts attention to other objects.
8. The “spirit of destruction” lives in him: he often breaks toys and things, but denies his involvement in the matter.

If parents count 5-6 matches from the listed criteria, they need to see a pediatric neurologist, psychotherapist and psychologist.

How to treat a child

When treating hyperactivity in children, it is important to understand what will be most effective for a particular child? What is the degree of ADHD? Is it worth using medications right away or is psychotherapeutic correction enough?

Medication methods

Medical treatment of ADHD with psychostimulants is more often used in the West and in the United States. Stimulants help increase concentration in children and give quick positive results. However, they have a number of side effects: poor sleep, appetite, headaches, irritability, nervousness, reluctance to communicate. These signs usually appear at the very beginning of treatment. They can be reduced as follows: reducing the dose and replacing the drug with an analogue. Psychostimulants are prescribed only for complex forms of attention deficit, when no other method works. These include: Dexedrine, Focalin, Vyvanse, Adderall and many others. In Russia, the prescription of psychostimulant drugs is avoided because, according to the protocol for the treatment of ADHD, they are prohibited. They are replaced with nootropic drugs. The drug "Strattera" is widely used in the treatment of ADHD in children. Any antidepressants for attention deficit disorder should be used with great caution and only under the supervision of a physician.

Working with a psychologist and psychotherapist

This is an important part of therapy, which in difficult cases is carried out in parallel with drug treatment. Psychologist and psychotherapist use a variety of techniques to correct the behavior of a hyperactive child. Various exercises are given to develop attention, speech, thinking, memory, increase self-esteem, and creative tasks. Various communication situations are also modeled to help the child find a common language with parents and peers. Specialists have to work with anxiety and fears in hyperactive children. Relaxation methods are often used to help relax, relieve tension, and normalize the functioning of the brain and nervous system. For speech defects, sessions with a speech therapist are recommended.

What is important to know? Psychocorrection for a child will be effective only when the parents cooperate with the specialist and accurately carry out all the tasks and advice of the psychologist or psychotherapist. Parents often have the following attitude: “cure the child,” while family relationships need to be treated.

Lifestyle correction

Daily routine and hyperactivity are two things that, at first glance, are incompatible. And yet, parents need to arrange life according to a schedule for the fidget.

• It is extremely important to maintain a sleep schedule: go to bed and get up on time. If a restless person is behind schedule, it is difficult to put him to bed and difficult to bring him to his senses in the morning. You should not overload such children with information before bedtime or play active games. The air in the room should be fresh and cool.
• Organize nutritious meals. You need to avoid snacking, especially fast food. It is advisable to reduce fast carbohydrates (sweets, baked goods) in the diet, which excite the nervous system.
• Walking before bed. Fresh air calms the nervous system. In addition, there will be a good opportunity to talk and discuss how your day went.
• Physical exercise. Necessary in the life of a hyperactive child to discharge his irrepressible energy. You can try yourself in individual and team sports. Although the latter will be more difficult. Athletics, gymnastics, cycling, and swimming are most suitable. It’s good if a child plays sports for himself. Competitions and any competitive moment will bring even more tension and aggression. Much in this situation depends on the coach and his teaching skills.

Reminder for parents raising a child with ADHD

How to raise a hyperactive child?

• Increase self-esteem. Hyperactive children are often punished and discouraged: “sit down”, “don’t move around”, “shut up”, “calm down”, etc. This is regularly repeated at school, at home, in the garden. Such comments create a feeling of inferiority in the child. All children need to be praised, but hyperactive children especially need emotional support and praise.
• Build personal boundaries with children. You need to raise fidgets in strictness, but fairness. Punishments and restrictions must be consistent, appropriate, and agreed upon by all family members. Children with signs of ADHD often do not have “brakes.” The task of parents is to show their own boundaries, demonstrate parental will and make it clear who is boss in the house, and clearly formulate prohibitions. There should be no aggression. If mom and dad have too soft a character, a hyperactive family member will certainly take the reins of power.
• Small and useful tasks. Hyperactive children should be involved in household chores and their initiative should be encouraged. It is better to give simple, step-by-step tasks. You can even draw a plan, a diagram, a step-by-step algorithm of actions. These tasks will help your child organize his personal space and time.
• Don't overload with information. When reading books or doing homework, you need to give light loads - 15 minutes each. Then take a break from physical activity, then start again with a static activity that requires concentration. Overwork has a detrimental effect on children with ADHD.
• Learn a new type of activity. It is difficult to interest hyperactive children in anything for a long time; they switch their attention too quickly. However, you need to look for different types of activities (music, singing, drawing, reading, modeling, dancing) in which the child will reveal himself to the maximum. You need to find something that will invisibly “educate” the ego and require some kind of personal effort and motivation.
• Communication aspects. For hyperactive fidgets, everything is forgiven at home, but they often find themselves in conflict situations with teachers and rejected by their peers. It is important to discuss with children their life outside the home, difficult situations, and the causes of conflicts. This will help them adequately evaluate their actions in the future, control themselves, be aware of their emotions, and learn from their own mistakes.
• Success Diary. Psychologists recommend keeping a notebook or notepad where you can write down (or sketch) all the big victories and small successes. It is important that the child is aware of the results of his own efforts. You can also come up with a reward system.

Some parents believe that the best cure for hyperactivity in children is vitamin D, that is, a belt. This harsh remedy only aggravates the problem and will never eliminate the real cause of disobedience. The behavior of children with ADHD often causes the righteous anger of parents, but it is still better to avoid spanking.

Difficulties of social adaptation

In kindergartens and schools, children with ADHD are classified as “difficult.” Sometimes conflicts associated with inappropriate hyperactive behavior become so aggravated that it is necessary to transfer the child to another kindergarten or school. It is important to understand that the public education system will not adapt to the individual characteristics of the child. You can search for a suitable kindergarten or school for a long time, but still not find it. In this situation, it is important to teach the child to show flexibility, patience, friendliness - all those qualities that are so important for communication and normal social adaptation.

• hyperactive students should be in the teacher’s field of vision;
• it is better for them to sit at the first or second desk;
• do not focus on the behavioral characteristics of such children;
• often praise, encourage, but do not overestimate;
• give small tasks in which the child will move: bring a magazine, distribute notebooks, water flowers, wipe the board;
• Emphasize the student’s strengths and provide an opportunity to demonstrate them.

• be on the child’s side, but not create an open conflict with the teacher;
• find compromise solutions;
• listen to the teacher’s opinion, because an objective view from the outside can be valuable for understanding your own child;
• do not punish or lecture a child in the presence of a teacher and peers;
• help adapt to the children's team (take part in joint events, you can invite children to visit, etc.).

It is important to find not some special school or private kindergarten, but a teacher who will understand the problem and be an ally of parents.

Treatment of a hyperactive child with medications is advisable only for complex forms of ADHD. In most cases, psychocorrection of behavior is carried out. Therapy is much more successful if parents are involved. After all, a child’s hyperactivity is often associated with family relationships and improper upbringing.

Every child is active and inquisitive, but there are children whose activity is increased compared to their peers. Can such children be called hyperactive or is this a manifestation of the child’s character? And is a child’s hyperactive behavior normal or does it require treatment?

What is hyperactivity

This is the abbreviated name for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which is also abbreviated as ADHD. This is a very common brain disorder in childhood and is also present in many adults. According to statistics, 1-7% of children have hyperactivity syndrome. It is diagnosed 4 times more often in boys than in girls.

Early recognition of hyperactivity, which requires therapy, allows the child to develop normal behavior and better adapt to a group environment among other people. If a child's ADHD is left unattended, it persists into an older age. A teenager with such a disorder acquires school skills worse, is more prone to antisocial behavior, and is hostile and aggressive.

ADHD - a syndrome of excessive impulsivity, hyperactivity and stable inattention

Signs of ADHD

Not every active and easily excited child is classified as a child who has hyperactivity syndrome.

To diagnose ADHD, you should identify the main symptoms of this disorder in your child, which include:

1. Attention deficit.
2. Impulsivity.
3. Hyperactivity.

Symptoms usually begin before age 7 years. Most often, parents notice them at 4 or 5 years old, and the most common age period for contacting a specialist is 8 years and older, when the child is faced with many tasks at school and around the house, where his concentration and independence are needed. Children who have not yet turned 3 years old are not diagnosed immediately. They are monitored for a period of time to ensure that they have ADHD.

Depending on the predominance of specific symptoms, two subtypes of the syndrome are distinguished: attention deficit and hyperactivity. A separate subtype of ADHD is distinguished, in which the child has symptoms of both attention deficit and hyperactivity.

Signs of hyperactivity are more common in children 4-5 years old

Manifestations of attention deficit:

1. The child cannot concentrate on objects for a long time. He often makes careless mistakes.
2. The child is unable to maintain attention for a long time, which is why he is not collected during the task and often does not complete the task to the end.
3. When a child is spoken to, it appears that he is not listening.
4. If you give a child a direct instruction, he does not follow it, or he begins to carry it out and does not finish it.
5. It is difficult for a child to organize his activities. He frequently switches from one activity to another.
6. The child does not like tasks that require prolonged mental effort. He tries to avoid them.
7. A child often loses things that he needs.
8. The baby is easily distracted by extraneous noise.
9. In everyday activities, the child is noted to have increased forgetfulness.

Children with ADHD experience distraction

Hyperactive children have difficulty completing tasks that require mental effort.

Manifestations of impulsivity and hyperactivity:

1. The child often gets up from his seat.
2. When a child is excited, he moves his legs or arms intensely. In addition, the baby periodically squirms in the stool.
3. He gets up very quickly and runs often.
4. It is difficult for him to participate in quiet games.
5. His actions can be described as “whimsical.”
6. During classes, he may shout from his seat or make noise.
7. The child answers before he hears the full question.
8. He cannot wait his turn during a lesson or game.
9. The child constantly interferes with other people's activities or conversations.

To make a diagnosis, a child must have at least 6 of the signs listed above, and they must be present for a long time (at least six months).

How hyperactivity manifests itself at an early age

Hyperactivity syndrome is detected not only in schoolchildren, but also in preschool children and even infants.

In the youngest children, this problem manifests itself with the following symptoms:

• Faster physical development when compared with peers. Babies with hyperactivity roll over, crawl, and walk much faster.
• The appearance of whims when the child is tired. Hyperactive children often get excited and become more active before bedtime.
• Less sleep duration. A child with ADHD sleeps much less than he should for his age.
• Difficulty falling asleep (many children need to be rocked to sleep) and very light sleep. A hyperactive child reacts to any rustle, and if he wakes up, it is very difficult for him to fall asleep again.
• A very violent reaction to loud sounds, new surroundings and unfamiliar faces. Because of such factors, children with hyperactivity become excited and begin to be more capricious.
• Quick switching of attention. Having offered the baby a new toy, the mother notices that the new object attracts the baby’s attention for only a short time.
• Strong attachment to mother and fear of strangers.

If your baby is often capricious, reacts violently to new surroundings, sleeps little and has difficulty falling asleep, these may be the first signs of ADHD.

ADHD or personality?

Increased activity of a child may be a manifestation of his innate temperament.

Unlike children with ADHD, a temperamental healthy child:

Causes of hyperactivity in children

Previously, the occurrence of ADHD was associated primarily with brain damage, for example, if the newborn suffered hypoxia while in the mother's womb or during childbirth. Nowadays, studies have confirmed the influence of genetic factors and disorders of intrauterine development of the baby on the appearance of hyperactivity syndrome. The development of ADHD is facilitated by too early childbirth, cesarean section, low birth weight, a long anhydrous period during childbirth, the use of forceps and similar factors.

ADHD can occur during difficult childbirth, impaired intrauterine development, or be inherited

What to do

If you suspect your child has hyperactivity syndrome, the first thing you need to do is go to a specialist. Many parents do not go to the doctor right away because they are hesitant to admit that their child has a problem and are afraid of being judged by their friends. By such actions they waste time, as a result of which hyperactivity becomes the cause of serious problems with the child’s social adaptation.

There are also parents who bring a completely healthy child to a psychologist or psychiatrist when they cannot or do not want to find an approach to him. This is often observed during crisis periods of development, for example, at 2 years or during a three-year crisis. At the same time, the baby does not have any hyperactivity.

If you discover some signs of hyperactivity in your child, contact a specialist without delaying this problem.

In all these cases, without the help of a specialist, it will not be possible to determine whether the child really needs medical help or whether he just has a bright temperament.

If a child is confirmed to have hyperactivity syndrome, the following methods will be used in his treatment:

1. Explanatory work with parents. The doctor must explain to mom and dad why the child developed hyperactivity, how this syndrome manifests itself, how to behave with the child and how to raise him correctly. Thanks to such educational work, parents stop blaming themselves or each other for the child’s behavior, and also understand how to behave with the baby.
2. Changing learning conditions. If hyperactivity is diagnosed in a student with poor academic performance, he is transferred to a specialized class. This helps to cope with delays in the formation of school skills.
3. Drug therapy. Medications prescribed for ADHD are symptomatic and effective in 75-80% of cases. They help facilitate the social adaptation of children with hyperactivity and improve their intellectual development. As a rule, medications are prescribed for a long period, sometimes until adolescence.

ADHD is treated not only with medication, but also under the supervision of a psychiatrist

Komarovsky's opinion

The popular doctor has encountered many times in his practice with children diagnosed with ADHD. Komarovsky calls the main difference between such a medical diagnosis and hyperactivity as a character trait the fact that hyperactivity does not interfere with a healthy child’s development and communication with other members of society. If a child has a disease, without the help of parents and doctors he cannot become a full-fledged member of the team, study normally and communicate with peers.

To make sure whether the child is healthy or has ADHD, Komarovsky advises contacting a child psychologist or psychiatrist, since only a qualified specialist will not only easily identify hyperactivity in a child as a disease, but will also help parents understand how to raise a child with ADHD.

• When communicating with your baby, it is important to establish contact. If necessary, for this purpose you can touch the child on the shoulder, turn him towards you, remove the toy from his field of vision, turn off the TV.
• Parents must set specific and enforceable rules of behavior for their child, but it is important that they are followed at all times. In addition, each such rule must be understandable to the child.
• The space in which a hyperactive child lives must be completely safe.
• The routine should be followed at all times, even if parents have a day off. For hyperactive children, according to Komarovsky, it is very important to wake up, eat, walk, swim, go to bed and perform other usual daily activities at the same time.
• All complex tasks for hyperactive children must be broken down into parts that are understandable and easy to complete.
• The child should be constantly praised, noting and emphasizing all the baby’s positive actions.
• Find what the hyperactive child does best, and then create conditions so that the child can do such work and get satisfaction from it.
• Provide a child with hyperactivity with the opportunity to spend excess energy by directing it in the right direction (for example, walking the dog, attending sports clubs).
• When going to the store or visiting with your child, think about your actions in detail, for example, what to take with you or what to buy for your child.
• Parents should also take care of their own rest, since, as Komarovsky emphasizes, for a hyperactive child it is very important that mom and dad are calm, peaceful and adequate.

From the video below you can learn even more about hyperactive children.

You will learn about the role of parents and many important nuances by watching the video of clinical psychologist Veronica Stepanova.

The syndrome is currently gaining popularity hyperactive behavior , found in both children and adults.

It means excessive human activity, restlessness, hyperexcitability, cholericity.

At an early age, this behavior often goes unnoticed. Many parents believe that their beloved child should not sit still and be passive, and besides, he does not yet know how to control his temperament.

But. meanwhile. it is necessary to correctly distinguish between the idea of ​​ordinary activity and hyperactivity . Having carefully studied the manifestations, causes and ways of correction, only a doctor will prescribe after a long examination. While the first will go away on its own with age, the second is a neurological disorder that cannot be treated superficially.

As a rule, hyperactivity is accompanied by a closely related problem - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD). This is a neurological-behavioral developmental disorder in which the child is distracted by absolutely everything, has difficulty learning educational material, has difficulty communicating with peers, has impaired motor coordination, has minimal brain dysfunction and mental retardation.

Reasons for appearance

The primary causes of hyperactivity can be:

Intrauterine or acquired infectious diseases;
Early or late labor, difficult labor;
Excessive physical activity during pregnancy;
Severe poisoning;
Poor nutrition and disrupted daily routine;
Hereditary factor (congenital deviations from the norm of some brain systems);
Immaturity of the nervous system of a newborn baby;
Bad ecology.

Hyperactivity is more common in boys than girls. ADHD is often accompanied by sleep disturbances, enuresis, and cardiac disorders.

Manifestations of the disease

How to recognize a disease at the earliest stage of its development? In young children, signs up to a year life manifests itself in an overly violent reaction to light, sound, toys, relatives and strangers. The baby is very active in the cradle, he is restless, sleeps poorly, often cries, bright toys captivate his attention for only a short time.

Hyperactive child signs at 2 years old has the following:

Forgetfulness;
absentmindedness;
disobedience to elders;
difficulty in mastering speech;
constant talkativeness;
moodiness;
a large number of movements;
motor clumsiness.

At the age of 2-3 years It is very difficult to interest a hyperactive child in anything. He cannot play children's games (he is constantly distracted), he often cries, is restless, it is difficult for him to learn rhymes, he does not listen to his mother's songs, he makes noise, and “does not accept” comments addressed to him.

Hyperactivity for a preschooler 3-6 years old A kindergarten teacher may notice. The teacher cannot keep him busy, the reaction to the instructions of elders is too impulsive, the child cannot sleep at nap time, does not delve into the educational process, during classes he is carried away by his own affairs, he lives “in his own little world of his own invention.” At the same age, the first selfish traits appear, the child tries to dominate his peers in games, provokes conflict situations, interferes with everyone, interferes in adult conversations, violently expresses his emotions in the most inappropriate environment, ignores and does not accept criticism.

Preventive and corrective work with hyperactive children in kindergarten is carried out by specialist psychologists. Parents are advised to listen to their advice and, if necessary, visit a neurologist for consultation.

For schoolchildren Hyperactivity and ADHD are on the rise. Strict school regulations on behavior and requirements for students are a real test for children and adolescents; their nervous system cannot cope with mental and physical overload.

During this period the symptoms predominate:

Lack of concentration;
Inability to sit in class (the child can sit quietly at a desk for no more than 15 minutes);
Nervous tic;
Low self-esteem;
Difficulty in assimilating educational material;
Development of all kinds of phobias;
Frequent loss of personal belongings.

A hyperactive child often has high intelligence, but a low concentration of attention does not allow them to take full advantage of it. Increased emotional excitability does not allow the student to fully communicate with classmates: he tries to attract attention, teases, fights, without realizing the consequences of such behavior.

Hyperactive children have virtually no sense of fear: they jump from any height, can jump out onto the road right in front of a speeding car, not knowing how to swim, and can jump into deep water.

Hyperactive teenagers do not want to go to school, do tests and homework. They often drop out before completing secondary education.

Corrective therapy

Parents need to learn how to interact with their child. In both adolescents and preschool children, medication treatment should be associated with psychological correction.

To improve memory you need to take vitamin complexes;

medications for the treatment of hyperactivity, they reduce impulsivity, promote the assimilation of educational material and performance, but do not treat the disease itself;

Required sports(according to age and physical abilities);

For a hyperactive child it is necessary constant control on the part of the parents, they are obliged to provide the child with safety in the house, good nutrition, an hourly daily routine, and maintain perfect order in the apartment;

You can't physically punish children, often scold, make rude remarks, especially in front of strangers;

Not worth anything forbid without explaining the reason for the ban;

It is forbidden to demand exemplary behavior and only excellent grades at school.

Hyperactive child: what should parents do? Psychologist's advice

1. Firstly, do not neglect the help of a qualified neurologist, psychologist and psychiatrist. Go for a consultation with a specialist and enlist his support.

2. The child’s daily routine must be clearly organized. You should not change it, this will give impetus to the development of the necessary reflexes (for example, going to bed at a certain time or after reading a fairy tale, getting up when the alarm clock first rings).
3. There should be no irritants in the house, the environment should be calm and friendly.
4. There is no need to limit the child’s activity, this will allow the accumulated energy to be released.
5. A “problem” child should not be forced to do tedious activities and sit in one place for a long time.

Hyperactive children need rewards and encouragement, great love from their parents and approval of their endeavors. Without the help of specialists, the formation of a psychopathic personality type is possible. Early diagnosis of the disease, proper therapy, love from family and competent upbringing are the key to improving the quality of life of a hyperactive child.

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