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Hyperactivity in children Komarovsky symptoms. Doctor Komarovsky about hyperactive children

This child spends whole days on playgrounds, pushing other children aside, he always touches objects in the house and constantly talks loudly, and also does not hesitate to butt into any conversations, even with completely unknown people. Sometimes one gets the impression that such a child could replace a perpetual motion machine. He is also called hyperactive. In today's article we will look at how to educate and correct the behavior of such children.

How to raise a hyperactive child?

In general, in most cases, hyperactivity is corrected thanks to various psychological and pedagogical techniques, where the main “doctors” are the parents. The success of treatment depends directly on the correct upbringing of the child and the creation of a favorable environment for him in the family microclimate.

Of course, absolutely all hyperactive children are individual, but there are still several general recommendations that parents should adhere to when raising such children.

Hyperactive children need to be calmed down by changing the environment to a quieter one. You can pat your baby on the head or give him a hug, or give him a soothing bath before going to bed. After your bath, be sure to read a fairy tale or have a massage, which will be complemented by calm music. This should be repeated daily.

After putting your child to bed, read him a bedtime story.

Always clearly and clearly formulate prohibitions and set tasks for a hyperactive child. It is better to talk about what the child should do, rather than what he should not do. Thus, try to avoid negative forms and always offer alternative solutions. The child’s thinking is still quite poorly developed, so it is necessary to speak to him in short sentences and not use complex words.

Always give your child one specific task. Otherwise, he is unlikely to understand you and will not do anything. You can try to arrange tasks in a logical sequence. Also, do not forget to warn your baby about all your plans concerning him: when you finish your walk, feed him and put him to bed.

Write down a daily routine for your child in detail and follow it together every day. Moreover, try to complete all points at the same time. Give your child less sweet, spicy and salty foods, and also give him a full eight hours of sleep.

Praise hyperactive children more often, as they begin to ignore any reproaches. At first, you can praise your child even for the smallest successes. Encourage more serious achievements with toys and your baby’s favorite treats. By the way, it will be great if you keep a diary for this, where all good deeds will be marked with points. As soon as a certain amount is reached, the child can count on a reward.

Create the most comfortable conditions for your child. Give him your own corner where you can study and play with him. Don’t forget to tell your child about the basic rules of communication and behavior, since it is his excessive activity that attracts the attention of others. Explain all instructions clearly and, if necessary, repeat several times.

It will be ideal if the child’s excess energy is channeled into sports sections. Think with your child about what hobby is right for him and what he most wants to do.

Together with your child, identify his hobbies and discuss which section he would like to go to.

If you want to resort to sedatives to reduce irritability or normalize sleep, be sure to consult your doctor. After a short examination, the doctor himself will tell you what medications you should take and how best to interact with a hyperactive child.

How to calm down the “perpetual motor”?

Try to relieve muscle spasms. Reflexology and myofascial massages will help you with this. Sometimes it happens that even one course gives amazing results. Try enrolling your child in dancing or gymnastics - those sports where stretching exercises are constantly performed.

As mentioned earlier, organize a daily routine and follow it with your child every day. This will allow the baby’s brain to develop a conditioned reflex, and by the end of the day he will always want to sleep, and not run around the apartment.

Follow the rhythm of “activity - calmness - activity - calmness”. Also, the child should have the opportunity to splash out accumulated energy and get tired, so try to spend more time with him outside or equip a sports corner at home that will allow the baby to tumble and jump there. After physical activity, move on to “mental activities.”

A sports corner like this will allow your child to throw out pent-up energy.

Constantly interest your child in new activities. Thanks to this, the cerebral cortex is activated, which, of course, will only benefit a hyperactive baby.

As you know, sand and water are the best sedatives. Don't forget to add essential oils of pine, mint and lavender, as well as sea salt, to your bath water.

Nourish your child’s muscles and nervous system with legumes, nuts, meat, eggs, fish, seaweed, vegetables and fruits.

Quite often, doctors recommend that parents resort to traditional methods that will calm a hyperactive child. Among them are an infusion of soothing herbal infusions (two tablespoons of dry leaves should be brewed with a liter of boiling water, giving the baby half a glass twice a day), a strengthening mixture (twist aloe and cranberries in a meat grinder and season with honey, give the child three times a day for six months teaspoon), soothing herbal bath (as you know, herbs such as chamomile, valerian, motherwort have a relaxing effect - brew the herbs, and then pour the infusion into the bath, also add a few drops of fir or nerosa essential oil).

Sometimes hyperactive children may experience an attack of overexcitement out of the blue. In this case, psychologists recommend immediately changing the situation: giving the baby a drink of water and taking him to another room. However, they consider special games to be the most effective means of combating hyperactivity. Let's give an example of a few of them:

Buy a new item (such as a toy or treat) and put it in a visible place that your child will not have difficulty finding. Try to make sure that he does not need his hands to find the object; he must find the thing with his eyes.
You can also try playing games with strings with your baby. For example, tie the ends of a rope and, together with your child, remove these weaves from each other’s hands. Such games perfectly develop coordination and attention, which hyperactive children so lack.
You can also entertain your child with games like “maze” and “differences.” Just keep in mind that the labyrinth for your “hurricane” should be quite short at first, and the differences in the pictures should be obvious.

Psychologists believe that educational games are one of the most effective ways to treat a child’s hyperactivity.

Thus, the most important thing in raising hyperactive children is to show that you really love the baby, which means you will help him adapt to the environment and cope with the obstacles that arise in his way. We hope our tips will help you in raising your child and you will see positive results in the near future!

Hyperactive child – Dr. Komarovsky’s School (video)

Theme of the program – hyperactive child. An American psychologist gives the following description: it is difficult for a hyperactive child to sit still, he is hectic, constantly moving, spinning in place, sometimes overly talkative, his behavior outrages others. Such children often have poor coordination, are clumsy, lose and break things and have difficulty concentrating, are easily distracted, and often ask many questions but rarely wait for an answer. Doctors call this behavior attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

It is extremely difficult for a child with attention deficit to perceive complex tasks, and the main thing for the parents of such a child is to understand that he needs to give unambiguous and achievable commands. When an ordinary child with classic hyperactivity syndrome is busy with something, it is difficult to tear him away from this activity, so it is not worth giving him any instructions at this moment. If parents want their child to complete some task, they first need to establish contact with him.
Dr. Komarovsky says that, first of all, you need to understand how painful hyperactivity and a manifestation of character differ from each other. If it is just a character, then hyperactivity does not prevent the child from developing normally and being a full member of society. And if hyperactivity is a disease, then without the help of specialist psychologists and doctors he cannot develop normally, and he constantly has conflicts with peers. Parents should understand that trying to answer this question themselves is quite difficult, but the sooner specialists deal with this issue, the better it will be for you.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was previously called minimal brain dysfunction (MBD), minimal brain damage, hyperkinetic syndrome, or hyperactivity disorder. It is one of the most common brain disorders in children, and in about 60% it persists into adulthood. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults often goes undiagnosed. Meanwhile, recognizing this syndrome is important, since there is an effective, inexpensive and safe treatment for it. Early and continuous therapy in childhood not only has an immediate effect - it contributes to the formation of normal behavior in adulthood.

Active or hyperactive children?

Any agitated child should not be classified as having ADHD. If your child is full of energy, if it is overflowing, causing the baby to sometimes become stubborn and disobedient - this does not mean that he is hyperactive. If you are chatting with your friend, and the child begins to get angry and cannot stand still, sitting at the table is normal. Long journeys also tire children.

Every child has moments of anger from time to time. And how many children begin to “walk around” in bed when it’s time to sleep, or play around in the store! The fact that a child becomes energetic, giving vent to boredom, is not at all a sign of hyperactivity.

A noisy, spoiled child or a baby who wakes up before dawn, full of strength and energy, is a joy, not a cause for concern.

And finally, a child who has motivated behavioral deviations also does not belong to the category of hyperactive.
Signs of hyperactivity
Diagnostic criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have changed over the years. Symptoms almost always appear before age 7, usually by age 4. The average age when visiting a doctor is 8-10 years: at this age, school and housework begin to require independence, dedication and concentration from the child. Younger children are usually not diagnosed at first visit, but wait several months, during which symptoms should persist. This allows you to avoid diagnostic errors: for example, a transient disturbance of attention may be a reaction, for example, to a quarrel or divorce of parents.

The main signs are impaired attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Depending on the presence or absence of specific symptoms, attention disorder with hyperactivity syndrome is divided into three subtypes: attention deficit, hyperactivity, mixed.

To be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, six out of nine signs from the categories below must be present. Signs must be present for at least six months.

Characteristics for the three primary subtypes:

A. Attention deficit:

1. Reduced selective attention, unable to concentrate for a long time on the subject, details of the subject, makes careless mistakes.
2. Cannot maintain attention: the child cannot complete the task to the end, is not collected when completing it.
3. The impression that he does not listen when addressed directly.
4. Does not follow or complete direct instructions.
5. Has difficulty organizing their activities, often switching from one activity to another.
6. Avoids or dislikes tasks that require prolonged mental effort.
7. Often loses things he needs.
8. Easily distracted by extraneous noise.
9. Increased forgetfulness in daily activities.

B. Hyperactivity and impulsivity:

1. When nervous, intense movements of the arms or legs or squirming in the chair.
2. Must get up frequently.
3. Sudden rises from a place and excessive running.
4. Difficulty participating in quiet leisure activities.
5. Acts as if "wound up".
6. Shouting from the seat and other noisy antics during classes, etc.
7. Says answers before questions have been completed.
8. Inability to wait your turn in games, during classes, etc.
9. Interferes with the conversation or activities of others.

C. Mixed: There are signs of impaired attention and hyperactivity.

Causes of hyperactivity

Previously, the cause of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was considered to be intrauterine or perinatal brain damage. Data have now been obtained on a genetic predisposition to attention disorder with hyperactivity disorder. 20-30% of parents of patients suffer or have suffered from attention disorder with hyperactivity disorder. In addition, parents are more likely to have alcoholism, antisocial psychopathy, and affective disorders than the general population; Among adoptive parents, the frequency of these diseases is normal. The hypothesis that ADHD is caused by food allergies has not been confirmed in controlled trials. In some cases, the cause of the disease may be intrauterine development disorders. It is also believed that the development of attention disorder with hyperactivity syndrome may be facilitated by a history of Reye's syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, and lead poisoning, but these assumptions have not yet been confirmed.

Prevalence and prognosis
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is more common in boys. The relative prevalence among boys and girls is 4:1. Currently, in primary school students, the prevalence of the syndrome is considered to be 3-10%.

More than half of the children who suffered from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in primary school continue to have this syndrome into adolescence. Such teenagers are prone to drug addiction and have difficulty adapting to the team. In approximately 60% of cases, symptoms continue into adulthood.

Long-term observations of patients and retrospective studies have shown that hyperactivity decreases in many people during adolescence, even if other disorders remain. People who suffered from severe forms of attention disorder with hyperactivity disorder in childhood have a high risk of social maladjustment in adolescence and adulthood. As noted above, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (usually in combination with behavioral disorders) can be a harbinger of a number of personality disorders, primarily antisocial behavior (theft, alcoholism, drug use, promiscuity). Children without hyperactivity are less aggressive and hostile towards others. They seem to have partial developmental delays more often, including school skills.

Treatment
A. Educational work. The meaning of the upcoming treatment must be explained to the parents and the child (in a form understandable to him). As a rule, parents do not understand what is happening to their child, but his behavior irritates them. Explaining everything to “wrong upbringing,” they begin to blame themselves and each other. These accusations are further strengthened after communicating with an ill-informed doctor who does not know about the hereditary nature of attention disorder with hyperactivity disorder and attributes the child’s illness entirely to the parents’ mistakes.

Almost always, parents do not know what to do with their child, and disagreements on this issue lead to new conflicts. It is necessary to explain to them the reasons for the child’s behavior. It is largely due to congenital mental characteristics (this, in particular, attention disorders), which parents cannot change. But some symptoms (disobedience, a sense of contradiction) arise or intensify precisely as a result of improper upbringing, and parents must eliminate them. Thus, the tasks of educational work here are the same as with mental retardation: to help parents understand the child’s behavior, dispel illusions, explain what can realistically be hoped for and how to behave with the child. It is necessary to discuss general and specific issues of education, introduce parents to methods of reward, behavioral psychotherapy, etc. The effectiveness of these methods for attention disorder with hyperactivity disorder has not been fully clarified, but, as recent studies have shown, it is advisable to use them.

B. Training conditions. If a child has difficulty learning in a regular class, he is transferred to a specialized class. As already mentioned, the reasons for the poor performance of children with attention disorder hyperactivity disorder are inattention and lack of perseverance (the main signs of the syndrome), sometimes combined with partial delays in the development of school skills. Symptoms can be reduced with medication, but There are no drugs to treat developmental delays. Then the child can only be helped by training in special conditions that correspond to his capabilities. In the case of partial delays in the development of school skills, this may be a correction class; in the case of low academic performance with normal intelligence and the absence of developmental delays, a catch-up class. Unfortunately, opportunities for specialized education for disadvantaged children are currently limited.

B. Drug treatment attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is effective in approximately 75-80% of cases. However, its effect, although pronounced, is still symptomatic. Therefore, drug treatment in children is carried out for years, if necessary continuing it in adolescence and in adults. The fact that drug treatment does not cure ADHD should not diminish its role: there are many other chronic psychiatric and somatic diseases for which only long-term therapy is effective. Suppressing symptoms facilitates both the child's intellectual and social development. Treatment in most cases ends in adolescence.

Recently, information has appeared about the effectiveness of the new drug StratteraTM (atomoxetine hydrochloride) for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

For many years, the cause of hyperactivity was considered to be food allergy, and therefore elimination diets and specific desensitization were proposed for treatment. However, double-blind trials have shown that food additives and dyes do not cause hyperactivity or other symptoms. However, it has recently been found that in children with food and additive allergies, specific desensitization leads to a significant reduction in symptoms. Children in this group had numerous symptoms of food allergies: periodic abdominal pain and headaches, skin rashes. It is currently believed that if a child with attention disorder with hyperactivity disorder has a food allergy, then its cure contributes to the regression of psychopathological symptoms. If there is no allergy, then elimination diets and desensitization do not affect the course of attention disorder with hyperactivity syndrome.

How can a mother find out if her child has this syndrome, and how to properly raise a hyperactive baby? Let’s turn to the opinion of a popular pediatrician, which all parents can learn from the “Dr. Komarovsky’s School” program.

What is ADHD

This is the name for a disorder of brain function, which is manifested by deterioration of attention and increased physical activity. According to Komarovsky, 1-7% of children have hyperactivity that requires treatment. Moreover, in male children this disorder is detected 2-4 times more often than in girls.

People call such children “a pain in the butt.” Hyperactive kids do things without any thought, have difficulty concentrating, and act impulsively. Instead of walking, such children prefer running, ask a lot of questions and do not listen to the answer, disrupt lessons, move a lot, fuss, break or drop things.

Although, as Komarovsky notes, ADHD is usually diagnosed in children over the age of 7, such a problem can manifest itself much earlier. A baby with hyperactivity will develop faster than his peers, rush to learn to sit and walk, sleep poorly, quickly switch attention and lose interest in toys.

How to distinguish an active child from a hyperactive one

To understand whether your child is simply a very nimble and noisy baby due to his character or whether he has ADHD, Komarovsky recommends contacting a specialist. Only a psychologist or psychiatrist who is well versed in the problems of the child’s psyche is able to find out that this is just a character trait and treatment is not needed here, or medical help cannot be avoided.

Komarovsky calls the main difference between simply active children and a child with ADHD this point: if hyperactivity does not interfere with the child’s ability to communicate with peers, learn and develop normally, then most likely it is not a disease. If, due to increased activity and problems with attention, a child cannot get along in a group and cope with school workloads, this is more like a diagnosis of hyperactivity. In this case, the doctor must finally confirm the presence of the problem.

In the video below, the doctor highlights some symptoms that indicate the presence of ADHD in a child.

How to deal with a hyperactive child

Komarovsky advises all parents of hyperactive children to use the following rules in the educational process:

If you want to convey something to a child, it is important to establish contact with him. If you turn to your baby when he is busy with something, you will not achieve anything. First, you should eliminate everything that interferes with contact (turn off the cartoon, hide a toy, go to another room from grandma), and if necessary, touch the child and turn him towards you.
Your rules should be consistent. If you ban something today, there should be such a ban tomorrow and in a week. At the same time, your prohibitions must be clear and understandable. In addition, it is important that all rules are feasible for the child.
Pay attention to safety and order in your child's room. It is important to protect a hyperactive child from injury as much as possible. Cleanliness and orderliness should also be transferred to other rooms. You will not be able to achieve order in the nursery if your table is cluttered with papers and dishes are scattered in the kitchen. A parental example will always be the best for any child.
Stick to a certain routine. It is very important for children with hyperactivity to perform all activities at approximately the same hours every day. Even on weekends, wake up when you get up on weekdays, and always read a fairy tale in the evenings at the same time.
Divide complex tasks into simple ones. Step-by-step implementation is much easier for children. For clarity, you can draw or write an action plan for your child.
Try to find what your child does best. Always praise for such qualities and actions. Komarovsky calls this the “sandpiper rule.”
Use the Olympic principle by emphasizing participation rather than winning. Even if your baby hasn’t completely washed his plate, praise him for his zeal, because he tried to wash it himself.
Find an area in which your hyperactive child can perform well. Some kids are good at drawing, others are good at cleaning the room, and still others are good at putting together puzzles. Be sure to support your child’s desire to do what he is good at. According to Komarovsky, it is very important to create all the conditions for such activities.
Channel your child's energy in the right direction. If you value sleep at night, go for a walk, ride a bike, or do something else in the evening so that your baby can expend his energy and get tired enough.
Learn to take your hyperactive child on a visit, to the store, or to other places. You should carefully consider all the nuances of the upcoming “trip” - decide what you’ll take with you, tell your child what you can’t do on the spot or on the way, think about what you’ll buy for your baby, and so on.
Take care of your own rest. Komarovsky emphasizes that parents must rest, and if the child has hyperactivity, this is doubly important. And if there is an opportunity to entrust the baby to a nanny, grandmother, or older neighbor’s child for a short time, do not miss it. For a hyperactive baby, it is very important that mom and dad are calm.

You can learn the rules of behavior for parents of hyperactive children from Dr. Komarovsky himself in the following video.

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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)

Active or hyperactive children?

A noisy, spoiled child or a baby who wakes up before dawn, full of strength and energy, is a joy, not a cause for concern.

And finally, a child who has motivated behavioral deviations also does not belong to the category of hyperactive.

Diagnostic criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have changed over the years. Symptoms almost always appear before age 7, usually by age 4. The average age when visiting a doctor is: at this age, school and housework begin to require independence, purposefulness and concentration from the child. Younger children are usually not diagnosed at first visit, but wait several months, during which symptoms should persist. This allows you to avoid diagnostic errors: for example, a transient disturbance of attention may be a reaction, for example, to a quarrel or divorce of parents.

To be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, six out of nine signs from the categories below must be present. Signs must be present for at least six months.

Characteristics for the three primary subtypes:

A. Attention deficit:

1. Reduced selective attention, unable to concentrate for a long time on the subject, details of the subject, makes careless mistakes.

2. Cannot maintain attention: the child cannot complete the task to the end, is not collected when completing it.

3. The impression that he does not listen when addressed directly.

4. Does not follow or complete direct instructions.

5. Has difficulty organizing their activities, often switching from one activity to another.

6. Avoids or dislikes tasks that require prolonged mental effort.

7. Often loses things he needs.

8. Easily distracted by extraneous noise.

9. Increased forgetfulness in daily activities.

B. Hyperactivity and impulsivity:

1. When nervous, intense movements of the arms or legs or squirming in the chair.

2. Must get up frequently.

3. Sudden rises from a place and excessive running.

4. Difficulty participating in quiet leisure activities.

5. Acts as if “wound up.”

6. Shouting from the seat and other noisy antics during classes, etc.

7. Says answers before questions have been completed.

8. Inability to wait your turn in games, during classes, etc.

9. Interferes with the conversation or activities of others.

C. Mixed: There are signs of impaired attention and hyperactivity.

Prevalence and prognosis

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is more common in boys. The relative prevalence among boys and girls is 4:1. Currently, in primary school students, the prevalence of the syndrome is considered to be 3-10%.

A. Educational work. The meaning of the upcoming treatment must be explained to the parents and the child (in a form understandable to him). As a rule, parents do not understand what is happening to their child, but his behavior irritates them. Explaining everything to “wrong upbringing,” they begin to blame themselves and each other. These accusations are further strengthened after communicating with an ill-informed doctor who does not know about the hereditary nature of attention disorder with hyperactivity disorder and attributes the child’s illness entirely to the parents’ mistakes.

B. Training conditions. If a child has difficulty learning in a regular class, he is transferred to a specialized class. As already mentioned, the reasons for the poor performance of children with attention disorder hyperactivity disorder are inattention and lack of perseverance (the main signs of the syndrome), sometimes combined with partial delays in the development of school skills. Symptoms can be reduced with medication, but there are no medications to treat developmental delays. Then the child can only be helped by training in special conditions that correspond to his capabilities. In the case of partial delays in the development of school skills, this may be a correction class; in the case of low academic performance with normal intelligence and the absence of developmental delays, a catch-up class. Unfortunately, opportunities for specialized education for disadvantaged children are currently limited.

B. Drug treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is effective in approximately 75-80% of cases. However, its effect, although pronounced, is still symptomatic. Therefore, drug treatment in children is carried out for years, if necessary continuing it in adolescence and in adults. The fact that drug treatment does not cure ADHD should not diminish its role: there are many other chronic psychiatric and somatic diseases for which only long-term therapy is effective. Suppressing symptoms facilitates both the child's intellectual and social development. Treatment in most cases ends in adolescence.

Recently, information has appeared about the effectiveness of the new drug StratteraTM (atomoxetine hydrochloride) for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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Hyperactive child | Doctor Komarovsky

How to distinguish healthy activity in a child from frightening hyperactivity? It is believed that a hyperactive child (Dr. Komarovsky gives his description of this term) is characterized by clumsiness, inability to concentrate, excessive talkativeness and fussiness, and irritating behavior. Komarovsky says the specific medical diagnosis is not hyperactivity itself, but attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Children prone to uncontrolled activity are impulsive, they commit rash acts and do not foresee the consequences of their actions. Their behavior is dangerous not only for others, but also for themselves, because they do not feel the moment when they need to stop and curb their emotions.

Hyperactive child: opinion of Dr. Komarovsky

Komarovsky argues that hyperactive children are unable to perceive complex tasks, and in order to get any action from such a child, any complex task must be broken down into small simple ones. For example, the task of cleaning up the room after oneself will be a terrible challenge for a hyperactive child, but if you ask him to first sort out the toys, then put the clothes in the closet, put the books on the shelf, and pencils in the pencil case, then the cleaning issue will be resolved faster and easier.

But even simple tasks cause rejection in a hyperactive child. A restless baby is unable to maintain attention on one activity for a long time. Hyperactivity as a disease is quite rare. Most often, this is a feature of the behavior of a child experiencing a lack of attention from parents. Moreover, adults can be sure that they are doing everything possible for their child, but the child still continues to express the need for parental attention through fussiness and anxiety.

Signs of hyperactivity that needs treatment:

impossibility of social adaptation,
slow physical, but more often mental development,
frequent colds due to critical energy expenditure,
weight loss, lack of appetite.

In this case, the child needs the help of a qualified psychologist who can understand the essence of the problem. Dr. Komarovsky is confident that a hyperactive child can control his behavior and emotional impulses, but for this he needs the help of adults.

How to calm a hyperactive child

There is only one way to influence a hyperactive child - by example. Adults who follow a daily routine, keep promises, strictly adhere to the rules of behavior that they themselves ask the child to do, quickly find a common language with their child. A hyperactive child, according to Dr. Komarovsky, should be brought up no more strictly than an ordinary child. The only difference is that a hyperactive child will have to repeat requests more often and show as much patience as possible, because it is precisely because of the lack of understanding between parent and child that most conflicts attributed to hyperactivity arise.

If you cannot calm down an overactive baby, then you need to do everything possible to protect the surrounding area.

Any hyperactive child, according to Dr. Komarovsky, has a favorite activity, even if it is associated with another hyperactive activity. Such children, as a rule, enjoy playing sports, dancing, swimming, etc. Monotonous and regulated activities are not suitable for them, even if these are activities related to physical activity. Some experts advise getting a low-maintenance pet. Firstly, this way the child will gradually learn discipline - after all, his beloved pet needs care. Secondly, training with an animal will be able to “neutralize” the fidget for a considerable time.

There is no way to eliminate hyperactivity with drugs. Here you definitely need classes with a psychologist.

I wish all parents whose children have this diagnosis to first of all be patient. This doesn’t seem to be a disease, but there will be plenty of problems.

I think the most important thing for a child is to find something to do so that he can throw out his hyperactivity. Otherwise, the parents will go crazy.

YES, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT PARENTS DON’T FREAK OUT, OTHERWISE THE CHILDREN’S REACTION WILL BE EVEN STRONGER.

Well, mild medications won't hurt anyway. At least sedatives or nootropics. There are a lot of them on sale today, you just need to get the recipe first.

Sturm and Drang or children with ADHD

In every little child,

Both the boy and the girl,

There are two hundred grams of explosives

Or even half a kilo!

He must run and jump

Grab everything, kick your legs,

Otherwise it will explode:

Fuck-bang! And he’s gone!

Every new child

Gets out of diapers

And gets lost everywhere

And it is everywhere!

He's always rushing somewhere

He will be terribly upset

If anything in the world

What if it happens without him!

There are children who were born to immediately jump out of the cradle and rush off. They cannot sit still for even five minutes, they scream the loudest and rip their pants more often than anyone else. They always forget their notebooks and write “homework” with new mistakes every day. They interrupt adults, they sit under desks, they don’t walk by the hand. These are children with ADHD. Inattentive, restless and impulsive,” these words can be read on the main page of the website of the interregional organization of parents of children with ADHD “Impulse”.

Raising a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not easy. Parents of such children hear almost every day: “I’ve been working for so many years, but I’ve never seen such disgrace,” “Yes, he has bad manners syndrome!”, “We need to hit him more!” The child has been completely spoiled!≫.

Unfortunately, even today, many specialists working with children know nothing about ADHD (or know only by hearsay and are therefore skeptical about this information). In fact, sometimes it is easier to refer to pedagogical neglect, bad manners and spoiling than to try to find an approach to a non-standard child.

There is also the other side of the coin: sometimes the word “hyperactivity” is understood as impressionability, normal curiosity and mobility, protest behavior, or a child’s reaction to a chronic traumatic situation. The issue of differential diagnosis is acute, because most childhood neurological diseases can be accompanied by impaired attention and disinhibition. However, the presence of these symptoms does not always indicate that a child has ADHD.

So what is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? What is an ADHD child like? And how can you tell a healthy “butt” from a hyperactive child? Let's try to figure it out.

Definition and Statistics

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental behavioral disorder that begins in childhood.

Symptoms include difficulty concentrating, hyperactivity, and poorly controlled impulsivity.

Synonyms: hyperdynamic syndrome, hyperkinetic disorder. Also in Russia, in the medical record, a neurologist can write for such a child: PEP CNS (perinatal damage to the central nervous system), MMD (minimal cerebral dysfunction), ICP (increased intracranial pressure).

For the first time, a description of the disease, characterized by motor disinhibition, attention deficit and impulsivity, appeared about 150 years ago, since then the terminology of the syndrome has been changed many times.

According to statistics, ADHD is more common in boys than in girls (almost 5 times). Some foreign studies indicate that this syndrome is more common among Europeans, fair-haired and blue-eyed children. American and Canadian experts use the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) classification when diagnosing ADHD; in Europe, the International Classification of Diseases ICD (International Classification of Diseases) has been adopted ) with more stringent criteria. In Russia, diagnosis is based on the criteria of the tenth revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), and also based on the DSM-IV classification (WHO, 1994, recommendations for practical use as criteria for the diagnosis of ADHD).

Disputes among scientists about what ADHD is, how to diagnose it, what kind of therapy to carry out - medicinal or do with measures of a pedagogical and psychological nature - have been going on for decades. The very fact of the presence of this syndrome is also called into question: so far no one can say for sure to what extent ADHD is the result of brain dysfunction, and to what extent - the result of improper upbringing and the incorrect psychological climate prevailing in the family.

The so-called ADHD controversy has been going on since at least 1970. In the West (particularly in the USA), where drug treatment of ADHD is accepted with the help of potent drugs containing psychotropic substances (methylphenidate, dextroamphetamine), the public is alarmed that a large number of “difficult” children are diagnosed with ADHD and drugs containing drugs are unjustifiably often prescribed a lot of side effects. In Russia and most countries of the former CIS, another problem is more common - many teachers and parents are not aware that some children have characteristics that lead to impaired concentration and control. Lack of tolerance for the individual characteristics of children with ADHD leads to the fact that all the child’s problems are attributed to lack of upbringing, pedagogical neglect and parental laziness. The need to regularly make excuses for the actions of your child (“yes, we explain to him all the time” - “that means you explain poorly, since he doesn’t understand”) often leads to the fact that mothers and fathers experience helplessness and a sense of guilt, beginning to consider themselves worthless parents.

Sometimes it happens the other way around - motor disinhibition and talkativeness, impulsiveness and inability to comply with discipline and group rules are considered by adults (usually parents) to be a sign of the child’s outstanding abilities, and sometimes they are even encouraged in every possible way. ≪We have a wonderful child! He is not hyperactive at all, but simply lively and active. He’s not interested in these classes of yours, so he’s rebelling! At home, when he gets carried away, he can do the same thing for a long time. And having a quick temper is a character thing, what can you do about it,” some parents say, not without pride. On the one hand, these moms and dads are not so wrong - a child with ADHD, carried away by an interesting activity (assembling puzzles, role-playing games, watching an interesting cartoon - to each his own), can really do this for a long time. However, you should know that with ADHD, voluntary attention is the first to suffer - this is a more complex function that is unique to humans and is formed during the learning process. Most seven-year-olds understand that during a lesson they need to sit quietly and listen to the teacher (even if they are not very interested). A child with ADHD understands all this too, but, unable to control himself, can get up and walk around the class, pull a neighbor’s pigtail, or interrupt the teacher.

It is important to know that ADHD children are not “spoiled,” “ill-mannered,” or “pedagogically neglected” (although such children, of course, also exist). This is worth remembering for those teachers and parents who recommend treating such children with vitamin P (or simply a belt). ADHD children disrupt classes, act out during recess, are insolent and disobey adults, even if they know how to behave, due to objective personality traits inherent in ADHD. This needs to be understood by those adults who object to “diagnosing a child,” arguing that these children “just have that kind of character.”

How ADHD manifests itself

Main manifestations of ADHD

G.R. Lomakina in her book “Hyperactive Child.” How to find a common language with a restless person≫ describes the main symptoms of ADHD: hyperactivity, impaired attention, impulsivity.

HYPERACTIVITY manifests itself in excessive and, most importantly, stupid motor activity, restlessness, fussiness, and numerous movements that the child often does not notice. As a rule, such children speak a lot and often confusedly, without finishing sentences and jumping from thought to thought. Lack of sleep often aggravates the manifestations of hyperactivity - the child’s already vulnerable nervous system, without having time to rest, cannot cope with the flow of information coming from the outside world and defends itself in a very peculiar way. In addition, such children often have violations of praxis - the ability to coordinate and control their actions.

ATTENTION DISORDERS manifest themselves in the fact that it is difficult for a child to concentrate on the same thing for a long time. His ability to selectively concentrate attention is not sufficiently developed - he cannot distinguish the main thing from the secondary. A child with ADHD constantly “jumps” from one thing to another: “loses” lines in the text, solves all examples at the same time, drawing the tail of a rooster, paints all the feathers at once and all colors at once. Such children are forgetful, do not know how to listen and concentrate. Instinctively, they try to avoid tasks that require prolonged mental effort (it is typical for any person to subconsciously shy away from activities, the failure of which he foresees in advance). However, the above does not mean that children with ADHD are unable to maintain attention on anything. They cannot focus only on what is not interesting to them. If they are fascinated by something, they can do it for hours. The trouble is that our lives are full of activities that we still have to do, despite the fact that they are not always exciting.

IMPULSIVITY is expressed in the fact that a child’s action often precedes thought. Before the teacher has time to ask the question, the ADHD student is already raising his hand, the task has not yet been fully formulated, and he is already completing it, and then without permission he gets up and runs to the window - simply because he became interested in watching how the wind blows from birch trees last leaves. Such children do not know how to regulate their actions, obey rules, or wait. Their mood changes faster than the direction of the wind in autumn.

It is known that no two people are exactly alike, so the symptoms of ADHD manifest differently in different children. Sometimes the main complaint of parents and teachers will be impulsivity and hyperactivity; in another child, attention deficit is most pronounced. Depending on the severity of symptoms, ADHD is divided into three main types: mixed, with severe attention deficit, or with a predominance of hyperactivity and impulsivity. At the same time, G.R. Lomakina notes that each of the above criteria can be expressed at different times and to varying degrees in the same child: “That is, to put it in Russian, the same child today can be absent-minded and inattentive, tomorrow - resemble an electric broom with with an Energizer battery, the day after tomorrow - go from laughing to crying and vice versa all day, and after a couple of days - fit inattention, mood swings, and irrepressible and confused energy into one day.

Additional symptoms common in children with ADHD

Coordination problems are found in approximately half of ADHD cases. These may include problems with fine movements (tying shoelaces, using scissors, coloring, writing), balance (children have difficulty riding a skateboard and a two-wheeled bicycle), or visual-spatial coordination (inability to play sports, especially with a ball).

Emotional disturbances are often seen in ADHD. The emotional development of a child, as a rule, is delayed, which is manifested by imbalance, hot temper, and intolerance to failure. Sometimes they say that the emotional-volitional sphere of a child with ADHD is in a ratio of 0.3 with his biological age (for example, a 12-year-old child behaves like an eight-year-old).

Violations of social relations. A child with ADHD often experiences difficulties in relationships not only with peers, but also with adults. The behavior of such children is often characterized by impulsiveness, intrusiveness, excessiveness, disorganization, aggressiveness, impressionability and emotionality. Thus, a child with ADHD is often a disruptor to the smooth flow of social relationships, interaction and cooperation.

Partial developmental delays, including school skills, are known as discrepancies between actual academic performance and what would be expected based on a child's IQ. In particular, difficulties with reading, writing, and counting (dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia) are common. Many children with ADHD in preschool age have specific difficulties understanding certain sounds or words and/or difficulty expressing themselves in words.

ADHD is not a perceptual disorder! Children with ADHD hear, see, and perceive reality just like everyone else. This distinguishes ADHD from autism, in which motor disinhibition is also common. However, in autism, these phenomena are caused by impaired perception of information. Therefore, the same child cannot be diagnosed with ADHD and autism at the same time. One excludes the other.

ADHD is based on a violation of the ability to perform a given task, an inability to plan, carry out, and complete a task begun. Children with ADHD feel, understand, and perceive the world in the same way as everyone else, but they react to it differently.

ADHD is not a disorder of understanding and processing received information! A child with ADHD is, in most cases, able to analyze and draw the same conclusions as anyone else. These children know very well, understand and can even easily repeat all those rules that they are constantly reminded, day after day: “don’t run”, “sit still”, “don’t turn around”, “keep quiet during the lesson”, “drive” behave just like everyone else,” “clean up your toys.” However, children with ADHD cannot follow these rules.

It is worth remembering that ADHD is a syndrome, that is, a stable, single combination of certain symptoms. From this we can conclude that at the root of ADHD lies one unique feature, which always forms slightly different, but essentially similar behavior. Broadly speaking, ADHD is a disorder of motor function and planning and control, rather than perceptual and comprehension function.

Mixed type, in which symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity with impulsivity are equally detected;

Attention deficit without pronounced hyperactivity (ADD);

Predominance of symptoms of impulsivity and hyperactivity with minor attention deficit.

Portrait of a hyperactive child

At what age can ADHD be suspected?

“Hurricane”, “a pain in the butt”, “perpetual motion machine” - what definitions do parents of children with ADHD give their children! When teachers and educators talk about such a child, the main thing in their description will be the adverb “too”. The author of a book about hyperactive children, G.R. Lomakina, notes with humor that “there are too many such children everywhere and always, he is too active, he can be heard too well and far away, he is too often seen absolutely everywhere. For some reason, such children not only always end up in some kind of story, but such children also always end up in all the stories that happen within ten blocks of the school.”

Although today there is no clear understanding of when and at what age we can say with confidence that a child has ADHD, most experts agree that this diagnosis cannot be made before the age of five. Many researchers argue that signs of ADHD are most pronounced between 5 and 12 years of age and during puberty (from about 14 years of age).

Although the diagnosis of ADHD is rarely made in early childhood, some experts believe that there are a number of signs that suggest the likelihood of a child having this syndrome. According to some researchers, the first manifestations of ADHD coincide with the peaks of a child’s psycho-speech development, that is, they most clearly manifest themselves at 1–2 years, 3 years and 6–7 years.

Children prone to ADHD often have increased muscle tone in infancy, experience problems with sleep, especially falling asleep, are extremely sensitive to any stimuli (light, noise, the presence of a large number of unfamiliar people, a new, unusual situation or environment), during When awake, they are often overly active and agitated.

What is important to know about a child with ADHD

1) Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is considered to be one of the so-called borderline mental states. That is, in an ordinary, calm state, this is one of the extreme variants of the norm, but the slightest catalyst is enough to bring the psyche out of the normal state and the extreme variant of the norm has already turned into some kind of deviation. The catalyst for ADHD is any activity that requires increased attention from the child, concentration on the same type of work, as well as any hormonal changes that occur in the body.

2) The diagnosis of ADHD does not imply a delay in the intellectual development of the child. On the contrary, as a rule, children with ADHD are very smart and have fairly high intellectual abilities (sometimes above average).

3) The mental activity of a hyperactive child is characterized by cyclicality. Children can work productively for 5-10 minutes, then the brain rests for 3-7 minutes, storing energy for the next cycle. At this moment, the student is distracted and does not respond to the teacher. Mental activity is then restored and the child is ready to work within the next 5–15 minutes. Psychologists say that children with ADHD have the so-called. flickering consciousness: that is, they can periodically “fall out” during activity, especially in the absence of motor activity.

4) Scientists have found that motor stimulation of the corpus callosum, cerebellum and vestibular apparatus of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder leads to the development of the function of consciousness, self-control and self-regulation. When a hyperactive child thinks, he needs to make some movements - for example, swing on a chair, tap a pencil on the table, mutter something under his breath. If he stops moving, he seems to “fall into a stupor” and loses the ability to think.

5) Hyperactive children are characterized by superficial feelings and emotions. They cannot hold a grudge for long and are not vindictive.

6) A hyperactive child is characterized by frequent mood swings - from wild delight to unbridled anger.

7) A consequence of impulsiveness in ADHD children is short temper. In a fit of anger, such a child can tear up the notebook of a neighbor who offended him, throw all his things onto the floor, and shake out the contents of his briefcase onto the floor.

8) Children with ADHD often develop negative self-esteem - the child begins to think that he is bad, not like everyone else. Therefore, it is very important that adults treat him kindly, understanding that his behavior is caused by objective difficulties of control (that he does not want, but cannot behave well).

9) ADHD children often have a reduced pain threshold. They are also practically devoid of any sense of fear. This can be dangerous for the health and life of the child, as it can lead to unpredictable fun.

MAIN manifestations of ADHD

Attention deficit: often gives up, doesn’t finish what he starts; as if he doesn’t hear when people address him; plays one game in less than three minutes.

Hyperactivity: “a hurricane”, “an awl in one place”.

Impulsivity: does not respond to requests and comments; does not sense danger well.

Attention deficit: forgetful; disorganized; easily distracted; can do one thing for no more than 10 minutes.

Hyperactivity: restless when you need to be quiet (quiet hour, lesson, performance).

Impulsiveness: cannot wait for his turn; interrupts other children and shouts out the answer without waiting for the end of the question; intrusive; breaks the rules without apparent intent.

Attention deficit: less perseverance than peers (less than 30 minutes); inattentive to details; plans poorly.

Hyperactivity: restless, fussy.

Impulsivity: reduced self-control; reckless, irresponsible statements.

Attention deficit: inattentive to details; forgets about appointments; lack of ability to foresight and planning.

Hyperactivity: subjective feeling of restlessness.

Impulsivity: impatience; immature and unreasonable decisions and actions.

How to recognize ADHD

Basic diagnostic methods

So, what to do if parents or teachers suspect that their child has ADHD? How to understand what determines a child’s behavior: pedagogical neglect, shortcomings in upbringing or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? Or maybe just character? In order to answer these questions, you need to contact a specialist.

It’s worth saying right away that, unlike other neurological disorders, for which there are clear methods of laboratory or instrumental confirmation, there is not a single objective diagnostic method for ADHD. According to modern expert recommendations and diagnostic protocols, mandatory instrumental examinations for children with ADHD (in particular, electroencephalogram, computed tomography, etc.) are not indicated. There is a lot of work that describes certain changes in the EEG (or the use of other functional diagnostic methods) in children with ADHD, but these changes are nonspecific - that is, they can be observed both in children with ADHD and in children without this disorder. On the other hand, it often happens that functional diagnostics do not reveal any deviations from the norm, but the child has ADHD. Therefore, from a clinical point of view, the basic method for diagnosing ADHD is an interview with parents and the child and the use of diagnostic questionnaires.

Due to the fact that in this disorder the boundary between normal behavior and disorder is very arbitrary, the specialist has to establish it in each case at his own discretion (unlike other disorders, where there are still guidelines). Thus, due to the need to make a subjective decision, the risk of error is quite high: both failure to identify ADHD (this especially applies to milder, “borderline” forms) and identification of the syndrome where it actually does not exist. Moreover, subjectivity doubles: after all, the specialist is guided by anamnesis data, which reflects the subjective opinion of the parents. Meanwhile, parental ideas about what behavior is considered normal and what is not can be very different and are determined by many factors. Nevertheless, the timeliness of diagnosis depends on how attentive and, if possible, objective people from the child’s immediate environment (teachers, parents or pediatricians) will be. After all, the sooner you understand the child’s characteristics, the more time it takes to correct ADHD.

1) Clinical interview with a specialist (child neurologist, pathopsychologist, psychiatrist).

2) Application of diagnostic questionnaires. It is advisable to obtain information about the child “from different sources”: from parents, teachers, a psychologist at the educational institution that the child attends. The golden rule in diagnosing ADHD is confirmation of the disorder from at least two independent sources.

3) In doubtful, “borderline” cases, when the opinions of parents and specialists regarding the presence of ADHD in a child differ, video recording and its analysis (recording the child’s behavior in class, etc.) makes sense. However, help is also important in cases of behavioral problems without a diagnosis of ADHD - the point, after all, is not the label.

4) If possible, a neuropsychological examination of the child, the purpose of which is to establish the level of intellectual development, as well as to identify frequently associated disorders of school skills (reading, writing, arithmetic). Identifying these disorders is also important in terms of differential diagnosis, because if there are reduced intellectual capabilities or specific learning difficulties, attention problems in the classroom may be caused by the program not matching the child’s ability level, and not by ADHD.

5) Additional examinations (if necessary): consultation with a pediatrician, neurologist, other specialists, instrumental and laboratory tests for the purpose of differential diagnosis and identification of concomitant diseases. A basic pediatric and neurological examination is advisable due to the need to exclude “ADHD-like” syndrome caused by somatic and neurological disorders.

It is important to remember that behavioral and attention disorders in children can be caused by any common somatic diseases (such as anemia, hyperthyroidism), as well as all disorders that cause chronic pain, itching, and physical discomfort. The cause of “pseudo-ADHD” can also be side effects of certain medications (for example, diphenyl, phenobarbital), as well as a number of neurological disorders (epilepsy with absence seizures, chorea, tics and many others). The child's problems may also be due to the presence of sensory disorders, and here a basic pediatric examination is important to identify visual or hearing impairments, which, being mild, may be inadequately diagnosed. Pediatric examination is also advisable due to the need to assess the general somatic condition of the child and identify possible contraindications regarding the use of certain groups of medications that can be prescribed to children with ADHD.

ADHD criteria according to DSM-IV classification

Attention impairment (at least six of the following symptoms must be present):

a) is often unable to concentrate on details or makes careless mistakes when completing school assignments or other activities;

b) often have problems maintaining attention on a task or game;

c) problems often arise with organizing activities and completing tasks;

d) is often reluctant to engage in or avoid activities that require sustained attention (such as class assignments or homework);

e) often loses or forgets things needed to complete tasks or other activities (for example, a diary, books, pens, tools, toys);

f) is easily distracted by extraneous stimuli;

g) often does not listen when spoken to;

h) often does not adhere to instructions, does not complete assignments, homework or other work completely or to the proper extent (but not out of protest, stubbornness or inability to understand instructions/tasks);

i) forgetful in daily activities.

Hyperactivity - Impulsivity (at least six of the following symptoms must be present):

a) cannot sit still, constantly moves;

b) often leaves his seat in situations where he must sit (for example, in class);

c) runs around a lot and “turns things over” where this should not be done (in adolescents and adults, the equivalent may be a feeling of internal tension and a constant need to move);

d) is unable to play quietly, calmly, or rest;

e) acts “as if wound up” - like a toy with the motor turned on;

f) talks too much.

g) often speaks prematurely, without hearing the question to the end;

h) impatient, often cannot wait for his turn;

i) frequently interrupts others and interferes with their activities/conversations. The above symptoms must have been present for at least six months, occur in at least two different environments (school, home, playground, etc.) and not be caused by another disorder.

Diagnostic criteria used by Russian specialists

Attention impairment (diagnosed when 4 of 7 signs are present):

1) needs a calm, quiet environment, otherwise he is not able to work and concentrate;

2) often asks again;

3) easily distracted by external stimuli;

4) confuses details;

5) does not finish what he starts;

6) listens, but seems not to hear;

7) has difficulty concentrating unless a one-on-one situation is created.

Impulsivity (diagnosed when 3 out of 5 signs are present):

1) shouts in class, makes noise during the lesson;

2) extremely excitable;

3) it is difficult for him to wait his turn;

4) excessively talkative;

5) hurts other children.

Hyperactivity (diagnosed when 3 out of 5 signs are present):

1) climbs on cabinets and furniture;

2) always ready to go; runs more often than walks;

3) fussy, squirms and writhes;

4) if he does something, he does it with noise;

5) must always do something.

Characteristic behavior problems must be characterized by early onset (before six years) and persistence over time (manifest for at least six months). However, before entering school, hyperactivity is difficult to recognize due to the wide range of normal variants.

And what will grow from it?

What will grow from it? This is a question that worries all parents, and if fate has decreed that you become a mom or dad with ADHD, then you are especially worried. What is the prognosis for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? Scientists answer this question in different ways. Today they talk about three most possible options for the development of ADHD.

1. Over time, symptoms disappear, and children become teenagers and adults without deviations from the norm. Analysis of the results of most studies indicates that from 25 to 50 percent of children “outgrow” this syndrome.

2. Symptoms continue to be present to varying degrees, but without signs of development of psychopathology. These are the majority of people (50% or more). They have some problems in everyday life. According to surveys, they are constantly accompanied by a feeling of “impatience and restlessness,” impulsiveness, social inadequacy, and low self-esteem throughout their lives. There are reports of a higher frequency of accidents, divorces, and job changes among this group of people.

3. Severe complications develop in adults in the form of personality or antisocial changes, alcoholism and even psychotic conditions.

What path is prepared for these children? In many ways, this depends on us, adults. Psychologist Margarita Zhamkochyan characterizes hyperactive children as follows: “Everyone knows that restless children grow up to be explorers, adventurers, travelers and company founders. And this is not just a frequent coincidence. There are quite extensive observations: children who in elementary school tormented teachers with their hyperactivity, as they get older, are already interested in something specific - and by the age of fifteen they become real experts in this matter. They gain attention, concentration, and perseverance. Such a child can learn everything else without much diligence, and the subject of his hobby - thoroughly. Therefore, when they claim that the syndrome usually disappears by high school age, this is not true. It is not compensated for, but results in some kind of talent, a unique skill.”

The creator of the famous airline JetBlue, David Neelyman, is happy to say that in his childhood he was not only diagnosed with such a syndrome, but also described it as “flamboyant”. And the presentation of his work biography and management methods suggests that this syndrome did not leave him in his adult years, moreover, that it was to him that he owed his dizzying career.

And this is not the only example. If you analyze the biographies of some famous people, it will become clear that in childhood they had all the symptoms characteristic of hyperactive children: explosive temperament, problems with learning at school, a penchant for risky and adventurous undertakings. It is enough to take a closer look around, remember two or three good friends who have succeeded in life, their childhood years, in order to draw a conclusion: a gold medal and a red diploma very rarely turn into a successful career and a well-paid job.

Of course, a hyperactive child is difficult in everyday life. But understanding the reasons for his behavior can make it easier for adults to accept a “difficult child.” Psychologists say that children are especially in dire need of love and understanding when they least deserve it. This is especially true for a child with ADHD, who exhausts parents and teachers with his constant “antics.” The love and attention of parents, the patience and professionalism of teachers, and timely help from specialists can become a springboard for a child with ADHD into a successful adult life.

HOW TO DETERMINE WHETHER YOUR CHILD'S ACTIVITY AND IMPULSIVITY IS NORMAL OR HAS ADHD?

Of course, only a specialist can give a complete answer to this question, but there is also a fairly simple test that will help worried parents determine whether they should immediately go to the doctor or whether they just need to pay more attention to their child.

Most of the day he “does not sit still”, prefers active games to passive ones, but if he is interested, he can also engage in quiet activities.

He talks quickly and a lot, asks an endless number of questions. He listens to the answers with interest.

For him, sleep and digestive disorders, including intestinal disorders, are rather an exception.

In different situations, the child behaves differently. For example, he is restless at home, but calm in the kindergarten, visiting unfamiliar people.

Usually the child is not aggressive. Of course, in the heat of a conflict, he can kick up a “colleague in the sandbox,” but he himself rarely provokes a scandal.

He is in constant motion and simply cannot control himself. Even if he is tired, he continues to move, and when completely exhausted, he cries and becomes hysterical.

He speaks quickly and a lot, swallows words, interrupts, does not listen to the end. Asks a million questions, but rarely listens to the answers.

It is impossible to put him to sleep, and if he does fall asleep, he sleeps in fits and starts, restlessly.

Intestinal disorders and allergic reactions are quite common.

The child seems uncontrollable; he does not react at all to prohibitions and restrictions. The child’s behavior does not change depending on the situation: he is equally active at home, in kindergarten, and with strangers.

Often provokes conflicts. He does not control his aggression: he fights, bites, pushes, and uses all available means.

If you answered positively to at least three points, this behavior persists in the child for more than six months and you believe that it is not a reaction to a lack of attention and expressions of love on your part, then you have reason to think about it and consult a specialist.

Portrait of a hyperdynamic child

The first thing that catches your eye when meeting a hyperdynamic child is his excessive mobility in relation to his calendar age and some kind of “stupid” mobility.
As a baby, such a child gets out of swaddling clothes in the most incredible way. . It is impossible to leave such a baby on the changing table or on the sofa even for a minute from the very first days and weeks of his life. If you just gape a little, he will definitely twist somehow and fall to the floor with a dull thud. However, as a rule, all consequences will be limited to a loud but short scream.

Not always, but quite often, hyperdynamic children experience certain sleep disturbances. . Sometimes the presence of hyperdynamic syndrome can be assumed in an infant by observing his activity in relation to toys and other objects (however, this can only be done by a specialist who knows well how ordinary children of this age manipulate objects). The exploration of objects in a hyperdynamic infant is intense, but extremely undirected. That is, the child throws away the toy before exploring its properties, immediately grabs another (or several at once) only to throw that one away a few seconds later.

As a rule, motor skills in hyperdynamic children develop in accordance with age, often even ahead of age indicators. Hyperdynamic children begin to hold their head up, roll over on their stomach, sit, stand up, walk, etc. earlier than others. It is these children who stick their heads between the bars of the crib, get stuck in the playpen net, get tangled in duvet covers, and quickly and dexterously learn to take off everything that their caring parents put on them.

As soon as a hyperdynamic child ends up on the floor, a new, extremely important stage begins in the life of the family, the purpose and meaning of which is to protect the life and health of the child, as well as family property from possible damage. The activity of a hyperdynamic baby is unstoppable and overwhelming. Sometimes relatives get the impression that it operates around the clock, almost without a break. Hyperdynamic children do not walk from the very beginning, but run.

It is these children aged from one to two to two and a half years who pull tablecloths and tableware onto the floor, drop televisions and Christmas trees, fall asleep on the shelves of empty wardrobes, endlessly, despite the prohibitions, turn on the gas and water, and also overturn onto yourself pots with contents of different temperatures and consistencies.

As a rule, no attempts to reason with hyperdynamic children have any effect. They are fine with memory and speech understanding. They just can't help themselves. Having committed another trick or destructive act, the hyperdynamic child himself is sincerely upset and does not understand at all how it happened: “She fell on her own!”, “I walked, walked, climbed, and then I don’t know”, “I didn’t touch it at all.” !

Quite often, hyperdynamic children exhibit various speech development disorders. Some begin to speak later than their peers, some - on time or even earlier, but the problem is that no one understands them, because they do not pronounce two-thirds of the sounds of the Russian language. . When they speak, they wave their arms a lot and confusedly, shift from foot to foot or jump in place.

Another feature of hyperdynamic children is that they do not learn not only from others’ mistakes, but even from their own mistakes. Yesterday, a child was walking with his grandmother on the playground, climbed onto a high ladder, and could not get down. I had to ask the teenage boys to take it down from there. The child was clearly frightened when asked: “Well, are you going to climb this ladder now?” - he earnestly answers: “I won’t!” The next day, on the same playground, the first thing he does is run to that same ladder.

It is hyperdynamic children who are the ones who get lost. And there is absolutely no strength left to scold the child who is found, and he himself does not really understand what happened. “You left!”, “I just went to look!”, “Were you looking for me?!” - all this discourages, angers, makes you doubt the mental and emotional capabilities of the child.

Hyperdynamic children, as a rule, are not angry. They are not able to harbor grudges or plans for revenge for a long time, and are not prone to targeted aggression. They quickly forget all insults; yesterday’s offender or the one offended today is their best friend. But in the heat of a fight, when already weak braking mechanisms fail, these children can be aggressive.

The real problems of a hyperdynamic child (and his family) begin with schooling. “Yes, he can do anything if he wants! All he has to do is concentrate - and all these tasks will be a breeze for him!” - nine out of ten parents say this or approximately this. The trouble is that a hyperdynamic child absolutely cannot concentrate. Sitting down for homework, within five minutes he is drawing in a notebook, rolling a typewriter on the table, or simply looking out the window behind which the older kids are playing football or preening the feathers of a raven. Another ten minutes later he will really want to drink, then eat, then, of course, go to the toilet.

The same thing happens in the classroom. A hyperdynamic child is like a speck in the eye for a teacher. He endlessly spins around, gets distracted and chats with his desk neighbor. . He is either absent from work in class and then, when asked, answers inappropriately, or takes an active part, jumps on his desk with his hand raised to the sky, runs out into the aisle, shouting: “Me! I! Ask me! - or simply, unable to resist, shouts out the answer from his seat.

The notebooks of a hyperdynamic child (especially in primary school) are a pitiful sight. The number of errors in them competes with the amount of dirt and corrections. The notebooks themselves are almost always wrinkled, with bent and dirty corners, with torn covers, with stains of some kind of unintelligible dirt, as if someone had recently eaten pies on them. The lines in the notebooks are uneven, letters creep up and down, letters are missing or replaced in words, words are missing in sentences. The punctuation marks appear to be in a completely arbitrary order - author's punctuation in the worst sense of the word. It is the hyperdynamic child who can make four mistakes in the word “more.”

Reading problems also occur. Some hyperdynamic children read very slowly, stumbling over every word, but they read the words themselves correctly. Others read quickly, but change endings and “swallow” words and entire sentences. In the third case, the child reads normally in terms of pace and quality of pronunciation, but does not understand what he read at all and cannot remember or retell anything.

Problems with mathematics are even less common and are usually associated with the child’s total inattention. He can solve a difficult problem correctly and then write down the wrong answer. He easily confuses meters with kilograms, apples with boxes, and the resulting answer of two diggers and two-thirds does not bother him at all. If there is a “+” sign in the example, the hyperdynamic child will easily and correctly perform subtraction, if there is a division sign, he will perform multiplication, etc. etc.

A hyperdynamic child constantly loses everything. He forgets his hat and mittens in the locker room, his briefcase in the park near the school, his sneakers in the gym, his pen and textbook in the classroom, and his grade book somewhere in the trash heap. In his backpack, books, notebooks, shoes, apple cores and half-eaten sweets coexist calmly and closely.

At recess, a hyperdynamic child is a “hostile whirlwind.” The accumulated energy urgently requires an outlet and finds it. There is no such brawl that our child would not get involved in, there is no prank that he will refuse. Stupid, crazy running around during recess or after-school activities, ending somewhere in the solar plexus of one of the members of the teaching staff, and appropriate indoctrination and repression is the inevitable ending to almost every school day of our child.

Ekaterina Murashova | From the book: “Children are “mattresses” and children are “catastrophes””