Hyperkinetic syndrome today is one of the most common behavioral disorders in children and adolescents. According to various sources, this diagnosis is made by approximately 3 to 20% of schoolchildren who come to see a pediatrician. It can be confused clinically with bad behavior, anxiety, or temperament, as one of its main symptoms is increased activity.
However, thanks to some striking features, specialists can differentiate this violation. Find out its symptoms, as well as how to diagnose and treat ADHD.
Hyperkinetic syndrome. Definition and prevalence in children
Hyperkinetic syndrome is one of the most common behavioral disorders that occurs in childhood and adolescence. Like many other emotional disorders, it is manifested by excessive activity and anxiety. It is also often referred to as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD for short).
Usually this disorder occurs in children of primary school age. From seven to twelve years, its frequency ranges from 3 to 20%little patients. And in the first years of life, ADHD is much less common - in 1.5-2% of children. At the same time, it manifests itself in boys approximately 3-4 times more often than in girls.
Symptoms
As already mentioned, hyperkinetic syndrome in children is manifested primarily by increased activity and excitability. This usually occurs already in the younger school period. But often symptoms are observed already in the third or fourth year of life.
If we talk about the first manifestations of the syndrome, we can note the increased sensitivity to stimuli that occurs even in infancy. These children are more sensitive to bright lights, noise, or changes in temperature. Also, ADHD syndrome is manifested by motor restlessness during wakefulness and sleep, resistance to swaddling and other symptoms.
At primary school age, the following symptoms occur:
- Distracted attention. The child is not able to concentrate on any subject, cannot listen to the teacher for a long time.
- Memory disorders. ADHD makes younger students less likely to learn the curriculum.
- Impulsive. The child becomes excitable and fussy. Often this is expressed by the inability to listen to the end, to wait for their turn. The child's actions are often unmotivated and unexpected.
- Sleep disorders.
- Emotional disorders: irascibility, aggressiveness, defiant behavior or, on the contrary, causeless tearfulness.
It should also be noted that many younger childrenschool age have problems with coordination of movements. This manifests itself in difficulties with writing, coloring, tying shoelaces. There are violations of spatial coordination.
Causes and factors affecting the occurrence of ADHD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is influenced by many factors:
- Various pregnancy complications. Severe and prolonged toxicosis or high blood pressure in a future mother can trigger ADHD in a child.
- Wrong lifestyle during pregnancy. In all likelihood, it is no secret to anyone that drinking alcohol or smoking can adversely affect the laying of the organs and systems of the unborn child (including the nervous system). Also, the factors provoking hyperkinetic syndrome include hard physical work or stress.
- Protracted or too fast labor can also negatively affect the development of the baby.
- Social factor. Behavioral problems and irritability are often a reaction to an unfavorable family or school environment. Thus, the body tries to cope with a stressful situation. By itself, this factor is not capable of causing ADHD, but it can significantly increase its symptoms.
However, the only and reliable cause of hyperkinetic syndrome has not yet been identified.
ADHD or temperament?
Often, when a child is impulsive and overactive, parents suspect that they have ADHD. However, it is not worthforget that every child has its own temperament. For example, the characteristic features of choleric people are just impulsiveness, irascibility and incontinence. And little sanguine people often have an inability to focus on one activity and the need to often switch from one activity to another.
Therefore, before sounding the alarm, you should take a closer look at your baby: maybe his behavior is just a manifestation of temperament. In addition, the features of primary school age suggest a small amount of memory and low attention span. These characteristics improve gradually as they grow older. Also, it is at this time that restlessness and impulsiveness are often observed. A child of 7 years old cannot yet concentrate on one thing for a long time.
Another thing is that with ADHD, these symptoms are much more pronounced. If increased activity is accompanied by absent-mindedness and significant impairment of memory or sleep, it is better to seek help from a specialist.
Diagnosis
How is ADHD diagnosed today? To make sure of its presence, and also to find out if it accompanies another, more complex disease, first of all, a consultation with a pediatric neurologist is required. A comprehensive examination will include several stages.
First of all, it involves a subjective diagnosis. The doctor examines the child and conducts a conversation with the parents, during which the features of the course of pregnancy, childbirth and infantperiod.
After that, the child is offered to take several psychological tests. Thus, attention, memory and emotional stability are assessed. To make the examination objective, such tests are carried out only in children older than five years.
The final stage of diagnosis is electroencephalography. With its help, the activity of the cerebral cortex is assessed, possible violations are recorded. According to the results of the study, the doctor can make a diagnosis and, if necessary, prescribe treatment. An experienced specialist takes into account the characteristic features of primary school age and can distinguish them from the manifestations of the disease.
Because the symptoms of hyperkinetic syndrome usually appear in kindergarten, it is very important that teachers in educational institutions also know how to diagnose it. By the way, educators often pay attention to this problem earlier than parents.
What is hyperkinetic cardiac syndrome?
There is a disease with a similar name that does not affect behavior in any way. This is hyperkinetic cardiac syndrome. The fact is that, unlike a behavioral disorder, which is ADHD, this is one of the manifestations of autonomic dysfunction, namely a violation of the heart. It does not occur in children, but mainly in young men. Since this syndrome is often not accompanied by any symptoms, it can only be detected with an objective examination.
Drug therapy
As seenspecialists who study hyperkinetic syndrome, the treatment of this disorder should be comprehensive. One of its components is the use of medications. With the correct diagnosis, their effectiveness becomes very high. These drugs are symptomatic. They suppress the manifestations of the syndrome and greatly facilitate the development of the child.
Drug therapy should be long-term, as it is important not only to remove the symptoms, but also to consolidate the effect. Do not trust folk remedies, because only a doctor can choose the best drug and prescribe an effective treatment.
Psychological correction
Another component of ADHD treatment is psychological support. A 7-year-old child especially needs help, since the first school year is always difficult for both the student himself and his parents. Especially if there is hyperactivity. In this case, psychological correction is necessary in order to form the child's skills of effective communication with peers and relatives.
It also involves close interaction with teachers and parents. The child needs the constant care and support of the family, as well as the careful participation of teachers.
Do adults have ADHD?
The manifestations of ADHD gradually decrease from adolescence. Hyperactivity decreases first, and attention disorders last. However, about twenty percent of people diagnosed with hyperkineticsyndrome, some of its symptoms persist into adulthood.
In some cases, there is a tendency towards antisocial behavior, alcoholism and drug addiction. Therefore, the manifestations of ADHD must be diagnosed and treated in a timely manner.
Advice to parents
What should parents do if their child is diagnosed with ADHD? First, you need to create a favorable atmosphere in the house. It is very important to strictly adhere to the daily routine - so the child will be more calm and balanced.
Given that ADHD is manifested by increased activity, it is worth enrolling a child in a sports section. In general, any interesting hobby will significantly improve the condition of the child. Communication with the child should be calm and friendly. But scolding and punishing is not worth it, because this still does not achieve anything, and the care, support and attention of parents play a very important role.
