Astheno-neurotic syndrome in children belongs to the category of mental disorders. It is provoked in childhood by excessive overload and exhaustion of the nervous system. Doctors call this pathology irritable fatigue, since such a child has both asthenia and irritability. The disease is characteristic of both children and adults. But in childhood it is distinguished by special symptoms.
Origin of the disease
The etiology of the disease can be genetic or acquired. The latter form is often provoked by past injuries in the spine and can occur after severe psychological overload, constant feelings and worries.
Astheno-neurotic syndrome in a 3-year-old child indicates the genetic background of the disease. The melancholic temperament, which is inherited, is considered a weak type of nervous activity. It is in children with this character that a similar pathology most often manifests itself.
It is possible that it was observed in the parents of the baby. Then the treatment will be much longer.
In any case, in the presence of asthenic-neurotic syndrome, the child needs the help of a qualified psychologist. It is also required for parents to help build communication skills with a small patient. If the astheno-neurotic syndrome in a child or adolescent is not isolated and complicated, then, as a rule, the prognosis of the disease is favorable.
Usually a child undergoes a course of treatment. The course changes every 3-4 months.
Causes of the disease
What causes the disease? Astheno-neurotic syndrome in children can appear due to a number of circumstances.
The main factors include:
- genetic predisposition;
- hypoxia;
- intense mental and physical stress;
- frequent stress;
- impaired brain metabolism, leading to a shortage of certain substances;
- previous inflammation of the brain like meningitis or encephalitis;
- traumatic brain injury;
- intoxication of the body with various substances that disrupt metabolic processes (often drugs play the role of toxic substances in childhood, especially when dosages are not observed);
- chronic liver and kidney diseases;
- pathology of the thyroid gland, which manifests itself in an increase in the production of hormones that increase excitability;
- deficiency of vitamins of group B;
- negative social factors.
Modern ideas about the disease, knowledge of its causes and basic developmental mechanisms make it possible to conduct effective therapy.
Changing the child’s lifestyle, which involves the exclusion of external causes that provoke the development of neurasthenia (social factors, overstrain of the mental or emotional sphere), prevents the development of a functional failure of the child’s nervous system in the future.
Symptoms of the disease
How is astheno-neurotic syndrome expressed in children? The symptomatology of neurasthenia in childhood is enclosed in a large number of different signs.
Conventionally, they are divided into functional disorders of the autonomic nervous system and cerebral cortex.
Failure of the autonomic system
Manifestations of neurasthenia from the autonomic nervous system can mask the pathology of internal organs. How does astheno-neurotic syndrome occur in children?
The main manifestations include:
- unpleasant sensations and a tingling sensation in the heart region, these manifestations are expressed as much as possible under stress, mental and emotional overload;
- the presence of tachycardia;
- increased sweating.
Sometimes asthenia can be accompanied by a slight increase in body temperature to the level of 37.5 ° C, especially if the malfunction of the central nervous system was caused by an increase in the production of thyroid hormones.
Malfunction of the cerebral cortex
As for the manifestations of the cerebral cortex, first of all, psychological changes should be included here.
Among them are:
- increased fatigue, fatigue does not give the child the opportunity to perform mental work;
- the inability to sit still, to concentrate your attention;
- violations in the field of memory and attention (first of all, short-term memory suffers, the child cannot remember information because it is not collected);
- altered emotional background of the child, which manifests itself in increased irritability, tearfulness and short temper;
- sleep disturbances (the child cannot sleep for a long time, wakes up with difficulty in the morning);
- frequent mood swings.
In general, astheno-neurotic syndrome in children has vivid manifestations:
- hyperactive child behavior;
- decreased attention;
- moodiness and disobedience.
The appearance of such symptoms should be the reason for contacting a specialist who can establish a possible violation.
It should be noted that in childhood, the signs of the disease are more pronounced than in adults. This is due to insufficient development of higher nervous activity. Sometimes the impetus for the development of neurasthenia is a slight emotional or mental strain.
How else is astheno-neurotic syndrome manifested ? Symptoms in children expressed in general malaise. For example, while in transport, a child complains of motion sickness, nausea, and dizziness. Such a child often faints.
If we talk about the symptoms of neurasthenia in children of primary school and preschool age, then they often have enuresis. With the development of pathology, the child may complain of pain in the neck, twitching of the eyes. Extremities can be cramped.
This symptomatology characterizes a neglected form of astheno-neurotic syndrome, when parents did not take any radical steps for treatment. In this case, the child is characterized by hysteria and increased aggression.
As for the signs of the disease in schoolchildren and adolescents, they are expressed in the inability to concentrate. Such children experience difficulties both at school and at home.
Parents in this case should show maximum patience, do not raise the tone for the child, do not punish him for mistakes and excessive nervousness. Punishment and talking in elevated tones will only aggravate the situation and become a fertile ground for rooting a psychological problem. In this case, the child may lose sensitivity and memory altogether.
Phobias and panic attacks
In adolescence, a sign of illness can be the development of fears. In preschool age, this symptom is extremely rare. Sometimes panic attacks can also become a sign of neurasthenia . Seizures may occur in children . This is manifested by beating his head against the wall, screaming, tantrums, falling to the ground. In this case, punishment is strictly prohibited.
All of the above symptoms are a reason to seek help from a neurologist.
How is the treatment carried out?
Many are interested in how to treat astheno-neurotic syndrome in children. Therapy is complex. They begin treatment only after a thorough diagnosis of the causes of impaired functioning of the nervous system. There are special tests to determine the level of violations, methods of instrumental diagnostics to identify possible pathologies in the brain or a malfunction of internal organs (x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, encephalography). Therapy includes general recommendations and treatment through medication and psychotherapy.
As a rule, drug therapy is supplemented by gymnastics and physiotherapeutic procedures, which are aimed at calming the nervous system. Among them, darsonvalization, electrosleep and hydrotherapy should be noted.
General recommendations
How is astheno-neurotic syndrome in children eliminated? Treatment involves general measures, regardless of the reasons that provoked the appearance of the disease in the child.
These include:
- Stay in the fresh air, allowing you to saturate the brain tissue with oxygen;
- a sufficient duration of sleep, which should correspond to the age of the child and be at least 8 hours;
- establishing a diet with the inclusion of a sufficient amount of the necessary vitamins;
- hardening;
- elimination of negative effects on the psyche of the child;
- Periodic change of impressions (trips out of town, walks in nature with family).
The implementation of general recommendations will prevent a further exacerbation of the neurasthenic syndrome in the child in the future.
Drug treatment
How does astheno-neurotic syndrome stop in children? Drug treatment is indicated for severe impaired functional activity of the central nervous system.
As a rule, drugs that relieve irritability are used. They contribute to the normalization of the autonomic and central nervous system. Apply "Atarax", "Adaptol", "Sedative" and other means.
How to eliminate astheno-neurotic syndrome? Treatment with medicines in children is carried out in a strictly individual order. In this case, the means of other pharmacological groups in the presence of diseases of the internal organs can be included in the course. Drug treatment can only be prescribed by a neurologist.
Traditional treatment
Astheno-neurotic syndrome in children is treated with herbs. Below are some recipes that help relieve excitability.
- Valerian. A tablespoon of the roots of the plant is poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for 20 minutes. Drink the infusion three times a day. The last dose is before bedtime.
- Motherwort. Two tbsp. tablespoons of dry grass are poured with a glass of boiling water and aged in a water bath for 15 minutes. The product is filtered and drunk twice after lunch and before bedtime.
- Herbal collection, including mint, valerian, three-leaved watch in equal proportions. A tablespoon of the collection is poured with a glass of boiling water and insisted for half an hour. After filtering, the product is drunk in half a glass in the mornings and evenings.
The duration of herbal treatment is a month.
Diet
The nutrition of the child should be of high quality. The diet should include beef liver, sea fish, fresh chicken eggs, dairy products, nuts, citruses, sauerkraut, fruits and vegetables, which are rich in vitamin C.
Psychotherapy treatment
How to treat the disease? Astheno-neurotic syndrome in children is also eliminated through psychotherapy. It is the basis for the successful cure of nervous pathology. Depending on the severity of impaired functionality of the nervous system, different methods can be used.
Psychotherapy is a verbal effect, during which factors traumatic to the psyche are revealed, and the child's attitude to them changes.
Neuro-linguistic programming is one of the methods of psychotherapy in which verbal modeling of a child’s attitude to a stressful situation is carried out.
Conducting individual or group trainings that make it possible to stop phobias, improve social adaptation, especially when changing a team.
Psychotherapeutic techniques are selected in a strictly individual order based on the diagnosis. Under the condition of quality therapy, the prognosis of asthenic syndrome is favorable.
Rehabilitation measures
Astheno-neurotic syndrome in children, the causes of which are described in this article, is manifested in the aggression of the child to others. Such children are immediately noticeable in the team. They are conflicted, tend to offend others and talk to them in high tones.
Patients often cry, shout, protest against usual actions. For example, they can refuse to eat and throw a tantrum.
Such children are registered in kindergarten and school. They need the help of psychologists. With them, restrained behavior is recommended.
It should be noted that the treatment of asthenoneurotic syndrome is a complex and lengthy process, after which the child needs rehabilitation. This may be a lesson with a psychologist, familiarization with applied labor, aromatherapy.
The most important condition in the recovery period is the exclusion of nervous overload and compliance with the regime of work and rest.