The child is active and hyperactive. What is the difference? Hyperactivity and ADHD

Hyperactivity

a new trend for modern children. Almost every second child is diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) by pediatric neurologists. How can you determine where a hyperexcitable child is and where an ordinary active creature is? This question occupies many parents.

These children are very active, mobile, their energy is in full swing, thereby introducing the environment into an irritable state. This is not a pathology, you need to learn to live with such children, understand them, try to adjust their behavior to fit the framework of society. After all, it is the perception or non-perception of such children in society that can influence the further development of hyperactivity.

Previously, such children were diagnosed with “pedagogical neglect,” but now doctors recognize hyperactivity syndrome due to the special functioning of the nervous system. Parents are faced with a difficult task: to distinguish an ordinary fidget from a hyperactive baby.

They will have to figure out when uncontrollability in behavior is a lack of upbringing, and when it is physiology. It is these children who need increased attention, otherwise there is a huge risk of becoming outcasts in society. They need to be helped not only to socialize, but also to master the general education program to the required extent.

What does restless mean?

Increased excitability and anxiety can manifest themselves in different ways, but most of these children are characterized by a common feature - an overly emotional reaction to everything that happens. Joy, grief, and irritation in such children manifest themselves too strongly. Moreover, the expression of these emotions very often does not correspond to the occasion that caused them.

Another characteristic feature of restless children is that they get tired equally quickly from some monotonous activities (reading books, playing games that require attention) and from situations with a lot of impressions (noisy holidays, communicating with a lot of people). The result of such fatigue is usually psychomotor agitation, even to the point of hysterics.

An overly active child also reacts more sharply to stressful situations than their calmer peers. This manifests itself not only in changes in the child’s usual behavior, but also on the physical level in the form of various disorders and diseases (from frequent acute respiratory viral infections to gastritis).

Possible causes of increased excitability:

Asthenic type of nervous system.
Lack of a unified approach to family education.
Chaotic daily routine.
Conflict relationships in the family.
A sharp change in usual living conditions.

Signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a child under one year old.

ADHD in newborns is quite difficult to determine due to vague symptoms. Most accurately, such a diagnosis is made no earlier than three years. In infants, the following signs may indicate the disease.

Quite early development of psychomotor skills. The child begins to roll over, crawl, and stand up faster than his peers. He rather develops a grasping reflex.
The limbs are in constant motion. The baby seems to be running somewhere.
Clumsiness. With developed mobility, coordination disorders are visible.
Repeated movements, such as swinging legs, stepping.
Bad dream. The child confuses day with night.
Anxiety, constant crying for no reason, reluctance to swaddle. Any clothing that restricts movement interferes with them.
Early refusal of daytime sleep. Even a tired child resists sleep.
Increased muscle tone.
Copious regurgitation after eating.
Stronger reaction to sharp sounds, bright light.

Of course, such symptoms occur in healthy children, but they appear periodically. A hyperactive child is always in this state.

Hyperactive child in kindergarten, age 3 years.

The main misunderstandings begin among children when they begin to attend kindergarten.
Why exactly there? This occurs due to the fact that the child is required to obey established rules and keep his emotions under control. Plus, there is also a sharp change in the environment, a large team, all this negatively affects the psychological state of the child. He experiences stress that the child cannot cope with without the help of adults. In a group of children, the baby finds himself in the mainstream of life for the first time in his life. There, everyone is required to have self-control, the ability to do something, he must sit quietly, listen to the teacher, and obey the requirements. This is alien to him, he does not know how to do things that other children can do. It's not his fault.

The baby wears out clothes and shoes the fastest. Everything on it is on fire. He gets involved in everything, gets cocky, talks non-stop for a minute, constantly argues, tries to prove that he is right. Such children have difficulty adapting to the children's group, they are complex, irritable, and withdraw into themselves.

It happens, on the contrary, when overactive children become leaders and put together a team around themselves. Such children have no sense of danger or fear. Sometimes they feel the pain dullly, not brightly. They constantly play dangerous games, exposing not only themselves but also others to extreme situations. They either jump from trees or end up on highways.

Signs of hyperactivity:

Well-known American psychologists divide the signs of ADHD into three groups:

Lack of attention:

Difficulty maintaining attention.
The child does not listen to requests.
Starts a task, but lacks the strength to complete it.
Constantly loses his things and suffers from forgetfulness.
Does not perform tasks that require mental effort.

Motor disinhibition.

Fidgets in place, drums his fingers.
Doesn't sleep during the day.
He talks a lot.

Impulsiveness.

Begins to answer a question without listening to the end.
Interrupts others' conversations.
Difficulty concentrating.
He can hardly wait for the gift.
There is no proper control over your actions.
In the classroom, completely opposite results can occur.

According to American psychology, if a child under seven years of age shows similar signs every day, then we can put forward a hypothesis about the child’s hyperactivity.

In our country, in order to make a diagnosis, the following symptoms are identified:

Anxious and constant movements in the limbs.
The child is unable to stand for a long time without active movement.
Has difficulty maintaining attention on the subject.
Has great difficulty in keeping order in games, in classes, on excursions, and on holidays.
He often answers questions frivolously, and he does not have the strength to listen to them completely.
When a child is engaged in assignments, work related to mental activity is given with great difficulty.
Completing tasks and quiet games are difficult.
The child, without completing one action, begins another.
Too talkative.
Doesn't hear people who contact him.
Children often lose their things.
Performs actions that can lead to dangerous consequences, without thinking about the consequences at all.

Russian teachers can talk about the possibility of ADHD if the observed child displays eight symptoms from this list over the course of six months.

Even the presence of these symptoms is not enough to make such a diagnosis. An examination by specialized specialists is required. Unfortunately, in our society a similar label is often attached to any child who is inconvenient in some way or does not obey the established rules.

Important! No teacher or psychologist can independently diagnose ADHD without regular consultations with a qualified neurologist and psychoneurologist.

Parents have the right to refute the diagnosis or doubt the qualifications of a psychologist who, after tests, independently diagnoses their child as “hyperactive.” He does not have the right to make any diagnoses, but can only advise you to consult a specialist.

Hyperactive behavior in children. Correction methods

INTRODUCTION

Working in schools, psychologists encounter a variety of needs. Very often, the reason for turning to a psychologist is the child’s excessive physical activity, restlessness, impulsiveness, and inability to concentrate on doing one thing. All these signs characterize hyperactive behavior. Children with hyperactive behavior often cause criticism from teachers at school, because in class, not knowing how to wait their turn, they shout; without listening to the question, or give the first answer that comes to mind; are unable to concentrate on completing a task.

Often such children become the initiators of quarrels and fights, because they are not only very active, but also often awkward and even clumsy, so they often touch, push, or drop surrounding objects, and due to their impulsiveness, they cannot always resolve the situation constructively.

With their behavior, hyperactive, disinhibited children excite the class, making it difficult to carry out educational activities. According to various authors, hyperactive behavior occurs quite often: from 2 to 20% of students are characterized by excessive mobility and disinhibition. Among children with conduct disorder, doctors identify a special group of children suffering from minor functional disorders of the central nervous system. These children are not much different from healthy ones, except that they are more active. However, gradually deviations of individual mental functions increase, which leads to pathology, which is most often called “mild brain dysfunction.” There are other designations: “hyperkinetic syndrome”, “motor disinhibition” and so on. A disease characterized by these indicators is called “attention deficit hyperactivity disorder” (ADHD). And the most important thing is not that a hyperactive child creates problems for surrounding children and adults, but the possible consequences of this disease for the child himself. Two features of ADHD should be emphasized. Firstly, it manifests itself most clearly in children aged 6 to 12 years and, secondly, it occurs 7-9 times more often in boys than in girls.

Very often, children with hyperactive behavior have difficulties in mastering educational material, and many teachers tend to attribute this to insufficient intelligence. A psychological examination of children makes it possible to determine the level of intellectual development of the child, and in addition, possible disturbances in perception, visual-motor coordination, and attention. Typically, the results of psychological research prove that the level of intelligence of such children corresponds to the age norm.

In addition to mild brain dysfunction and minimal brain dysfunction, some researchers (I.P. Bryazgunov, E.V. Kasatikova, A.D. Kosheleva, L.S. Alekseeva) also call the causes of hyperactive behavior also features of temperament, as well as defects in family upbringing . Interest in this problem does not decrease, because if 8-10 years ago there were one or two such children in a class, now there are up to five or more. I.P. Bryazgunov notes that if at the end of the 50s there were about 30 publications on this topic, then in 1990 their number increased to 7,000.

Chapter 1. Hyperactive behavior in children

1.1 History of the study of childhood hyperactivity

What is hyperactivity?

“Hyper...” - (from the Greek Hyper - above, from above) - an integral part of complex

words indicating excess of the norm. The word “active” came into Russian from the Latin “activus” and means “effective, active.”

Hyperactive behavior in children is characterized by the following signs [4, p.32]:

Restless movements in the hands and feet are often observed; sitting on a chair, spinning, spinning.
Gets up from his seat in the classroom during lessons or in other situations where he must remain seated.
Shows aimless motor activity: runs, spins, tries to climb somewhere, and in situations where this is unacceptable.
Usually cannot play quietly or quietly or do leisure activities.
He is in constant motion and behaves “as if he had a motor attached to him.”
Often talkative.
Often answers questions without thinking, without listening to them completely.
Usually has difficulty waiting his turn in various situations.
Often interferes with others, pesters others (for example, interferes in conversations or games).

To identify hyperactive children, it is necessary to draw up a portrait

hyperactive child.

Probably in every class there are children who find it difficult for a long time

sit in one place, be silent, obey instructions. They create

additional difficulties in the work of educators and teachers, because they are very active, hot-tempered, irritable and irresponsible. Hyperactive children often touch and drop various objects, push peers, creating conflict situations. They are often offended, but quickly forget about their grievances. The famous American psychologist V. Oaklander characterizes these children as follows: “It is difficult for a hyperactive child to sit, he is fussy, moves a lot, spins around, is sometimes excessively talkative, and can be annoying in his manner of behavior. Often he has poor coordination or lack of muscle control. He is clumsy, drops or breaks things, and spills milk.

It is difficult for such a child to concentrate his attention, he is easily distracted, often asks many questions, but rarely waits for answers.

Probably, the teacher and psychologist are familiar with the portrait of such a child.

How to identify a hyperactive child?

The behavior of hyperactive children may be superficially similar to the behavior of children with increased anxiety, so it is important for teachers and parents to know the main differences between the behavior of one category of children and another. Table 1 below will help with this. In addition, the behavior of an anxious child is not socially destructive, but a hyperactive child is often the source of various conflicts, fights and simply misunderstandings.

Speaking about hyperactive children, most researchers

(Z. Trzhesoglava, V.M. Troshin, A.M. Radaev, Yu.S. Shevchenko, L.A. Yasyukova) mean children with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity.

The history of the study of this disease is a short, but fact-filled period of about 150 years. For the first time, the German psychoneurologist Heinrich Hoffman described an extremely active child who could not sit quietly in a chair for a second. He gave him the nickname Fidget Phil.

Despite the fact that the study of neurotic behavior disorders and

Many scientists have studied learning difficulties; for a long time there was no scientific definition of such conditions. There were periods of decline and increased attention to this problem. In 1947, pediatricians tried to provide a clear clinical rationale for so-called hyperactive children, who often had problems with learning. However, the question of the terminology of this condition remained unresolved.

Until now, there has been no consensus on the name of this disease. Sometimes authors put very different content into the same term.

There are few diseases that have so many

titles. Here are just a few: “mild brain dysfunction”,

“hyperkinetic chronic brain syndrome”, “mild brain damage”, “mild childhood encephalopathy”, “hyperkinesis”, “hyperactivity”, “hyperkinetic impulsive disorder”, “minimal brain dysfunction” and many others.

The transition to mass schooling forced us to carefully

consider this issue. Special categories of children were identified, poorly

coping with educational activities. Traditional forms of education and training turned out to be ineffective here, so such students began to be called exceptional (in a negative aspect), emphasizing the painful nature of their mind and character.

After many changes in the terminology of the disease, experts

finally settled on a name that was somewhat difficult to understand

reader, but more accurately reflecting its essence: “attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).” It is under this name that this pathology was included in the American classification of diseases [3, p.11].

1.2 Age dynamics of hyperactive behavior

An analysis of age dynamics showed that the signs of the disorder are most pronounced in preschool and primary school age: the largest percentage of children with the syndrome is observed at 5-10 years of age, which differs from the age of 11-12 years. Thus, the peak manifestation of the syndrome occurs during the period of preparation for school and the beginning of education [3, p.29].

This is due to the dynamics of the development of higher nervous activity. 5.5-7 and 9-10 years are critical periods for the formation of brain systems responsible for mental activity, attention, and memory. By the age of 7, as D.A. writes. Farber [1991], a change in the stages of intellectual development occurs, conditions for the formation of abstract thinking and voluntary regulation of activity are formed.

At 6-7 years old, children with the syndrome are not ready to study at school due to

slowing down the rate of functional maturation of the cortex and subcortical structures. Systematic school stress can lead to disruption of the compensatory mechanisms of the central nervous system and the development of maladaptive school syndrome, aggravated by educational difficulties. Therefore, the question of readiness for school for hyperactive children should be decided on a case-by-case basis by a psychologist and the doctor observing the child.

A surge in hyperactivity at 12-15 years of age is in the risk group, and in the group with

syndrome at 14 years of age coincides with puberty. The hormonal “boom” is reflected in behavioral characteristics and attitude towards learning. A “difficult” teenager (namely, the majority of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder belong to this category) may decide to leave school [2, p. 313].

By the end of puberty, hyperactivity and emotional impulsivity practically disappear or are masked by other personality traits, self-control and behavior regulation increases, and attention deficit persists. Impaired attention is the main symptom of the disease, therefore it is it that determines the further dynamics and prognosis of the disease (attention deficit hyperactivity syndrome). The issue may also be addressed here:

leaving school [3, p.30]

By the end of puberty, hyperactivity and emotional impulsivity practically disappear or are masked by other personality traits, self-control and regulation of behavior increases, and attention deficit remains (O.V. Khaletskaya, V.M. Troshin). Impaired attention is the main symptom of the disease, therefore it determines the further dynamics and prognosis of the disease.

Among boys aged 7–12 years, signs of the syndrome are diagnosed 2–3 times more often than among girls. Among teenagers this ratio is 1:1, and among 20-25 year olds it is 1:2 with a predominance of girls [1, p.7].

The predominance of boys is not only a consequence of the subjective opinion of respondents answering the questionnaire. Although teachers most often see boys as troublemakers. The high frequency of symptoms of the disease in boys may be due to the influence of hereditary factors, as well as the higher vulnerability of the male fetus to pathogenetic influences during pregnancy and childbirth. In girls, the cerebral hemispheres are less specialized, so they have a greater reserve of compensatory functions compared to boys when the central nervous system is damaged [Kornev A.N., 1986].

1.3 Reasons for the formation and manifestation of hyperactive behavior

The authors of the psychological dictionary refer to external manifestations

hyperactivity, inattention, distractibility, impulsivity, increased motor activity [5, C.103]. More often, hyperactivity is accompanied by problems in relationships with others, learning difficulties, and low self-esteem. At the same time, the level of intellectual development in children does not depend on the degree of hyperactivity and can exceed the age norm.

The first manifestations of hyperactivity are observed before the age of 7 years and are more common in boys than in girls.

When talking about hyperactivity, we do not mean pronounced pathology or criminal behavior, but cases that fit well into the population distribution of normal traits and, therefore, into the idea of wide variability in the forms of individual behavior and development. The majority of children of any age, designated by teachers as a “difficult” student, by parents as a “difficult” child, and by sociologists as a minor from a “risk group,” belong precisely to this category.

There are different opinions about the causes of hyperactivity:

Heredity.

In 10-25% of hyperactive children, according to Z. Trzhesoglava (1986)

there is a hereditary predisposition to hyperactivity.

As a rule, hyperactive children had one of their parents

hyperactive, so one of the reasons is considered to be heredity. But no specific hyperactivity gene has yet been discovered. Hyperactivity is more common in boys (five boys to one girl).

Mother's health.

Hyperactive children are often born to mothers suffering from

allergic diseases such as hay fever, asthma, eczema or migraines.

Pregnancy and childbirth.

Problems associated with pregnancy (stress, allergies), complicated childbirth can also lead to hyperactivity in the child.

Deficiency of fatty acids in the body.

Research has shown that many hyperactive children suffer from

lack of essential fatty acids in the body. Symptoms of this deficiency are a constant feeling of thirst, dry skin, dry hair, frequent urination, cases of allergic diseases in the family (asthma and eczema).

Environment.

It can be assumed that the environmental distress that all countries are currently experiencing makes a certain contribution to the increase in the number of neuropsychiatric diseases, including ADHD.

For example, dioxins are super-toxic substances that arise when

production, processing and combustion of chlorinated hydrocarbons. They are often used in industry and households and can lead to carcinogenic and psychotropic effects, as well as severe congenital anomalies in children. Pollution of the environment with salts of heavy metals, such as molybdenum, cadmium, leads to a disorder of the central nervous system. Zinc and chromium compounds play the role of carcinogens.

Increased levels of lead, a powerful neurotoxin, in the environment may cause behavioral disorders in children. It is known that the lead content in the atmosphere is currently 2000 times higher than before the start of the industrial revolution [2, p.47].

Nutrient deficiency.

Many hyperactive children lack zinc, magnesium and

vitamin B12 [4, p. 15].

Nutrition.

All kinds of additives, food colors, preservatives, chocolate, sugar, dairy products, white bread, tomatoes, nitrates, oranges, eggs and other foods, when consumed in large quantities, are considered a possible cause of hyperactivity. "This hypothesis was popular in the mid-70s. Reports by Dr. BFFeingold [1975] that 35-50% of hyperactive children showed significant improvement in behavior after eliminating foods containing food additives from their diet aroused great interest. But these data were not confirmed by subsequent studies.” [3, p.46]

Relationships within the family.

Research conducted by Bryazgunov I.P., Kasatikova E.V. showed that two thirds of children characterized as hyperactive are children from families of high social risk. These include families:

with an unfavorable economic situation (one or both parents are unemployed, unsatisfactory material and living conditions, lack of permanent residence);
with an unfavorable demographic situation (single-parent and large families, absence of both parents);
families with a high level of psychological tension (constant quarrels and conflicts between parents, difficulties in the relationship between parents and children, harsh treatment of the child);
families leading an antisocial lifestyle (parents suffer from alcoholism, drug addiction, mental illness, lead an immoral lifestyle, and commit crimes).

Diagnosis of hyperactive children

Hyperactivity manifests itself most clearly in children of senior preschool and primary school age. During this period, there is a transition to leading educational activities and, in connection with this, intellectual loads increase: children are required to be able to concentrate attention for a longer period of time, complete the work they have started, and achieve a certain result. It is in conditions of prolonged and systematic activity that hyperactivity manifests itself very convincingly. Parents suddenly discover numerous negative consequences of restlessness, disorganization, and excessive mobility of their child and, concerned about this, seek contact with a psychologist. Psychologists identify the following signs

, which are
diagnostic symptoms of
hyperactive children.

Restless movements in the hands and feet. Sitting on a chair, he writhes and squirms.
He cannot sit still quietly when this is required of him.
Easily distracted by extraneous stimuli.
Has difficulty waiting his turn during games and in various situations in a group (in classes, during excursions and holidays).
He often answers questions without thinking, without listening to them completely.
When completing the proposed tasks, he experiences difficulties (not related to negative behavior or lack of understanding).
Has difficulty maintaining attention when completing tasks or playing games.
Frequently moves from one unfinished action to another.
Cannot play quietly or calmly.
Talkative.
Often interferes with others, pesters others (for example, interferes with the games of other children).
Often it seems that the child does not listen to speech addressed to him.
Often loses things needed in kindergarten, school, at home, on the street.
Sometimes he commits dangerous actions without thinking about the consequences, but does not specifically seek adventure or thrills (for example, he runs out into the street without looking around).

All these signs can be grouped into the following areas

excessive physical activity;

impulsiveness;
distractibility - inattention.

The diagnosis is considered valid if at least eight of all symptoms are present. Thus, having fairly good intellectual abilities, hyperactive children are characterized by insufficient speech development and fine motor skills, decreased interest in acquiring intellectual skills, drawing, and have some other deviations from the average age characteristics, which leads to their lack of interest in systematic activities that require attention, and therefore, future or present educational activities. In everyday behavior they are characterized by inconsistency, impulsiveness, and unpredictability. All this makes them undesirable members of the children's team, complicates interaction with peers, and at home with brothers, sisters, and parents. (6, p.74)

Chapter 2. Correction of the behavior of hyperactive children

2.1. Correction in the family

To enrich and diversify the emotional experience of a hyperactive child, to help him master the basic actions of self-control and thereby somewhat smooth out the manifestations of increased motor activity means to change his relationship with a close adult, and above all with his mother. This will be facilitated by any action, any situation, or event aimed at deepening contacts and their emotional enrichment.

The task of psychologists and teachers is to change the attitude of close relatives and, above all, the mother towards the child, in order to better understand him and relieve unnecessary tensions that are forming around him.

The mother needs to be explained that improvement in the child’s condition depends not only on the special treatment prescribed, even if it is necessary (directed - compensatory neuropsychological or medicinal, replacing the defect in the development of mental functions at the expense of other areas of the brain), but to a large extent on a kind, calm and consistent relationship to him.

When raising a hyperactive child, the mother (and other loved ones) must avoid two extremes: on the one hand, manifestations of excessive pity and permissiveness; on the other hand, setting excessive demands that he is unable to fulfill, combined with excessive punctuality, cruelty and sanctions (punishments).

Frequent changes in instructions and fluctuations in parents' moods have a much more profound negative impact on these children than on others. In conversations with parents, it is important to emphasize that concomitant behavioral disorders can be corrected, but the process of improving the child’s condition usually takes a long time and does not occur immediately.

Of course, pointing out the importance of an emotionally rich interaction between a child and a close adult and considering the family atmosphere as a condition for consolidation, and in some cases even the emergence of hyperactivity as a way of behavior in a child, we do not deny that illness and injury can also make a negative contribution to the formation of hyperactivity or their consequences.

Recently, some scientists have associated hyperactive behavior with the presence in children of so-called minimal brain dysfunctions, that is, congenital uneven development of individual brain functions. Others explain the phenomenon of hyperactivity as the consequences of early organic brain damage caused by pregnancy pathology, complications during childbirth, alcohol consumption, parental smoking, etc.

However, at present, manifestations of hyperactivity in children are significantly common and are not always, as physiologists note, associated with pathology. Often, some features of the nervous system of children, due to unsatisfactory upbringing and living conditions, are only a background that facilitates the formation of hyperactivity as a way of children responding to unfavorable conditions (which we showed with the examples above).

2.2. The role of teachers in correcting child behavior

In organizing assistance for hyperactive children and their parents, the participation of educators – educators, teachers – is also necessary. And here the role of a psychological center or school psychologist is invaluable. Following a number of his recommendations allows you to normalize the relationship between the teacher and the “difficult” child and his parents, and helps the child achieve better results in classes and studies. First of all, the psychologist provides the teacher or educator with detailed information about the nature of hyperactivity, the nature of the behavior of children with hyperactivity in kindergarten or school. Emphasizes that work with such children should be built on an individual basis, and special attention should be paid to their distractibility, poor self-regulation and self-organization. It is advisable, if possible, to ignore challenging behavior and reward the child’s good behavior. During classes or lessons, it is important to limit distractions to a minimum. This, in particular, can be facilitated by the optimal choice of place for a hyperactive student in a group or in a classroom at a desk - in the center of the room opposite the teacher’s desk or chalkboard. In cases of difficulty, the child should be given the opportunity to quickly seek help from the teacher. His classes must be built according to a clearly planned, stereotypical routine, using a special calendar or diary for this. The tasks offered in class should be explained to the child separately or, if at school, written on the board, in no case accompanied by an ironic explanation that this is being done specifically for “our special boy” (girl, child’s name). The child is given only one task for a certain period of time. If there is a large task to be completed, it is presented in the form of successive parts, and the teacher periodically monitors the progress of work on each part, making the necessary adjustments. During the school day, opportunities are provided for motor “release”: physical labor, sports exercises. (6, p. 33) 2.3. Role of the family

It is typical what and how hyperactive children convey in their family drawings. Understanding what a family is, having listed all its members, including themselves, they first of all draw objects, houses, trees, clouds, grass, only gradually moving on to people. And having depicted family members: dad, mom, aunt, grandmother, very often they “forget” to find a place for themselves in this circle of people. To the psychologist’s question: “Why aren’t you in the picture?” - the child usually answers: “And I’m in the kitchen,” “And I’m in kindergarten,” “And I’m on the street.” That is, through the drawing of the family, the absence of warm, close contact of the child with close adults, feelings of others and oneself among these others are conveyed; distance and separation from them, and above all from the mother, is manifested. And indeed, having heard the psychologist’s offer to sit next to the child, some mothers are surprised: “How is it so close? We never sit like that!” In other words, they are always “above” the child, “opposite” - in the position of a judge and controller. But being close together, together, so that both of you are warm and comfortable, is difficult and unusual. So, the role of the family, and above all the emotional connection of the child with the mother, in consolidating, and sometimes even in the emergence of hyperactivity as a certain way of interaction of the child with the world, is extremely high. It is the child’s dissatisfaction with communication with close adults that is often the reason for this behavior, because for a preschooler an adult is the center of his emotional life: relationships, contacts with other people, attachments. So, mothers of hyperactive children very often cannot withstand the stormy temperament, sensitivity and emotionality of their children and resort to threats of “deprivation of love,” thus influencing the child’s fragile feelings, manipulating them and creating the basis for the emergence of anxiety, worry and fear. You can add some more features to the picture of the relationship between a hyperactive child and a close adult. In many families, hyperactive children are under the unremitting control of the mother, but that is why they do not develop a sense of independence and self-sufficiency well. Mothers, being controlling, give more instructions, but are less affectionate towards their children, giving them little encouragement and praise. The result of this is most often an immoderate tightening of the upbringing regime, sometimes pity, apathy from a feeling of hopelessness or, conversely, a feeling of guilt for improper upbringing. A situation is created when, in the process of upbringing, a child receives significantly more negative than positive influences. He is often punished, people begin to doubt his abilities, constantly point out his mistakes, and sometimes begin to consider him inferior. In some cases, children with hyperactivity can provoke parents to sharply aggressive reactions, especially if the parents themselves are unbalanced and inexperienced. That is, on the one hand, hyperactivity in children can be strongly expressed due to insufficient or inadequate upbringing, and on the other hand, a child with hyperactivity himself creates conditions that cause difficulties in relationships in the family, up to its collapse. Hyperactive children have a huge deficit of physical and emotional contact with their mother. Due to their increased activity, they seem to “leave” themselves, distance themselves from such contacts with their mother, but in fact they deeply need them. Due to the lack of these important contacts, disturbances in the emotional sphere most often arise: anxiety, uncertainty, excitability, negativism. And they, in turn, affect the child’s ability to control himself, restrain himself, be attentive, and switch to something else. 2.4

.
Recommendations for parents
What recommendations can be given to the parents of a hyperactive child and thereby help them in the process of raising him? First group

recommendations refer to the external side of the behavior of adults close to the child. Try to restrain your violent emotions as much as possible, especially if you are upset or dissatisfied with your child’s behavior. Emotionally support children in all attempts at constructive, positive behavior, no matter how small. Cultivate an interest in getting to know and understand your child more deeply. Avoid categorical words and expressions, harsh assessments, reproaches, threats that can create a tense environment and cause conflict in the family. Try to say “no”, “you can’t”, “stop” less often - it’s better to try to switch the baby’s attention, and if you succeed, do it lightly, with humor. Watch your speech, try to speak in a calm voice. Anger and indignation are difficult to control. When expressing dissatisfaction, do not manipulate the child’s feelings or humiliate him.

Second group

recommendations concern the organization of the environment and environment in the family. If possible, try to allocate a room or part of it for the child for activities, games, privacy (that is, his own “territory”). When designing, it is advisable to avoid bright colors and complex compositions. There should be no distracting objects on the table or in the child’s immediate environment. A hyperactive child himself is not able to make sure that nothing outside distracts him. The organization of the whole life should have a calming effect on the child. To do this, together with him, create a daily routine, following which, show both flexibility and perseverance. Determine the range of responsibilities for the child, and keep their performance under constant supervision and control, but not too strictly. Recognize and praise his efforts often, even if the results are less than perfect.

Third group

recommendations are aimed
at the active interaction of a child with a close adult, at developing the ability of both an adult and a child to feel each other, to get closer emotionally.
And here the most important activity for children – play – is absolutely irreplaceable, since it is close and understandable to the child. The use of emotional influences contained in voice intonations, facial expressions, gestures, the form of an adult’s response to his actions and the actions of a child will give both participants great pleasure. (5, p.7-8)

CONCLUSION

The problem of hyperactivity in children has been of interest to researchers for a long time, but it has not lost its relevance; on the contrary, at present this problem is becoming more and more significant, because According to research, the number of hyperactive children is growing. When researching the causes of hyperactivity, different versions are cited, but all researchers agree that each child has his own causes of hyperactivity. Therefore, before developing a correction program, it is necessary to diagnose the manifestations and causes of hyperactive behavior.

Analyzing the literary sources, we can say that researchers pay a lot of attention to the problems of correcting hyperactivity. They offer various methods and techniques depending on the cause, degree and stage of hyperactivity.

In the selection of exercises and games, all factors identified during diagnosis are taken into account. A psychologist, a teacher and the hyperactive child and his parents should immediately participate in correctional work on the problem of hyperactivity, because only comprehensive treatment can save the child and his family from this illness.

LITERATURE

Breslav G.M. Levels of activity in schoolchildren’s learning and stages of personality formation //Formation of activity of pupils and students in a team. - Riga, 1989.
Bryazgunov I.P., Kasatikova E.V. Attention deficit with hyperactivity in children. Honey. Practice. – M.: PER SE, 2002.
4. Bryazgunov I.P., Kasatikova E.V. A restless child, or everything about hyperactive children. - M.: Publishing House of the Institute of Psychotherapy, 2001.
Burmenskaya G.A., Karabanova O.A., Leaders A.G. Age-related psychological counseling: Problems of psychological development of children. - M.: Moscow State University Publishing House, 1990.
Monina G., Lyutova E. Working with a “special” child // First of September. - 2000. - No. 10.
Workbook of a school psychologist / Ed. I.V. Dubrovina. - M.: Education, 1991

Difference between an active child and a hyperactive one.

An active and inquisitive child is a reason for joy for parents. The main indicator of a baby's health is energy. Only a sick child behaves quietly and lethargically all the time. An active and healthy baby never sits in one place for a minute; he is like a perpetual motion machine, in constant motion. He is very interested in everything, asks a lot of questions, and answers them himself. This is all very good.

But at the same time, the baby rests and sleeps well. However, the child does not behave this way everywhere. He understands perfectly well that when visiting or in kindergarten he needs to behave differently than at home. He will be perfectly distracted by any proposed activity and will not initiate scandals.

A hyperactive child is a little different from an active baby. He also moves a lot, and continues to do so even after he is tired. Despite his fatigue, he cannot rest and sleep; his nervous system does not give him peace. Consequently, the baby throws tantrums and cries.

If an active child, keenly interested in anything, asks questions and listens to the answers to them, then a child with ADHD rarely listens to these answers to the end. He does not perceive any prohibitions, does not hear restrictions. Due to his unbridled activity, the baby can be the initiator of quarrels and show aggression. A child with hyperactivity will behave the same everywhere, regardless of location, and no amount of persuasion can make him change his behavior.

Hyperactive children at school.

Another surge of hyperactivity is the beginning of school activities. Reasons leading to negative consequences:

The process of transition to educational activity itself. It is this period that requires the child to be organized, persevering, and to fulfill the requirements of teachers.
Inattention. During the lesson, he is constantly busy with his own affairs, it is difficult to concentrate him in class, to keep him in one place, and therefore his writing suffers.
Ups and downs in the educational process affect performance.
Restless. In the absence of movement, they seem to fall into a state of hyperactivity. When a teacher demands to sit up straight and solve a problem, this is a contradiction in the requirement for the child. When an overactive baby thinks, he needs some kind of movement: rocking on a chair, moving a pencil, etc. If he stops moving, then the mental process suffers, the ability to reflect and think is lost. For such children, immobility is something unnatural, unusual for them.
Difficulties arise in communication in a team. He imposes his own rules in the game, rejects established orders, and constantly strives to become a leader. He is touchy, constantly tries to draw attention to himself, and receives many comments from teachers. In this regard, he begins to play the role of a “bad boy”.

Often parents have no idea what is happening to their child; they sincerely do not understand it. Because of their incorrect behavior, the child becomes more disobedient and irritable. Parents sincerely believe that this is the result of their poor upbringing. They need to find a good specialist who will help them understand their child’s behavior, understand him, and help him.

There are many techniques that help such children adapt to society and socialize.
With constant monitoring and treatment by a qualified neurologist, noticeable improvements occur. Children settle down more easily among their own kind, and their intellectual development is facilitated. With the right approach, all problems go away by the end of adolescence. leave a comment

Causes of hyperactivity

Scientists at Johns Hopkins University (USA) proved in 1999 that the size of the frontal lobes of the right hemisphere in children with hyperactivity is smaller than in their healthy peers. There are other changes in the central nervous system that lead to asymmetry in signal transmission and, accordingly, contribute to the development of the pathological condition. This is very important to remember for those parents who believe that their child is just lazy, and previously they did not raise him strictly enough.

One of the main characteristics of such children is that they quickly switch attention from one subject to another and have great difficulty concentrating. Teachers complain that they don't listen to anything in class. They do their homework poorly and begin to fall behind in their studies, despite their fairly high intelligence.

There is an explanation for this: the central nervous system of a hyperactive child does not cope well with new (increased) loads, both physical and mental. Many people are distracted by their own thoughts for a long time and are unable to comprehend even a short story. Reading is especially difficult for them, but usually the same difficulties arise with arithmetic and writing.

That is why such a student feels, to put it mildly, uncomfortable in a team. After all, having fallen into the category of “underachievers,” he begins to feel a negative attitude from teachers and peers, which is further aggravated by inappropriate active behavior. An unhappy child is often scolded, laughed at, and “not taken into the game.” Because of this, imbalance, temper, and low self-esteem—characteristic emotions in ADHD—receive an additional stimulus. Outbursts of anger and irritation happen quite often and sometimes even out of the blue. Many children withdraw and begin to live their own separate inner lives.

But quite the opposite happens - a hyperactive little person becomes a leader. And then the team that he leads shakes and excites for many years. It is very important to remember that such children, as a rule, lack a sense of fear. They can, without thinking, jump out onto the road in front of a speeding car, jump from any height, dive into the depths without knowing how to swim, etc. This requires special supervision from adults, especially since children with ADHD usually have a reduced reaction time to painful stimuli, and most of them calmly accept blows, cuts and even quite serious injuries. Children with ADHD often develop jerks and tics. A tic is a sudden, jerky, repetitive movement involving various muscle groups. Resembles normal coordinated movement, varies in intensity and lacks rhythm. It can be temporarily suppressed by force of will and, due to the uniformity of the pattern, is relatively easy to imitate.

A distinctive feature of tics is their irresistible nature. Any attempt to suppress the appearance of a tic by force of will inevitably leads to an increase in tension and anxiety, and the forced execution of the desired motor reaction always brings instant relief.

Many children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder complain of frequent headaches (aching, pressing, squeezing), drowsiness, and increased fatigue. Some experience enuresis (urinary incontinence), not only at night, but also during the day.

The symptoms of the disease begin to appear most clearly in kindergarten, at about the age of five, and last until about 12 years. The second “spike” of symptoms is attributed to the age of 14, which coincides with puberty.

The hormonal “boom” is reflected in the characteristics of behavior and attitude towards learning. A difficult teenager (and this is the category most children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder fall into) may decide to leave school.