A nervous child is noticeable even in kindergarten. He is hyperactive, gets excited quickly and calms down slowly. Moreover, unlike simply active children, nervous ones have a lot of fuss. Their attention quickly switches: they do not know how to listen to fairy tales or play for a long time. Periods of exacerbation occur when a new person appears in the house, the family moves, the environment changes, or when the child is overtired. Since such motor restlessness occurs after head injuries or illnesses, if nervousness is suspected, the child should be shown to a specialist. The medical clinic is attended by experienced pediatric neurologists who carefully examine each child and prescribe effective therapy.
What diseases provoke nervousness?
Only a doctor can accurately determine the cause. Among the most common violations:
- Hyperactivity, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Manifests itself as restlessness, impulsiveness, and tearfulness. Such children violate discipline, sleep poorly, and start speaking late. Problems may develop due to intrauterine complications, difficult labor, or the mother's working conditions during pregnancy. To diagnose the syndrome, doctors conduct hardware and psychological examinations (give tests for attentiveness), and in treatment they rarely use drug therapy, since general recommendations also help a lot: change the communication model, create comfortable conditions for the baby.
- Anxiety. It may manifest itself as isolation, tearfulness, shyness, sleep and appetite disturbances, and strong attachment to the mother. It develops in children who live in unfavorable living conditions or are constantly stressed at school. The condition can be complicated by dizziness, secondary immune deficiency, and can be corrected not only by visiting neurologists, but also by psychologists.
- Neuroses. Children of school age who are given increased workloads are prone to them, sending them additionally to several sections, as well as those who are deprived of maternal care or suffer from overprotection, live in a family where they constantly argue. If this condition is not treated, it can develop into stuttering, tic, and enuresis.
How to deal with nervous excitability in children? Recommendations and tips
How to determine the disease?
The signs of this disease are the following:
1. The child is worried, reacts nervously to a change in position or touching the body 2. Shudder from sharp sounds 3. Arms and legs are subject to tremors 4. The chin shakes while crying, the baby squeals 5. Fists are open when arms are spread to the sides 6. Muscle tone is increased , which leads to irritability in infants 7. When overexcited, the newborn throws his head back 8. Plantar reflexes do not work, the fingers refuse to clench in response to manipulation, they are spread out like a “fan” 9. The baby often lies with his eyes open 10. Slowly gains weight, often burps
Nervousness in a newborn must be eliminated. If the process is started, the syndrome will lead to developmental disorders. Convulsions may appear, the development of motor skills may slow down, and the baby will become overly aggressive or apathetic. The development of hyperactivity, slow speech and development of vocabulary may also be observed.
Reasons for appearance
Nervous excitability in infants manifests itself due to problems in the nervous system during fetal development and after birth. The main role is played by the characteristics of genetics, difficult childbirth, stress during childbearing, taking a number of medications, and early weaning from breastfeeding.
Treatment recommendations
To treat the nervous system, it is recommended to establish a normal sleep pattern, daily routine, walks, and feeding. Any deviation is perceived by the growing organism as external stimuli, which is detrimental to the nervous system of newborns. Constant gymnastics and massage contribute to this. Massage procedures are performed daily at the same time. The preferred time is 30 minutes before meals.
The duration of the first session should be 5 minutes. If the baby shows dissatisfaction, the procedure is stopped. Over time, the child adapts and then the massage lasts up to half an hour. The procedure is performed on a special changing table. Do not massage wounds, joints, or groin area to avoid damage.
While taking baths, infusions of soothing herbs should be poured into the water to help babies sleep. Add string, lemon balm, decoction of coniferous trees, fresh mint, chamomile flowers, and hawthorn to water at a temperature of 36–37 degrees. “Swimming” sessions in the bathtub strengthen the baby’s muscles. Put a special circle on the child and give him freedom - let him splash. The course of taking baths with herbs is 10–15 sessions.
Aromatherapy will also help. It will eliminate increased excitability in the baby. Before using essential oils, you should consult your doctor, as the concentrated product may cause allergies. The course of treatment begins with one or two drops. Pour them into aroma lamps and place them in the room with the baby’s crib. You should not add essential oils to water while taking a bath - it can cause a burn.
The atmosphere at home is also important. Avoid shouting, loud conversations, irritation when communicating, talk with affection and calmness. Take more walks, go for a month with your child to the mountains or the sea. Many mothers ask how to calm a baby down if he doesn’t sleep well? If you have restless sleep, you can temporarily take your baby into your bed or remove the side wall from his crib. Place the cradle next to your bed.
Children with neuro-reflex excitability syndrome may be prescribed drugs to improve blood supply to the brain in the form of tablets or suspensions as a sedative for babies. Prepare a mixture of medicine and breast milk and give it to the baby.
How else to calm a restless baby?
To calm a nervous baby, swaddling and placing in a cradle are suitable. A cradle for babies that calms the nervous system should be comfortable. Bedding and surrounding materials should not cause unpleasant reactions. The child is swaddled, tightly wrapped in a blanket and laid on his side. Create optimal temperature and humidity in the room. Arrange regular ventilation. You can use a salt lamp - it will create the necessary atmosphere of comfort and have a beneficial effect on the microclimate. The lamp is also used if your child is often sick.
Motion sickness is good - in bed, on a chaise longue, fitball or hands. The pacifier is good for helping you fall asleep. Uniform “white” noises from household appliances, classical music or sounds from appliances help set the mood for sleep. Ideally, the mother will hum a lullaby, and the baby will feel safe as he falls asleep.
How doctors can help
First of all, neurologists will examine the child and tell you exactly whether his anxiety is due to a weakness of the nervous system, which is not scary, or caused by a disease that can lead to serious consequences if left untreated. If necessary, in addition to drug therapy (vitamins, brain nutrition drugs and sedatives), the specialist will prescribe physiotherapy:
- pine baths - they help preschool children;
- electrosleep, electrophoresis with boron - they relax;
- massage of the whole body and especially the collar area - it improves cerebral circulation.
For tics, psychocorrection is recommended - hypnosis, auto-training, breathing exercises.
Don't let your child tell you off!
Never let a teenager tell you off. No direct text, no hints. It is very dangerous.
If you allow your teen to send you around, it may seem harmless at first. But over time this will turn into a serious problem. Youth will end. But the child will still send va, because you already allowed him to do it once.
If a child sent you, you will have to have a serious conversation. In a calm voice, say that it is unacceptable to talk to you in this way. The child must understand that he made a mistake. And apologize. Then next time he will not cross this border.
During a conversation, do not shout under any circumstances. And don't insult the child. Because showing emotions will show your weakness.
How to behave as parents
To help a nervous child, parents need to pay more attention to him and create a calm environment at home. It is also important to monitor the child’s sleep and routine: the child should get proper rest on weekends. This is especially important in periods after illness, including colds. There is no point in focusing on his hyperactivity. On the contrary, it is better to keep him busy, give him all possible tasks around the house and not put pressure on him with constant prohibitions. Because of them, the baby can become cowardly, insincere, and not independent.
Let your teenager show his emotions!
Teenagers are people too. They have the right to show emotions. Even if they are too bright and stormy. And you don’t always like them, and sometimes cause aggression.
The fact that a child in adolescence is rude and communicates rudely with you and tries to defend his rights is the norm. Be prepared for the fact that the teenager will try in every possible way to rock the boat within the family.
This manifests itself in the following:
- A child can provoke you into a conflict out of nowhere or in a normal life situation,
- The child creates conflicts himself, involving all family members with his behavior,
- The child with all his actions shows you that he does not recognize authority in his father and mother.
Every growing person needs to go through all these seemingly terrible actions. Only in this way can the process of separation take place. Separation of an adult child from his parents.
As part of this process, the teenager becomes independent. He is learning independence. And exist separately from adults.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to go through the separation process peacefully. Growing up occurs only through conflicts, protests and other seemingly not very pleasant actions. But when adolescence ends, the child becomes calm and begins to behave well again.
Accept calmly that your child is showing emotions.
Simply allowing your teenager to express their emotions is not enough. You must accept them. And don’t be angry that your teenager doesn’t behave the way you personally want.
Don't be offended by your teenager when he:
- I am outraged and offended by some of your words.
- Doesn't listen to your recommendations.
- He gets angry when you say something he doesn't want to hear. Stops talking to you. May slam doors with all his might or show aggression.
- Does not allow adults to enter his personal room without asking. He always asks you to knock.
- He is outraged that you look at or take his personal belongings.
And much more like that. Unfortunately, no teenager has yet matured without such actions. Treat them as calmly as possible. Be understanding. And then the child’s transitional age will pass without unnecessary problems.
If a teenager does not protest, is not rude and behaves the same as before, then this is a serious reason to be wary. Most likely, he has not yet reached puberty. And he has not yet begun to become independent from his parents. This means that he is still a little child at heart.
Misbehavior by a teenager really needs to be treated with restraint. But despite this, you will still have to set boundaries that your teenager should never cross.
Your task is to demonstrate to the teenager that, despite his growing up, nothing changes within the family. You are still the main one in the family. This right is given to you by the status of “mom” and “dad”.
The child must understand that the family hierarchy remains unchanged under any circumstances.
The child must also understand the following: you do not react to his rudeness not because you “bend in.” But because you understand what state he is in now. And why he does what he does.
If your child behaves too harshly and oversteps the established boundaries, respond in response. You really don't need to respond to your teenager's usual screams and tantrums. However, if a child begins to insult you, then give him a verbal rebuff. Put it back in its place. And tell him not to overstep his bounds.
Despite adolescence, a teenager must remember that parents have authority. And that they should not be insulted under any circumstances.
Don't insult the child!
To calmly wait out adolescence, parents need very strong nerves. It is very difficult to respond to a child's words and actions without screaming. In moments of conflict, you really want to offend a teenager.
However, we do not recommend doing this. Abusive words will not bear fruit. The only thing they will do is hurt the child. They will cause him another protest. And they can also lower his self-esteem.
Remember that adolescence will pass sooner or later. The child will begin to behave as before. And the words you said during this period will be stored in your memory. If bad statements come from your mouth, your teenager may remember them for the rest of his life. And he will become an insecure young man.
On any issue, try to come to an agreement with the teenager.
Some teenagers behave rudely because they want to achieve a certain decision in their favor. Make sure that parents take into account their interests, listen and agree with the teenager’s thoughts.
Before you can negotiate with your child, you need to change your behavior. Realize that the teenager has already grown up. He is a full-fledged person. This means that you need to take his interests into account when communicating.
We recommend that you communicate with your child periodically. And talk not only about school topics, but generally show interest in any moments of the child’s life. In order to get rid of conflict situations and subsequently establish a trusting relationship with the child.
Therefore, we recommend that you take your teenager's opinion into account. Be mindful of his needs. Try to find compromises on any issues. In general, do everything to ensure that the dialogue takes place.
You need to do the following:
- Ask how your child wants to spend the weekend. If he wants to go somewhere with you.
- Ask if your child would like to go somewhere for extracurricular activities. Offer him options. And let him choose what he likes on his own.
- Ask if your child would like to go with you to visit friends. Or wants to stay at home.
- Your job is to ask about any activities that affect the child in any way. Under no circumstances should you confront him with a fact. Otherwise, it will provoke another conflict.
We wish you a speedy end to adolescence. All parents go through this and there is no other way. You will need strong nerves, patience and a good mood! Remember that soon the child’s boorish attitude will pass. And the situation will normalize, and having maintained a calm and even relationship and trust on the part of the child, he will trust you with his deepest secrets, share his life experience and ask for advice in any situations that are unusual for him!
