Geller's syndrome is a disintegrative disorder, manifested in rapidly progressing dementia in young children, which occurs after a period of normal development. It is rare and, unfortunately, does not promise a favorable prognosis. The article will discuss why it occurs, what symptoms indicate its development, how to diagnose it, and whether such ailment is generally treatable.
Briefly about the disease
Geller's syndrome is manifested by the sudden loss of the child's previously formed skills and functions. It falls on the period from 2 to 10 years - children at this age are at risk.
The child who is struck by this pathology loses his speech, the ability to perform ordinary household rituals and to solve intellectual problems that he could do before. He ceases to use non-verbal communication tools, is not interested in anything.
And, unfortunately, the etiology is still unknown. Thanks to recent studies, it was possible to establish a certain relationship between this process and the neurobiological mechanisms of the central nervous system. As a result of an electroencephalographic examination, it turned out that about 50% of the children had an electrical activity in the brain that was altered.
Research is also ongoing on the association of Geller’s syndrome with Schilder’s disease, leukodystrophy, and seizures. There is a version that the disease has an infectious origin. Allegedly, there is a filtering virus - a small-sized pathogen that is not yet available for study under a microscope.
Pathogenesis
Unfortunately, it is still unknown. But scientists managed to identify the patterns of development of pathological processes. This disease is preceded by at least two and at most ten years of absolutely normal development. The child is good at mastering speech and social skills, understands adults, and does some kind of domestic affairs. And then alarming symptoms sharply arise.
Parents notice that the child has become irritable and hyperactive, observe emotional disturbances of a different nature. And then within 6-12 months the vast majority of the skills that he had previously acquired disappear. The intelligence of the baby is reduced so much that it seems as if the child is autistic. Signs, however, are similar.
The disease progresses rapidly. The kid becomes mentally retarded, he has lost the reflex of control of bowel and bladder emptying. Then the condition stabilizes at that level. From this moment, you can begin to develop and restore lost skills. However, this process is happening very slowly and, besides, there is no way to do without psychological and pedagogical help.
First symptoms
It is necessary to tell about them in a little more detail. It is important to know the symptoms that indicate that the child is autistic. Signs, by the way, are similar to Kanner's syndrome. But there is a difference. Therefore, it is still incorrect to call Geller’s autistic patients with an ailment ill.
So, the symptoms of this syndrome can be distinguished in such a list:
- Irritability, waywardness, anxiety and anger suddenly appeared.
- There is an affective temper, supplemented by hyperactivity.
- Lost the ability to carry out complex activities that require perseverance, concentration and distribution of attention.
- Simple actions (decorating, collecting a constructor, participating in role-playing games) cause incredible complexity in a child.
- Anger appears, restlessness.
- The kid refuses to engage if he is having difficulty or is mistaken.
Parents can take all of the above as ordinary whims, and therefore do not pay any attention to the changes that occur with their child.
It is because of this that the diagnosis of the disease at the initial stage is difficult. Does the child not want to talk, is naughty, is character? And what, transitional age! This often happens, but, unfortunately, sometimes these changes indicate the development of a dangerous pathology.
Other symptoms
For several months, the child may be hyperactive and emotionally unstable. But then other symptoms of Geller's syndrome appear, much more specific.
Speech changes dramatically. She is impoverished, the vocabulary of the baby is reduced. He no longer speaks detailed phrases, replacing them with simple sentences and elementary commands - “give”, “go”, “no”, “yes”. As a result, the speech simply breaks up. The child ceases to speak and understand other people.
Also, the baby becomes closed, autistic, indifferent, detached. Then motor skills break up. He can no longer brush his teeth, as before, wash, clean toys, eat, dress, and relieve himself. To these signs, manifestations of a neurological pathology may be added.
A year has passed since the onset of the first symptoms - and now the child has completely lost his household, social and speech skills.
Complications
Without them, childhood disintegrative disorder does not go away. The intensive progression of the disease is replaced by a stable negative period. There are no mental and somatic complications, but social adaptation becomes impossible.
A child in this state needs special education. They cannot get education at any secondary or vocational educational institution, they will not be able to master the profession, and there is almost no chance of creating a family.
Such children develop very slowly, and therefore need constant care from the outside. If the situation progresses positively, then in the future it will be enough ordinary control.
Unfortunately, most of all this disease is reflected precisely on the parents of a sick child. Almost all of them have to give up career growth, hobbies, social life - they need to monitor the baby. In the name of his health, they are adapting to a new way of being.
Diagnostics
It is conducted by a children's psychotherapist. Although initially parents bring their child to a pediatrician or neurologist. This happens, as a rule, in the period when the baby's skills acquired earlier begin to be lost.
Geller syndrome is rarely suspected, which is why the examination begins with a visual examination and general tests. The doctor is trying to detect the presence of a brain injury, tumor, epilepsy.
But, of course, he does not find confirmation of these diseases, and therefore the baby is sent to a children's psychotherapist.
How is the examination carried out?
It all starts with a conversation. The doctor interrogates the parents, trying to deal with the characteristic features of the course of the disease. The following nuances are clarified:
- The period of proper development.
- Regression of two or more areas.
- The breakdown of existing functions and how progressive it is.
- Violation of motor, language, gaming, domestic and social skills.
Then observation begins. The specialist should fix the features of the child’s behavior and his emotional reactions.
For many, by the way, the question arises: "Is Geller’s syndrome autism or not?" In fact, this disease cannot be called so. But this pathology is characterized by hyperactivity precisely in combination with known autistic manifestations. Therefore, partly yes.
The final stage of diagnosis is psychological testing. The doctor checks the intellectual abilities of the child, resorting to techniques appropriate to the age of the patient, the depth of the defect, as well as the ability to establish and maintain productive contact. Wexler and Raven tests are commonly used, as well as a pyramid and a “box of shapes."
Principles of Therapy
The treatment of Geller's syndrome has a general direction with those activities that are aimed at correcting early autism. Most attention is paid to intensive procedures at the very beginning of the development of pathology.
The basis of all methods is a behavioral approach, since they have a very high degree of structure. How effective medication is is not clear. However, medicines are still used at an early stage, since only they can stop pronounced behavioral disorders.
The rest is an individual approach. In the process of rehabilitation, parents, doctors, special educators and psychologists are necessarily involved.
What does the treatment include?
Three methods are involved:
- Measures of corrective and developing orientation. Thanks to them, it is possible to restore speech and intellectual functions a little, to correct emotional disturbances. A child can learn to cooperate, accept help, provide it to others.
- Psychotherapy and family counseling. Work with parents is very important. Its purpose is to teach them to care for a child, to inform about the specifics of the disease, to notify about the forecasts. It is important that parents meet with other families who have experienced Geller’s syndrome. This will help them weaken the feeling of social isolation, get at least some emotional support and understanding.
- Rehabilitation. Professional educators are involved in it, helping the child to form practical skills. He learns to dress, wash, use cutlery, write, draw, craft crafts from plasticine. Educators also help correct behavioral and emotional abnormalities. The child becomes more attentive, assiduous.
Forecast
Unfortunately, it is unfavorable. Lost skills either turn out to be lost forever, or are restored extremely slowly, and then - not completely.
If early to begin intensive therapy, that is, the hope that the child will learn to communicate in elementary phrases and take care of himself in everyday life. This result is observed in 20% of patients. They even become socially active. This is encouraging, but the fact that preventive measures have not yet been developed upsets.