VSD in children and adolescents: symptoms and treatment

Symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia in children

Deviations in the structure and functioning of parts of the autonomic nervous system lead to various disorders in the somato-visceral system of internal organs, which is manifested by various symptoms that do not correspond to one organ pathology. At the age of 6-9 years, it is more difficult to identify dystonia against the background of great activity and emotionality. Also, symptoms of VSD in children are often mistaken for hypochondria, reluctance to go to kindergarten or school, but in 80% of cases poor health is associated with dystonia. According to the classification, doctors distinguish three types of vegetative-vascular disorder in children:

1. Vagotonic. It manifests itself as fatigue and weakness, pale skin, after a night's sleep the child is drowsy, yawns, and does not want to play. There are also problems falling asleep. Such children are less mobile and more often have increased body weight. Decreased memory and performance are characteristic symptoms of VSD in adolescents. They complain of chills, difficulty breathing and strong salivation, sweating at the slightest activity. Low blood pressure, hypotonic form of dystonia develops. Often there are abdominal pains, nausea, and dizziness.
2. Sympathicotonic. With this type of dystonia, the child is hyperactive, hot-tempered, and tearful. Sleep becomes intermittent and not deep. They may be bothered by nightmares and fear, which prevents them from falling asleep. Characterized by frequent mood swings, hysteria and disobedience. Against the background of emotional lability of the psyche, children lose weight even with adequate nutrition. The skin becomes dry, hot and pale. The pressure rises slightly, and a hypertensive form of dystonia develops. Low-grade fever may be detected. The heart rate increases and sinus tachycardia appears.
3. Mixed. With this type of dystonia, it is more difficult to determine specific symptoms, since it is manifested by all of the above phenomena.

Principles of treatment of VSD

Solving health problems begins with diagnosis. Depending on the leading symptoms, the child is examined by a neurologist, gastroenterologist, cardiologist, or dermatologist. But the final verdict of “vegetative dysfunction” will be made by a neurologist.

Treatment of VSD in a child is primarily associated with reducing the emotional and mental stress to which he is exposed every day. If the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic parts of the autonomic nervous system is disturbed, any excessive tension can provoke malaise. Schoolchildren often suffer from symptoms of VSD during school hours, but feel fine during the holidays. If a child begins to study poorly or get sick more often, most likely he is simply too tired, which caused the manifestation of symptoms.

Remember, if you leave dystonia in a child without attention and treatment for a significant period of time, you risk his health, since the mechanisms of impaired regulation are gradually consolidated, and in the future it will be much more difficult to correct them. Vegetative-vascular dystonia, not compensated in childhood, can cause chronic diseases in adulthood.

To improve the child’s condition, not only a gentle regimen is needed, but also medication to help establish cell metabolism and improve autonomic regulation. Eltacin® , a drug made from the amino acids glycine, glutamic acid, and cystine, copes with this task

Eltacin® acts gently, gradually reducing the intensity of symptoms of VSD in a child, helping to overcome age-related crises and improve school performance.

Causes of VSD in adolescents: why do exacerbations occur?

Many factors contribute to the development and progression of VSD. The state of the child’s nervous system is most negatively affected by cerebral vascular disorders, congenital disorders of liquorodynamics and increased intracranial pressure, and structural pathology. In older age, psycho-traumatic influences lead to psycho-emotional imbalance and neurotic disorders. Below is a list of the main “irritants”:

• chronic stress in the family, in a preschool or school institution;
• mental and physical overstrain and insufficient rest;
• negative family environment, frequent quarrels, scandals;
• conflicts at school;
• isolation of the child from peers in children who do not attend kindergarten or school;
• intimidation of a child by other children;
• low physical activity;
• changes in hormonal levels during puberty;
• the presence of concomitant pathology, endocrine, neurological diseases.

Syndromes of vegetative-vascular dystonia (VSD) in children, symptoms of VSD

With vegetative-vascular dystonia (VSD), various clinical syndromes are observed.

Cardiac vegetative vascular dystonia syndrome (VSD)

Cardiac syndrome of vegetative-vascular dystonia (VSD) is manifested by sensory (cardialgia) and motor (rhythm disturbances) disorders of the heart. Cardiovascular pain is moderate, but fear and overestimation of its significance give it an overvalued character. Sometimes paroxysmal cardialgia is observed. Heart rhythm disturbances include sinus tachycardia, arrhythmia, bradycardia, and irregular extrasystole. Disorders of regulation of vascular tone and associated hemodynamic disorders are characteristic. High blood pressure in children is considered to be more than 120/65 mmHg. Art. at the age of 11-14 years, and 130/70 mm Hg. Art. in adolescents aged 15-18 years.

In children and adolescents, in 70% of cases, hypertensive conditions are observed: fatigue, heart pain, headaches, dizziness, sweating, chilliness, feeling of lack of air, sleep disturbances. VSD of the hypotonic type occurs early, but manifests itself during puberty. It is characterized by a combined decrease in systolic and diastolic pressure below 90/60 mmHg. Art., asthenic physique, retardation in physical and psychomotor development, fatigue, headaches, dizziness when changing position, poor tolerance of transport or heights, vestibulopathy, discomfort in the heart area, sometimes fainting and migraine are observed.

Respiratory syndrome of vegetative vascular dystonia (VSD)

Respiratory syndrome of vegetative-vascular dystonia (VSD) is manifested by shortness of breath at rest and during physical stress, and a feeling of lack of air. Children take deep, noisy breaths, which causes hyperventilation and alkalosis.

Syndrome of impaired thermoregulation with vegetative vascular dystonia (VSD)

The syndrome of impaired thermoregulation with vegetative-vascular dystonia (VSD) is initially periodic in nature - after an infection, a low-grade fever persists for about 15 days. Over time, the duration of periods of low-grade fever lengthens and persistent non-infectious low-grade fever develops with a temperature of 37.5 to 37.5 degrees Celsius against the background of normal clinical and biochemical tests. Body weight remains normal. In adolescence, the syndrome can manifest itself in the form of temperature crises confined to a specific cycle (time of day, week, month) or environment (school classes). Temperature rises to 39 degrees and above are accompanied by chills, lasting from 30 to 120 minutes. Febrile crises are easily tolerated, despite their high frequency.

Vegetative vascular crises - hypothalamic, cerebral crises, panic attacks, crises

Autonomic-vascular crises (hypothalamic, cerebral crises, “panic” attacks) are sympathoadrenal, vaginsular and mixed.

A sympathoadrenal crisis is manifested by headache and cardialgia, palpitations, a feeling of fear, and numbness of the limbs. Tachycardia, increased blood pressure, body temperature, blood glucose levels, and pale skin are observed. At the height of the attack, chills are noted, at the end - the urge to urinate, polyuria, after the attack - severe asthenia.

Vagoinsular (parasympathetic) crisis is characterized by a sinking heart, a feeling of lack of air, dizziness, and unpleasant sensations in the abdomen. Hyperemia of the skin, sweating, bradycardia, a moderate decrease in blood pressure, a feeling of fear, and post-crisis asthenia are expressed.

A mixed crisis is manifested by the features of sympatho- and vagotonia, which occur simultaneously or sequentially. Vegetative-vascular crises are rare in children. Their direction is often vagotonic.

Neurotic syndrome of vegetative vascular dystonia (VSD)

Neurotic syndrome of vegetative-vascular dystonia is one of the permanent symptom complexes of VSD of the brain, which manifests itself several weeks or months after the onset of the disease and increases over time. The general neurotic syndrome in children rarely reaches great severity; decreased mood, sleep disturbances, anxious suspiciousness, emotional lability, phobias, sometimes demonstrative behavior, and hysterical manifestations are noted.

Treatment: how to help a child?

In childhood, it is extremely important to use an integrated approach for treatment. At the core, it is necessary to pay due attention to psychological support and assistance, lifestyle correction, nutrition, work and rest regime. And only after resorting to drug therapy for vegetative-vascular dystonia in adolescents and children. It is also extremely important to follow these recommendations:

1. Provide adequate rest to the child, night and daytime sleep.
2. Adjust physical activity, sports should be moderate and dosed.
3. Nutrition is complete and balanced.
4. Don't yell at your child or make him cry or hysterical.
5. In conflict situations, do not speak in a raised voice.

The following methods are used in the treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia:

1. Physiotherapy, electrophoresis, electrosleep.
2. Therapeutic exercise therapy, swimming.
3. Massage, general, neck and head areas, back.
4. A conversation with a psychologist and a questionnaire to identify problematic situations in kindergarten, school, and in the family.
5. Herbal medicine, replacing strong black tea with herbal and homeopathic preparations.

Drug therapy is used exclusively for severe dystonia in children, if the above methods were not effective. Identification of symptoms and treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia should only be carried out by a specialist in the clinic, a pediatrician, neurologist or cardiologist. Therapy is prescribed after a diagnostic examination according to the protocol and receipt of a final diagnosis.

Symptoms

Manifestations of vegetative-vascular dystonia in children and adolescents are diverse and diverse; in fact, any symptoms of deterioration in general physical and psycho-emotional well-being can fit under this concept. In total, about 30 different syndromes have been described based on more than 150 complaints.

Basically, symptoms of VSD in children and adolescents include disorders of the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, and gastrointestinal tract. The most common signs were:

• increased fatigue;
• sleep disorders;
• dizziness;
• cardiopalmus;
• arrhythmia;
• changes in blood pressure;
• headache;
• diarrhea;
• feeling of lack of air;
• increased body temperature without signs of infection;
• change in pupil size;
• muscle and joint pain;
• chills;
• hand tremors;
• increased sweating;
• cold extremities;
• pain in the heart area.

In adolescence, in boys and girls, VSD often manifests itself as increased anxiety, unreasonable fears, and sudden changes in mood. In some cases, parents note excessive emotionality, violent expression of feelings, and sometimes unmotivated aggression and anger.

conclusions

The main reason for the development of dystonia is a violation of the autonomic system, which manifests itself in incoordination of the nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive and urinary excretory systems. Often occurs against the background of endocrine, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. In children, VSD can be hereditary or caused by congenital pathology. Ignoring the first signs can provoke the development of a more serious psychosomatic illness. Therefore, if characteristic symptoms appear, you should contact a pediatrician or pediatric neurologist.

Diagnostic methods

For examination, assessment of general condition and identification of the cause of the problem, the doctor may prescribe:

• general blood, urine and stool tests;
• ECG;
• Holter monitoring;
• Abdominal ultrasound and other studies.

Treatment of VSD in children is most often carried out with the help of physiotherapy, massage, and restorative procedures. If necessary, medications and multivitamin complexes are prescribed. Homeopathy is indicated as part of a comprehensive treatment. This method allows you to mitigate the manifestations of vascular disorders and reduce anxiety. At the beginning of treatment, a short-term exacerbation is possible - this quickly passes.

Treatment of vegetative vascular dystonia in children in Saratov, treatment of pediatric VSD in Russia

Sarklinik successfully applies complex methods of treatment of various types of vegetative-vascular dystonia in children and adults in Saratov, Russia. As a result of therapy, the activity of the sympathoadrenal and cholinergic systems is normalized, the sensitivity of alpha and beta adrenergic receptors, the levels of hormones of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adrenal glands, acid-base balance, autonomic tone are restored, neurohumoral changes, pathological endocrine and neuroallergic reactions are eliminated, neurotic disorders are corrected, arising during the course of the disease.