We have a hyperactive child, what should we do? With such a problem, parents often come to see a pediatrician, neurologist or psychologist. The "cure" exists!

Such children draw attention to themselves immediately.

One can hardly fail to notice the hyperactive baby and his tired, nervous mother on the street.

• the toddler is running at the speed of a racing car,
• all the time strives to climb somewhere or climb,
• randomly grabs and throws various objects in all directions,
• the movements of a hyperactive baby are uncoordinated, and while running, he can stumble and fall, causing himself considerable harm.

The child's hyperactivity is primarily evidenced by his active chaotic actions, inappropriate situations
Hardly anyone will envy such a mother: if she manages to catch her restless child and stop him, then he will violently break free and again rush like a whirlwind to nowhere ...

It can be very tiring for parents to live and interact with a hyperactive child.

His increased physical activity, uncontrollability, "deafness" to requests, admonitions and remarks, of course, it can wear down even the most resilient parents.

As a result, they try to restrict such a child in movement, running after him and shouting after him: “Don't run, you will stumble and fall! Don't touch, it's not yours! Don't go there! Don't break! " ... the list goes on and on.

Also, such children are often subjected to destructive criticism.

Hyperactivity or high physical activity

Strictly speaking, the diagnosis of "hyperactivity" is made when the child's speech is already sufficiently developed, that is, at the age of 2-3 years. In this case, he needs comprehensive help: both medical and psychological.

To correct the symptoms of hyperexcitability in infants allow

• massage,
• soothing baths,
• soft (only as prescribed by a pediatrician or neurologist!) sedatives.

If the child is over 2 years old, it is important to establish whether we are talking about mobility, excitability, high distraction, which is sometimes called hyperactivity in everyday life, or attention deficit disorder itself - as a rule, a hereditary phenomenon that requires the help of a doctor.

The mistake came out, parents

Unfortunately, many parents who do not want to find time for additional study of the literature about a hypereactive child and what to do to channel the energy of their child in the right direction do not even know that:

• such children are not susceptible to harsh prohibitions, criticism and even punishment,
• they cannot be rushed or rushed.

It is important to know that if tired parents lose their temper, are unable to control their emotions, then they inevitably cause deterioration in the behavior of a hyperactive child and his even greater "deafness." It turns out vicious circle, from which it is still possible to escape.

And, of course, it is worth remembering that it is impossible to forbid a hypereactive baby to move, since inexhaustible energy, "not released into the wild", can result in hysteria, whims and tears.

Hyperactive children are very responsive to approval and praise. Therefore, parents should remove strict prohibitions and, looking into the baby's eyes, in a calm tone, very gently, replace them with an alternative solution.

Moreover, if such a child is restricted in movements, fearing that excessive activity will contribute to injury, this may become a prerequisite for the development of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and joints in the future.

Freedom for my child

It is necessary to constantly help the baby to have the opportunity to throw out his energy. You should play, run, and swim with your baby. After all, it is wiser to constantly help the fidget, thereby insuring him and keeping him in sight all the time.

It is important to provide "hyper" with as much physical activity as possible. Nature generously encourages the child's desire for movement, which is so necessary for him for full physical, mental development and immunity. In addition, the child receives positive emotions from physical activity, because when jumping, running, the baby releases happiness hormones - endorphins.

Movement activates mental activity, and does not allow the spine to "rust", as a result of which it becomes mobile and flexible. Therefore, let the hyperactive child (and any other) frolic, jump and run on a walk, dumping negative energy, and when he comes home or rest.

Four walls is a sentence

If parents understand that the more their hyperactive child spends on the playground, the better for his development and the microclimate in the family, then on bad days and with the onset of cold weather, panic is read in their eyes.

What to do with a hyperactive child in a small apartment

The answer is simple: it is necessary to equip the children's room (well, or any other room where there is space) with a special small-sized complex of the simplest gymnastic apparatus that can be easily installed even in a small one-room apartment.

Classes at the sports complex will develop the baby's coordination of movement, dexterity, strength and flexibility, which is very important for "hyper", since in most cases they are clumsy, motor awkward, they constantly bump into something, touch objects and fall out of the blue.

"Little Shustrik" will not only be able to "discharge" while exercising at such a sports complex, but will also have the opportunity to compete with mom and dad, which will create a good emotional contact between the child and the parents.

Physical education is a panacea for hyperactive

Exercise has a calming effect on the nervous system of a hyperactive child, helps to restore his behavioral reactions, and develop the correct coordination of movement.

Therefore, if there is an early development center nearby, where gymnastics is carried out with an experienced teacher, and there is financial opportunity to visit such institutions, then the child should be taken there from a very young age.

If there are no such opportunities, then parents will come to the aid of the lessons with their "perpetual motion machines" an exciting and educational game called "Fitball Fairy Tales". How to organize it, read below.

Hyperactive kids over 3 years old should choose children's sports sections. The child will benefit from a strict coach who requires discipline in the classroom. At the same time, let's not forget about the authority of a small child as a strong and sturdy coach.

Get hardened if you want to be healthy

For hyperactive babies in physical development, not only outdoor games are very important, but also morning exercises and hardening. It will be useful for dad to take an active part here.

The need to immediately after waking up to start gymnastics and hardening, which will soon bring up in restless kids consistency in their actions, perseverance, discipline and will.

With the help of morning outdoor games and physical exercise you can increase the hormone melatonin - a biologically active substance that controls the biorhythms of growth and development, depth of sleep, metabolism and even adaptation to stressful situations, weather changes and a new environment (for example, going to kindergarten).

Since a hyperactive child is characterized by increased nervous excitability, when hardening, only gentle techniques should be used that do not have restrictions and contraindications.

You can start with water treatments, which include

• pouring cool water on your hands,
• cryomassage of feet,
• contrasting doused feet,
• wiping the body with a damp terry towel.

Washing your face will be of great benefit for little "hurricanes". It has been scientifically proven that irritation of the skin areas of the face normalizes the processes of inhibition and excitation of the central nervous system.

Sequence of toning face wash

The first time during the procedure, the water temperature should be + 28 ° C. Every 1-2 days, the temperature should be reduced by 1-2 degrees, bringing to the final mark of 18-20 ° C.

According to all the rules, such washing should start from the middle. lower jaw... In this case, the palms filled with water should slide from the chin to the ears. After that, you should go to washing your forehead - from the middle to the temples, then - from the wings of the nose and the corners of the mouth to the temples.

This procedure should be repeated 3-4 times, each time filling the palms with water again. At the end of the hardening procedure, you need to pat the baby on the cheeks.

The duration of such hardening will be 1-2 minutes.

Unique technique "Fairy tales on fitball"

Thanks to this exciting rhythmic game, the baby and adults will have a lot of pleasant impressions. Having played enough and received a charge of positive emotions, the "mini-battery" will continue to play alone with their toys for a long time, while parents can take a break from the pranks of their "hurricane".

Required inventory

• Gym stick / long pointer with a blunt tip or lightweight rag balls / massage balls with pimples.
• Selected suitable music (songs from fairy tales, cartoons, classics for kids, songs by Shainsky or Krylatov; for example, "Antoshka", "Plasticine Crow", etc.)
• 3 cards with the name of the characters from the song that we include.

Practical implementation: to make cards, you need a sheet of A4 paper with printed characters from the song (you can buy ready-made cardboard copies in bookstores) and a red marker for writing the names.

The 3 basic rules of this game

1. The chosen fairy tale or song should be simple, understandable, well-known to the baby. It is important that it evokes emotional responsiveness in the baby. It will even be better if the "battery" chooses its own favorite song / fairy tale.
2. It is advisable that the baby is familiar with the characters or, before starting classes, he looks at the pictures with their image. You need to start with simple, uncomplicated words, easy to pronounce, gradually moving on to more complex ones.
3. The first lessons should be very light and short (duration - 30 seconds) so that the child can cope successfully, since it is still very difficult for him to concentrate.

The fairy tale begins

First you need to choose a spacious room and place the cards with the characters using tape on the wall at eye level with the baby sitting on the fitball.

It would be even better to place them on a mirrored wardrobe. Then it will be possible to observe the reaction of the toddler to this gymnastics and grimace with him, which will form in the crumbs the skill of imitation, which is the basis for all subsequent intellectual activity.

After that, you should sit down with the "energizer" on the fitball opposite the cards, turn on the music, start jumping and get acquainted with new fascinating information.

For example, you can put on a song from the cartoon "Blue Car". At the moment when the song says "the blue carriage is running, swinging" - you need to point to the corresponding picture with a gymnastic stick, clearly pronouncing / singing along "carriage", and trying to expressively and emotionally imitate "chug-chukh", etc. For one lesson, at the beginning, 3 cards are enough, but they must be repeated 2-3 times.

The next morning, you should first repeat the old cards and show the baby 3 new ones. Thus, you can study not only nouns, but also adjectives (for example, blue) and verbs (runs, sways) in one song.

You can show the desired characters by hitting the cards with light balls. This action will strengthen memorization and develop the coordination of the baby's movement. Besides lightweight balls with bumps are ideal for discreetly massaging your fingertips. An older kid who has mastered the basics of "science" can independently sit down on a fitball and do gymnastics.

In this technique, the combination of movements, music, the use of the names of characters and useful words will give a huge incentive to memorize the material. Also, while singing and listening to music, the child's correct phonetic hearing will be formed.

In addition, thanks to good and different music, a hyperactive baby will develop aesthetic taste and own opinion... Having learned to perceive information "by ear", it will be easier for hyperactive children to learn foreign languages, write presentations and school dictations, memorize lectures of teachers.

Grass-ants

Children's teas with chamomile, as well as baths with decoction of chamomile petals, will be very useful for hyperactive children. Therefore, instead of juices it is better to teach the child to drink chamomile tea in the morning and evening.

We wish parents of hyperactive children patience and understanding of the needs of their little "propellers"!

In this video, experts will show you how to distinguish between normal childhood activity and behavior that goes beyond the norm. They will also introduce you to the basic rules of daily communication with a hyperactive child.

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One of the most common diseases in children is hyperactivity. According to statistics, 20% of children aged 3 to 5 have this diagnosis. It is then that the disease manifests itself as much as possible.

A hyperactive child experiences inconvenience during learning and is poorly socialized. It is difficult for him to establish contact with peers, to concentrate on gaining knowledge. Pathology may be accompanied by other diseases of the nervous system.

In 1970, hyperactivity was included in international classification diseases. She was given the name ADHD, or attention deficit disorder. The disease is a disturbance in the functioning of the brain, which entails constant nervous tension. Children shock adults with their behavior that does not meet the established norms.

Teachers usually complain about students who are too mobile. They are restless, constantly undermining discipline. Mental, physical activity is increased. Memory and motor skills can remain intact. The disease is most common in boys.

The reasons for the development of pathology

Most often, brain malfunctions are laid in utero. Hyperactivity can be caused by:

• finding the uterus in good shape (threat of termination of pregnancy);
• hypoxia;
• smoking or improper diet of the mother during pregnancy;
• constant stress experienced by a woman.

Sometimes pathology occurs due to a violation of the childbirth process:

• impetuosity;
• a prolonged period of contractions or attempts;
• the use of drugs for stimulation;
• childbirth up to 38 weeks.

Less often, hyperactivity syndrome appears due to other reasons not related to the process of giving birth to a baby:

• diseases of the nervous system;
• family problems (conflicts, tensions between mom and dad);
• overly strict upbringing;
• poisoning with chemicals;
• violation of the diet.

The listed reasons are risk factors. Not necessarily in the process of rapid childbirth, a baby with this syndrome is born. If the pregnant mother was constantly nervous, often lay on preservation due to hypertonicity of the uterus or oligohydramnios, then the risk of ADHD increases.

Symptoms of pathology

It is difficult enough to separate over activity and simple mobility. Many parents mistakenly diagnose their children with ADHD when this problem does not exist. Some symptoms may indicate neurasthenia, so you cannot prescribe treatment yourself. If you suspect hyperactivity, see a specialist.

Up to the age of 1 year, brain disorders manifest themselves as symptoms:

• excessive excitability;
• violent reaction to daily procedures (crying during bathing, massage, hygiene procedures);
• hypersensitivity to stimuli: sound, light;
• sleep problems (the crumbs periodically wake up at night, stay awake for a long time during the day, it is difficult to fit);
• lag in psychomotor development (later begin to crawl, walk, talk, sit).

Children under 2-3 years old may have speech problems. She has been at the babbling stage for a long time, the baby has difficulty forming phrases, complex sentences.

Until a year, the diagnosis of hyperactivity is not carried out, since the described symptoms may appear due to the whims of the crumbs, disruptions in work digestive system or when teething.

Psychologists all over the world have recognized that the crisis has existed for 3 years. With hyperactivity, it is acute. At the same time, older family members are thinking about socialization. They begin to take the baby to preschool institutions. This is where ADHD begins to manifest itself:

• restlessness;
• chaotic movements;
• motor disorders (awkwardness, inability to hold cutlery or a pencil correctly);
• problems with speech;
• carelessness;
• disobedience.

Parents may find it difficult to put a preschooler to bed. In a three-year-old, severe fatigue begins to appear in the evening. The baby begins to cry for no reason, to show aggression. This is how the accumulated fatigue makes itself felt, but despite it the baby continues to move, actively play, and talk loudly.

ADHD is most commonly diagnosed in children between 4 and 5 years of age. If mom and dad paid little attention to the health of the preschooler, then the symptoms will appear in elementary school. They will be noticeable:

• inability to concentrate attention;
• restlessness: during the lesson, the student jumps up from his seat;
• problems with the perception of an adult's speech;
• irascibility;
• frequent nervous tics;
• lack of independence, incorrect assessment of one's strength;
• severe headaches;
• imbalance;
• enuresis;
• numerous phobias, increased anxiety.

You may notice that a hyperactive student has excellent intelligence, but he has problems with academic performance. As a rule, the syndrome is accompanied by conflicts with peers.

Other children shy away from overly mobile babies, because it is difficult to find a common language with them. Children with ADHD are often the instigators of conflict. They are overly touchy, impulsive, aggressive, and mistakenly assess the consequences of their actions.

Features of the syndrome

For most adults, a diagnosis of ADHD sounds like a death sentence. They consider their children to be mentally retarded or handicapped. This is a big mistake on their part: because of the prevailing myths, parents forget that a hyperactive baby:

1. Creative. He is full of ideas, and the imagination is better developed than ordinary children. If the elders help him, then he can become an excellent specialist with a non-standard approach or a creative person with many ideas.
2. Possessor of a flexible mind. He finds a solution to a difficult problem, making his job easier.
3. Enthusiast, bright personality. He is interested in many things, he tries to attract attention to himself, strives to communicate with as many people as possible.
4. Unpredictable, energetic. This quality can be called both positive and negative. On the one hand, he has enough strength for many different things, and on the other, it is simply impossible to keep him in place.

It is believed that a hyperactive toddler is constantly moving randomly. This is a persistent myth. If the lesson completely absorbed the preschooler, he will spend several hours with him. It is important to encourage such hobbies.

Parents need to understand that hyperactivity in children does not affect intelligence and talent in any way. These are often gifted children, in addition to treatment, they need education aimed at developing skills given by nature. Usually they sing well, dance, construct, recite poetry, and perform in public with pleasure.

Disease types

The syndrome of hyperactivity in children may have different symptoms, since this disease has several forms:

1. Deficit of attention without excessive activity. Most often, this variety is found in girls. They dream a lot, have a violent imagination, often lie.
2. Increased excitability without attention deficit. This is the most rare pathology, accompanied by damage to the central nervous system.
3. Classic ADHD. The most common form, the scenario of its course is individual for each case.

Regardless of how the disease progresses, it must be treated. To do this, you need to go through several examinations, interact with doctors, psychologists, teachers. In most cases, sedatives are prescribed for children. Psychoanalyst consultation is compulsory for parents. They must learn to accept the illness, not to hang on the baby "labels".

Diagnostic features

It is impossible to make a diagnosis at the first visit to a specialist. For a final verdict, an observation lasting about six months is required. It is carried out by specialists:

• a psychologist;
• neurologist;
• psychiatrist.

All family members are often frightened by going to a psychiatrist. Do not hesitate to come to him for a consultation. An experienced specialist will help you to correctly assess the condition of the little patient and prescribe treatment. The survey should include:

• conversation or interview;
• observation of behavior;
• neuropsychological testing;
• filling out questionnaires by parents.

Based on this data, doctors obtain full information about the behavior of a small patient, which allows them to distinguish an active baby from one who has impairments. Other pathologies can be hidden behind hyperactivity, so you should be ready to go through:

• MRI of the brain;
• ECHO KG;
• blood tests.

In order to timely identify concomitant pathologies, it is necessary to consult with an endocrinologist, epileptologist, speech therapist, ophthalmologist, otolaryngologist. It is important to wait for the final diagnosis.
If doctors refuse to send for examinations, contact the head of the clinic or act through psychologists from educational institutions.

Comprehensive treatment

There is no universal pill for ADHD yet. Children are always assigned complex treatment... Here are some tips on how to help a hyperactive child:

1. Correction of physical activity. Children are not allowed to play sports with competitive elements. Demonstrations of achievements (no grades), static loads are acceptable. Suitable sports: swimming, skiing, cycling. Aerobic exercise is allowed.
2. Interaction with a psychologist. Techniques are used to reduce the level of anxiety of a small patient, to increase his communication skills. Success scenarios are modeled, classes are selected that help to increase self-esteem. The specialist gives exercises to develop memory, speech, attention. If the violations are serious, then a speech therapist is involved in corrective exercises.
3. A change of environment, environment is useful. If the treatment is beneficial, the attitude towards the baby will be better in the new team.
4. Parents react sharply to the problems of behavior of their children. Mothers are often diagnosed with depression, irritability, impulsivity, and intolerance. A family visit to a therapist can help you deal with hyperactivity more quickly.
5. Auto trainings, sessions in sensory relaxation rooms. They improve the activity of the nervous system, stimulate the cerebral cortex.
6. Correction of behavior of the whole family, change of habits, daily routine.
7. Medication therapy. In America, psychostimulants are often prescribed for ADHD. In Russia, they are prohibited for use, since this group of medicines has a lot side effects... Doctors recommend nootropic drugs and sedatives that use herbal ingredients.

Drug therapy is used only when other methods of exposure have not yielded results. The use of nootropics for hyperactivity does not have an evidence base, they are usually prescribed to improve the blood supply to the brain, to normalize metabolic processes in it. The use of these drugs can improve memory and concentration.

Parents should be prepared for the course of treatment to last for several months. Medicines give a positive effect in 4-6 months, and it will take more than one year to work with a psychologist.

No one can diagnose ADHD without testing. Signs of hyperactivity in children can only be seen by a specialist. You should not self-diagnose and prescribe medications. Do not neglect the recommendations of specialists and regularly conduct examinations. Many people are interested in the peculiarities of the life of a family with a hyperactive child - what should parents do - the advice of a psychologist in this case is as follows:

1. Organize your day. Incorporate permanent rituals into it. For example, give your baby a bath before going to bed, change into pajamas, and read a story. Do not change your daily routine, this will save you from tantrums and excitement in the evening.
2. A calm and welcoming environment at home can help minimize energy release. Unexpected arrivals and noisy parties are not a good atmosphere for children with hyperactivity.
3. Choose a sports section and keep track of the regularity of attending classes.
4. If the situation allows, do not limit the activity of the crumbs. He will throw out his energy and become calmer.
5. For children with ADHD, the punishment of sitting still or doing tedious work is not suitable.

Many are interested in how to calm a hyperactive child. For this, psychotherapists provide individual consultations based on changes in the educational process. First of all, keep in mind that with ADHD, children deny any inhibitions.

The use of the words "no" and "no" will surely provoke hysterics. Psychologists recommend making a proposal without using direct negatives.

Tantrums must be prevented. This can be done through behavior correction.

Another problem with ADHD is the lack of time control and frequent focus shifts. Gently bring your baby back to the goal. Make sure that the task takes a certain amount of time. Give directions or conduct the sessions in sequence. Don't ask multiple questions at the same time.

Spend a lot of time with overly active children, give them attention. Engage in joint activities with them: walk in the woods, pick berries and mushrooms, go on picnics or hikes.

At the same time, avoid noisy events that stimulate the psyche. Change the background of life. Turn on quiet music instead of TV, limit the time of watching cartoons.

If a hyperactive toddler is overexcited, do not yell at him and exclude physical abuse. Talk to him in a calm and firm tone, hug him, take him to a quiet place (away from other children and people), find words of comfort, listen.

Features of the learning process

Treatment of hyperactivity in children school age need to be carried out in conjunction with teachers. They should be aware of the student's problems and be able to captivate him in the classroom. Most often, for this, programs with creative elements are used in classes, facilitated by the presentation of material.

Now inclusive education is developing throughout the country, which, with the syndrome, allows children to gain knowledge not at home, but in a team. Problems and misunderstandings are not excluded. The teacher must be able to resolve conflicts in the classroom.

During the lesson, hyperactive children need to be involved in active actions. The teacher should give these students small assignments. They can wash the board, take out the trash, distribute notebooks, and go chalk. A little warm-up during the lesson will allow you to throw out the accumulated energy.

Possible consequences

Do not let pathology take its course. Your toddler is unable to cope with ADHD on his own. He will not outgrow this syndrome.

In advanced cases, hyperactivity leads to manifestations of physical aggression against oneself and others:

• bullying of peers;
• fights;
• attempts to beat parents;
• suicidal tendencies.

Often, a hyperactive student with a high IQ finishes education with unsatisfactory grades. He cannot get an education at a university or college, he has problems with finding a job.

In an unfavorable social atmosphere, a grown-up schoolchild leads a marginal lifestyle, takes drugs or abuses alcohol.

In a supportive environment, ADHD can be beneficial. It is known that Mozart and Einstein had this syndrome. However, you should not rely only on natural data. Help your baby to realize his importance and channel his energy in the right direction.

Kirill is a permanent expert of the PupsFull portal. She writes articles on pregnancy, nutrition and mom and baby health.

Articles written

The concept of childhood hyperactivity still causes a lot of controversy and controversy among pediatricians.

It is difficult to determine which child actually has behavioral problems that could negatively affect their future, and which just has a bright temperament.

Often, parents complain about their child because they cannot or do not want to find an approach to him. There are times when dangerous symptoms are ignored, and the child's real hyperactivity develops into more serious problems with his social adaptation in kindergarten, then at school and further in public life.

In this article, we will tell you how to recognize a hyperactive child from infancy and how to find the right approach to him. But first, let's understand the basic concepts.

Medical hyperactivity

This term means not only excessive mobility, inattention and capriciousness of the baby, as many mothers think. This is mainly a special state of the nervous system and cerebral cortex, when its cells too actively form nerve impulses.

These processes do not allow the baby to sit still, interfere with focusing attention, switch from tantrums, calm down, and also fall asleep.

True hyperactivity can only be seen or suspected by a neurologist, so do not try to make such diagnoses to your baby on your own.

And it is also important that a hyperactive baby can be not only at such a difficult age as 3-4 years, but also from infancy.

The sooner you recognize such features of the nervous system in a child and begin to take action, the less difficulties you will have in the future.

7 signs of a hyperactive child

Hyperactivity is also called motor disinhibition, but should not be confused with the healthy activity of normal children. A completely healthy baby can also be very mobile, screaming and talking loudly, thus expressing his emotions. He can even be capricious and insistently demand his own.

How can you tell your child's personality from a neurological problem? Here are 7 signs that should alert you in the behavior of a nursing child:

1 Hyperactive babies are well developed physically, they begin to roll over, sit down, crawl and walk faster than their peers. Because of this, they cause a lot of admiration from their parents and relatives.

But often such unexpected and rapid leaps in development lead to falls from sofas and other troubles, for which even the most vigilant parents are simply not ready.

They do not know whether to rejoice in them or cry when the child is already crawling and playing with might and main, and his peers, meanwhile, are peacefully lying in the crib.

There may still be two options: either your child is simply developing very quickly, or this is one of the signs of hyperactivity. In the second case, the problem will still make itself felt in the future and will manifest itself in other signs.

2 Children are often naughty when their strength is running out and it is time for them to sleep. They seem to become even more active, their excitability increases, and only mother's hands or motion sickness, after long torment, can help put him to sleep.

3 Babies with signs of hyperactivity sleep surprisingly little, even in the first months of life. While their peers sleep more than they are awake, these children may play at intervals. cry for about 4-5 hours straight.

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4 The child cannot fall asleep for a long time, requires motion sickness, and his sleep is very sensitive. The kid is sensitive to every rustle, he may suddenly wake up and have a hard time falling asleep again.

5 The kid reacts very violently to a change of scenery, new faces and loud sounds. All this can lead him to real delight, and, at the same time, makes him even more capricious and attract your attention.

How more people indoors with a child, the more capricious he becomes.

6 Children do not know how to focus their attention on something for a long time. It can be seen even in the very early age: it is easy to lure the baby with a new toy, but he quickly gets bored with it. He seems to begin to switch his attention from one subject to another even faster.

7 A characteristic feature of hyperactive children, in sum with all of the above, is their attachment to their mother and at the same time fear of strangers. They find it difficult to get along with the guests, reluctantly go into their arms and seem to hide behind their mother. They can also be jealous of a mother for other people's children, take away toys from them and turn any conflict into a hysteria.

We have listed not the unconditional signs of hyperactive children, but only those distinctive features that can alert you and make you go to an appointment with a pediatric neurologist.

But in order not to make a mistake and not worry in vain, we will describe the behavior of a healthy normal child who may have some of the above signs due to his innate temperament.

Temperamental healthy children differ from their hyperactive peers in the following ways:

1 They like to run or be active in some other way, but after that they come to lie down or sit quietly, for example, watching cartoons. Thus, they are able to calm down on their own. But here we are talking about older children, closer to the age of one.

2 They have practically no problems with sleep, they quickly fall asleep and sleep at the appropriate time for their age.

3 Night sleep is usually long and restful. If we talk about babies 2-3 months old, then they can wake up for night feedings, but they also fall asleep easily and do not cry in the middle of the night.

4 Children quickly understand where the danger is and can experience a sense of fear. Subsequently, they do not seek to climb into a dangerous place again.

5 Easily master the word "no", which allows you to quickly communicate with your child in the future.

6 Children can easily be distracted from hysteria by a new subject or story, they are able to switch and immediately stop crying.

7 They are almost never aggressive towards you or other children. They give them to play with their toys, sometimes after mother's persuasion.

8 Of course, the character of the parents is passed on to their child. It is possible that the mom or dad of an active child has a bright temperament and was the same fidgets in childhood. But remember that such features could be transmitted not only from parents, but also from grandparents, as well as from other relatives, great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers.

Causes of hyperactivity

Changes in brain cells that cause hyperactivity do not last a lifetime if parents choose the right tactics for the behavior and upbringing of their baby. Therefore, this condition cannot be called a disease and cannot be cured, but can only contribute to the early "outgrowth" of childhood hyperactivity.

And this condition occurs, as a rule, as a result of one of the following reasons:

• giving birth to a baby by caesarean section,
• difficult childbirth, with a prolonged anhydrous period, hypoxia of the child, or using forceps,
• premature or low birth baby
• the child's nervous system could undergo changes even at the stage of intrauterine development due to bad habits, past illness or other unfavorable environmental factors.

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Raising a hyperactive toddler

The upbringing and daily routine of such a child needs to be given special attention if you do not want his condition to worsen. Leaving the problem unattended can lead to many problems in the future, when the child grows up and he has to independently adapt in society.

Since the baby's nervous system is very vulnerable, it cannot be tested again.

This means that any whim and hysteria should be stopped at the very beginning, not trying to punish the child as an educational moment. At the same time, try not to indulge these whims and not follow the child's lead on every occasion, but imperceptibly distract him and switch attention. Yes, this may require a lot of patience and resourcefulness from the parents, but it will not allow the little tomboy to be spoiled too much. After all, at a very early age, he is smart enough to understand how to get his way. Explain the meaning of the word "no" to your child, gently and persistently.

In all these endeavors, you will need to curb your own character and exclude all negative emotions from communication with your child.

During the day, try not to expose your baby to unnecessarily vivid impressions and exclude unexpected situations.

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 distinguished by inconstancy, restlessness and increased activity. So when should you sound the alarm?

Often, noisy, restless, inattentive, naughty children, characteristic of a certain type of personality, are not justifiably classified as hyperactive. But such the diagnosis can only be made by a specialist followed by compulsory drug treatment and psychological correction.

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

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

Types of ADHD

To date, there are:

1. Hyperactivity without impaired attention;
2. Disturbance of attention without hyperactivity;
3. Hyperactivity disorder.

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

How do you know if your child is hyperactive?

In order to figure out whether a child is hyperactive, you need to know main symptoms this syndrome, which show at least 6 consecutive months.

1. The first manifestations of ADHD can be seen in the newborn. Such children are very sensitive to external stimuli. They are afraid of bright light, loud sounds, sleep poorly, and are capricious for no apparent reason.
2. In the first year of life, the baby's movements have a chaotic, meaningless character for a long time. The child seems awkward. The development of speech is late in comparison with peers.
3. A protracted crisis of three years, the adaptation of the child in kindergarten, which increases the physical and psychological stress on the child's body, leads to an increase in the manifestation of the symptom complex of hyperactivity. Such children cannot fulfill the exact requests of the teacher, keep their attention on one object, or sit still for a long time. The main task of parents and educators during this period is to notice, recognize and help the baby cope with this disorder in time.
4. A significant deterioration in behavior, inattention is manifested in a child when attending preparatory classes before school. During this period, the greatest number of calls to psychologists for help and for correction occurs. Children during this period are quickly overworked. Their emotional development is late and manifests itself in negativism, stubbornness, irascibility. They build relationships with other children in a difficult and long time. They often conflict. Self-esteem is underestimated. Academic performance is low even with high rates intelligence. They often make ridiculous mistakes due to carelessness. Constantly distracted by extraneous stimuli. They can't sit still, they walk around the classroom. They do not respond to comments from an adult.
5. After 7-8 years, the syndrome acquires pronounced symptoms. The progress is low. Inattention, restlessness, inability to listen or read to the end the task, not bringing the work started to completion, forgetfulness, detachment, replaced by impulsivity.

Why does this problem occur?

Hyperactivity in a child is manifested as a consequence of the immaturity of the cerebral cortex, which leads to the child's inability to adequately recognize external signals. From this, the child becomes restless, inattentive, irritable, fussy. There are many causes of ADHD, the main ones are:

• Hereditary factor;
• Complications during pregnancy and childbirth, birth trauma;
• Bruises, head trauma, serious 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 family member of close relatives had this disease in childhood.

Wrong lifestyle, non-diet, alcohol abuse, smoking, taking strong medicines, women, especially in the early stages, during pregnancy, when the main formation of the child's brain is taking place. Complicated labor, newborn asphyxia, perinatal encephalopathy, cesarean section and birth trauma in 60% of all cases cause further development of attention deficit and hyperactivity in the child. An equally important role is played by injuries and bruises of the head, severe infectious diseases carried over in early childhood. And the unfavorable situation in the family negatively affects the development of the child as a whole and aggravates the situation even more.

Ways and methods of correcting hyperactivity

An effective method of correcting hyperactivity, depending on the severity of symptoms, is independent training with the child, or professional help psychologist. She aimed at developing perseverance, gradually complicating and extending the execution time of various tasks, the development of voluntary attention through various techniques and tests. Correction and development of baby's emotions.

If the diagnosis of ADHD is made by a neurologist or psychiatrist, then the child is assigned drug treatment, based on a long and thorough examination. If the origins of this disorder are problems in the work of the brain and its cortex, then correctly selected treatment by specialists and the implementation of all recommendations can completely relieve the child of this ailment.

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

Organized daily routine, discipline, load distribution for the day, good rest, increased self-esteem, healthy eating will significantly improve the child's performance. Children with ADHD need reducing the load on the nervous system by eliminating prolonged viewing of TV and computer games, protection from nervous shocks.

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.

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

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

• An active kid has 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, happily enters the game.
• Fidgets rarely show strong emotions; in unfamiliar conditions they behave more calmly.
• The lack of inclination to provocations of active kids helps them to build conflict-free relationships with other children, which is beyond the control of hyperactive children.
• Children without mental abnormalities have a sound sleep, they are energetic, but obedient.

Such a disorder manifests itself at the age of two years. However, there are some signs of a hyperactive child that can be noticed in a year. 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 show it due to mental developmental disorders.

Attention deficit disorder is more common in boys. Their number reaches 22%, while the number of girls with ADHD is only 10%.

Why is the child hyperactive?

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

• Infectious diseases carried by children at an early age.
• Stress, hard physical work of the mother during gestation.
• The mother's taking drugs, alcohol.
• Head injuries during childbirth.
• Heavy or premature labor.
• Scanty or improper diet of the crumbs.
• The disease can be transmitted at the genetic level.
• Family conflicts.
• Authoritarian parenting style.

What kind of child is hyperactive?

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

• Passion for business lasts no more than 10 minutes. With any distraction, his attention switches.
• The toddler is constantly agitated, inattentive. During classes or lessons, he cannot sit still, constantly moves, twitches.
• His behavior is not burdened by shyness. Shows disobedience even in unfamiliar places.
• Asks many questions, but does not need an answer. Sometimes he gives an answer without having listened to the whole sentence. During games, it requires everyone to focus on his person.
• Speech accelerated, swallows the endings of words. Often jumps from one action to another, without finishing what he started.
• Restless sleep is one of the hallmarks of a hyperactive child. Nightmares, urinary incontinence occur.
• Constant conflicts with peers prevent you from making friends. He cannot play calmly, interferes with the game of other guys. During lessons, he shouts out from his seat, interferes with his behavior.
• Hyperactive children often do not learn the curriculum of the school course.
• Abnormalities in the work of the brain when processing information. Performing tasks, he often has difficulties.
• It seems that the child does not hear what the adults tell him.
• Absent-minded, loses personal belongings, school supplies, toys.
• Awkwardness in the movements of a hyperactive child is often the cause of injury and damage to things.
• Has problems with fine motor skills: has difficulty buttoning, tying shoelaces, calligraphy.
• Does not respond to comments from adults, prohibitions, punishments ().
• Prone to frequent headaches, there are nervous tics.

Remember, only a doctor can diagnose ADHD. And only if the doctor found 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 ability, poor motivation for learning activities does not allow our inattentive hyperactive children to receive high level education.

If your child has been diagnosed with such a diagnosis, do not be afraid and give up. There is no need to hope that the problem will be solved by itself. A hyperactive child really needs help from parents and recommendations from specialists.

What should a parent of a hyperactive child do?

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

• Take care of your daily routine. Do not forget about daily rituals: systematic reading of bedtime stories or morning exercises will extinguish the excessive overexcitation of the crumbs. Try not to change the regime moments. This will save from evening tantrums, make his sleep calmer.
• Weather in the house. A friendly and non-conflict family relationship will reduce destructive activity. Avoid noisy parties, unexpected guests.
• Sections. Sports activities will direct the energy of the zest in a positive direction. Control the regularity of attending classes, for a hyperactive child this is important. Avoid competitive sports. Better to choose aerobics, skiing, swimming. It has a beneficial effect on the development of thinking of a toddler playing chess. During chess games, both hemispheres work at the same time, which has a positive effect on the development of mental abilities.
• Burst of energy. If the behavior of children does not interfere with those around them, you do not need to restrain them. Let them express their emotions. After such "self-cleaning" the child will become calmer.
• Punishments. When there is a need for educational influences, try not to choose such punishments in which the little one will have to sit still for a long time. This is an impossible task for him.
• Golden mean. No need to put too much pressure on the fidget. Excessive requirements, rigidity in raising a hyperactive child will only harm. But you should beware of unnecessary care for such a baby. Children feel the weakness of adults, they quickly learn to manipulate. Then the upbringing of overly active children becomes uncontrollable.
• Nutrition. Food for such children should be healthy. Eliminate sweets, foods with artificial additives, sausages, convenience foods. You can improve brain function by taking a complex of vitamins in the off-season. Daily menu should contain vegetables, fruits. Be sure to introduce foods containing calcium, iron, magnesium into the diet.
• Superfluous impressions. Crowded places excite a hyperactive toddler. Avoid visiting supermarkets and public transport together.
• TV. Limit TV viewing of aggressive content. However, a couple of good cartoons a day will help. While watching TV, a fidget trains perseverance.
• Promotion. Do not regret words of praise for too active children. It is important for them to realize that they are on their way to conquering negativism.

Treatment and correction of a hyperactive child

There are several practical advice for the treatment of a hyperactive child:

• Massotherapy. The prescribed massage will help relieve muscle tension, soothe the baby, relax it.
• Physiotherapy. Improves the supply of the cerebral cortex with blood electrophoresis with drugs.
• Consulting a psychologist. Play therapy will help to correct behavior and learn how to restrain impulsive impulses. Classes with a psychologist or psychotherapist develop the baby's speech, improve the fine motor skills of the hands of a hyperactive child. With systematic exercise, attention is improved.
• Therapeutic gymnastics, swimming pool. With their help, the nervous system is strengthened, and excess energy goes away.
• Alekseev's technique, autogenous training, Schultz's model. These sets of exercises will be useful for relaxing the muscles, they will help him sleep 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 a hyperactive child:

• Treat the child's manifestations of hyperactivity not as shortcomings, but as features of his character.
• Be prepared that such a kid will not hear your requests the first time, be patient and repeat them several times.
• Don't shout at fidgets. Your excitement will badly affect the little one, he will lose control over his emotions. Better hug the baby to you, pat him gently, then in a low voice ask what happened to him. Repetitive phrases soothe, relax the fidget.
• Music helps to tune the baby to a calm, positive mood. Play a classical piece of music more often, or enroll it in a music school.
• Try not to give the zinger a lot of toys at once. Let your toddler learn to focus on a single subject.
• 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 walls in a neutral color is suitable for this. It should contain favorite things, toys that help him to relieve unnecessary nervousness.
• Watch the child's behavior closely. At the first sign of growing aggression, switch his attention to other activities. Hysterical attacks are easier to stop at the initial stage.

How to calm a hyperactive child?

You can also treat a hyperactive child at home using:

• Medicines... This method should be resorted to last. The doctor may prescribe sedatives based on herbal ingredients. Nootropic drugs have a beneficial effect on metabolic processes in the cerebral cortex, improve memory, attention crumbs. You should not expect quick results from sedatives for hyperactive children, the drugs will take effect only after a few months.
• Relaxing baths... Soothing baths can be used daily before bed. The water temperature should not be higher than 38. Add the extract from hop cones and needles to the water.
• Folk remedies... To relieve stress, 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 formula is given in a six-month course three times a day.

Doctor Komarovsky about a hyperactive child

The famous Ukrainian pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky believes that:

• A child who has problems communicating with friends at school or in kindergarten can be considered hyperactive. If the collective does not accept the toddler, and the school curriculum is not assimilated, then we can talk about the disease.
• In order for the 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 request of the parents.
• You don't need to change your mind. 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 zinger to perform complex tasks. Try to divide this work into simple steps, so you will achieve better results. Use the action plan in pictures.
• Should be praised whenever possible. Even if the little artist has not completely painted the picture, praise him for his accuracy and diligence.
• You need to take care of your own vacation. 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 his parents is very important.

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