How to protect a child from insane parents: the Ministry of Internal Affairs and psychiatrists disagree

Children experience various mental disorders: schizophrenia, epilepsy, depression, neuroses and exogenous brain lesions. However, these diseases also develop in adults, although the symptoms are slightly different. Therefore, we will analyze mental disorders specific to childhood and adolescence: childhood autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, nervous tics, mental retardation, disorders of psychological development, mixed emotional disorders and impairment of social functioning.

The most common mental disorders in children

Mental disorders in children are a unique group of diseases that are formed as a result of disturbances in emotional development. These may include minor problems that can be easily corrected, as well as more serious processes that limit the life of the baby. The severity, reversibility and characteristics of the course of such an illness largely depend on the age characteristics of the baby and on the stage at which the problem was discovered.

Often, mental disorders go unnoticed and untreated due to the inattention of parents or their fear of showing the child to a doctor. Subsequently, most of the phenomena are accompanied by registration with a psychiatrist or neurologist. Plus, all this is associated with a long period of treatment and long-term difficult rehabilitation, and this entails additional time expenditure for parents and the child himself. In fact, the sooner a disease is detected, the more quickly measures will be taken to treat it.

The list of ailments that are characterized by disorders of a child’s mental development is small and includes only 4 classes of deviations. Each of them involves certain variants of the course, causes and symptoms:

• mental retardation;
• early autism in children;
• ZPR;
• attention deficit syndrome.

Most often, these diseases are typical for preschool children. The sooner they are diagnosed, the greater the chance of complete relief from these pathologies. To do this, you need to know the description of each of them.

Psychologist, psychotherapist and psychiatrist. Who to contact?

When a person experiences mental health problems and disorders, it is not necessary to immediately consult a psychiatrist. It is enough to find a good psychologist, because an experienced specialist will immediately determine the need for more serious treatment. If this is not necessary, ordinary consultations will help. Most residents of our country do not even understand what the difference is between a psychologist, psychotherapist and psychiatrist. The help of each of these specialists is perceived as a personal shame.

• A psychologist is a specialist who has a humanities education and in no way belongs to medicine. He works with mentally healthy people who have found themselves in difficult life situations, are experiencing a period of acute grief, and also have some problems in behavior and self-perception. The main mechanism of a psychologist’s work is counseling without the use of medications.
• A psychotherapist is a specialist who has a medical education and has the right to prescribe medication. First of all, he uses consultations in the form of confidential conversations in a group or individual format. A psychotherapist is able to put a person into a trance state, conduct auto-training and other psychological techniques.
• A psychiatrist is a specialist with a higher medical education. He can work in a specialized clinic or in a psychoneurological dispensary. Such a doctor provides medical assistance for severe mental disorders and psychopathologies. A psychiatrist has the right to prescribe medication, conduct compulsory hospitalization and an official examination, and also give an opinion on the state of mental health.

Seeing a psychiatrist or other specialist who treats mental disorders does not mean that the person is truly ill. If the psychiatrist understands that there is no need for his services, he will refer the patient to a psychologist or psychotherapist. If a psychologist notices the need for an in-depth study of the disorder, which involves treatment, including medication, he will advise you to consult a psychotherapist or psychiatrist. In general, the activities of these specialists overlap.

Attention Deficit Disorder

This is a significant deviation in behavioral and neurological response. Most often, the disease makes itself felt in infancy during the development and progression of the disease of the central nervous system in case of brain damage, as well as due to genetic predisposition. Signs of the syndrome appear in the form of various changes, depending on the type of disease. There are three varieties in total.

Impulsive type

A child suffering from such a disorder will behave excessively impulsively, hot-tempered and active. He constantly wants to move, he cannot sit in one place for a minute. The child is in a hurry and cannot finish the job he has started.

Such a child is distinguished by his behavior in a group of people: he cannot play team games, because he constantly switches his attention to other things. The kid can ignore prohibitions and go where it is extremely dangerous. Similar behavior manifests itself in sleep: the child spins, behaves restlessly, and throws off the blanket.

Mostly inattentive type

Children suffering from this disease cannot concentrate on one subject/issue. They are unable to concentrate on the object, which interferes with rational planning and high-quality execution of tasks. Sometimes it seems to parents that the baby does not hear or listen at all to what they tell him.

In fact, it is difficult for a baby to collect everything he hears into a single picture and draw the right conclusion. At the same time, he understands everything perfectly, but is turned inward. A distinctive feature of such children is a tendency to constantly lose personal belongings and a reluctance to solve problems that involve mental stress.

Combined type

This type of attention disorder is the most common in practice.
It includes all previous types of disease and its symptoms. Therefore, a child who suffers from such an illness is inattentive and very active. Since the symptoms are very pronounced, recognizing them is extremely easy and simple:

• easy excitability;
• agitation;
• quick distraction from business;
• inability to concentrate;
• the desire to interrupt the interlocutor;
• absent-mindedness;
• talkativeness;
• the desire to constantly do something.

This disease appears due to genetic predisposition, diseases of the brain and central nervous system.

Requests for help Write your story Hello! I realized a long time ago that people with a simple, easy life don’t come here. So too, life has brought me to my knees and won’t let me get up. When you cook like we do, you want to help everyone, but a well-fed person is no friend to a hungry person! If you describe your difficult life, it will take a lot of time. Everything is as it should be - difficulties at school, sickly, unattractive, few friends, betrayals, spent my entire childhood in hospitals... a tyrant father. Then after school it became easier, I learned how to do beautiful makeup, I did my own hair from the 7th grade... I even started to like guys. I don’t know how to be friends, but they always betrayed me and wiped my feet. University, marriage, birth of a son, happiness…. not long, no place to live, my son has terrible allergies (eczema), he was also diagnosed with asthma, quarrels with parents, lack of money - it was very difficult. I was looking for healing for my baby, I sewed at night for everyone (by the age of 90) there was no place to buy it. And my husband survived in his own way - he started hanging around women and mocking me. I didn’t want to get a divorce... but after my next prank, I put his things out in the entrance. Crawling on my knees, tears, I forgave, in vain, half a year later, my aunt again, only different. Divorce... It was very difficult for me to bear. Because all my life I dreamed of leaving my father, but I stayed back in the same place, with my sick son. Betrayal…. She began to work a lot, without ceasing to treat her son, read literature, strengthened him, took him to the sea, gave him to sports in spite of the doctors’ prohibitions. The boy began to straighten out. I studied well. There were also successes in sports, they began to forget about the sores. I had men, but nothing serious worked out, because in any case my son would not have been comfortable... and I gave birth to him, not to send him to my grandmother... I went on disability myself, but worked a lot. I couldn’t get alimony (I never thought that this would affect me) and I raised my son myself. It seemed like I could breathe! No! If only I knew that those difficulties were little flowers compared to what lay ahead. During adolescence, my son began to develop fears and thoughts that defied logic. At first, we didn’t even attach any importance... Then I became more afraid of everything; school, tests, my training, where I was successful, panic attacks appeared. I started visiting doctors and grandmothers. Fears attacked so much that I studied at home during my last grades. It is impossible to describe the horrors that we had to endure. How to explain to teachers that he is not schizophrenic, he is adequate to a certificate from a psychiatric hospital. Those who have not experienced this will never understand. So the battle with fears (windmills) began. Entered the university, breakdown... hospital, academic. They tried to keep him in his sport by any means, because when there was an exacerbation, he didn’t need anything - he gave up everything, and it was impossible to convince him that when the exacerbation passed, he could continue everything. I continued, after a while I had another breakdown... Exacerbations last 6 months or longer. I finished university brilliantly, we didn’t even think it would work out. That today - my only son, smart, athletic, handsome, mentally ill. Now there is another exacerbation, he quit his business, quit his job, is trying to leave his girlfriend (actually his wife), because he is already an adult, and the conditions are repeated, he feels worthless. There were suicide attempts. I left my favorite job. I'm trying to save his business, but everything is falling apart. I've been in hospitals - it doesn't help. The psychologist, who seemed to be competent, carried the money for 5 months, and I heard from my son at once, “You and I need to learn to live with obsessive thoughts,” how much longer to walk to see the result? We don’t go, we have no money. Once in this state we flew to the sea in the summer, I thought it would be easier for him there, but it was even worse. I took him to holy places and turned to God. Well, I don’t feel that the Lord is near, that he hears. I was looking for a hypnologist, but I couldn’t find one. I begin to lose faith and give up. They say that you are given strength, but you no longer have the strength. Or it’s given for something, I rethought my life, asked for forgiveness, now I’m trying to live differently..... After all, all the organs in the body are healthy, but because of the psyche we are losing a guy, I don’t see any way out of this situation. In the latest exacerbation, he talks about death all the time, threatens to do something to himself. We have hidden knives, forks, scissors, pills…. But I won’t board up the windows on the balcony. In fact, he doesn’t want to die, but it’s impossible to live when thoughts attack his head. For 10 months now I have been living in fear for him, I’m afraid of phone calls... my boy is not getting better, but only getting worse. Here is my life on my knees... My hands have given up, sometimes I cry for days, praying to GOD, the Universe, who decided for us that my son should suffer like this. I want to appeal to all caring people who have at least somehow touched this or have gone through this themselves, maybe they have been healed, I ask for help, because I feel that I am losing him. Maybe someone has learned how to relieve panic attacks themselves!? share!

Violet, age: 45 / 06/15/2016

Responses:

I sympathize with you and oh how I understand. My older sister got sick when I was 5-6 years old. Also hospitals, pills, grandmothers, churches. Schizophrenia. No remission for 15 years. Calm. Lives with parents. You do everything to save your child. At least don't blame yourself for this. This is the psyche, and it turned the way it turned. Try to fight obsessive thoughts and tell him in every possible way how much you love him and how smart, handsome, and good he is. And let the girl support him in the same way. I think competent people will write a lot to you here. I am very sorry for everyone who faces such grief. Hang in there. I'm with you in my thoughts.

…. , age: …….. / 06/15/2016

Hello. Please look at the article about obsessive thoughts: https://www.pobedish.ru/main/who?id=38 I heard that such conditions can intensify after a person has gone to psychics, witches, grandmothers, and fortune tellers. Because a person’s soul is not protected, he does not believe in God, and gives himself voluntarily to evil forces. And these are the consequences. Then the reason is spiritual. If the reason is a mental state, then you need the help of a good psychiatrist; you can’t cope without a real specialist; most likely, you need drug treatment. But only competent ones. I don’t think a psychologist can help in this case. It seems to me that we need to go to church - to confess, to receive communion. And do not neglect the help of doctors. If the Lord wills, your son can recover. And to you - patience and strength. Pray for your son, that the Lord will preserve him. A mother's prayer can do a lot. Under no circumstances should you turn to hypnologists. If you are a believer, you must understand this. Sometimes, unwittingly, in our desire to help, we can also do harm. I had such fears, but after communion and confession everything went away gradually. I hope that everything will be fine for you too.

Olya, age: 42 / 06/15/2016

Hello, Violet. I sympathize with you very much... Don't blame yourself, please, you do absolutely everything and even more. It's not your fault. The girl knows about his trouble, so she won’t go anywhere. She knows, loves him and understands that this is temporary. In fact, I really want to help you, but I don’t even know how... Pray for him. God hears all prayers. Everything is in his hands. You have strength, patience and God's mercy.

Alisa, age: 27 / 06/15/2016

Hello! I sympathize with you very much. As a child, I had panic attacks, fears and obsessive thoughts, but everything went away after adolescence. Family support, sedatives, a psychologist (it is very important to find one) and work helped me. I wish health to your son, strength and patience to you. Hold on!

Irina, age: 28 / 06/15/2016

Hello! I read your story and couldn’t pass it up. I am also mentally ill. From what you wrote, I concluded that you are a good mother, because... looking for a way out. My mother waved her hand at me. I have to deal with all this alone. Is your son taking medications prescribed by a psychiatrist? As a rule, when taken regularly, they lead to stable remission. Go to a forum for people with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. disorders. There's a lot of information there on your topic. Now your task is to put your son into remission and only after that you can think about sports, personal and professional life. Don't set the bar high for him. We need to lower our expectations. You should definitely tell your doctor about suicidal thoughts. He will prescribe antidepressants. Get your act together and take action. All the best to you.

Lena, age: 27 / 06/15/2016

Hello, Violet! I can imagine how your son is suffering, because I went through this myself. There is an exit! I would immediately recommend to you Lucinda Bassett’s book “Don’t Panic!” She REALLY helped me find the strength to fight. When you know that you are not the only one (and there are many people with such problems), it becomes much easier. The author of this book suffered from a serious anxiety disorder for half her life and was able to overcome it herself (with the help of God). My situation was a little different. These conditions began after I began going to fortune-tellers and removing the damage that my husband’s former friend seemed to have cast on me. For the first time, depression fell upon me (as it seemed to me out of the blue at the time, I had not yet connected this with going to fortune-tellers). I went to church, but I didn’t immediately feel relief and somehow I probably lost faith. I went to several psychiatrists, tried different antidepressants, one began to help a little, but the condition was still terrible. Thoughts about suicide began to appear. At the same time, I worked at a good job. Ultimately, after about a year of torment, in desperation, I found prayers for depression on this site and began reading them first thing every day when I came to work. I just didn’t see a way out anymore. Probably because the time had come, or I finally had faith, but exactly two weeks later everything went away for me. Then after about another week I found out that I was pregnant. A similar condition (though not as strong as the first time) recurred to me a year ago. Fears, obsessive thoughts, anxiety, insomnia. And I can guess why... When we go to fortune tellers, turn to dark forces, we give them access to our soul, this often leads to similar states. The Lord heard me for the first time, but when I recovered, I began to move away from Him again. My husband and I quarreled a lot after the birth of our son; there was a lot of anger and irritation. And this is all fertile ground for these darkest forces. And from a psychological point of view, everything is quite understandable. But this time I immediately and with faith began to pray to God and immediately felt that I was getting better. Of course, I went to a psychiatrist, because drug treatment should also not be neglected, but I can’t say that I felt that the pills were helping me a lot. But prayer, confession and communion (I began to participate in the Sacraments regularly) really helped me and every time I felt better. And now everything is over, thank God! I hope it won't happen again. I'm going to church. I think that your son does not have schizophrenia, but an anxiety disorder. It can be treated, you just need to find something that suits him. For example, no techniques helped me. Only a positive attitude, prayer, Communion. I sincerely wish your son a speedy recovery! More strength and patience to you! You will succeed!

RUSal'ka, age: 27 / 06/15/2016

May God help you! May God grant you and your family happiness, health, love, vitality, patience, endurance! Hold on!

Mikhail, age: 24/06/15/2016

Violet, read the latest materials at this link: https://www.pobedish.ru/main/depress

Elena, age: 59 / 06/15/2016

Thanks everyone for your responses! Olya and Lena, maybe I didn’t put it that way somehow, my son has been treated by a psychiatrist for more than 10 years, they don’t diagnose schizophrenia, but a disorder, dysmorphophobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and something else there. And if an exacerbation has begun, then no antidepressants help, with sedatives he sleeps, wakes up and begins... He is not calm, when it comes, he can run away, etc. Our psychiatrist is competent, I have heard only positive reviews about him. But nothing helps my son , the doctor himself is even angry. They also did ST, it was worse. Now he is soon being discharged from the psychiatrist hospital, he has become worse, but the doctor prescribes it, as if I were paying for everything. Is it possible!?

Violet, age: 45 / 06/15/2016

No one has diagnosed me for the 5th year. The tests are contradictory, the diagnoses are different. The organs are also fine, so the situation is a little similar to your son. But I ask you not to give up, no matter how hard it is. Hang in there. The psyche is the plague of the 21st century, the scourge of modern man. My mother also suffers every day because of me, and sometimes I can’t hold back my tears myself. Tell him how much you love him, be more close to him. And everything will be fine with you. Believe it!

Andrey, age: 24/06/16/2016

Hello. I'll just share my situation. I had obsessive thoughts that haunted me for several years; this happened in adolescence. Having tried to share this problem with my loved ones, I came across misunderstanding, and after that I was simply afraid to talk about it, so as not to be considered crazy. So I lived with them, although it was unbearable. But I got rid of them simply. One day, having suffered from them, I was so tired that I decided for myself (rather, it was a prayer) that I would trust my life to God - and if the Lord God wills, then let what I was so afraid of happen. You won’t believe it, fears and obsessive thoughts immediately went away! After all, this is the very security where all these obsessive thoughts are deprived of any power. A few more years later, I also encountered panic attacks, the reasons for which lay in excessive self-obsession, egocentrism, desire and inability to control certain events in my life. Confession and Communion helped me. Maybe you should try contacting an Orthodox psychologist? Please don't despair. And along with drug treatment, do not abandon the Sacraments. On the contrary, ignore all kinds of occultism, because this will only worsen the spiritual condition. Be sure to pray for your son. I wish you and your son good health. May the Lord protect him.

Lola, age: 29/06/16/2016

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Autism

This is a complex and poorly understood disease, which is quite rare in practice. Its cunning lies in the fact that it is not always possible to immediately notice signs of defeat. Moreover, sometimes parents and doctors attribute characteristic manifestations to characteristics of age. The key symptom of the disease is the inability to build relationships with other people, a tendency to loneliness, and the inability to share one’s own feelings and emotions.

Such children have difficulty breaking up with old habits and do not want to bring something new into their lives (for example, change their daily routine). Sometimes even a banal haircut at a hairdresser or rearranging furniture in an apartment traumatizes their psyche. Therefore, a sick child strives to constantly maintain the same environment. Due to the lack of communication skills, problems with speech function may develop.

Autism is a disease whose nature is not fully understood, so determining the true cause of its manifestation is problematic. Most scientists suggest that the problem is related to a disorder in the development of the central nervous system.

The manifestation of early childhood autism can be corrected, but for this it is necessary to contact experienced specialists (speech therapists, psychiatrists, pediatricians) who can easily establish contact with the baby, and classes are conducted in various areas - psyche, behavior, speech development.

Reasons for development

Scientists have put forward a large number of hypotheses regarding the causative factors in the development of this disease, their total number is 30. All of them contribute to the progression of the disease, but none of them can act as an independent cause.

It is known that most often the manifestation of symptoms occurs in connection with a congenital pathology based on a deficiency of the central nervous system. It is formed due to genetic predisposition, abnormalities of chromosomal composition, disorders of nervous function in the case of pathological pregnancy or complicated childbirth.

How to help

In any case, we need a clearly structured service for psychiatric care and rehabilitation of patients who have completed a course of treatment in a hospital and returned home. Moreover, this help is not only medical - the work of psychotherapists, psychologists, teachers, social workers with such patients is no less important.

To understand how this can work, I go to the north of Moscow, to the medical rehabilitation department (MRO) of psychoneurological dispensary No. 19, a branch of PKB No. 4 named after. P.B. Gannushkina, led by Olesya Shagarova. They work here in such a way that many people who have lost their lives due to illness, who have refused to communicate for years, find friends, activities they like, and some even work.

“Our department is two years old,” says psychiatrist Sergei Vetoshkin to the head of the department. — We work on the principle of a day hospital: our patients come to us in the morning. Now we have about 50 people. In addition to contact with a doctor and drug therapy, they will receive classes - individually and in groups with a psychologist and social educator.

Impaired mental function

In case of progression of mental retardation, the child’s personality is extremely immature, and the psyche develops at a very slow pace. The cognitive sphere, as well as the behavioral reaction, is impaired. When establishing a prognosis, it is worth paying special attention to the causes of the disease, as well as paying attention to some signs of pathology.

It is important to organize training and educational activities in a timely manner, which will smooth out the main symptoms of the disease and bring the child’s health to normal. It is especially important to provide comprehensive rehabilitation and involve several specialists in the treatment process at once - a speech therapist, a psychiatrist, a pediatrician. Daily homework behavior with parents plays an important role for the overall development of the baby.

Mental retardation

This pathology is otherwise referred to as mental retardation. It implies certain groups of diseases with different etiologies and pathogenesis.

However, all of them are formed due to insufficient development of the psyche. The disease has a broad classification and includes a large number of forms:

• weakly expressed variety (moronicity);
• average form (imbecility);
• strong degree (idiocy).

Currently, the most commonly used classification picture of the disease is in accordance with IQ parameters.

• mild degree – 50-70 points;
• moderate mental retardation – 30-50 points;
• severe form – 20-35 points;
• deep variety - less than 20 point units.

This problem can be solved in an exclusively comprehensive way, by choosing a careful approach to each area of ​​personal development.

Schizophrenia

As this disease progresses, certain personality changes occur, which can usually be manifested by a depletion of the emotional background, a decrease in energy level, and a loss of unity of mental options. Among the most common clinical signs in preschoolers are the following features:

• rare crying (in infancy), lack of reaction to wet diapers and awakened appetite;
• unreasonable fear alternating with absolute fearlessness;
• the emergence of a state of motor depression or, conversely, excitation;
• stereotypical behavior.

Schoolchildren with this disease often experience the following symptomatic manifestations:

• speech disorders and frequent use of stereotypical expressions;
• change in the child’s vocal functions (from screaming he can suddenly switch to whispering, singing);
• illogical thinking;
• a penchant for philosophizing, wisdom, talking about the end of the world, something sublime;
• auditory, tactile, visual hallucinations;
• somatic gastric disorders.

Schizophrenia can also be observed at a more conscious age; it is characterized by obsessive fear, absent-mindedness, a state of delirium, and affective disorders.

Statistics of mental illness in Russia

About 40% of Russians have signs of mental health problems. The most common are phobias, obsessive disorders, panic attacks and stress disorders. Approximately 10% of Russian residents suffer from depression of varying severity. An estimated 20% experience an eating disorder, including:

• anorexia
• orthorexia
• obesity (overeating)
• bulimia

According to research results, from 2 to 3% of the population of our country suffer from a severe mental illness called schizophrenia. The diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder is observed by psychiatrists in 7% of Russians.

At the same time, an inexplicable paradox occurs in the statistics of Russian medicine. Research has shown that the number of patients who were placed on treatment or registered has decreased markedly over the past few years. From 1995 to 2014, the number of patients with various diagnoses confirming a mental disorder decreased by more than 50%. Experts try to explain such phenomena with the following reasons:

• changing parameters in the diagnosis of mental diseases
• removal of strict restrictions on dispensary registration in psychiatric clinics
• evolution of the disease
• lack of opportunity for patients to seek help

According to professionals, the most significant factor in the current situation is the change in the morbidity structure. Severe psychopathologies have decreased, but mild forms of mental disorders have increased many times over. It is possible that such events are associated with the growing popularity of psychological consultations and trainings. Still, since the 90s, many Russians have recognized the need to visit a psychologist’s office. Today, in many educational institutions, full-time psychologists are actively working. They monitor the condition of children and adolescents, providing timely support during difficult periods of life. Perhaps for this reason, the number of patients with mental disorders under the age of 18 has decreased markedly.

Causes of developmental disorders in children

Mental illnesses in children are of an unexplored nature, so it is problematic to name the exact causes of their occurrence. However, there are several factors that increase the likelihood of developing neuropsychiatric disorders in children.

These disorders are:

• congenital diseases of the brain and central nervous system;
• complex pathological pregnancy or damage during childbirth;
• genetic predisposition and hereditary factors;
• unfavorable microclimate in the family in which the child is growing up;
• the presence of acute and chronic pathologies in parents;
• injuries;
• lack of proper attention given to the child.

As you can see, the causes can be very different. If these factors are present (as well as if any manifestations of the disease are detected in the child), parents should show the baby to the doctor.

Symptoms of mental disorders in children

Symptoms of mental disorders in children vary depending on the form and degree of deviation. Also, the symptomatic picture in one-year-old children, preschool children, primary school students and adolescents is different.

But, in general, there are several general signs that a child is sick and urgently needs treatment. They can be classified into the following groups:

• apathy (decreased interest in the outside world), alternating with increased activity;
• an inexplicable feeling of fear;
• inability to concentrate;
• obsession syndrome;
• illogicality and inconsistency of thoughts;
• a tendency toward a melancholic mood and philosophizing;
• hallucinations;
• anxiety;
• insomnia and drowsiness.

All this suggests that the children’s nerves are not in order, and it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor. The sooner the disease is diagnosed and the signs of a mental disorder are recognized, the sooner treatment measures can be taken and the condition improved. They are accompanied by physical symptoms, which include the following aspects: dizziness and pain, stomach and intestinal disorders. Also, children suffering from mental illness may exhibit other ailments.

General signs

If a child has a mental disorder, it is quite difficult to detect it. Firstly, it is necessary to know exactly the symptoms, and secondly, to take into account associated factors and circumstances. Naturally, it is very difficult for parents to connect all this with each other, so there is no need to study the symptoms of all mental disorders. It is enough just to know the behavioral disorders that are typical for a child of a certain age. If you observe them at a given age, this indicates the presence of deviations. What type of abnormality this is, how it is treated and how it is diagnosed can be identified later. The main thing at this stage is to realize that there is a deviation and it requires treatment.

The disorder in children aged 2 years is characterized by passivity. A baby at this age is usually very active and is interested in everything. If you notice that your child behaves insecurely, is afraid of a lot of things and, in principle, avoids the world around him, then you need to contact a specialist.

At the age of 3 years, disorders can manifest themselves as moodiness, reluctance to obey adults, increased vulnerability, fatigue, and irritability. At this age, it is very important not to suppress the child’s activity, because this can lead to a deficit in emotional experience, and this in turn can provoke autism and speech disorders.

At the age of 4 years, disorders manifest themselves in stubbornness, protest, and psychogenic breakdowns. The child experiences tension and sensitivity to the emotions of others, which can provoke frustration. If you notice that at this age a child begins to react too sharply and aggressively to something, then you need to consult a specialist.

At the age of 5 years, pathologies are manifested by too rapid mental development, in comparison with peers, and the emergence of interests of a specific orientation. The child may also lose skills that he or she already possessed. He may start playing meaningless games, stop using new words that he already knows, give up role-playing games, and become sloppy.

At the age of 7 years, pathologies are characterized by sleep disturbances, appetite, increased fatigue, dizziness, decreased performance, a tendency to phobias, and overwork. However, we must understand that at this age the child is a little unstable, because he is preparing for school. Natural nervousness should not be mistaken for some kind of deviation if it does not go beyond normal boundaries.

Types of diagnostics of deviations in child development

There are a large number of diagnostic techniques that will help explain the manifestation of certain symptoms of mental disorders in children.

Psychological, medical and pedagogical consultations

The target function of the PMPC is an integrated approach to studying the child’s health status, provided by several specialists. This group includes a social worker, psychologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, speech pathologist, speech therapist, and nurse. During the activities, the history of the young patient is carefully studied, and appropriate conclusions are made.

Survey

This is an important stage in the overall mechanism of helping a child with certain mental developmental disabilities. However, in practice, due to the lack of a comprehensive analysis in the presence of such diseases, the task is not completely fulfilled. This factor negatively affects the further therapeutic process.

Medical diagnostics

This event, first of all, includes an examination to collect anamnestic data, as well as to assess the neurological, mental and somatic condition of the baby. The goal is to evaluate the nervous system and find ways to influence it in case of abnormalities.

Mental analysis

This method involves paying attention to the living conditions and upbringing of the baby, as well as the nature of communication. The study of this functionality always implies taking into account the age characteristics and development of the child as a whole. At the same time, an assessment is made of the state of attention, perception, memory, and intellectual picture.

Piece work

Sergey Vetoshkin, psychiatrist

Our main goal is to ensure that the condition of a mentally ill person improves and is stable in order to reduce the risk of hospitalization with exacerbations or deterioration in a psychiatric hospital. That is, our patients must be able to live independently and take care of themselves - this is the minimum task. And the maximum task is to socialize a person so that he can work and live an ordinary life. The department operates on a multiprofessional principle: a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, psychologist, and social worker are involved in rehabilitation work. Each patient has an individual approach, or as it is now fashionable to say, personalized. You can always help, but another thing is that patients and their relatives do not always know about it. We set out to fill this information vacuum, looked through our Runet, and realized: there is little available information on psychorehabilitation, it is scattered. This is how the idea was born to make a convenient and visual website where you can see both our work methods and results.

Psychiatry is currently undergoing fundamental changes in its model of care. The emphasis is shifting from inpatient care to outpatient care. In Moscow, for example, out of 17 psychiatric hospitals, three remain, plus a neurosis clinic and a specialized children's hospital. This means that we need to more actively develop alternative types of care, hospital-replacing technologies. But so far, in my opinion, day hospitals and medical rehabilitation departments like ours are not enough.

*This is an expanded version of the text published in the issue of “RG”

Treatment

Children with disabilities can only be treated with complex treatment, which includes:

• full examination in a specialized medical office;
• use of a complex of medications (painkillers and other drugs);
• continuous work with parents and teachers;
• physiotherapy;
• traditional methods;
• relaxation and manual therapy;
• preventive actions.

If a child has a mental disorder, you should not assume that taking certain medications will immediately make the child feel better. Treatment of children is a long, responsible and painstaking process that requires an enormous amount of time. Doctors say that parents who discover any abnormalities in their child should urgently and as quickly as possible show him to a specialist.

Another key task of the mother and father is to help him adapt to society and constantly engage in developmental activities at home. Only the help of parents and a competent psychologist in combination with other specialists can provide support in the full development of the child’s personality.

By the way, educational games, which can be purchased in a specialized store, are an excellent help in the treatment and prevention of such diseases - link.

Made it to the theater

By the way, from such mini-skits, regularly performed in classes with a psychologist, a year ago... theater was born in the department. “This is our know-how. The patients themselves suggested organizing it,” says Inna. — Psychological sketch theater — we play out different life stories, psychological problems. Patients write scripts themselves, act themselves, and now they have even started filming them. About 40 people have already attended theater classes. Someone was treated and left. Someone got a job. There were those who tried it and didn’t like it. But the core - 24 people - became friends. They communicate outside the dispensary, visit each other, celebrate birthdays. And you won’t believe that these were people snatched from life by illness.”

Of this group of the most active, half have never been hospitalized over the past year—there have been no exacerbations of the disease. Seven got jobs. “And now we’re getting four of us into college. This is the result,” says Inna Zvyagelskaya.

Parents

The formation of a child’s personality primarily occurs in the family. It is from the family that his journey into this world begins, therefore the mother and father are the first people responsible for the physical and mental health of their baby.

It should be understood that mental disorders can occur at any age, so for the purpose of prevention, you should regularly show the baby to specialized specialists. The article discussed the main questions regarding the most common childhood mental disorders, as well as the answers to them.

Why is the percentage of mental illnesses growing in Russia?

In just a couple of years, the number of people receiving disability due to mental health has increased by 13%. Experts who study this problem draw disappointing conclusions. For fear of appearing insolvent and abnormal in the eyes of society, people cannot seek help from a psychologist or psychotherapist in a timely manner. Subsequently, this leads to serious mental disorders that require long-term psychotherapy and medication. Moreover, not every patient manages to get into the hands of professionals in time. Late seeking help or completely ignoring the disease leads to disastrous results. If in the West, working with a psychoanalyst is a sign of success and material wealth, then the Russian mentality perceives such help as a confession of weakness. Russians are ashamed to accept problems associated with mental health. Such silence often leads to prolonged depression, and in severe cases, even suicide.