Advice and recommendations from a psychologist: what should parents of a hyperactive child do? Diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Schooling

Currently, more and more parents are looking for an answer to the question of what to do if doctors have diagnosed a “hyperactive child.” Unfortunately, excessive activity prevents the baby from leading a normal life, so there is a need to provide practical advice for adults who are faced with this pathology in children.
Scientists have separated hyperactivity from other pathologies and defined “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” (ADHD). However, such a deviation in the psyche has not yet been fully studied.

To distinguish a hyperactive child from a simple fidget, you need to pay attention to the following characteristics:

An active baby has a great cognitive interest and uses his restlessness to gain new knowledge. Unlike a hyperactively aggressive child who neglects the opinions of others, he listens to the comments of adults and happily joins in the game.
Fidgets rarely show strong emotions; in unfamiliar conditions they behave calmer.
The absence of a tendency to provoke active children helps them build conflict-free relationships with other children, which is beyond the control of hyperactive children.
Children without mental disabilities sleep soundly, they are energetic but obedient.

This disorder appears at the age of two years. However, there are some signs of a hyperactive child that can be noticed even at one year old. Often adults do not pay attention to this until the toddler grows up. Then they begin to expect more independence from him. However, the baby is unable to express it due to mental development disorders.

Boys are more likely to suffer from attention deficit disorder. Their number reaches 22%, and the number of girls with ADHD is only 10%.

Why is the child hyperactive?

There are many reasons for this disorder. The most common of them are:

Infectious diseases suffered by children at an early age.
Stress, hard physical labor of the mother during pregnancy.
Mother's use of drugs and alcohol.
Head injuries occurring during childbirth.
Difficult or premature labor.
Poor or incorrect diet for the baby.
The disease can be transmitted at the genetic level.
Conflicts within the family.
Authoritarian parenting style.

What kind of child can be called hyperactive?

Medical specialists classify a child as hyperactive if he or she exhibits the following signs:

Passion for a task lasts no more than 10 minutes. With any distraction, his attention switches.
The toddler is constantly agitated and inattentive. During classes or lessons, he cannot sit still, constantly moves, twitches.
His behavior is not aggravated by shyness. Shows disobedience even in unfamiliar places.
Asks a lot of questions, but does not need answers to them. Sometimes he gives an answer without listening to the entire sentence. During games, he requires everyone to concentrate on his person.
Speech is accelerated, swallowing the endings of words. Often jumps from one action to another without finishing what he started.
Restless sleep is one of the signs of a hyperactive child. Nightmares and urinary incontinence occur.
Constant conflicts with peers prevent you from making friends. He can’t play calmly and interferes with other guys’ play. During lessons, he shouts from his seat and interferes with his behavior.
Hyperactive children often do not master the school curriculum.
Deviations in the functioning of the brain when processing information. When completing tasks, he often experiences difficulties.
It seems that the child does not hear what adults tell him.
Absent-minded, loses personal belongings, school supplies, toys.
Clumsiness in the movements of a hyperactive child often causes injuries and damage to things.
Has problems with fine motor skills: has difficulty buttoning buttons, tying shoelaces, and calligraphy.
Does not respond to adults’ comments, prohibitions, or punishments.
He is subject to frequent headaches and has nervous tics.

Remember that only a doctor can diagnose ADHD. And only if the doctor has discovered at least 8 symptoms of a hyperactive child. The diagnosis is made based on the results of MRI of the brain, EEG, and blood tests. With sufficiently developed mental abilities, such children have problems with speech, fine motor skills, and low cognitive interest. Mediocre learning abilities and weak motivation for educational activities do not allow our inattentive, hyperactive children to receive a high level of education.

If your child has been diagnosed with this, you should not be afraid and give up. There is no need to hope that the problem will solve itself. A hyperactive child really needs the help of parents and recommendations from specialists.

What should parents of a hyperactive child do?

To solve the problem, parents of hyperactive children should consider the following tips:

Take care of your daily routine. Don't forget about daily rituals: systematic reading of a bedtime story or morning exercises will extinguish the baby's excessive overexcitation. Try not to change the routine moments. This will save him from evening hysterics and make his sleep more peaceful.
Weather in the house. Friendly and conflict-free relationships in the family will reduce destructive activity. Avoid noisy holidays and unexpected guests.
Sections. Sports activities will direct the energy of a lively person in a positive direction. Monitor your regular attendance at classes; this is important for a hyperactive child. Avoid competitive sports. It is better to choose aerobics, skiing, swimming. Playing chess has a beneficial effect on the development of a toddler's thinking. During chess games, both hemispheres work simultaneously, which has a positive effect on the development of mental abilities.
Release of energy. If children's behavior does not disturb others, there is no need to restrain them. Let them express their emotions. After such “self-purification” the child will become calmer.
Punishments. When there is a need for educational influences, try not to choose punishments in which the little one will have to sit still for a long time. For him this is an impossible task.
Golden mean. There is no need to put too much pressure on the fidget. Excessive demands and rigidity in raising a hyperactive child will only do harm. But you should be wary of excessive care for such a baby. Children sense the weakness of adults and quickly learn to manipulate. Then raising overly active children becomes uncontrollable.
Nutrition. Food for such children should be healthy. Avoid sweets, foods with artificial additives, sausages, and processed foods. You can improve brain function by taking a complex of vitamins in the off-season. The daily menu should contain vegetables and fruits. Be sure to include foods containing calcium, iron, and magnesium in your diet.
Extra impressions. Places with excessive crowds of people excite a hyperactive baby. Avoid visiting supermarkets and public transport together.
A television. Limit watching TV programs with aggressive content. However, a couple of good cartoons a day will help. While watching TV, the fidget trains perseverance.
Encouragement. Do not spare words of praise for overly active children. It is important for them to realize that they are on the path to victory over negativism.

Treatment and correction of a hyperactive child

There are several practical tips for treating a hyperactive child:

Massotherapy. A prescribed massage will help relieve muscle tension, calm the baby, and relax him.
Physiotherapy. Electrophoresis with drugs improves blood supply to the cerebral cortex.
Psychologist consultations. Play therapy will help correct behavior and learn to restrain impulsive impulses. Classes with a psychologist or psychotherapist develop the child’s speech and improve the fine motor skills of a hyperactive child. With systematic exercises, attention improves.
Therapeutic gymnastics, swimming pool. With their help, the nervous system is strengthened, and excess energy goes away.
Alekseev technique, autogenic training, Schultz model. These sets of exercises will be useful for relaxing muscles and will help him fall asleep peacefully. At first, such therapeutic work with a hyperactive child is carried out only under the supervision of a specialist.

Psychologists give the following advice to parents of hyperactive children:

Treat your child’s manifestations of hyperactivity not as shortcomings, but as features of his character.
Be prepared that such a baby will not hear your requests the first time, be patient and repeat them several times.
Don't yell at the restless person. Your excitement will have a bad effect on your little one; he will lose control over his emotions. It’s better to hold the baby close to you, stroke him tenderly, then ask in a quiet voice what happened to him. Repeated phrases calm and relax the fidget.
Music helps to put the baby in a calm, positive mood. Play classical music more often or enroll him in music school.
Try not to give your little one too many toys at once. Let the baby learn to concentrate his attention on a single object.
A hyperactive child should have his own cozy corner in which he will curb negative emotions and come to his senses. Your own room with neutral-colored walls is suitable for this. It should contain favorite things and toys that help him relieve excess nervousness.
Carefully monitor your child's behavior. At the first sign of increasing aggression, switch his attention to another activity. Hysterical attacks are easier to stop at the initial stage.

How to calm a hyperactive child?

You can treat a hyperactive child at home using:

Medicines. This method should be used as a last resort. The doctor may prescribe sedatives based on herbal ingredients. Nootropic drugs have a beneficial effect on metabolic processes in the cerebral cortex, improve memory and attention of the baby. You should not expect quick results from sedatives for hyperactive children; the medications will begin to work only after a few months.
Relaxing baths. You can take soothing baths daily before bed. The water temperature should not be higher than 38. Add an extract from hop cones and pine needles to the water.
Folk remedies. To relieve tension, decoctions of soothing herbs are used. They are taken half a glass twice a day. You can prepare a mixture to strengthen the nervous system from cranberries with aloe, twisted in a meat grinder, with the addition of honey. This delicious nutritional mixture is given in a six-month course three times a day.

Doctor Komarovsky about a hyperactive child

The famous Ukrainian pediatrician Evgeniy Komarovsky believes that:

A child who has problems communicating with friends at school or in kindergarten can be considered hyperactive. If the team does not accept the little one, and the school curriculum is not assimilated, then we can talk about illness.
In order for a hyperactive toddler to listen to your words, you must first attract his attention. When the baby is busy with something, he is unlikely to respond to the parents' request.
There is no need to change your decision. If you prohibit something, then this prohibition should be in effect constantly, and not from time to time.
Safety in a family with fidgets should come first. It is necessary to organize the living space for hyperactive children so that he cannot injure himself while playing. Demand composure and accuracy not only from the baby, but also from yourself.
There is no need to ask a live person to perform complex tasks. Try to divide such work into simple steps, this way you will achieve better results. Use an action plan in pictures.
You need to praise at every opportunity. Even if the little artist did not fully color the picture, praise him for his accuracy and diligence.
You need to take care of your own rest. Parents should rest whenever possible. You can use the help of relatives and ask them to take a little walk with the baby. When raising hyperactive children, the calmness and balance of their parents is very important.

Your special child should have no doubt that his parents love him very much. The correct behavior of parents in raising a hyperactive child will solve this problem. Pay attention to your little one, follow the advice of experts.

A hyperactive child is not a disease. All children are different; they often differ in the pace of physiological development, inclinations, character and temperament. Some kids can quietly spend time on their own, with their toys, books and coloring books, while others cannot remain unattended for even five minutes. There are children who find it difficult to concentrate on something, who are unable to stay in one place for a long time - for example, sitting in a hairdresser's chair, during classes in kindergarten or at school, and it is problematic to keep track of them on the playground.

Such kids have a hard time learning - this is hyperactivity. The brain of a hyperactive child has difficulty concentrating and perceiving information. Hyperactive children quickly change their sphere of activity, they are impulsive and restless, specific in communicating with adults and peers, in demonstrating their talents. Let's try to understand in detail the essence of the problem and give ways to solve it.

Hyperactive children cannot concentrate on one task; it is difficult to interest them in quiet activities and calm them down

Causes of hyperactivity

Hyperactivity in children is not primarily a physiological deviation, but a behavioral developmental disorder. The medical name for hyperactivity is ADHD (). Modern medicine is of the opinion that the syndrome occurs due to unfavorable intrauterine development of children and difficult childbirth. So, if the expectant mother had severe and long-term toxicosis, and the fetus was diagnosed with intrauterine asphyxia, then the risk of having a hyperactive child increases three times. Any surgical intervention during childbirth or the presence of a newborn in intensive care also contribute to the development of ADHD syndrome.

Symptoms of hyperactivity

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What are the signs of a hyperactive child? How can you tell if your baby is active and energetic, as a healthy toddler should be, or if he is developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?
Characteristic symptoms begin to be identified by 2-3 years. You can make a diagnosis already in kindergarten, because it is there that tendencies manifest themselves most actively - in communication with the teacher, with other kids in the group.
How does hyperactivity manifest in children?
anxiety and anxiety even when there are no serious reasons for this;
emotional lability, tearfulness, excessive vulnerability and impressionability;
insomnia, too light sleep, crying and talking in your sleep;
speech problems;
difficulties in communication;
ignoring prohibitions, social norms and rules - simply put, the baby is very naughty;
attacks of aggression;
Rarely, Tourette's syndrome is uncontrolled shouting of inappropriate and offensive words.

All these manifestations and signs in your child should be a reason to contact a specialist. A neurologist and psychologist will write out recommendations and give advice on how to properly raise a child, how to calm him down and reduce the likelihood of negative perception by society.

Despite his activity and talkativeness, a hyperactive child often remains misunderstood by other children and experiences significant difficulties in communication.
Treatment for a hyperactive child - is it necessary?
A hyperactive child often gets very tired from uncontrollable emotions, changes his daily routine and plans due to his not always adequate behavior, and does not allow his parents to lead a normal lifestyle. It’s difficult for adults to endure this, because they don’t always have the time or the physical and moral strength to deal with hysterics.
Only very patient and not very busy parents or a nanny can monitor a hyperactive child so that he reacts adequately to the outside world and knows how to behave with other people, and does not mindlessly throw out energy, cry and laugh for no reason. It is often necessary to resort to correction of the child’s behavior - this can include both drug treatment and visits to a psychologist, speech therapist, soothing massage, playing sports and visiting various creative clubs. The doctor prescribes drug treatment after examination and examination of the child.
Children with ADHD syndrome must have an electroencephalogram of the brain to rule out organic causes of hyperactive behavior and measure intracranial pressure (we recommend reading:). If all indicators are normal, the doctor often prescribes homeopathic sedatives. A sedative will help your child sleep better and reduce the number of hysterics and panic attacks.
Some modern doctors believe that it is impossible to treat hyperactivity before the age of 4, because most children at this age do not yet know how to cope with their own feelings, they are full of energy and try to throw it out in any way.
How to deal with a hyperactive child?
How to raise a hyperactive child? Many parents become confused, especially when the child goes to kindergarten, or at school faces many problems related to learning and society. A hyperactive child is always in special regard with the educator, teacher and child psychologist. First of all, parents must help him - raising such children requires patience, wisdom, willpower and spirit. Do not allow yourself to break down, raise your voice at your child or raise your hand against him (we recommend reading:). Only if he did something that harmed other people can you use such harsh methods.

If parents break down and resort to shouting, threats or physical showdown, this only makes the situation worse. The child withdraws into himself and becomes even more uncontrollable
How to raise a “fidget”?
Psychologist's advice:
Prohibit correctly. Formulate the prohibitions so that the words “no” and “impossible” are absent from the sentence. It is much more effective to say, “Get on the track,” than to say, “Don’t run on the wet grass.” Always motivate your prohibitions, justify them. For example, if your child doesn’t want to leave the playground in the evening, say: “I wanted to read you an interesting story about your favorite cartoon character before bed, but if you walk for a long time, I won’t have time to do it.”
Set your goals clearly. Such children do not perceive information conveyed through long sentences well. Speak concisely.
Be consistent in your actions and words. For example, it is unreasonable to say: “Go get a cup from grandma, then bring me a magazine, wash your hands and sit down to dinner.” Maintain the order.
Control your time. A child with ADHD has poor time control; if he is passionate about something, he can do it for a long time and forget about other things.
Follow the regime. A daily routine is a very important aspect of the life of a hyperactive baby; it will help calm the baby and teach him order (we recommend reading:).
Raising a child means behaving loyally and maintaining a positive note when communicating with him, setting yourself, him and those around you to be positive. Smooth out conflict situations, praise for victories, emphasize when the baby behaved especially well by listening to you.
Keep your child busy with useful activities. Children must have a positive outlet for splashing out energy - this could be a creative or sports club, walking on a bicycle or scooter, modeling from polymer clay or plasticine at home.
Create comfortable conditions at home. The child should not only watch less TV and play computer games, but also see how others do it. The workplace should be free of unnecessary items and posters.
If necessary, give a hyperactive child a homeopathic sedative, but do not overuse medications.

When a child attends classes that are interesting to him - sports, creative, he can throw out the accumulated energy there and come home much calmer
How to help if hysterics begin?
How to calm a hyperactive child? At a time when children are hysterical and do not obey, you can act by choosing one of the options:
Go to another room. Deprived of audience attention, the baby may stop crying.
Switch your attention. Offer candy, show a toy, play a cartoon or game on your tablet or phone. Loudly invite him not to cry, but to do something interesting - for example, go out into the yard and play there, run outside.
Give water, sweet tea or an infusion of soothing herbs.

In children's daily lives, support their nervous system. A soothing herbal mixture helps well when added to a bath if the child is small, and to tea if we are talking about a schoolchild (we recommend reading:). Read books before bed, walk in the fresh air. Try to make your child see less aggression and negativity. Study nature, look more at the trees, sky and flowers.

Hyperactive schoolboy
A particularly difficult situation with a hyperactive child develops in an educational institution. Restlessness, emotionality, difficulties in concentrating attention and perceiving the flow of information can contribute to the fact that the child will lag behind in school and have difficulty finding a common language with peers.
This requires constant consultations with a psychologist, patience and understanding on the part of teachers, and support from parents. Remember that it is not your child's fault that he or she has a particular behavioral disorder.
Do you want to better understand your children? A video will help you, where the famous Russian pediatrician Dr. Komarovsky gives advice, for whom a hyperactive child is a full-fledged member of society with his own characteristics of mental development. You need to be patient and calm when communicating with him, highlight and develop talents and creative inclinations. Let the baby not withdraw, but progress, because hyperactivity should not hinder human development. It does not represent a serious deviation, but a specific individuality.

Clinical and perinatal psychologist, graduated from the Moscow Institute of Perinatal Psychology and Reproductive Psychology and Volgograd State Medical University with a degree in clinical psychology

Impulsive and active children are often called hyperactive. However, children's activity, which is normal, should not be confused with hyperactivity, which is a neurological problem. The latter is called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). And today this is a fairly common diagnosis.
Both simply active and hyperactive children can show impatience, restlessness and strong agitation. Make noise, be capricious, run and jump - in a word, “stand on your ears.” But still, there are several signs that will help distinguish a child’s character trait from a serious neurological problem.

Active child

1. Spins around like crazy, can’t sit in one place, prefers active games. However, if he is interested, he can do something calm.

2. Shows interest and curiosity, talks incessantly, comments on everything, asks a lot of questions.

3. Despite daytime activity, sleeps well at night.

4. Adapts to the situation, does not show activity to the same degree everywhere (for example, at home he is a person with a “little motor”, but in kindergarten he is a completely calm child).

5. Does not show aggression, but at the same time can defend his interests.

Hyperactive child

1. Is constantly on the move and is active in all situations equally. He will jump and make noise both at home and in the store, guests or at school. Moreover, he cannot stop, even if he is very tired. Almost uncontrollable - no arguments work, it is impossible to come to an agreement with him.

2. Talks a lot, gets emotional, jumps from thought to thought, “swallows” endings or skips words. Can't listen to others.

3. Difficulty falling asleep, sleeping poorly.

4. May be aggressive or provoke other children. If he experiences strong emotions, he cannot control himself.

Of course, these are only external signs by which ADHD can be distinguished from simple activity. Specialists - child neuropsychologists and psychoneurologists - have more detailed assessment criteria. Only a doctor can make this diagnosis, and after a thorough examination, which includes testing, an encephalogram of the brain and long-term (at least six months) observation by a neuropsychiatrist.

Regardless of whether a child’s increased activity is a confirmed diagnosis or just a feature, it is the parents who can help the child cope with behavioral problems. The life of excitable (both active and hyperactive) children must obey certain rules.

7 rules for active and hyperactive children

1. Be sure to set clear “boundaries” that cannot be violated under any circumstances (prohibitions, time limits, rules of behavior at home and on the street, etc.). This will allow the child to feel the ground under his feet, which means he will become more collected and calm.

2. Organize a regular daily routine. Living on a schedule, due to its predictability, will also calm the baby. It is extremely important for excitable and active children to get proper rest: night sleep should last at least 10-12 hours, and preschoolers and primary schoolchildren should not neglect daytime rest. To make it easier to remember the sequence of events of the day, hang the schedule in a visible place.

3. Avoid foods that have a stimulating effect on the nervous system (chocolate, drinks containing caffeine).

4. Dose the load and impressions. Do not overuse noisy games and socializing. Be sure to alternate active activities with calm ones.

5. Satisfy your child’s need for physical activity - enroll him in a sports section or in a swimming pool so that he can throw out excess energy.

6. Be sure to train your attention using special exercises. Contact a pediatric neuropsychologist - he will recommend a complex for home exercises that is suitable for your child.

7. Limit watching cartoons and playing games on your computer, tablet, or phone. A preschooler can watch TV or be at the computer for no more than 30-40 minutes a day without harm, preferably with breaks; for a younger schoolchild - no more than an hour.

IMPORTANT: only a doctor can diagnose a child with ADHD! You should not take the word of educators or educators who tell you that your child is hyperactive. Moreover, you should not self-medicate - this can only cause harm. For example, for a child with ADHD, sedatives are not only useless, but also contraindicated. By having an inhibitory effect on the speed of nervous reactions, they interfere with the development of memory and attention.

If you have doubts and you suspect your baby has hyperactivity, start by visiting a pediatric neuropsychologist - using special techniques, he will help confirm or refute the suspicion of ADHD, if necessary, refer you to a doctor, and also suggest a system of activities that will help your child develop perseverance and attention.
***
Korkunova Maria, d pediatric neuropsychologist

Nowadays, children are increasingly talking about hyperactivity. Many people do not fully understand what this term means and apply it to all mobile and active children. However, hyperactivity is not just increased activity of the baby, it is a violation of the child’s behavioral reactions associated with impaired brain function.

What kind of hyperactive child is he? What should the parents of such a child do? After all, they will have to face a lot of problems, learn to correct their child’s behavior, and help him adapt to school, and this is usually very difficult.

The term “hyperactivity” itself means greatly increased activity and excitability of a person. Hyperactivity is most common in children, as they have less control over their emotions.

With hyperactivity, the nervous system is usually unbalanced. The child develops behavioral disorders that require correction. In the modern world, more and more children suffer from this disorder.

Typically, a hyperactive child has the following disorders:

Cannot concentrate attention on any action for a long time. This especially often causes problems at school.

After all, it is difficult for a child to sit through a lesson, listen to the teacher, and complete assignments. Such children are forgetful and absent-minded. Even sitting in front of the TV for a long time is problematic for such children.

Increased emotionality and impulsiveness.

Hyperactive children often cannot control their emotions, splashing them out on others, and commit unexpected impulsive actions.

Motor activity beyond measure.

Many children, especially at preschool and primary school age, are quite active. However, hyperactive children stand out even against their background. They cannot sit still, they literally dance if they are seated. Their hands and legs are in motion, their eyes dart, their facial expressions change.

If a child has one or two of the above disorders, then most likely these are simply age-related behavioral characteristics. With age, the child will learn to better control his emotions, and his behavior will level out. However, if the baby has all of the listed disorders, then this is a reason to consult a specialist.

It is important to suspect and diagnose this disorder in time, rather than later reap the fruits of misunderstanding your child.

From a medical point of view, hyperactivity - hyperdynamic syndrome - is a diagnosis. It can be installed by a neurologist or neurologist. Most often, this diagnosis is associated with minimal brain dysfunction and dysfunction of the central nervous system.

In the next video, Dr. Komarovsky will tell you what hyperactivity is:

When it appears

It is believed that hyperdynamic activity syndrome manifests itself most clearly in preschool (4-5 years) and primary school age (6-8 years). The child ends up in a children's group and cannot withstand the modern pace of learning.

All the signs of his hyperactivity immediately appear: the teacher or educator cannot cope with the child, he does not master the curriculum and other problems of his behavioral disorders.

However, the first signs of hyperdynamic syndrome can be detected in infancy. Such babies are very active and emotional: they get unstuck from their diapers, fall, if you just turn away for a moment, they sleep poorly, their sleep is superficial, restless, and they can scream all night for no reason.

As they grow older, the behavior of hyperactive children continues to “delight” their parents: they get out of playpens and strollers, often fall, get into everything, and knock over everything.

Babies are already 1-2 years old and active and overly mobile; mothers can barely keep up with them. They are not interested in games where you need to think, add, build. It is difficult for a hyperactive child to finish listening to a fairy tale or watching a cartoon; he cannot sit still.

What should parents do if they suspect their child has hyperactivity disorder?

Norm or pathology. False hyperactivity

Very often, hyperactivity is confused with normal child behavior, because most children aged 3-7 years are quite active and impulsive, and have difficulty controlling emotions. If a child is restless and often distracted, then they say that he is hyperactive. However, for elementary school children, a lack of concentration and the inability to sit still for a long time is usually the norm. Therefore, hyperdynamic syndrome can be difficult to diagnose.

If a child, in addition to attention deficit and increased activity, has problems establishing relationships with peers, is inattentive to the feelings of others, does not learn from his mistakes, and does not know how to adapt to the environment, then these signs indicate a pathology - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

From a neurological point of view, this diagnosis is quite serious and the child needs treatment, the sooner the better.

Diagnostics

If parents suspect that their child has ADHD, they should consult a pediatric neurologist. The doctor will prescribe the appropriate examination that needs to be completed. Indeed, more serious pathologies may be hidden under the symptoms of hyperdynamic syndrome.
Diagnostics includes three stages:

The doctor collects data on the child’s behavior and reactions, about the peculiarities of pregnancy and childbirth, previous diseases, hereditary pathologies of family members.
Conducts special tests and evaluates results and the amount of time spent, as well as the reaction and behavior of the child in this case. Usually such tests are carried out for children 5-6 years old.
Electroencephalogram. This examination assesses the condition of the child's brain. It is painless and harmless.

After receiving all the results, the neurologist makes a diagnosis and gives his conclusion.

Signs

The main signs that help recognize a child’s hyperactivity:

The child has increased causeless motor activity. He spins all the time, jumps, runs, climbs everywhere, even if he knows that he shouldn’t. It lacks the process of inhibition in the central nervous system. He just can't contain himself.
Can't sit still, if you sit him down, he spins, gets up, fidgets, and cannot sit still.
When talking, he often interrupts the interlocutor and does not listen to the question. to the end, speaks off topic, does not think.
Can't sit quietly. Even when playing, he makes noise, squeaks, and makes unconscious movements.
He can’t stand in line, he’s capricious and nervous.
Has problems interacting with peers. Interferes in other people's games, pesters children, and does not know how to make friends.
Does not take into account the feelings and needs of other people.
The child is very emotional and has no ability to control either positive or negative emotions.. Often causes scandals and hysterics.
Child's sleep is restless, during the day he often doesn’t sleep at all. In his sleep he tosses and turns, curls up into a ball.
Quickly loses interest in activities, jumping from one to another and not finishing.
The child is distracted and inattentive, cannot concentrate, and often makes mistakes because of this.

Parents of hyperactive children face difficulties from an early age. The child does not obey his parents, it is necessary to control him all the time, constantly being nearby.

You can learn more about the signs of this syndrome by watching the video:

Causes

Experts consider the following situations to be the main reasons that can cause dysfunction of the child’s nervous system, and, consequently, hyperactivity syndrome:

Heredity (genetic predisposition)
Damage to brain cells in the prenatal period or during labor.

This may be fetal hypoxia, infections, birth injuries.

Disorders caused by an unfavorable family environment, abnormal living conditions, improper educational process, illnesses and injuries after birth.

According to statistical data, male children are more likely to suffer from hyperactivity.. For every five boys, only one girl is diagnosed with this condition.

Classification of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

There are the following types of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD):

Hyperdynamic syndrome without attention deficit.
Attention deficit disorder is present, but without hyperactivity (it usually occurs in female children - these are calm, absent-minded, quiet girls).
Combination of attention deficit disorder and hyperdynamism.

ADHD can be primary, occurring in utero, or secondary (acquired), acquired after birth as a result of injury or disease.

There is also a distinction between a simple form of the disease and a complicated one. In the complicated form of ADHD, other signs are added to the symptoms: nervous tics, stuttering, enuresis, headaches.

Treatment

Treatment of ADHD requires a comprehensive approach. Some procedures, medications, and diets are used, but the main emphasis is on psychological correction and the right approach to raising a hyperactive child.

In Europe and the United States, psychostimulant drugs are widely used to treat ADHD. They are quite effective, but have many side effects. The main ones are digestive disorders, headaches, insomnia, and growth retardation. In Russia, ADHD is treated with nootropic drugs that have a positive effect on brain function (Holitilin, Encephabol, Cortexin).

These remedies are more effective for attention deficit.
When focusing on hyperdynamic syndrome, drugs are used that affect the inhibitory reactions of the central nervous system (Fentibut, Pantogam).

Only a doctor can prescribe medications! The medication is taken under the supervision of a specialist.

In addition, it is possible to use procedures involving stimulation of the brain with weak pulses of electric current.

The child’s nutrition is also important. So, with an unbalanced diet, children’s metabolism is disrupted, which can provoke irritability and moodiness. A growing body requires protein, vitamins and minerals. The diet should contain foods with high levels of Omega 3 fats, which have a beneficial effect on the central nervous system. But it is better to reduce the amount of sweets and carbohydrates. It is better to give your child berries and fruits. You can leave a little dark chocolate in your diet.

Psychological correction of the child’s behavior is mandatory during treatment. The psychologist helps the child better understand his actions, and will also give advice to parents on building relationships with such a child and methods of raising and teaching him.

Most children “outgrow” this disease if they have no complications and receive timely treatment. In some cases, ADHD continues into adulthood, especially if timely and adequate assistance is not provided to the child.

You can learn more about the treatment of the syndrome from the video:

Features of communication with such children

Raising a hyperactive child can be difficult. Even with strong love for their child, parents cannot always withstand all his tricks; they often break down and scream. And it happens that they stop raising him altogether, deciding “what he grows up, he grows up.”

It is not uncommon for parents to try to instill strict discipline in such a child, brutally suppressing all his antics and disobedience. The child is punished for the slightest offense. However, such upbringing only aggravates the child's behavior problems. He becomes more withdrawn, insecure, and disobedient.(stuttering, urinary incontinence, etc.). It is necessary to find a different approach to each child with ADHD, taking into account his neurological characteristics.

What should parents, educators and teachers do?

A child with hyperdynamic syndrome requires a lot of parental attention. It is necessary to try to listen to him, help him complete tasks, develop his perseverance and interaction with the outside world. He needs praise and rewards, approval and support, more parental love. Before punishing a child, parents should take into account that he is quite normal in intelligence, but he has problems regulating his motor activity. Therefore, he does not deliberately do what he was forbidden, but simply cannot stop himself.

It is necessary to properly organize your daily routine. Come up with your own rituals. Walk outside more. It is advisable to enroll your child in a sports section. Swimming, gymnastics, running, horse riding, and sports dancing are good options. It is also necessary to set up a sports corner at home so that the child has a place to splash out his energy.

When sending your child to kindergarten, you need to choose the appropriate one in advance, where there are groups with the opportunity to play, children actively move, complete tasks and answer as desired. Talk to the teacher about the baby's special needs.

If a child’s behavior causes a conflict in the kindergarten, then it is better to take him away from there. You can’t blame the baby that it’s his fault, say that this group just didn’t suit him.

Studying at school also has its difficulties. Discuss what a teacher should do so as not to traumatize a hyperactive child and help him adapt in the classroom. When doing homework, you should prepare in advance and avoid distractions. Classes should be short but effective so that the child does not lose attention. IN

It is important to do your homework regularly, at the same time. It is necessary to observe the child and determine the most appropriate time: after meals or after physical activity.
When punishing a hyperactive child, you should not choose those that do not allow him to move: put him in a corner, sit him on a special chair.

Positive qualities of hyperactive children

Despite all the unpleasant behavioral characteristics of children with hyperdynamic syndrome, they also have many positive qualities, the development of which parents should pay special attention to.

A hyperactive child has creative, creative thinking.

He can come up with a lot of interesting ideas, and if you have enough patience, he can be creative. Such a child is easily distracted, but has a unique view of the world around him.

Hyperactive children are usually enthusiastic. They are never boring.

They are interested in many things and are, as a rule, bright personalities.

Such children are energetic and active, but often unpredictable.

If they have a motive, then they do everything faster than ordinary children.

A child with ADHD is very flexible, resourceful, and can find a way out where others would not notice, and solve a problem in an unusual way.

The intelligence of children with ADHD is not impaired in any way. Very often they have high artistic and intellectual abilities.

Specific ways to communicate and interact with such children are given in the following video:

Psychologists note that if a child has signs of hyperactivity, then they should begin to eliminate them, the sooner the better. This approach helps to avoid difficulties arising from the child’s behavioral disorders, stress and disappointment on the part of his parents and surrounding people, and even the baby himself. Therefore, when a diagnosis of ADHD is established, you should not neglect the help of a specialist doctor and psychologist, so as not to waste time.

Psychologists note that a properly organized daily routine and a favorable family environment helps a child in the treatment of ADHD. In addition, the psychologist’s advice is as follows:

Provide your child with a calm, stable, non-stimulating environment. This will help reduce the accumulation and release of strong emotions.
He must develop the necessary reflexes that will help him strictly adhere to the daily routine. For example, go to bed after mom reads a fairy tale or sings a song.
To relieve excess physical activity, it is necessary to organize classes for the child in sports sections.
Do not force a hyperactive child to do tedious work for a long time or sit in one place. Periodically allow active activities to release excess energy.

Eliminating problems associated with hyperactivity in children is a completely feasible task. The main thing is to give the child the opportunity to throw out excess energy, to interest him in the educational process, to develop creative abilities, and most importantly to take into account the child’s characteristics when assessing his actions.

Cartoons for the prevention of hyperactivity.

The following cartoons will help your child understand more about his condition; by discussing the plot and characters with your child, you can help him fight this problem.

Here's a list of cartoons:

"Fidget, Myakish and Netak"
“Masha is no longer lazy”
“He’s so absent-minded”
"Wings, Legs, and Tails"
"Petya Pyatochkin"
"Monkeys"
"Naughty Bear"
"I don't want to"
"Octopuses"
"Naughty Kitten"
"Fidget"

Many parents are interested in the question: how does hyperactivity syndrome differ from the normal development of a child. All children at an early age are characterized by inconstancy, restlessness and increased activity. So, when should you sound the alarm?

What is hyperactivity syndrome?

Often, noisy, restless, inattentive, disobedient children, characteristic of a certain personality type, are unjustifiably classified as hyperactive. But such Only a specialist can make a diagnosis followed by mandatory drug treatment and psychological correction.

As a rule, the first symptoms of hyperactivity, which in most cases are combined with attention deficit, appear at the age of two or three years. But the greatest number of requests for help from specialists occurs at 6-8 years of age. This is due to the active preparation of children for school, where the entire symptom complex of hyperactivity and attention deficit manifests itself.

So what is it? Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD, abbreviated as ADHD, is a dysfunction of the central nervous system, manifested in difficulty concentrating and increased motor activity.

Today there are:

Hyperactivity without attention impairment;

Attention disturbance without hyperactivity;

Hyperactivity with impaired attention.

The most common is the last option, when the child has a combination of the previous two.

How to understand that a child is hyperactive?

In order to figure out whether a child is hyperactive, you need to know main symptoms of this syndrome, which manifest themselves for at least 6 months in a row.

The first manifestations of ADHD can be observed in a newborn. Such children are very sensitive to external stimuli. They are frightened by bright lights, loud sounds, sleep poorly, and are capricious for no apparent reason.

In the first year of life, the baby’s movements for a long time have a chaotic, thoughtless character. The child seems clumsy. Speech development is delayed compared to peers.

A protracted crisis of three years, the child’s adaptation in kindergarten, which increases physical and psychological stress on the child’s body, leads to increased manifestations of the hyperactivity symptom complex. Such children cannot fulfill the exact requests of the teacher, maintain attention on one subject, or sit still for a long time. The main task of parents and educators during this period is to notice, recognize and help the child cope with this disorder in time.

A significant deterioration in behavior and inattention manifests itself in a child when attending preparatory classes before school. During this period, the greatest number of requests to psychologists for help and correction occurs. Children during this period quickly become overtired. Their emotional development is delayed and manifests itself in negativism, stubbornness, and temper. They build relationships with other children in a difficult and long way. They often conflict. Self-esteem is low. Academic achievement is low even with high intelligence scores. They often make ridiculous mistakes due to inattention. Constantly distracted by extraneous stimuli. They cannot sit still and walk around the classroom. They do not respond to adult comments.

After 7-8 years, the syndrome acquires pronounced symptoms. Academic performance is low. Inattention, restlessness, inability to listen or read a task to the end, failure to complete started tasks, forgetfulness, detachment, followed by impulsiveness.

Why does this problem occur?

Hyperactivity in a child manifests itself as a result of immaturity of the cerebral cortex, which leads to the child’s inability to adequately recognize external signals. This causes the child to become restless, inattentive, irritable, and fussy. There are many causes of ADHD, the main ones being:

Hereditary factor;

Complications during pregnancy and childbirth, birth injuries;

Bruises, head injuries, severe illnesses in early childhood;

Social factor.

Scientists have proven that this disorder can be inherited. The chances of attention disorder and hyperactivity disorder increase several times if a close relative in the family had this disease in childhood.

Poor lifestyle, poor diet, alcohol abuse, smoking, taking strong medications, women, especially in the early stages, during pregnancy, when the basic formation of the child’s brain is taking place. Complicated childbirth, asphyxia in the newborn, perinatal encephalopathy, cesarean section and birth injuries in 60% of all cases cause the further development of attention deficit and hyperactivity in the child. Head injuries and bruises, severe infectious diseases suffered in early childhood play an equally important role. And a dysfunctional family environment negatively affects the development of the child as a whole and aggravates the situation even further.

Methods and methods for correcting hyperactivity

An effective method of correcting hyperactivity, depending on the severity of the symptoms, is self-study with the child or professional help from a psychologist. She aimed at developing perseverance, gradually complicating and prolonging the time for performing various tasks, developing voluntary attention through various techniques and tests. Correction and development of the baby's emotions.

If the diagnosis of ADHD is made by a neurologist or psychiatrist, then the child is prescribed medication based on a long and thorough examination. If the origins of this disorder are problems in the functioning of the brain and its cortex, then properly selected treatment by specialists and compliance with all recommendations can completely rid the child of this disease.

The development of a child directly depends on the parents. And if, for independent reasons, a child is diagnosed with a disorder of attention and behavior, then correct and timely actions can significantly help the child.

An organized daily routine, discipline, distribution of daily workload, proper rest, increased self-esteem, and healthy nutrition will significantly improve a child’s performance. Children with ADHD need reducing stress on the nervous system by eliminating prolonged viewing of TV and computer games, protection from nervous shock.

If you cannot cope with this disorder on your own, you should not be afraid to seek help from specialists; clear and correct implementation of their instructions will ensure a quick recovery.