Neurological diseases: list, symptoms, causes and treatment features. Pediatric neurology and clinical guidelines Symptoms of neurological diseases in children

Nervous system disorders can be varied.
Most often this is:
affective-respiratory attacks;
speech disorders;
sleep disorders;
awkwardness;
attacks of anger;
education problems;
increased excitability.

Affective-respiratory attacks:

Affective-respiratory attacks are acute breath holding. May occur when a child screams or cries. From anger, resentment or pain (for example, when falling), the child begins to cry so bitterly that he holds his breath, there is no longer air in his lungs, the child first turns red, then turns blue and immediately begins to breathe. At the moment of lack of air, short-term oxygen starvation of the brain is possible and the child loses consciousness. At this time there may be convulsions.

All this lasts several tens of seconds, after which the children become lethargic, sometimes drowsy. Such attacks can occur in 2% of children under 2 years of age, rarely up to 4 years of age.
This usually happens in very stubborn, wayward children who try to get their way at any cost. Such conditions, as a rule, pass without a trace and serve as one of the manifestations of early childhood nervousness. During an attack, you should take the child out into the fresh air and turn him face down so that the sunken tongue does not block the airways. You can splash your face with cold water, but do not give it to drink, as the child does not swallow at this moment.

In order to avoid an attack, you need to “switch” the child’s attention to some other subject, distract him and try to avoid conflict situations. It is necessary to have a unified view of the whole family regarding this problem, since the child very quickly learns to benefit from the current situation. In many cases, consultation with a psychologist is necessary. Such attacks do not pose any particular danger, however, in all cases, consultation with a doctor is necessary to rule out epilepsy and heart rhythm disturbances. It should also be remembered that frequently recurring attacks due to oxygen deprivation of the brain can lead to neurological diseases.

Speech disorders:

If it seems to you that the child does not speak much, find out from the speech therapist how he should speak at this age. The development of a child’s speech depends on how much they talk to him from the first days of life. At first, the newborn does not seem to react in any way to calls to him. But several weeks pass, and the child listens to the sounds of speech, as if he freezes. After some time, in response to your speech, he begins to pronounce the sounds: “gu”, “u”. By 1.5-2 months he is humming well, and by 3 months he is humming for a long time, protractedly, melodiously, calms down when you start talking, then he hums again and smiles. By 6-8 months, chains of sounds appear: “ba-ba-ba”, “ma-ma-ma”, by 9-12 months - words. By the age of one year, a child usually knows 6-10 words.

By the age of 15 months, he begins to consciously address his parents and other family members: “mom,” “dad,” “baba.” By 18 months, he can copy intonations well and follow instructions (“take it and bring it, put it down,” etc.). By age 2, he can speak short two-word sentences (“mama, am”). After 2 years, sentences are formed, and a 3-year-old child already speaks in phrases, sings songs, and reads short poems. True, the speech is still unclear and not always understandable to others. However, this is not always the case. If a child speaks little, it is necessary to find out whether he has hearing impairment or damage to the nervous system. If a child hears well, you need to constantly talk to him, teach him to use words rather than gestures.

Surrounded by a “wall of silence,” the baby lacks incentives for speech development. If your child's speech is unclear, you should see a speech therapist to check whether he or she has a tongue tie. Pathology of the hard palate (cleft) also leads to impaired sound pronunciation, even after surgical correction. If there are no abnormalities in the organ of hearing or the oral cavity, it is necessary to consult a neurologist to rule out delayed psycho-speech development as a consequence of damage to the nervous system.

You should also remember about the hereditary characteristics of speech development. There is a natural difference in the development of children's speech: some begin to speak earlier, some later. The more you talk to your child, the sooner he will learn to speak. Most speech disorders are a consequence of hearing pathology.

Sleep disorders in a child:

Like adults, children have different sleep needs. Newborns sleep from 12 to 20 hours a day, older children sleep all night. However, some can only sleep 4-5 hours and do not sleep during the day. In most cases, these are hereditary characteristics, but the child’s lifestyle also makes its own changes. Children who are little active during the day do not sleep well at night, as do overly active children who do not have time to calm down in the evening.

Children with asthma, eczema, allergies, or food intolerances also have trouble sleeping at night. Much depends on how you lay your baby down. In some families, it is customary to rock the baby in your arms, in others - to put it in a crib. The advantage of the latter method is that the parents can be alone for a while.

About half of children under 5 years old wake up at night, which is normal. Another thing is that parents do not get enough sleep. Therefore, they can take turns getting up to see the child or sleep longer in the morning.

Sleep disorders include:
nightmares;
night terrors;
sleepwalking (sleepwalking).

Nightmares very unpleasant for the child. They occur due to breathing problems: asthma, allergies, enlarged tonsils, nasal congestion, due to mental reasons (scary movies, etc.), past pain or injury, as well as in hot and stuffy rooms. Usually occurs between 8 and 9 years. The child dreams that someone is pressing him, chasing him, etc. In the morning he remembers what he dreamed. These disturbances occur during REM sleep.

Night terrors. The child wakes up at night and screams for several minutes without recognizing those around him. It is not easy to calm him down, he is scared, he has a rapid heartbeat, wide pupils, rapid breathing, and distorted facial features. Most often, night terrors occur between 4 and 7 years of age. After a few minutes, the child calms down and falls asleep; in the morning he does not remember anything. Night terrors occur during less deep sleep.

Sleepwalking (sleepwalking, somnambulism) appears in the phase of light sleep or the phase of emerging from light sleep: Children get out of bed, walk around the room, may talk, go to the toilet or urinate in the room, then return to their bed or another and go to bed. In the morning they don't remember about it. Sometimes sleepwalking is combined with night terrors. It should be remembered that tired children sleep soundly. Therefore, the child’s physical and mental activity during the day: outdoor games, singing, reading poetry, counting rhymes - contributes to sound sleep.

By the age of 3, children sleep significantly less during the day or even refuse naps during the day. Putting the child to bed in the evening after a bath and a bedtime story help to consolidate the routine, and the child calmly goes to bed. You can leave a dim night light or a light in the hallway if your baby is afraid of the dark. The child can take his favorite toy or book to his crib. Sometimes quiet music or “white noise” (the operation of some household appliances, quiet conversations between adults) helps. You should not rock your baby in your arms, as he wakes up as soon as he is put into bed. It's better to sit next to her and sing a lullaby. The bedroom should be cozy and warm.

If a child cries, afraid to be left alone, teach him to do this gradually. After putting your baby down, go out for a few minutes and come back again. Gradually increase your time away. The child will know that you are somewhere nearby and will return to him.

In case of nightmares and night terrors, you need to calm the child down and put him to bed. If necessary, on the recommendation of a doctor, you can give mild sedatives. It is important that the child does not watch movies or fairy tales in the evening that can scare him. When sleepwalking, you need to calmly lay the child down and not wake him up. You need to have him examined by a doctor and treated if necessary. Remember about the safety of the child: close the windows and doors to prevent him from falling onto the stairs or falling through the window.

Sleep disturbances are common in infants and young children. However, regularly going to bed at the same time allows you to develop a certain routine. If you have sleep disorders, consult a doctor and use appropriate medications.

Awkwardness:

All young children are a little awkward because their nervous system cannot keep up with the development of muscles and bones. Starting to eat on his own, the child stains his clothes, throws food around, and while learning to dress, he struggles with buttons, fasteners, and clasps. Often falls, gets hurt, bruises and bumps appear on the head, arms and legs. At 3 years old, it is still difficult for a child to build a tower out of cubes; preschoolers draw and write poorly, often break dishes, and do not know how to judge distances, so they awkwardly throw and catch the ball.

Many children do not distinguish the right side from the left. More often they are overly excitable, impulsive, and cannot concentrate for long. Some begin to walk late (after one and a half years). It will take some time for them to catch up with this gap. In some children, coordination of movements suffers “by inheritance”. Other children have emotional disturbances.

Children with any deviations: coordination, emotional, manipulative - feel different from everyone else. Sometimes awkwardness results from injuries, especially to the head. Premature babies are also somewhat different from their peers. In many cases, as the child grows, disorders of the type of minimal brain failure appear, initially imperceptible. The child's awkwardness complicates parenting problems. Failure to complete any task can cause a child to become angry, resentful, withdrawn, shy, and lack self-confidence, especially if peers begin to laugh at him.

Mild neurological disorders are often not noticed, and the child is assessed as “normal, but unbearable,” which leads to punishments, reprimands, even greater behavioral disorders and pathological character development. The child begins to avoid school, finds any excuse not to go to lessons, where he is scolded and ridiculed. Parents must first understand that not everything is normal for the child. If you notice that your child is especially awkward, contact a neurologist or psychologist to identify and clarify the nature of the disorders as early as possible.

Every tenth child has minor disorders, so it is important to show maximum patience and attention in order to carry out the appropriate correction. Success requires mutual understanding and patience, not punishment, ridicule and reprimand. If minimal brain damage is detected, do not worry, there are many ways to treat and correct such disorders.

Attacks of anger:

Anger attacks often occur in children between the ages of one and a half to 4 years. The most difficult time is from 2 to 3 years. This is a critical age of self-affirmation. By age 4, seizures become much less common. At the age of 2-3 years, about 20% of children get angry every day for one reason or another.

The main reason for anger is dissatisfaction with the fact that the child cannot express his desires the way he wants. Children at this age understand very well everything that is happening around them and passionately desire that everything be as they want. If this does not happen, anger results in attacks of anger, which cause a lot of anxiety to parents, especially in public places. Sometimes you even have to spank the baby.

To avoid this unpleasant situation, always analyze your actions before you go somewhere with your child. Children usually become capricious if they want to eat. Always have some fruit or cookies with you. If your child is sleepy, try to get home by bedtime or go after your child is awake and in a good mood. Sometimes it is possible to “switch” the child’s attention to something unusual and interesting in the environment.

Attacks of envy towards a sister or brother can be prevented if you give your child maximum attention and tenderness, and not scold him. Try to remain calm and not react to your child's antics. Don't think about what others will say. Many of them also have children and know how difficult it can be with them. Sometimes a child cries when angry and can cause an affective-respiratory attack, but fortunately this is rare. Always remain calm and be consistent.

Take the crying child in your arms and hug him tightly so that he cannot escape. Move away all nearby objects that he can grab and throw. If the child does not want to move, leave him and walk, but do not let him out of sight. Usually children always run after their leaving parents. Despite the difficulties, do not let your child win, otherwise it will be even more difficult each time. In case of attacks of anger in a child after 5 years, it is necessary to consult a psychologist.

Problems of raising children:

The problems of education are very diverse. The causes of the problems that arise can be attacks of anger, refusal to eat, sleep disturbances, excessive excitability, and sometimes attacks of aggression, when a child can harm himself and others by biting and fighting. The behavior of parents in such situations depends on their culture, upbringing, and social status. Parents' behavior is especially influenced by their own childhood experiences.

Some parents are very strict with their child and do not allow any concessions, others are more gentle and loyal. From a medical point of view, there are no uniform approaches to education. The main thing is that parents do not humiliate or insult the child. Children who are accustomed to a daily routine and constantly know what they will do next, as a rule, do not cause trouble in raising them, even if they are overly excitable.

Parents seek help when they cannot cope with their child and their parenting methods do not produce results. There are no ideal children, but the behavior of parents in matters of education largely determines the fate of the child. Sometimes education (or, better said, the lack thereof) contradicts all norms of behavior in society. In upbringing, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the child. Some children are calm and timid from birth, while others, on the contrary, are active and assertive.

Restless children sleep poorly, are prone to nightmares, and get tired quickly. If they are constantly under fear of punishment, they see strained relations between their parents, then they try to attract attention in any way, including bad behavior. Much of parenting is the result of parental behavior. A child who is not given sweets begins to be capricious, but if he does not achieve his goal, he will draw conclusions for himself.

Sometimes a child's bad behavior manifests itself in certain situations: if he is hungry, thirsty or tired. Then it is very easy to establish the cause and normalize the situation. If a child behaves badly, you need to patiently and clearly explain his mistakes and repeat this in appropriate situations. Children respond to sensitive, attentive attention, especially to praise, even if they do not always deserve it. An excited child can be allowed to “throw out energy” in a game or in sports activities so that he calms down.

You can't let your child have everything. If it says “No!” - this should be a sure no, a law for all family members. It is very bad when one of the parents prohibits, and the other, on the contrary, allows it. Always respond reasonably to your child's antics. It is better to praise for good behavior than to punish for disobedience. You can even promise a reward for something good, but you must fulfill your promise. However, rewards should not be a daily driver of a child's behavior.

A daily routine and a consistent attitude towards your child can prevent many difficulties. If you cannot cope with the problems of raising your child, contact a neurologist or psychiatrist to identify possible (hidden) abnormalities in the nervous system.

Increased excitability:

This term is not always used correctly. An energetic, active child is often called excitable. However, children suffering from increased excitability are not only mobile, but also restless, they cannot concentrate, they make many unnecessary movements when doing any work, they study poorly, they cannot finish the job they started, and their mood changes quickly.

Such children often have attacks of anger when they throw objects on the floor, and they often suffer from poor coordination and awkwardness. Such phenomena occur in 1-2% of children, 5 times more often in boys than in girls. Correction of such behavior must be carried out as early as possible: as they grow up, overly excitable children can commit antisocial acts. The reasons for increased excitability are not fully understood. Great importance is attached to hereditary factors and the influence of the social environment. The influence of allergies (eczema, asthma) and other diseases, as well as deviations during pregnancy and childbirth, cannot be excluded.

If your child is very excitable, you need to carefully consider his daily routine. Find out what your child's interests are and use these interests to teach him concentration, perseverance, and improve hand coordination and motor activity. This could be drawing, coloring, designing, certain games, sports activities, etc. Do not leave the child to his own devices, but give him freedom at certain times.

The main role in correcting the behavior of an excitable child belongs to parents. The child trusts you, and with you he feels protected. If necessary, you can seek help from a neurologist, psychologist, or allergist.

Pediatric neurology is a branch of medicine that deals with diseases of the children's nervous system. It arose at the intersection of 2 disciplines - neurology and pediatrics. It is also closely related to neurosurgery and psychiatry. Neurology in children is one of the most complex disciplines of medicine.

Yakunin Yu.A., Badalyan L.O., Shabalov N.P. made a great contribution to the development of child neurology. and, of course, Ratner A.Yu. They have done a lot for the development of perinatal pathology, i.e. in neonatal neurology.

Also, in order to improve the diagnostic and treatment processes, pediatric neurologists published the third edition of the book in 2015 - “Children’s Neurology in Newborns and Clinical Guidelines”, ed. prof. Guzeeva V.I. and co-authors.

Here are all the latest materials on the etiology, definition and treatment of pathologies of the nervous system in childhood; The entire algorithm of the doctor’s actions is indicated.

Particularly detailed information is given on issues of pathology of newborns. Much attention is paid to evidence-based medicine and its achievements.

Neurologist (a more modern name for the specialty of neurologist) - specializes in the study, prevention, detection and treatment of diseases affecting all parts of the nervous system.

This is especially important in children, because neurological pathologies leave a mark on the future for life. The work of a pediatric neurologist is very responsible, because with his decisions he decides the future fate of the child: his social adaptation, mental and physical health; and even his illnesses in adulthood.

Today, a new section of diseases has been opened in pediatric neurology: hereditary metabolic diseases. This was done because out of 2.5 thousand nosologies in neurology, 70% of them are hereditary.

Visits to a pediatric neurologist should be scheduled in the first month of life, every 3 months for 1 year of life. Then they are performed annually as necessary.

The importance of timely contact with a pediatric neurologist

Pediatric neurology differs markedly from that of adults; The nervous system of children changes with age and is not a miniature copy of an adult. In children, many diseases have an atypical course and are quite rare.

The main problem of pediatric neurology is perinatal lesions of the nervous system. The perinatal period begins at 22 weeks of gestation and ends 7 days after birth. During this very important period for mother and fetus, a variety of factors can influence it.

The last month before childbirth and health are very dependent on external factors: late toxicosis; nicotine; taking drugs; stress; infections - all this is a lot for the body of the unborn baby, these are harmful factors. For example, even minor stress in the mother during pregnancy leads to an oversaturation of the child’s bones with calcium.

As labor approaches, the bones of the fetus harden; The result is a painful birth for the mother and difficulty for the baby as it passes through the birth canal. It is also undeniable that today the number of stresses in a person’s life is growing exponentially.

The functioning of the nervous system can be disrupted even in the prenatal period. Therefore, a neurologist examines the child in the first weeks of life and immediately after birth.

If the mother’s birth was pathological and the child was born in asphyxia, forceps were applied and other obstetric manipulations were performed, this will definitely affect the nervous system. Many researchers in the West consider current childbirth to be non-physiological.

The only neurologist who studied newborns during the perinatal period spoke about this in the book - A.Yu. Ratner Neurology of Newborns. This monograph describes the injuries that become inevitable for the baby during obstetric manipulations.

Also A.Yu. Ratner, all neurologists, osteopaths and massage therapists insist that during childbirth the most vulnerable place in the fetus is the neck and shoulder girdle. They are under maximum stress. This is the border between the spinal cord and the brain.

Here are the structures that orient a person in space; are responsible for biorhythms, breathing, and providing the body with energy. They are laid later than everyone else and continue to mature in the perinatal up to 3 years. They are called block I of the brain.

This is why it is so important to treat pathology of the nervous system in the first year of life. If a baby’s neck is injured, this will manifest itself as muscle spasms in the neck area; the neck will be recessed into the shoulders.

Such babies do not like to lie on their stomach - it hurts; It’s hard for them to hold their head up, it falls and sticks its nose down. This happens because when you raise your head, your neck and shoulders reflexively tense.

Such babies often have sleep disturbances; rickets occurs more often. At an older age, they will suffer from headaches because the spasticity of the muscles in that area will persist.

Vessels feeding the brain pass through 1 block and this will also be reflected on it. This clearly demonstrates how great importance is attached to neurological disorders in the first 3 years of life, with an emphasis on the first year. Detachment of the child's place, the speed of labor in any direction, and anesthesia during childbirth also have a negative effect. And you don’t have to hope for chance, if the baby screamed immediately during birth, was put to the chest and immediately took the breast, etc. If you ignored the neurologist, the baby may have mental retardation at a minimum, and the child will remain disabled. Organic lesions are quite possible.

Children with retardation may lag behind in society, basic skills, be inadequate, emotionally unstable, etc. According to statistics, in 50% of cases a child is given a disability due to neurological diseases.

Moreover, 70% of diagnoses are related to the condition of a pregnant woman at 34-36 weeks and the health of the baby during the newborn period.

With early contact with a pediatric neurologist, half of such problems can be successfully solved.

This is possible because it is in the first months of a newborn’s life that the brain actively develops and matures, it has more opportunities to adapt, and therefore the treatment will be most noticeably effective. If time is lost, one can only talk about meager rehabilitation opportunities. In other words, everything is fine on time.

When is it urgent to contact a neurologist?

The first symptoms of disorders are possible in the first month of life. The main symptoms that parents should be alert to and pay attention to are the following:

When crying, the baby's chin trembles and his arms shake; sometimes this can be observed at rest.
The child is easily excitable.
The child does not fall asleep well, his sleep is shallow and he easily wakes up from the influence of external factors, for example, from the sound of a voice; is constantly capricious. Parents of such children should not try to create ideal ways at home to improve sleep, such as curtained windows, darkening, complete silence, whispering conversations - this is not the answer. All this will aggravate the situation and delay diagnosis.
Abundant and frequent regurgitation in infants, even with a small amount of food.
The appearance of seizures in a child even at low temperatures.
Placed on piles of support, the baby curls his toes or stands on tiptoes, like a ballerina.
Older children may experience: frequent headaches, which can be prolonged.
Fainting states.
Pain and shooting in the back.
Disturbances in performing normal movements at different levels of the spinal column.
Absent-mindedness, inability to attract attention, memory impairment.
Apathy, lethargy, fatigue, no interest in the environment.
Doesn't have contact with peers.
Bad dream.
Panic attacks against the background of complete well-being.
Neuralgia and signs of peripheral nerve damage.
Spontaneous twitching of various muscles.
Enuresis in children 5-6 years old.
Hyperactivity.
Delayed speech, mastering writing, decreased intelligence.

In all of these cases, there is no need to wait for a scheduled examination; you need to go to the doctor right away.

Preventive examinations:

In children under one year of age, examination every 3 months; if there are violations monthly.
Then examination in the pre-preschool period - 4 - 5 years.
During the primary school period - 7 years;
13-14 years - puberty.

All medical examinations are necessary for the early detection of pathologies in order not to lead them to a serious condition. Also, early detection of psychomotor deficiency and mental retardation is possible.

How is an examination by a pediatric neurologist performed?

After a traditional examination (visual examination, palpation, manipulations to determine the motor and sensory spheres), the neurologist always clarifies the entire list of diseases from the birth of the child; analyzes all the negative aspects of pregnancy in the mother; the course of childbirth. Diseases suffered in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy are specified.

Diagnostic measures

Diagnostic methods for suspicious symptoms include:

Ultrasound with Dopplerography of cerebral vessels;
fundus examination;
MRI (in extreme cases).

During admission, the following must be checked:

visual reflexes;
muscle tone and strength;
conditioned and unconditioned reflexes;
sensitivity and its loss are determined;
coordination in space;
cognitive cognitive functions.

Additional research methods include assessment of hearing, brain stem, and speech apparatus. Since many problems are often of a polyetiological nature, treatment is carried out together with other specialists.

Treatment methods

How to treat congenital pathologies? In case of congenital pathologies, the main goal is to stop the worsening of the pathology and help the child adapt. Medicines are not used immediately.

To begin with use:

manual therapy;
craniosacral technique;
muscle relaxation;
emotional technique;
physio-, reflexology and binaural therapy;
massages;
Exercise therapy, etc.

Manual therapy – restores mobility and function of the spine. In children, it is carried out gently, at a slow pace, removing all spasms from tense areas.

Craniosacral technique - its goal is to manually gradually align the bones of the skull. This restores blood supply to the brain; reduces ICP. The technique is used in infants.

Emotional techniques – used for behavioral deviations and neuroses.

Muscle relaxation - it consists of relaxing muscle fibers. This has a positive effect on the skeletal system, especially the spine. The internal organs also relax.

New methods include computer speech programs and techniques for improving motor coordination (cerebellar stimulation).

As you can see, there is little that is acceptable in neurological treatment at home.

The neurologist does not just prescribe treatment and send the child home without thinking about it until the next medical examination. He always controls the treatment.

In order to stimulate motor skills and mental development, parents can successfully carry out simple exercises at home after consultation with a doctor to develop and improve fine motor skills:

Pour a little buckwheat into a bowl and, sorting it out, pour it from palm to palm. You can hide small objects in this cereal and let the child try to feel them.
Pour warm water from a basin into a bucket with a glass;
When your child takes his first steps, let him run barefoot more often. Let him feel the surface in piles; this will enrich his tactile sensations. In this case, the surface alternates texture - floor, carpet, rubber mat, fabric, etc.
Make plasticine modeling with your child and paint with finger paints.

Common pathologies

This article will identify the most common neurological pathologies in children.

Brain dysfunction, or otherwise attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, first manifests itself as decreased concentration of attention, then the child becomes irritable and easily excitable. The muscles are hypotonic, which causes awkward movements and disrupts the functioning of the musculoskeletal system as a whole. Posture is impaired, flat feet develop, and urinary incontinence appears. Children cannot learn the school curriculum, they have vegetative symptoms: increased heart rate, dizziness, headaches.
Perinatal pathology also includes birth injuries, fetal hypoxia, and intracranial hemorrhages. At the first examination, there may be complete health, but the manifestation of pathologies will appear after a few months.
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is a consequence of fetal hypoxia. The brain suffers completely: the cortex and subcortex. If left untreated, this will result in decreased intelligence, paralysis, convulsive syndrome, and cerebral palsy. Disturbances at an early stage are clearly visible on the EEG.
Birth trauma is a broad concept that includes violation of the integrity of tissues in the fetus during childbirth. These include spinal cord injuries and facial nerve palsies. Facial paralysis produces symptoms: swelling, drooping and immobility of the mouth; eyelids do not close tightly; the nasolabial fold is absent. Treatment can lead to complete recovery. Spinal cord injury during childbirth can occur when the fetus is breech, due to the use of obstetric manipulations. Under such conditions, vertebral subluxations, pinching and spasm of the vertebral artery, and hemorrhages into the membranes of the spinal cord easily occur. With spinal cord injuries, bruising and compression are especially common. Neurological disorders manifest themselves in the form of paralysis, pelvic disorders, and urinary disorders. Signs of damage are determined by the segment level. In these diseases, to treat such disorders, the child’s neck and head are immobilized. They relieve tissue swelling and pain with medications, and restore the functioning of damaged brain structures.
Intracranial hemorrhages - these include hypoxia, impaired blood clotting, infections during the mother’s pregnancy; prematurity. With all of them, the condition of the wall of the brain vessels is disturbed, and the pathology of childbirth becomes the trigger. Treatment consists of following a gentle and protective regimen (exclusion of any irritants - light, sound; only gentle swaddling); drug treatment. If the hemorrhage progresses, surgical intervention in the form of removal of blood by suction with ultrasound guidance is also possible.
Traumatic brain injuries: The concept of TBI includes bruises and concussions. In a child this manifests itself as asthenic syndrome; it is often accompanied by vegetative dystonia: increased blood pressure, changes in heart rhythm; impaired functioning of the thermoregulation center.
Microcephaly. A pronounced decrease in the size of the skull and, accordingly, the brain is characteristic. Mental disability will definitely be observed. Speech and motor skills are impaired.
Hydrocephalus. Another name is dropsy of the brain. With it, the cavities of the ventricles of the brain are sharply enlarged due to increased secretion of CSF, which accumulates in the brain cavities. Signs of hydrocephalus are formed in the womb. As a result, the skull becomes deformed, the forehead becomes excessively convex, and the network of veins on the skull and temples is pronounced. The fontanelles are noticeably enlarged, the eyes roll up under the brow ridges. Often pathologies in older children are a late result of failure to recognize them in the first months of life.

A pediatric neurologist is a very important specialist who monitors the central and peripheral nervous system of a child, from birth to 18 years of age. What does a pediatric neurologist treat and what does a pediatric neurologist do? The primary task of this specialist is periodic observations of the stages of formation and development of the nervous system of a small patient, during which many progressive pathologies can be prevented. If it is impossible to prevent them and prevention does not help, an experienced pediatric neurologist determines the diagnosis and prescribes appropriate comprehensive treatment, which in most cases successfully cures the disease.

Today, there are many different diseases of the nervous system that differ from each other, which are classified according to a certain order. Let's list the main lesions of the nervous system and answer the question - what does a pediatric neurologist treat.

Pathology associated with infection caused by exposure to harmful viruses and bacteria. A newborn child is most susceptible to such infectious diseases due to insufficiently developed immunity. That is why doctors do not recommend that parents visit crowded establishments with a small child.
Epilepsy. It can be formed either as a result of injury or congenitally. Consultation and treatment with a neurologist are simply mandatory here.
Diseases associated with severe bruises of the head area, traumatic injuries.
Toxic pathology. Some drugs and medicines, namely their incorrect prescription and use, can provoke such damage to the nervous system.
Genetic pathology. Passed on from parents or relatives due to appropriate heredity.
Hypoxia, which in turn was observed in utero in the fetus.

From this video you will learn what the consequences of not visiting a neurologist may be:

What is mmd in neurology in children

MMD is a minimal brain dysfunction caused by acute failure of the central nervous system, disturbances in the child’s mental state, as well as a number of other dangerous symptoms.

How does mmd manifest itself in neurology in children?

Overly active behavior, namely constant movements of both arms and legs, lack of perseverance.
Quick distraction to the presence of any irritants.
Inability to play alone.
He talks incessantly, interrupts adults, and does not hear others when they ask him questions.
Moves from one task to another without completing the first.
Losing things in kindergarten, school, absent-mindedness.

What is neurology in children?

Neurology in children is a complex, multifaceted medical discipline that deals with diseases of the nervous system of a small patient. If a qualified doctor still detects neurology in a child, this can be explained by the following most common reasons:

Receiving a birth mechanical injury;
fetal hypoxia, as well as insufficient oxygen supply due to possible repeated entanglement in utero;
complex process of childbirth and labor;
acute toxicosis of pregnant women throughout the entire period;
genetic inheritance.

What is neurology in eight-year-old children?

The child’s psyche is like plasticine; it is very susceptible to stress and any circumstances; parents, in turn, are advised to ensure that it is not damaged. In what cases does neurology occur in school-age children, namely 8 years old?

Excessively heavy loads on the child’s body.
A feeling of constant fear caused by the behavior of parents, as well as their pressure.
Adaptation period at school.

Such neurosis is accompanied by anxiety, sometimes stuttering, tics, and fainting. At the slightest manifestation of these symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor.

The child’s nervous system is one of the most important components of the whole organism. With the help of the nervous system, not only the activity of the entire organism as a whole is controlled, but also the interaction of this organism with the external environment. This relationship is carried out with the help of sensory organs, receptors on the surface of the child’s skin.

The nervous system is a very complex formation in a child’s body. Any disruption in its coordinated activity can lead to the development of quite serious diseases.

The development of the nervous system occurs unevenly. The formation of the brain occurs in the early stages of pregnancy (1st week of the child’s intrauterine development). But even after childbirth, the process of division and formation of new nerve cells is not completed. The most intensive period of formation of a child’s nervous system occurs in the first 4 years of life. It is during this period that the child receives more than 50% of the information that helps him in later life. Adverse environmental influences, infectious diseases, and injuries during this period lead to the formation of the largest number of neurological diseases.

The motor activity of the child, which is also controlled by the nervous system, is also important. While inside the uterus, the child takes a certain position, which allows him to occupy a smaller volume. After birth, various reflexes can be detected in a child. The presence of these reflexes, on the one hand, is associated with the immaturity of the nervous system, and on the other hand, they help the child survive in environmental conditions. Gradually, during the maturation of the nervous system, many of the reflexes disappear, but some, such as swallowing, remain with us for the rest of our lives.

The sense organs (vision, smell, touch, hearing) are very important in a child’s life. These organs help the child navigate the environment, form an idea of objects and phenomena, communicate and explore the world. Any violations of these sense organs lead to the fact that it becomes very difficult for the child to perceive the world and communicate with his peers. Speech, which will also be controlled by the nervous system, plays an important role in the formation of communication. Speech impairment can be a consequence of brain damage or organic diseases of the organs involved in speech formation. It is necessary to promptly identify various speech disorders and treat these conditions, since speech is necessary not only for communication, but also for the correct assimilation of the acquired knowledge.

In some cases, it is quite difficult to recognize neurological diseases in children in the early stages, since they may be hidden behind the functional immaturity of the nervous system. In this case, only parents are able to provide all possible assistance to medical workers, since they are with the child almost 24 hours a day and can immediately determine whether the child’s behavior has changed. Another feature of neurological disorders in children is that many of them disappear almost completely with early, timely, correct, albeit long-term treatment.

By studying the articles collected in this section, you will be able to learn how to identify various conditions in children that may indicate that the child has a pathology of the nervous system and bring this to the doctor’s attention in time.

The proper functioning of the nervous system is very important for the normal functioning of the body as a whole. Unfortunately, children often suffer from nervous disorders no less than adults. And if you do not pay attention to the existing problem in time, it can develop into a serious illness with corresponding consequences. Let's look at what neurological diseases there are in children, for what reasons they arise and what methods are used to treat them.

Disorders of the nervous system in children can be either mild or accompanied by such serious diagnoses as epilepsy, cerebral palsy, nervous tics, syncope, speech delay, problems concentrating, neurological enuresis, stuttering, etc.

In complex forms of the disease, treatment is very long and not always effective. Childhood neurological diseases are based on the following causes:

unhealthy lifestyle of the mother, as well as all kinds of pathologies during pregnancy;
birth injuries;
acquired intercostal neuralgia can occur due to improper picking;
spinal disorders;
regularly carrying the baby in a kangaroo pouch;
hypothermia.

Children's neurological diseases, symptoms and treatment

Disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system can manifest themselves both immediately after birth and after some time. You should be wary if your baby is constantly crying. Children become capricious in two cases: with improper care and the presence of physical or mental disorders. In any case, it is better to show the baby to the pediatrician once again. And he will decide whether consultation and observation of a neurologist is necessary in a particular case or not.
Pediatric neurology has the following symptoms:

the child’s strong feelings about various things;
excessive immersion in the world of fantasy during the game;
communication with imaginary friends;
constant headaches;
nervous tic;
lack of appetite;
obsessive guards, hysterics, tearfulness;
insomnia;
neurotic urinary incontinence;
in older age, fatigue, spinal disorders, frequent migraines, etc.;
in adolescence, a fanatical passion for some extraordinary activity (subculture, religion, etc.).

Childhood neuropathology most often occurs in timid children with low self-esteem and who are constantly under strict parental control or, conversely, left to their own devices from early childhood.
Treatment of abnormalities is usually prescribed by a neurologist for children. The main methods of combating the disease are:

drug treatment;
physical exercise;
diet;
various therapies (phyto, magneto, manual, etc.);
physiotherapeutic procedures;
massotherapy;
surgical intervention in complex cases (surgeries on the brain and spinal cord).

Be attentive to your children. To prevent diseases of the nervous system, a child first of all needs a comfortable emotional environment at home. Love and care will help avoid many emotional disorders.