Problems of the modern schoolchild

In recent years, parents of schoolchildren have complained that the load on children has increased compared to what it was before. How does this affect the child's body?

Constant loads and stress are one of the main modern problems, since the number of children suffering from chronic diseases increases several times precisely during school years.

With the increase in the volume of homework, children have a shortage of time. It became compulsory to attend sports clubs, music or art school. Children experience psychological pressure from their parents, who make high demands on grades at school, achievements in sports clubs.

As a result, the child experiences stress, which is expressed in somatic symptoms: headaches, weakness, abdominal pain, nausea, shallow sleep, difficulty falling asleep. Appetite may also decrease, and not only weight loss develops to the middle classes, but also diseases in the form of gastritis, gastroduodenitis.

Games, social networks lead to emotional overload. Also, children receive an additional burden on their eyesight. They become irritable, get tired quickly at school, cannot concentrate for a long time in the classroom, and make mistakes. And all due to the fact that overwork after playing on the phone causes late falling asleep and, as a result, sleepiness during the day.

What neurological diseases can cause increased stress on a child - school, sections, circles?

To a large extent, these are overt or latent neuroses. In the future, they can go into a chronic stage, turning into serious mental disorders.

Many children suffer from poor eyesight due to heavy eye strain and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Also, the consequences can be a decrease in physical health, a deterioration in the state of the nervous system, and a loss of interest in learning.

There are statistics on how often and what kind of mental, neurological diseases occur in children during school years?

In the process of schooling, the number of children with deviations and dysfunctions increases - by the senior grades up to 30% of students have one or another neuropsychiatric diagnosis: from insomnia to asthenic syndrome and neuroses. This clearly shows that it is high workloads in school that in many ways provoke diseases.

What are the main signs of overwork?

There are a lot of them, therefore, after looking closely at your child, at his appearance, general condition, academic performance, you can notice certain deviations from the norm. I would divide the signs of overwork into 6 points. First, it is blood pressure. The norm of child pressure is 80-100. If the difference between the "upper" and "lower" pressure is less than five units, you need to sound the alarm. Secondly, the behavior in the classroom. It can be either too active, or, on the contrary, too lack of initiative. For example, the child began to contradict the teacher, argue with classmates, interrupt, or be lethargic, downcast. Thirdly, the weight begins to "hide" rapidly due to the lack of the required amount of rest and improper nutrition. Fourth, symptoms of depression are possible: persistently bad mood, weakness, loss of interest in knowledge, constant fatigue. Fifth, deterioration in appetite - refusal even from your favorite treats. Well, and sixthly, bad habits arise, for example, biting your nails not because of a whim, but because of stress, grinding your teeth in a dream. The last point indicates that the child has nightmares.

How to understand that just rest will no longer help?

A pediatric neurologist should be consulted if the child complains of frequent fatigue and headaches, as well as if he is irritated and does not want to play with toys and with peers. This can affect his studies, because at school he becomes absent-minded, suddenly begins to lag behind the school curriculum. As I already said, sleep disturbances, decreased craving for knowledge, fainting are possible.

If the parents still decide to seek help. How can a doctor help in this situation?

The pediatric neuropathologist will correct the child's existing disorders in time. He can prescribe drugs that normalize sleep, increase mental performance, the adaptive abilities of the body. Many problems are solved in a positive way. The main thing is to notice and consult with a specialist in time.

What advice can you give to parents?

Make sure that the child avoids overload in his free time from school: you do not need to attend the sports section, music and art schools at the same time. Not to force to do what the child does not like, but to please the parents. Find an activity that interests him.

You can't put a child in for lessons right after school. He needs to rest, maybe sleep for half an hour. Rest breaks should be taken while preparing lessons. For some, this is a visit to the pool or music school, but only if the child copes with school assignments.

Of course, limit your free time at the computer. Each age group has its own time. When doing lessons at the computer, take breaks for 10 minutes every half hour. The child should follow the daily routine: wake up and go to bed at the same time, do exercises, sleep at least 8-9 hours. It will be very beneficial for the child to spend sufficient time in the fresh air. On weekends and on holidays, go on vacation to nature, on excursions, so that the child receives new emotions and impressions. The change in activity will calm the nervous system and relieve stress.

Nutrition is one of the main areas for the brain: protein foods: cottage cheese, fish, meat. The diet should include nuts, vegetables and fruits. The menu should be varied.