When should a child contact a neurologist 1.6. When should you contact a neurologist or psychologist with your child? First symptoms

Human nervous system exercises control over all processes occurring in the body. She is responsible for vision, hearing, and is in charge of thinking, speech, memory and the ability to make decisions. Any disturbances in its work often lead to serious illnesses. At a minimum, this is a delay in psychomotor and speech development, impaired development of writing, counting, reading skills, emotional instability.

Pathologies nervous system can also lead to hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder. Such children often have neuroses, nervous tics, and inappropriate behavior. According to statistics, 50% of childhood disabilities are associated with diseases of the nervous system. Therefore, they must be taken very seriously in order to identify at the earliest stage when something can still be corrected. If they are neglected, muscle disorders, headaches, joint pain and a number of other diseases will become chronic and will haunt the person throughout his life.

Schedule of mandatory visits to a neurologist

To comprehensively assess the pace of development of the baby, parents should visit a pediatric neurologist at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year. In addition, consultations with a neurologist during this period are needed to decide on the start and schedule of vaccinations. From one to three years of age, the child must be brought in for examination once every six months. Up to 6 years of age, you should see a neurologist at least once a year. This is provided that overall the child is doing well.
An examination by a doctor is usually carried out according to plan: general condition (well-being, sleep, appetite), assessment of the baby’s nervous excitability, motor activity and emotions. Next, check vision, hearing, touch, study reflexes and muscle tone. The doctor also pays attention to psycho emotional state mothers of a child - often problems with the baby’s health arise due to too restless parents.

Reasons for an unscheduled visit

You can and should consult a doctor if your child gets excited easily and quickly and finds it difficult to calm down, sleeps poorly, eats poorly, gains weight poorly, spits up profusely, experiences convulsions, and generally cries frequently and heavily for no apparent reason. Trembling of the limbs and chin in a baby during the neonatal period and early age may also be a sign of problems with the nervous system. Sometimes, however, such phenomena are typical for completely healthy children. Therefore, this issue should only be resolved by a specialist.

Parents should remember that the first three years of a child’s life are the most important in the successful formation of the child’s nervous system. At this time, brain structures are actively developing, the foundations of gross and fine motor skills are laid, and psychoneurological functions are improved. You should not take a passive wait-and-see position if neurological abnormalities are detected in a child - in this case, you can miss the precious time of a sensitive (especially sensitive) age, when many things can be corrected.

Crisis of three years

The next “critical” period in which a child needs a consultation with a neurologist is the age of 3 years. By this point, many children develop various neurotic states - fears, obsessive involuntary movements appear (sighs, blinking eyes, coughing, colds), sleep disturbances, headaches. Many of these problems are the result of poor parental communication with the child, and a neurologist can help identify this.

Getting ready for school

At 4-5 years old, frequent reasons for visiting a neurologist are enuresis, disorders of speech development and coordination. It is extremely important to eliminate them before the child starts school. Indeed, during the school period he is “awaited” by other neurotic disorders, associated primarily with increased workload. If you ignore the advice of a pediatric neurologist, your child may have difficulty absorbing the required amount of information. And the point is not that the child is stupid, but simply that children with neurological problems quickly lose their attention, they cannot keep up with the general pace of work in the class, which is why they sometimes become aggressive, quick-tempered, and sleep poorly. Such children require pedagogical correction, and sometimes correction child psychologist. Therefore, timely treatment can allow the child to avoid traumatic situations in the school community, often leading to a change of school or home schooling.

Attentive attention to the child’s development, his complaints, behavior, sleep, speech characteristics and a timely visit to a pediatric neurologist will make it possible to most effectively identify and solve problems arising in the child’s life. life path little person.

The child’s nervous system is very plastic, so timely treatment always gives good results.

Maria Nikolaeva
Why does a child need to see a neurologist?

In what cases should you contact a neurologist?

Neurologist (neuropathologist) – medical specialist in physiological characteristics nervous system, diagnoses and treats diseases associated with congenital and acquired pathologies of the central and peripheral nervous system.

It happens that defense mechanisms, responsible for the reflexes of the newborn, are disrupted for some reason. Such a child immediately after birth needs the help of a neonatologist, and subsequently a pediatric neurologist. The harmful addictions of a pregnant woman, such as smoking and alcohol, illnesses she has suffered and the use of certain drugs can lead to a “breakdown” of the child’s defense mechanisms. medicines. In addition, premature or difficult childbirth, birth by cesarean section, or genetic predisposition can lead to disruption of protective mechanisms.

Parents should know that in the first year of life the baby should be regularly examined by a pediatric neurologist. The first examination is carried out in the fourth week of the child’s life, the second – after six months and the third – at 12 months. Thus, the doctor will have the opportunity not only to assess the rate of development of the baby, but also to identify possible pathologies as early as possible.

The main causes of lesions of the Central Nervous System:

Various adverse effects on the brain during fetal development, during childbirth, or in the first months and years of life.

Maternal intoxication during pregnancy;

Toxicosis;

Birth trauma;

Asphyxia;

Incompatibility of the blood of mother and child by Rh factor (Rh conflict) or by blood group;

Brain injuries in the first years of a child’s life;

Alcoholism and drug addiction parents;

Speech deprivation during the period of its intensive development;

Genetic pathologies of speech development.

When is a consultation with a pediatric neurologist necessary?

The presence of several of the following symptoms in a child is a reason for consultation with a specialist - a pediatric neurologist. Which will not only diagnose and prescribe treatment, but also give recommendations for the full development and strengthening of the child’s nervous system.

In infancy:

o The child is especially excitable, has difficulty falling asleep, sleeps restlessly

o Crying is uneven, chin trembling is noticeable

o Spits up frequently

o Has a swollen fontanelle

o For strabismus

o When walking, stands up and walks on tiptoes

o The appearance of seizures on high temperature or after vaccination

In to school age:

o Increased irritability, aggressiveness

o Disinhibition, impaired coordination of movements, gross and fine motor skills

o Tearfulness, isolation, communication problems

o Low level of memory, attention, restlessness

o Enuresis, encopresis

o Complete absence or severe speech underdevelopment

o Increased fatigue

o Complaints of headache

o Sweating

o Insomnia or, on the contrary, excessive sleepiness

o Lack of appetite

o Unreasonable anxiety

Feeling short of air

What diagnostic methods does a pediatric neurologist use?

All necessary diagnostic data is collected painlessly, and most importantly, it is safe for the child’s health. If necessary, the doctor may prescribe the use of ultrasound of the brain, ultrasound of the vessels of the neck and head, Magnetic Resonance and Computed Tomography of the brain, and encephalogram.

Speech is the youngest function, developing intensively in the first years of a child’s life. It is known that the young function, which develops most rapidly, usually turns out to be more vulnerable. In this regard, with early brain damage, various syndromes of impaired speech development occur most often. In implementation speech activity A variety of levels and parts of the central nervous system are involved. However, it is known that damage to certain parts of the brain leads to the most pronounced speech disorders.

The possibilities of compensation and development of speech activity largely depend on the time of initiation of treatment and development. Treatment started during the period of most intensive brain development is effective - the first 3 years of life. By age three, the human brain reaches half its final weight.

According to doctors, a child should start speaking in sentences at two or three years old. If this does not happen, it’s time to turn to specialists to help the baby tell the world about himself.

I often hear from parents whose children do not speak at 2-3 years old:

– Our dad said his first word at four. And the child will speak, it is hereditary.

– Eldest daughter at 2.5 years old she was reciting rhymes, but her son was silent. When he wants something, he points with his hand or starts crying. But this is normal, boys start speaking later than girls.

“She knows everything, understands, she just doesn’t speak.” The time will come and she will speak, she is not “ripe” yet.

Meanwhile, time does not pass - it runs, and the child is silent.

In recent decades, there has been an increase in diseases associated with the activity of the nervous system. Adults often do not attach serious importance to neurological symptoms such as headaches, inability to concentrate, decreased performance and fatigue. You should know that most neurological problems in adults originate from childhood, so you should not neglect preventive examinations of your own child by a pediatric neurologist.

Publications on the topic:

Essay “Why does a person need music” At the dawn of its formation, each nation had its own music. These plexuses of sounds (the rhythms of tom-toms, the hum of hunting horns) turned out to be.

Lesson summary “Why does a person need a house” Synopsis for the presentation “Why does a person need a house?” Goal: To systematize children’s knowledge about the house, its parts, and the materials from which houses are made.

Lesson summary “Why do we need a nose?” Conversation on the topic “Noses are needed not only for beauty.” Goal: to give children the information necessary to improve their health and to promote consolidation.

Objectives: 1. Learn the basic functions of the nose. 2. Find out that breathing is the basis of life. Purpose: - To acquaint children with the features of the organ.

In our age of stress and speed, many adults, especially residents of large cities, periodically feel certain symptoms of trouble in the nervous system. This headache and fatigue, sleep disturbances, irritability, decreased attention and performance. Many of us are accustomed to these sensations and do not go to doctors; some, on the contrary, are alarmed and regularly visit specialists neurologists. But in one case or another, most of the diseases of the nervous system that our patients suffer in adulthood originate in childhood.

It's no secret that in modern world children are equally, if not more, exposed to often less than friendly external environment. While still in the womb, the child hears noise, albeit muffled, feels the vibration of transport and much more. His condition is influenced by: stressful conditions, as well as his mother’s illness. Therefore, that's it negative impacts the child receives while still in the womb. Next the most important stage, through which the child must go through at a certain point in development - this is the most complex process of childbirth. Nature has provided special protective mechanisms to protect the child during this period. With the help of them, the child is properly grouped, passing through the birth canal, takes his first breath, and only after being fully born can he cry and make sucking movements. Various structures of the brain and spinal cord are responsible for the formation of special congenital unconditioned reflexes newborns. As the child grows up in the first year of life, these reflexes gradually disappear.

However, in some cases, these mechanisms may, for some reason, “break down” and then, upon being born, the baby will need special assistance neonatologists, and then pediatric neurologists. Such reasons may be various diseases of the mother during pregnancy, as well as smoking, drinking alcohol, and some types of medicines, hidden intrauterine infections, hereditary causes and premature or excessively long labor. In addition, all babies born through operative delivery ( C-section), also require supervision by a pediatric neurologist during the first three years of life.

According to modern standards, an examination by a pediatric neurologist is mandatory during dispensary observation of all groups of children in the first year of life. To be calm about the development of the baby in the first year of his life, it is advisable for parents to visit a pediatric neurologist at least 3 times - at the age of 1 month, at 6 months and at 1 year. These age periods are important in order to clearly assess the pace of child development, identify problems in the first year of life and, if they arise, correct these problems at an early stage. Besides, neurologist consultations are often needed to decide on the initiation and schedule of preventive vaccination of a child.

The next “critical” period in which you and your child may need to consult a neurologist is the age of 3 years. At this point, many children are starting or preparing to attend nursery school. preschool institutions. This age period Many children develop fears, sleep disturbances, and at this age, some children may experience various neurotic conditions. Many of these conditions are age-related and go away on their own without treatment, but in some cases the child may need the help of competent psychologists or medication support.

An analysis of complaints when contacting a pediatric neurologist clearly shows that the problem of headaches in children has also become significantly younger. Often, children are not yet able to describe their sensations in detail, but at the same time they are already experiencing the whole range of symptoms that are characteristic of headaches in adults. The long-term latent course of pain syndrome in children can affect their development; such children begin to avoid noisy games with peers and experience emotional problems. If parents suspect that their child is suffering from headaches, consultation with a neurologist is necessary in this case.

By the age of 4-5 years, behavioral problems, disorders of speech development and coordination often come to the fore. In this case, the pediatric neurologist works closely with teachers, speech therapists, child psychologists, and movement development specialists. It is extremely important to identify developmental problems and begin to help the child before he begins to attend school. At school age, these disorders can manifest themselves in the form of difficulties in reading, counting and writing. Also, a common reason for visiting a doctor at this age is the problem of enuresis. Treatment this state requires collaboration pediatrician, urologist, neurologist, as well as active participation parents and the child himself during the treatment process.

At school age, in addition to learning problems, difficulties in adapting to increasing workloads, emotional and volitional disorders become relevant again, sleep disturbances, tics, stuttering and other neurotic disorders can often occur. Timely treatment can allow the child to avoid traumatic situations in the school community, often leading to a change of school or home schooling.

IN adolescence During the period of rapid growth and hormonal “changes” of the body, chronic conditions associated with the autonomic nervous system (headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness, increased fatigue) may worsen. During this period, the growing patient especially needs the close attention of specialists - an adolescent pediatrician, a neurologist.

Thus, careful attention to the child’s development, his complaints, behavior, sleep, speech characteristics, as well as periodic visits to children’s specialists - a pediatrician and a pediatric neurologist, will give you the opportunity to promptly and most effectively identify and solve problems that arise in your child’s path.

Let our children grow up healthy and happy!

A very important specialist is a pediatric neurologist who deals with problems of the central and peripheral nervous system in patients from birth to 18 years of age. According to statistics, every fifth child has functional or organic problems with the central nervous system, which require consultation with a neurologist. Preventing the progression of nerve pathologies in children allows us to avoid irreversible disorders that will significantly reduce the quality of life.

A pediatric neurologist must be a good and competent specialist in his field in order to effectively diagnose and treat relevant pathologies. Children's nervous system long time is not perfect and continues to develop until adulthood, requiring attentive support. A missed pathology can cause disability, but rarely leads to death.

When to contact a pediatric neurologist?

Parents should know what a pediatric neurologist treats and when to seek help. IN childhood when the child's socialization is in a state active development, and this process occurs individually, it is difficult to notice any problems in the neurological area. Parents should be alert to the following symptoms, which are a reason to contact a neurology clinic:

• increased excitability of the child, which is manifested by poor falling asleep, shallow sleep, constant awakenings and moodiness;
• for newborns, the neurologist notes a special symptom: trembling of the limbs and head during crying or anxiety;
• frequent, unmotivated regurgitation;
• apathy of the baby, lack of interest in the surrounding reality;
• convulsive syndrome during fever of any origin;
• frequent headaches in older children (in children the subjective symptom cannot be determined in any way, so you should pay attention to the general condition and mood of the child);
• fainting (two or more times within a certain period of time);
• involuntary twitching of muscles of different groups;
• excessive motor activity(it is difficult to assess it independently, so a pediatric neurologist checks for deviations from the norm using various tests);
• developmental delay in the first year of life, which should be reported to the pediatrician;
• enuresis after the age of 5-6 years;
• stuttering and other speech defects.

Do children need preventive examinations?

In babies under 12 months old, the pediatrician looks for various deviations from the norm every 4 weeks.

The need for such an approach is due to the fact that parents will not be able to independently assess the physiology of the baby’s development and notice pathological changes in time.

The same situation is with a pediatric neurologist, who is recommended to visit during the following periods:

• one month after birth;
• at 3 months;
• in six months;
• after reaching one year of age;
• at 4-5 years old (pre-school period);
• at 7 years old (junior school);
• at 13-14 (teenage).

A pediatric neurologist monitors the formation of the nervous system until adolescence, where serious hormonal changes occur. Preventive examinations with this doctor allow you to notice violations early and not lead them to a severe course. Besides, a neurologist can detect psychomotor underdevelopment in time or intellectual retardation.

How does an appointment with a specialist work?

At an appointment with a pediatric neurologist, the following things are checked:

• visual reflexes;
• muscle tone and strength;
• coordination;
• superficial and deep reflexes;
• sensitivity disorders;
• development of cognitive functions (speech, memory, etc.).

Additionally, general laboratory tests and specific instrumental techniques may be prescribed, for example, EEG, MRI, ultrasound with Dopplerography of cerebral vessels and others.

The human body is designed in a complex way, where the central nervous system is responsible for the smooth functioning of everything. A neurologist deals with disturbances in its functioning. He considers all changes and the reasons for their occurrence.

Neurology studies the mechanisms of disease development, symptoms, methods of prevention and treatment, where correct and timely diagnosis is important.

Neurologist - who is he?

The nervous system is in close interaction with all body systems. Each organ has nerves and blood vessels. A neurologist can identify many abnormalities associated with malfunctions of the nervous system, but does not deal with pathologies.

A neurologist will help with frequent dizziness and headaches, sleep and falling asleep disorders, tinnitus, decreased vision, hearing, memory, smell and touch.

The clinical picture of many diseases is aggravated by inattention to the state of the nervous system. This is why doctors of other specializations refer their patients to a neurologist. It is within the competence of this specialist to more accurately adjust the treatment prescribed to the patient.

If you notice negative manifestations functions of the spinal cord and brain - first of all you should go to a neurologist. Only this doctor deals in detail effective treatment such manifestations of the disease.

What diseases are treated by a neurologist?

The following negative manifestations cannot be ignored:

• frequent and strong;
• difficulty falling asleep, insomnia, frequent awakenings at night;
• disorders of consciousness, fainting and other abnormalities that you have not observed before.

Diseases with neurotic manifestations can be divided into groups:

• Vascular:
• stroke;
• thrombosis, etc.

Chronic diseases caused by long-term alcoholism, taking medications, vitamin deficiency.
Degenerative, with gradual addition of symptoms:

• Parkinson's disease, Pick's disease;
• Alzheimer's syndrome;
• spinal amyotrophy, etc.

Neurotic temporary deviations caused by infections and inflammation:

• neuritis;
• encephalitis;
• meningitis, etc.

Bruises, nerve ruptures, concussions and cerebrovascular diseases.

• Observation of patients with epilepsy

Child neurology has its own characteristics at every age. Diseases that arise in childhood are easier to prevent than to treat later in an adult and to look for the causes of their occurrence.

When to see a doctor

Very often, neurologists in their practice encounter behavioral and emotional disorders associated with stress and other traumatic factors. The relevance of disorders of this type is caused by the modern rhythm of life. Any type of overload, stress, irritability, or lack of sleep negatively affects the emotional state and general well-being.

Pain syndrome of various etiologies is also a common reason for visiting a neurologist. The patient is tormented:

• causeless, in his opinion, headaches;
• radiculitis and osteochondrosis;
• protrusion or herniation of vertebral discs;
• intercostal neuralgia;

• neuritis, inflammation of the facial and trigeminal nerve;
• rare and severe pain in the limbs and other parts of the body.

Movement disorders in the form of partial, short-term paralysis or involuntary movements are a reason to consult a doctor. A neurologist will help with speech disorders, coordination of movements, and tremors.

If you feel a disturbance in your balance, hearing, vision, taste, smell or sensitivity, contact a neurologist. The doctor will conduct a consultation and prescribe a course of treatment to correct the problem.

If there is a decrease in memory, attention, frequent dizziness and fainting, do not delay a visit to a neurologist. Tell your doctor about your problems, and he will prescribe treatment or refer you for consultation to another specialist.

Often, deviations in behavior, emotional and mental state are associated with the manifestations of a stroke. Sometimes the intervention of a psychologist or psychotherapist is required. Often neurological disorders need to be considered and treated at the same time as mental disorders– they are interconnected.

Pediatric neurologist

Little patients need special attention and an individual visit to the doctor. Knowledge of the source of the disease and the right approach have a direct impact on the effectiveness of treatment.

A visit to a pediatric neurologist is necessary for a comprehensive assessment of the baby’s rate of development. The first examination of the child is in the first month from birth. Next - according to the schedule:

• at 3 months of age;
• when the baby is six months old;
• at one year of age.

This is a schedule for healthy children, for whom it is only important to monitor growth, weight, sleep, appetite, nervous excitability, emotions and physical activity.

At the next stage, the neurologist observes the development of speech, hearing, touch, and examines reflexes and muscle tone. A conversation with parents is included in routine examinations of children. Parents should not be too emotional and restless - their behavior and condition affects the child’s psyche and nervous system.
Additional consultations with a neurologist are necessary in cases where the child sleeps and eats poorly, gets very excited and calms down very slowly, cries often and for no apparent reason.

Trembling of the limbs and chin can be associated with disorders of the child’s nervous system, and sometimes it is simply a syndrome that goes away with age. Only a specialist can figure out whether this or that developmental disorder is a problem, and whether it is worth correcting the child’s condition and behavior.

The first three years of a child’s life are the most important in the formation of the nervous system and the development of brain structures. At this age, it is easy and simple to correct neurological abnormalities, if they are identified.

The age of three is the period of the appearance of the first fears, obsessive states and involuntary movements that are not yet realized by the child. Sometimes your own movements or pain can frighten your child. Coughing without coughing, sleep disturbances, excessive excitability or apathy may be observed. With proper communication with the child, all these conditions can be easily brought back to normal.

Next critical period- preparation for school. Common reasons Parents' visits to a neurologist indicate dysfunction genitourinary system, coordination of movements and speech development in children 4-5 years old. You need to try to find the cause of the violations and eliminate it by the age of 6 years.

In school life, children's neurotic problems are usually associated with changes in daily routine and greater psycho-emotional stress. As you get used to the new regime, the condition improves, but in some cases the help of a neurologist is necessary.

A timely visit to a neurologist, taking into account the child’s complaints, behavior and general health, will help to promptly correct behavior and avoid problems in adulthood.

Procedure for receiving patients

The path to recovery lies through finding true reasons illness and thorough examination. Prescribing the correct individual treatment will return the patient to a normal state, and unusual conditions will no longer bother him.

The difficulty of the study is that the nervous system cannot be examined under a microscope or touched. Therefore, it is not easy to find the original source of the problem without interviewing the patient and conducting a detailed examination.

The reception consists of the following stages:

• Consideration of patient complaints, determination of how long ago problems occurred and the dynamics of changes in the patient’s condition.
• The doctor learns the results of previous examinations, if any, from the patient or from available expert opinions.
• The initial examination of the patient allows an experienced doctor to obtain information about general condition body and nervous system. At this stage, motor coordination, speech and behavior are assessed. An experienced neurologist, based on answers to well-posed questions, will be able to determine in which part there is a malfunction.
• Instrumental methods and clinical tests allow us to draw conclusions about the patient’s condition and prescribe a treatment plan.
• During the appointment, the patient must visit the neurologist at the agreed time to assess changes and adjust the treatment regimen, if necessary.
• Typically, scheduled periods of time are prescribed between visits to the doctor. The patient can come for a consultation if he does not need treatment or feels that the prescribed drugs do not have a noticeable effect.
• If the drug helps, but is difficult to tolerate, the patient should immediately inform the attending physician. In this case, you need to change the drug or change the dosage.

In many situations, a neurologist will correct setting diagnosis requires consultation with specialists from the field of cardiology, therapy, psychiatry, radiography, ophthalmology, etc.

It is a pity that the specialization of doctors in individual diseases is a panacea for Western medicine. In the east they treat differently: the human body is considered as unified system, requiring simultaneous treatment of all diseases present at the time of treatment, and not each one separately.

While watching the video you will learn about the neurologist.

Our citizens have to adapt to the realities of life and guess which doctor to go to. Most often, for some reason, they turn to therapists, but bypass the neurologist’s office. But in vain. Very often, the timely diagnosed cause of pain and disturbances in the functioning of many organs is associated precisely with nervous disorders.