Nervous tic– a type of hyperkinesis ( violent movements), which is a short-term, stereotyped, normally coordinated, but inappropriately performed movement of a certain muscle group, occurring suddenly and repeated many times. A nervous tic is characterized as an irresistible desire to perform a certain action, and although the child is aware of the very presence of a tic, he is unable to prevent its occurrence.
According to recent studies, up to 25% of children of primary school age suffer from nervous tics, and boys are affected three times more often than girls. Often this disease does not cause serious harm to the child’s health and goes away without a trace with age, so only 20% of children with nervous tics seek specialized medical help. However, in some cases, a nervous tic can have very pronounced manifestations, cause serious harm to the physical and psycho-emotional state of the child and manifest itself at an older age. In such cases, the help of a specialist doctor is necessary.
A nervous tic can be motor or vocal ( voice).
Motor tics are:
- blinking an eye/eyes;
- frowning forehead;
- grimacing;
- wrinkling of the nose;
- lip biting;
- twitching of the head, arm or leg.
- sniffling;
- coughing;
- snort;
- hiss.
- Nervous tic, unlike other types obsessive movements, is either not realized by the child, or is realized as physiological need.
- When tics appear, the child himself long time may not notice them without experiencing any discomfort, and the reason for contacting a doctor is the parents’ concern.
- A nervous tic can be suppressed by the child’s willpower for a short time ( A couple of minutes). At the same time, nervous tension increases and soon the nervous tic resumes with greater force, and new tics may appear.
- A nervous tic can involve several muscle groups at once, giving it the appearance of a targeted, coordinated movement.
- Nervous tics only appear when you are awake. In a dream, the child does not show any signs of illness.
- Such famous personalities as Mozart and Napoleon suffered from nervous tics.
Innervation of facial muscles
To understand the mechanism of occurrence of a nervous tic, certain knowledge from the field of anatomy and physiology is required. This section will describe the physiology of skeletal muscles, since it is their contraction that occurs during a nervous tic, as well as anatomical features innervation of facial muscles ( Most often, nervous tics in children affect facial muscles).Pyramidal and extrapyramidal systems
All voluntary human movements are controlled by certain nerve cells ( neurons), located in the motor zone of the cerebral cortex - in the precentral gyrus. The collection of these neurons is called the pyramidal system.In addition to the precentral gyrus, motor zones are distinguished in other parts of the brain - in the frontal cortex, in the subcortical formations. The neurons of these zones are responsible for coordination of movements, stereotypical movements, maintenance muscle tone and are called the extrapyramidal system.
Each voluntary movement involves contraction of some muscle groups and simultaneous relaxation of others. However, a person does not think about which muscles need to be contracted and which ones to relax in order to make a certain movement - this happens automatically, thanks to the activity of the extrapyramidal system.
The pyramidal and extrapyramidal systems are inextricably linked with each other and with other areas of the brain. Research recent years It has been established that the occurrence of nervous tics is associated with increased activity of the extrapyramidal system.
Nerves innervating facial muscles
The contraction of skeletal muscle is preceded by the formation of a nerve impulse in the motor neurons of the precentral gyrus. The resulting impulse is carried along nerve fibers to each muscle human body, causing it to contract.Each muscle receives motor nerve fibers from specific nerves. The facial muscles receive motor innervation primarily from facial nerve (n. Facialis) and also, in part, from trigeminal nerve (n. Trigeminus), which innervates the temporalis and masticatory muscles.
The area of innervation of the facial nerve includes:
- forehead muscles;
- orbicularis orbitalis muscle;
- cheek muscles;
- nasal muscles;
- lip muscles;
- orbicularis oris muscle;
- zygomatic muscles;
- subcutaneous muscle of the neck;
Synapse
In the area of contact between the nerve fiber and the muscle cell, a synapse is formed - a special complex that ensures the transmission of a nerve impulse between two living cells.The transmission of nerve impulses occurs through certain chemical substances– mediators. A mediator that regulates the transmission of nerve impulses to skeletal muscles, is acetylcholine. Released from the end of the nerve cell, acetylcholine interacts with certain areas ( receptors) on a muscle cell, causing the transmission of a nerve impulse to the muscle.
Muscle structure
Skeletal muscle is a collection of muscle fibers. Each muscle fiber is made up of long muscle cells ( myocytes) and contains many myofibrils - thin thread-like formations running parallel along the entire length of the muscle fiber. In addition to myofibrils, muscle cells contain mitochondria, which are a source of ATP ( adenosine triphosphate) - the energy required for muscle contraction, the sarcoplasmic reticulum, which is a complex of cisterns located in close proximity to the myofibrils, and deposits calcium necessary for muscle contraction. An important intracellular element is magnesium, which promotes the release of ATP energy and is involved in the process of muscle contraction.
The direct contractile apparatus of muscle fibers is the sarcomere - a complex consisting of contractile proteins - actin and myosin. These proteins have the form of threads located parallel to each other. The myosin protein has peculiar processes called myosin bridges. At rest, there is no direct contact between myosin and actin.
Muscle contraction
When a nerve impulse arrives at a muscle cell, calcium is rapidly released from the site of its deposition. Calcium, along with magnesium, binds to certain regulatory zones on the surface of actin and allows contact between actin and myosin through myosin bridges. Myosin bridges attach to actin filaments at an angle of approximately 90° and then change their position by 45°, thereby causing the actin filaments to move closer together and muscle contraction.After the cessation of nerve impulses to the muscle cell, calcium from the cell is quickly transferred back to the sarcoplasmic cisterns. A decrease in intracellular calcium concentration leads to the detachment of myosin bridges from actin filaments and their return to their original position - the muscle relaxes.
Causes of nervous tics
Depending on the original condition nervous system a child is distinguished:
- primary nervous tics;
- secondary nervous tics.
Primary nervous tics
Primary ( idiopathic) is usually called a nervous tic, which is the only manifestation nervous system disorders.Most often, the first manifestations of nervous tics occur in children aged 7 to 12 years, that is, during the period psychomotor development when the child’s nervous system is most vulnerable to all kinds of psychological and emotional overload. The appearance of tics before the age of 5 years suggests that the tic is a consequence of some other disease.
The causes of primary nervous tics are:
- Psycho-emotional shock. The most common cause of nervous tics in children. The occurrence of a tic can be triggered by acute psycho-emotional trauma ( fright, quarrel with parents), as well as a long-term unfavorable psychological situation in the family ( lack of attention to the child, excessive demands and strictness in upbringing).
- Tick the first of September. In approximately 10% of children, a nervous tic debuts in the first days of attending school. This is due to a new environment, new acquaintances, certain rules and restrictions, which is a strong emotional shock for the child.
- Eating disorder. A lack of calcium and magnesium in the body, which are involved in muscle contraction, can cause muscle spasms, including tics.
- Abuse of psychostimulants. Tea, coffee, all kinds of energy drinks activate the central nervous system, causing it to work “for wear and tear”. With frequent consumption of such drinks, a process of nervous exhaustion occurs, which is manifested by increased irritability, emotional instability and, as a result, nervous tics.
- Overwork. Chronic lack of sleep, prolonged use of the computer, reading books in poor lighting lead to increased activity in various areas of the brain with the involvement of extrapyramidal systems and the development of nervous tics.
- Hereditary predisposition. Recent studies indicate that nervous tics are transmitted according to an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance ( if one of the parents has a defective gene, then he will manifest this disease, and the probability of its inheritance by the child is 50%). The presence of a genetic predisposition will not necessarily lead to the development of the disease, but the chance of developing a nervous tic in such children is greater than in children without a genetic predisposition.
- Local– one muscle/muscle group is involved, and this tic dominates throughout the entire period of the disease.
- Multiple– manifests itself in several muscle groups at the same time.
- Generalized (Tourette's syndrome) is a hereditary disease characterized by generalized motor tics various groups muscles combined with vocal tics.
- Transitory– lasting from 2 weeks to 1 year, after which it goes away without a trace. After a certain time, the tic may resume. Transient tics can be local or multiple, motor and vocal.
- Chronic– lasting more than 1 year. It can be either local or multiple. During the course of the disease, tics may disappear in some muscle groups and appear in others, but complete remission does not occur.
Secondary nervous tics
Secondary tics develop against the background of previous diseases of the nervous system. Clinical manifestations Primary and secondary nervous tics are similar.Factors contributing to the occurrence of nervous tics are:
- congenital diseases of the nervous system;
- traumatic brain injury, including congenital;
- encephalitis – an infectious and inflammatory disease of the brain;
- generalized infections – herpes virus, cytomegalovirus, streptococcus;
- intoxication carbon monoxide, opiates;
- brain tumors;
- some medications - antipsychotics, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, central nervous system stimulants ( caffeine);
- trigeminal neuralgia - hypersensitivity of the facial skin, manifested by pain when any touch is made facial area;
- hereditary diseases - Huntington's chorea, torsion dystonia.
Changes in a child’s body with a nervous tic
With a nervous tic, changes occur in the function of all body structures involved in muscle contraction.Brain
Under the influence of the factors listed above, the activity of the extrapyramidal system of the brain increases, which leads to excessive formation of nerve impulses.
Nerve fibers
Excessive nerve impulses are carried along motor nerves to skeletal muscles. In the area of contact of nerve fibers with muscle cells, in the area of synapses, an excessive release of the mediator acetylcholine occurs, which causes contractions of the innervated muscles.
Muscle fibers
As stated earlier, muscle contraction requires calcium and energy. With a nervous tic, frequent contractions of certain muscles are repeated for several hours or throughout the day. Energy ( ATP), used by the muscle during contraction, is consumed in large quantities, and its reserves do not always have time to be restored. This can lead to muscle weakness and muscle pain.
With a lack of calcium, a certain number of myosin bridges cannot connect to actin filaments, which causes muscle weakness and may cause muscle spasm (prolonged, involuntary, often painful muscle contraction).
Psycho-emotional state of the child
Constant nervous tics, manifested by winking, grimacing, snoring and other ways, attract the attention of others to the child. Naturally, this leaves a serious imprint on the emotional state of the child - he begins to feel his defect ( although before that, perhaps, I did not attach any importance to it).
Some children, when in public places, for example, at school, try to suppress the manifestation of a nervous tic through an effort of will. This, as mentioned earlier, leads to an even greater increase in psycho-emotional stress, and as a result, nervous tics become more pronounced, and new tics may appear.
An interesting activity creates a zone of activity in the child’s brain, which drowns out pathological impulses emanating from the extrapyramidal zone, and the nervous tic disappears.
This effect is temporary, and after stopping the “distracting” activity, the nervous tic will resume.
Quick elimination of nervous eyelid tics
- Apply moderate pressure with your finger in the area of the brow ridge ( the place where the nerve innervating the skin exits the cranial cavity upper eyelid ) and hold for 10 seconds.
- Press with the same force in the area of the inner and outer corners of the eye, holding for 10 seconds.
- Close both eyes tightly for 3 to 5 seconds. In this case, you need to tense your eyelids as much as possible. Repeat 3 times with an interval of 1 minute.
Geranium leaf compress
Grind 7 – 10 green geranium leaves and apply to the teak affected area. Cover with several layers of gauze and wrap with a warm scarf or handkerchief. After an hour, remove the bandage and rinse the skin in the area where the compress is applied with warm water.Treatment of nervous tics
Approximately 10 - 15% of primary nervous tics, being mild, do not have a serious impact on the health and psycho-emotional state of the child and go away on their own after some time ( weeks - months). If a nervous tic is severe, causes discomfort to the child and negatively affects his psycho-emotional state, it is necessary to begin treatment as early as possible to prevent the progression of the disease. In the treatment of nervous tics in children there are:
- Not medicinal methods treatment;
- drug treatments;
- traditional methods treatment.
Non-drug treatments
They are priority methods of treatment for primary nervous tics, as well as for secondary nervous tics in the composition complex therapy. Non-drug treatment includes a set of measures aimed at restoring the normal state of the nervous system, metabolism, and normalizing the psycho-emotional and mental state of the child.Main directions non-drug treatment nervous tics in children are:
- individual psychotherapy;
- creating a favorable environment in the family;
- organization of work and rest schedules;
- good sleep;
- good nutrition;
- elimination of nervous tension.
This is the most preferred method of treating primary nervous tics in children, since in most cases their occurrence is associated with stress and an altered psycho-emotional state of the child. A child psychiatrist will help the child understand the causes of increased excitability and nervousness, thereby eliminating the cause of nervous tics, and teach the correct attitude towards nervous tics.
After a course of psychotherapy, children experience a significant improvement in their emotional background, normalization of sleep, and a decrease or disappearance of nervous tics.
Creating a favorable family environment
First of all, parents should understand that a nervous tic is not pampering, not the whims of a child, but a disease that requires appropriate treatment. If a child has a nervous tic, you should not scold him, demand that he control himself, say that he will be laughed at at school, and so on. The child is unable to cope with a nervous tic on his own, and the parents’ incorrect attitude only increases his internal psycho-emotional stress and aggravates the course of the disease.
How should parents behave if their child has a nervous tic?
- do not focus on the child’s nervous tics;
- treat the child as healthy, to a normal person;
- If possible, protect the child from any kind of stressful situations;
- maintain a calm, comfortable environment in the family;
- try to find out what problems the child has or had recently and help solve them;
- If necessary, contact a pediatric neurologist in a timely manner.
Organization of work and rest schedule
Improper time management leads to overwork, stress and nervous exhaustion in the child. With a nervous tic, it is extremely important to exclude these factors, for which it is recommended to follow certain rules regarding work and rest.
| Climb | 7.00 |
| Morning exercises, toilet | 7.00 – 7.30 |
| Breakfast | 7.30 – 7.50 |
| Road to school | 7.50 – 8.30 |
| Schooling | 8.30 – 13.00 |
| Walk after school | 13.00 – 13.30 |
| Dinner | 13.30 – 14.00 |
| Afternoon rest/nap | 14.00 – 15.30 |
| Walks in the open air | 15.30 – 16.00 |
| Afternoon snack | 16.00 – 16.15 |
| Studying, reading books | 16.15 – 17.30 |
| Outdoor games, housework | 17.30 – 19.00 |
| Dinner | 19.00 – 19.30 |
| Rest | 19.30 – 20.30 |
| Preparation for sleep | 20.30 – 21.00 |
| Dream | 21.00 – 7.00 |
Full sleep
During sleep, the nervous, immune, and other systems of the body are restored. Disruption of sleep structure and chronic lack of sleep leads to increased nervous tension, deterioration emotional state, increased irritability, which can manifest itself as nervous tics.
Nutritious food
The child must observe the timing of the main meals, the food must be regular, complete and balanced, that is, contain all the substances necessary for the growth and development of the child - proteins, fats, carbohydrates, various vitamins, minerals and microelements.
Particular attention should be paid to products containing calcium, since a lack of this element reduces the threshold for excitation of muscle cells and contributes to the manifestation of nervous tics.
Depending on age, the calcium requirement in children is as follows:
- from 4 to 8 years – 1000 mg ( 1 gram) calcium per day;
- from 9 to 18 years – 1300 mg ( 1.3 grams) calcium per day.
| Product name | Calcium content per 100 g of product |
| Processed cheese | 300 mg |
| White cabbage | 210 mg |
| Cow's milk | 110 mg |
| Black bread | 100 mg |
| Cottage cheese | 95 mg |
| Sour cream | 80 – 90 mg |
| Dried fruits | 80 mg |
| Black chocolate | 60 mg |
| White bread | 20 mg |
Exclude nervous tension
Activities that require extreme concentration of the child’s attention lead to fatigue, poor sleep and increased nervous tension. As a result, the manifestations of nervous tics intensify, and new tics may appear.
If a child has a nervous tic, the following should be excluded or limited:
- computer and video games, especially before bedtime;
- watching TV for a long time, more than 1 – 1.5 hours a day;
- reading books in inappropriate conditions - in transport, in poor lighting, lying down;
- listening to loud music, especially 2 hours before bedtime;
- tonic drinks - tea, coffee, especially after 18.00.
Drug treatment of nervous tics
Drug treatment is used to treat primary and secondary nerve tics. For the drug treatment of nervous tics in children, sedatives and antipsychotic drugs are used, as well as drugs that improve blood circulation and metabolic processes brain You should start with the “lightest” drugs and the minimum therapeutic dose.Medicines prescribed for children with nervous tics
| Name of the medication | Mechanism of action | Directions for use and dosage in children |
| Novo-Passit | Combined sedative of plant origin. Reduces psycho-emotional stress, facilitates the process of falling asleep. | It is recommended to take 1 teaspoon 2-3 times a day to normalize the psycho-emotional state. |
| Thioridazine (Sonapax) | Antipsychotic drug.
| Used internally after meals.
|
| Cinnarizine | A drug that improves cerebral circulation. Reduces the intake of calcium into muscle cells vessels. Expands cerebral vessels, increasing blood flow to the brain. | Take 2 times a day, morning and evening, 12.5 mg 30 minutes after meals. Treatment is long-term – from several weeks to several months. |
| Phenibut | Nootropic drug, acting at the level of the brain.
| Regardless of food intake.
|
| Diazepam (Seduxen, Sibazon, Relanium) | A drug from the group of tranquilizers.
| With pronounced manifestations of nervous tics, regardless of food intake.
|
| Haloperidol | A potent antipsychotic drug.
| It is used in severe cases of nervous tics, when other drugs are ineffective. The dose is set by a neurologist based on the diagnosis and general condition child. |
| Calcium Gluconate | A calcium supplement that compensates for the deficiency of this microelement in the body. Normalizes the processes of muscle contraction and relaxation. | Take before meals. Grind before use. Drink with a glass of milk.
|
Traditional methods of treating nervous tics
It has been proven that the use of sedatives, decoctions and infusions has a beneficial effect on the child’s nervous system and reduces the manifestations of nervous tics.Sedatives used for nervous tics in children
| Product name | Cooking method | Rules of application |
| Motherwort infusion
|
| Take 3 times a day, 30 minutes before meals.
|
| Valerian root infusion
|
| Give children 1 teaspoon of the resulting infusion 4 times a day, 30 minutes after meals and before bedtime. It is not recommended to take the infusion for more than one and a half months. |
| Infusion of chamomile flowers
|
| Children are recommended to take a quarter glass of decoction ( 50 ml) three times a day, 30 minutes after meals. |
| Hawthorn fruit infusion
|
| Children over 7 years old, take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day, 30 minutes before meals. The recommended duration of use is no more than 1 month. |
Other methods of treating nervous tics in children
In the treatment of nervous tics in children, the following are successfully used:- relaxing massage;
- electrosleep.
A properly performed massage reduces excitement of the nervous system, reduces psycho-emotional stress, improves blood circulation in the brain and muscles, and restores mental comfort, which can reduce the severity of tics. For nervous tics, a relaxing massage of the back, head, face, and legs is recommended. Acupressure of the teak area is not recommended, as this creates additional irritation and can lead to more pronounced manifestations of the disease.
Electroson
This is a physical therapy method that uses weak, low-frequency electrical impulses. They penetrate the cranial cavity through the orbits and act on the central nervous system ( central nervous system), enhancing inhibition processes in the brain and causing the onset of sleep.
Effects of electrosleep:
- normalization of emotional state;
- calming effect;
- improving blood supply and nutrition to the brain;
- normalization of the metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
The child must take off outerwear and lie down on the couch. A special mask is placed over the child’s eyes, through which an electric current is applied. The current frequency usually does not exceed 120 hertz, the current strength is 1 - 2 milliamps.
The procedure lasts from 60 to 90 minutes - during this time the child is in a state of drowsiness or sleep. For achievement therapeutic effect Usually 10–12 electrosleep sessions are prescribed.
Preventing recurrences of nervous tics
Modern conditions Living in big cities inevitably leads to increased nervous tension and stress. Children, due to the functional immaturity of the nervous system, are especially sensitive to overexertion. If a child has a predisposition to nervous tics, then there is a very high probability of their occurrence in early age. However, today a nervous tic is a treatable disease, and if you follow certain rules and restrictions, you can not remember this illness for many years. What should you do to avoid recurrence of a nervous tic?
- maintain a normal psycho-emotional environment in the family;
- provide adequate nutrition and sleep;
- teach the child the correct behavior under stress;
- do yoga, meditation;
- exercise regularly ( swimming, athletics );
- spend at least 1 hour in the fresh air every day;
- Ventilate your child's room before bedtime.
What can trigger a recurrence of a nervous tic?
- stress;
- overwork;
- chronic lack of sleep;
- tense psycho-emotional situation in the family;
- lack of calcium in the body;
- abuse of tonic drinks;
- watching TV for a long time;
- spending a lot of time at the computer;
- long video games.
Children who have nervous tics, are absolutely no different from other babies, for this reason parents do not immediately notice this disease. The child often blinks or coughs - it’s okay, it will pass. Over time, parents still keep baby see an ophthalmologist or ENT specialist. However, all indicators are normal. In this case, the doctor may report that these signs are characteristic of a nervous tic, and it is necessary to make an appointment with a neurologist. The alleged diagnosis is very frightening parents, so they immediately go with the child to the doctor, who confirms the presence of this disease in the baby and makes an appointment medications. Ultimately, the course of treatment does not bring the expected results. In this article we will try to understand what tics are, why they appear and how to help your child cope with them illness.
What is a nervous tic?
A tic is a reflex contraction muscles, which occurs spontaneously and cannot be controlled. In most cases, this is observed on the face and neck. It manifests itself in the form of blinking, twitching of the eyelid or lips, sniffing, movements of the head or shoulders, and is very rarely observed in the arms and legs. Moreover, in some cases child First there is a twitching of the eyelid, and then it is replaced by movement of the lips.
Types of ticks.
Experts divide tics into several species:
Local – one muscle group is involved;
Common – affects several muscles;
Generalized – almost everything is involved body.
Tics can also be motor and vocal. Motor tics are repetitive movement a certain part of the body or several at the same time. Coughing, sniffing, grunting, etc. are considered vocal sounds. Quite a complex manifestation vocal tic Repeated repetition of words and even phrases is considered.
What is a tick according to doctors?
Based on the classification of diseases, tics are divided into three types:
Transient tic - such a tic lasts no more than a year;
Chronic motor – can last more than a year;
Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, in which the child exhibits a large number of motor ticks and one vocal.
Tics are the most common disease in children. According to statistics, about 20% of children have this neurological problem. Moreover, in boys they manifest themselves much more often and more severely than in girls.
When does a tic occur?
Experts say that “ critical age» for the appearance of teak – 3-4 years and 7-8 years. This is due to the fact that in this age For the first time, the child faces crises in his development: acquiring skills, changing behavior, and so on. But what is most important is that during each crisis child passes new stage independence. It is for this reason that these periods are so dangerous for the child’s psyche.
However, today it is impossible to clearly say about temporary borders these crises, and, consequently, about the period of occurrence of tic disorders. Today, a crisis of independence can manifest itself at two years of age, and tics also occur in infants.
The causes of this disorder.
Many parents are primarily interested in why tics occur. As a rule, identifying certain events, which led to the appearance of tics, is very difficult, since this disease is caused by a whole range of reasons.
Heredity.
This is the very first cause, which doctors talk about. If one of the relatives was susceptible to psycho-emotional illness, then this also affects the child. However, there are several caveats:
This does not mean that the child will 100% have a tic. It's just predisposition, which may not turn into a disease;
It's quite difficult to figure out whether it's actually heredity, or maybe it's upbringing.Many experts say that if the mother has psychological problems, she contacts the child appropriately without controlling her negative emotions, which as a result affects the child. And these are no longer genes, but a way of reacting.
Stress.
This reason is quite difficult to understand, since for parents and the baby himself stress There may be completely different events. For example, a quarrel with a friend in kindergarten is regarded by a child as stress, while for parents this situation is quite ordinary. In addition, stress can have not only a negative connotation, but also a positive one. For example, special impression A trip to the zoo or a wild birthday celebration can also become stressful.
Spending a lot of time near the TV or computer.
This can be explained by the fact that a bright, flashing light causes a change in the intensity of work nerve cells brain. And if this happens constantly, then as a result the “alpha” rhythm, which is responsible for peace and tranquility, gets lost.
Lack of physical activity.
Simply put, the child has an excess of intellectual load and lacks physical activity. Almost all parents want their child to be smart and smart, so they force the child to devote most of his time to activities that develop intelligence But at the same time, they completely forget that the child also needs physical activity. Remember that a tic is a reflex contraction various muscles body. And often the reason for this reduction is that energy the child is not wasted in everyday leisure. It accumulates and as a result forms disease.
Factors of education.
Let's highlight the main features character parents who can influence the development of a nervous tic in a baby:
Mom's anxiety. Externally mother may look calm, but usually every mother worries about her baby, about his health, and so on;
Restraint in manifestation feelings.In most cases, parents tend to control their feelings and emotions towards the baby;
- control mother. Many mothers are accustomed to controlling not only their actions, but also the actions of the child, as well as the events that occur at one time or another. When everything is under control, the mother does not have to worry. Otherwise, she is tense and anxious;
High requirements to the baby. This trait manifests itself in the fact that parents want their baby to be the best and be able to do everything that they once could not do. Therefore, they have high hopes for the baby, and he, in turn, tries not to disappoint them. And all this is accompanied by a special fear, which can cause tics.
Treatment of the disease.
If you notice nervous tics in your baby, you need to seek help from neurologist, and then to a psychologist, since tics are classified as psychosomatic diseases.
In most cases, after confirmation diagnosis, prescribes pills for the child. Such treatment is simply necessary, especially if the tics do not go away for a long time. However, pills alone are not enough to achieve results. The causes of this disease are varied, so multifactorial treatment is necessary correction And in some cases it is effective even without taking medications.
What to do:
Reduce the amount of time your baby spends near the computer and TV;
Increase physical activity;
Observe mode day;
Pay close attention to factors such as stress and upbringing, analyze them, and then develop a strategy to eliminate the identified ones errors;
Remove anxiety state child. Soothing baths, relaxing massages, long walks outside the city are ideal for this;
At the physiological level, anxiety can be relieved through sand therapy or sculpting;
If your child uses facial muscles during tics, come up with fun exercises, where the child can make faces. Tensing and relaxing muscles will help relieve nervous tics;
Do not draw your child's attention to the manifestation of tics, as the child will try to control them. As a result, the muscles will tense up and the tics will get worse. Control always means voltage. In addition, reminding a child that something is wrong with him destabilizes confidence and increases the baby’s anxiety;
Don't blame yourself or those around The problem is that the baby has developed tics. Direct all your efforts to correct the problem, and soon everything will fall into place. We wish you good luck.
Nervous tics are commonly called involuntary, sudden and repeated muscle contractions. This disease is familiar to many people, but most often it affects children under ten years of age. Parents do not immediately notice the child’s symptoms, and treatment is delayed because of this. Over time, frequent blinking or coughing alerts adults, and the baby is taken to a specialist. Since usually all indicators are normal, he advises contacting a neurologist. Only then do parents begin to deal with the problem. Diagnosing the disease takes a lot of time, so don’t hesitate. It is better to seek help as soon as alarming symptoms appear.
How does tic manifest itself and when does it occur?
Contractions are often most noticeable on the face and neck. They can be manifested by blinking, sniffling, movements of the head or shoulders, twitching of the lips and nose. Sometimes a child has several symptoms.
Neurologists say that the most likely time for the disease to occur is 3-4 years and 7-8 years. This is explained by the peculiarities of the development of the body: at this age, children face various crises and move on to new life stages.
Symptoms
It is not easy to identify this disorder because for a long time neither the child nor the parents realize that the movements are involuntary. The most important criterion that should alert you is the inability to control muscle contractions. When observed, the child may blink and twitch rapidly. This is one of the most common symptoms.
Types of nervous tics
Depending on how long the disease lasts, tics are usually classified as follows:
- Transistor. In this case, symptoms appear for less than a year.
- Chronic. It lasts for more than a year.
- Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. It is diagnosed when a child has extensive motor tics and at least one vocal tic.
If a nervous tic is detected in a child, treatment will depend on which muscle groups are involved. Therefore, the disease is usually divided into types:
Local (one muscle group);
Common (several groups);
Generalized (almost all muscles contract).
Why does this disorder occur?
When nervous tics occur in children, the reasons for this phenomenon are very worrying for their parents. To make the picture more clear, experts recommend remembering what events preceded these manifestations. As a rule, the disease is caused by a complex of reasons.
Hereditary factor
Neurologists say that it is of primary importance. But there are a number of caveats.
If one of the parents suffers from this condition, it is not necessary that the child also be diagnosed with tics. This indicates a predisposition, but does not guarantee this disorder.
It is impossible to determine from external factors whether there is genetic predisposition. Perhaps the parents had psychological problems that, through upbringing, were passed on to the child through uncontrolled emotions. In this case, it is worth talking about the method of response, and not genes.
Experiences and stress
Parents are very worried when a nervous tic is detected in a child. They begin treatment immediately, but sometimes it is first necessary to think about the triggering factors and eliminate them. If a specialist says that stress may be the cause, parents are skeptical. But it is worth remembering that for adults and children the reasons for worry can be completely different. In addition, even positive emotions, if they are particularly vivid, can excite the nervous system of an impressionable child.
TVs and computers
Childhood neurology affects many children, so parents should take timely measures. Big problems brings prolonged TV watching. This is due to the fact that flashing light affects the intensity of brain activity. When this happens very often, the natural rhythm that is responsible for calm is disrupted.
Insufficient physical activity
Parents need to figure out how to get rid of nervous tics, because they affect mental health child and over time can move from one type to another and grow. Their main mistake is that they give great importance mental stress of the child and completely forget about the physical one. Children also need it so that their energy finds a way out. Otherwise, reflex muscle contractions may occur.
Errors of education
Child neurology can be affected by parental personality traits that they have no control over. Lead to this disorder the following factors may exist.
Psychogenic and symptomatic tics
To understand how to get rid of nervous tics, you need to know that they are primary (psychogenic) and secondary (symptomatic). The first ones occur most often between the ages of five and seven years, since this period is the most critical for the child. They may be caused by stress and psychological trauma, which are divided into acute and chronic.
Symptomatic disorders are caused by birth injuries, tumors and metabolic disorders of the brain. Sometimes the reason is viral infection, which caused short-term hypoxia.
How to treat the disorder?
Parents who have identified a nervous tic in their child should not put off treatment. First of all, you need to contact a neurologist, and then a psychologist. If the tics last for quite a long time, the baby will be prescribed medication, but in order to get good results, pills alone are not enough. It is necessary to correct all factors that can cause the disorder.
Parents must:
Reduce the time spent watching TV;
Provide physical activity;
Develop optimal mode day and observe it;
Minimize worries and stress;
If possible, conduct sand therapy or sculpting sessions;
Do exercises to tense and relax the facial muscles;
Do not focus the child’s attention on the problem so that he does not try to control the contractions.
Do not despair if your child is diagnosed with a nervous tic. Causes and treatment may vary in each case, but you need to know general rules. It is not recommended to give your baby strong drugs, as there is a high probability side effects. If the disorder is a consequence of another disease, then comprehensive treatment is necessary.
Prevention
When a nervous tic is present in children, the symptoms can be either pronounced or completely invisible. But it is better not to wait until the disease begins to progress and carry out preventive actions. The baby should have enough rest, walk in the fresh air, and it is also very important to surround him with care and love, to provide a comfortable and calm environment.
The most interesting, mysterious and little-studied part of a person is his psyche. On the one hand, it is intangible and invisible, on the other hand, it determines behavior, character, temperament and much more. Like a crystal vase, the psyche is quite organized, fine structure, but it can also be easily damaged. Children are the most vulnerable in this regard.
Nervous tics
To find and understand a way to get rid of nervous tics, you need to understand what they are. These are obsessive, repetitive, unconscious movements that occur in similar situations, often stressful. Essentially, nerve tics are an error in the cerebral cortex that, for some reason, sends a contraction impulse to one or a group of muscles. Depending on this, there are local and generalized variants of this deviation. There are an incredible variety of types of implementation, and we can even say that each sufferer has characteristics of manifestation, which primarily depend on which muscle is involved.
Taking into account the muscle and its function, we can distinguish:
- Vocal. They occur when the muscles responsible for contraction of the vocal cords are involved in the psypathological process. Sometimes it's not just a sound, but a whole word or even a phrase.
- Mimic. They are formed by contraction of the muscles of the face and head as a whole. They occur more often than others. An example of such tics could be a “twitching” eye, eyelid, or grimacing.
- Tics of the limbs. Usually the movements of the arms and legs repeat a specific action; it can be simple or complex if it consists of elements. Example: unconsciously drawing in the air without a pencil.
Approaches to the treatment of nervous tics from the point of view of Tibetan and ancient Eastern medicine
When and why do nervous tics appear?
Nervous tics are the most common psychoneurological pathology in children and adolescents. Perhaps the occurrence of errors at this level of the nervous system is associated with the immaturity and active development of associative nerve connections at this age. More common this pathology in boys. Nervous tics in adults are recorded much less frequently. Depending on the reason, the following options are distinguished:
- Primary.
- Secondary.
- Hereditary.
True psychoneurological deviations are primary nervous tics, which form after severe stress. They almost always occur in childhood, may be triggered by problems in the family. In fact, a child does not need a big reason for this disease to arise.
Each child is an individual and the approach to him should be individual.
For some, the appearance of a brother or sister is a real tragedy, since they have to share their parents’ attention with someone. For others, a too loud quarrel between the closest people is enough. Children 5 years old often become victims of incredible plans and hopes; first-graders may suffer from the increased responsibility and ambitions of parents who want to raise only an excellent student. All this sometimes becomes the basis for the development of deviations at the mental level, and one of the first signs is the appearance of nervous tics in children.
If the primary ones are amenable to psychotherapy, then the secondary occurrence of this problem is much more serious. They appear as a result of organic damage to the brain, in particular the cortex. This can occur due to injury, tumor, encephalitis (inflammation), metabolic disorders of certain substances and severe intoxications. Special treatment is sometimes effective, but more often residual effects persist until the end of life. In fact, in this case, nervous tics are a symptom of an underlying disease. Nervous tics can also be a manifestation hereditary diseases, the most striking example is Tourette's syndrome. This is a genetic disease that is accompanied by multiple tics, and almost always complex vocal ones. The latter are sometimes of a very unusual nature; a person may suddenly start shouting insults, ridiculous phrases, and names.
In case of frequent nervous tics in adolescents in the absence of other causes, it is necessary to conduct a genetic analysis to exclude this syndrome.
Symptoms accompanying nervous tics
Unfortunately, when a breakdown occurs at any level, and especially in the structure of the psyche, it cannot be expressed in a single symptom. Usually, in combination with tics, parents note such manifestations as enuresis, bad dream, hyperactivity, excessive excitability, or, conversely, a sluggish response to what is happening around. Also change personal characteristics. A child, especially a teenager, becomes unsure of himself, withdrawn, and uncommunicative. If nervous tics arose in the company of other children or someone spoke incorrectly about this, then a persistent inferiority complex is formed. All this aggravates the condition of an already shaken psyche. It is very important to take into account that a child with a nervous tic has already developed a mental problem that requires outside help, and not to harm the parents’ sometimes rude and hasty attempt to correct the situation.
Treatment
The choice of treatment tactics for nervous tics in children depends on the age category and the underlying cause. Primary - usually amenable to psychotherapy in combination with herbal medicine. In secondary cases, treatment consists of eliminating or correcting the underlying disease. The approach should not only be individual, but also correct.
Any careless intervention or remark can aggravate the child’s condition and create a block in communication.
The basis of psychotherapy is calming therapy and changing the attitude towards the situation that provokes the occurrence of nervous tics. The prognosis is most often favorable; after puberty, the frequency and severity of nervous tics decreases. In adults, this manifestation persists more often with organic damage to brain structures and requires medication and physiotherapeutic correction.
Vocal tics in children are the involuntary pronunciation of various sounds, simple or complex in nature. Can provoke tics respiratory infections, after illness with bronchitis, tonsillitis, rhinitis. Mental overload, head injury – additional external factors, leading to the appearance of tics. It is important to exclude the possibility of concomitant diseases by contacting a psychotherapist and neurologist for an accurate diagnosis.
The main causes of vocal tics in children are purely psychogenetic in nature:
- Heredity – the disease is more likely to occur in children whose parents are also susceptible to tics or “neuroses” obsessive states" Symptoms may appear at an earlier age than in parents.
- Troubled environment (at home, school, kindergarten) - conflicting parents, overwhelming demands, prohibitions, or complete absence control, lack of attention, mechanical attitude: wash, feed, sleep.
- Severe stress - the trigger for tics can be fear, emotional trauma associated with abuse, or news of the death of a relative.
Tics may also have physiological reasons, for example, serious illnesses, lack of magnesium in the body, disruption of the central nervous system as a result of:
- cerebral circulatory disorders;
- head injuries;
- previous meningitis;
- intracranial hypertension.
If children suffer from depression, then the risk of developing tics is high.
Symptoms
Simple vocal tics include grunting, coughing, whistling, noisy breathing, and grunting. The child makes prolonged sounds “ay”, “ee-and”, “oo-oo”. Other sounds such as squealing or whistling are somewhat less common.
Symptoms manifest themselves individually, serially, and can be status-related. If the day was emotional, the patient was overtired, and in the evening the symptoms intensified. Simple tics in ¼ of patients manifest themselves with motor tics in low and high tones:
- At low levels, the patient coughs, clears his throat, grunts, and sniffles.
- At high levels, the sounds are already more defined, some vowel letters. High tones are combined with shudders.
Children are also diagnosed with complex vocal tics, the symptoms of which are:
- pronunciation of words, including abusive ones - coprolalia;
- constant repetition of the word -;
- fast, uneven, unintelligible speech - palilalia;
- repetition of words, muttering - Tourette's syndrome (watch video).
Such manifestations cause a lot of problems, because children cannot attend school normally due to bursts of uncontrolled flow of swearing and other speech disorders.
Treatment
Treatment of vocal tics in a child is carried out on an outpatient basis, so that hospitalization does not increase the anxiety state, which will aggravate the disease. The child should be observed by a pediatric neurologist. In 40% of children, tics disappear on their own; the rest have to be treated long and painstakingly. He very effectively conducts conversations with a psychologist who organizes therapy for the child and his parents. Understanding by parents of the insurmountable nature of the disease will only speed up recovery.
Attempts to suppress tics by willpower usually make them worse. anxiety state in the child, causing a new, even more pronounced wave of symptoms. Therefore, to pull him back, to remind him to restrain himself, much less to punish him, is cruel and unacceptable.
If your child's tics are caused by psychological reasons, it will be enough to normalize the family environment, create a friendly, favorable atmosphere that will ensure the most effective treatment.
- We recommend reading:
Remove excessive emotional stimuli from your child's environment. It doesn’t matter whether they are positive or negative – it’s stress. Even an attempt to distract the child’s attention from the problem by cajoling gifts and travel is a serious burden on the central nervous system. It is better to organize a gentle daily routine and a calm atmosphere in the house.
- Take note:
Analyze what is the “trigger” that provokes vocal tics in your child. Having found out the source of irritation, eliminate it.
Often the source is watching TV shows, especially if the lights are off. The flickering of light on a TV screen changes the bioelectrical activity of a child's brain. Therefore, while treatment lasts, “communication” with TV and computer should be kept to a minimum.
To speed up the healing process, “forget” about the disease. Don't pay attention to the tics. If they show concern about the illness, explain that these troubles are temporary and will soon pass. Children who suffer from tics become very vulnerable. They need to be helped to feel protected in order to be confident in their abilities.
Relieve stress with a relaxing massage, baths with pine extracts, essential oils, sea salt. Conduct physiotherapy and aromatherapy sessions for children.
- Actual information:
Treatment with medications is the last option for solving the problem of hyperkinesis in children. It must be applied when previous methods were powerless.
But, deciding on treatment medicines, self-medication is excluded. Even if they say that it helped someone’s child with such a problem, this does not mean that it will help everyone.
At drug treatment two groups of drugs are used: antidepressants (, Paxil) and antipsychotics or neuroleptics (tiapridal, teralen); they minimize movement symptoms – this is the basic treatment. But there may be additional drugs. They are designed to improve metabolic processes in the brain and provide additional necessary vitamins.
