A hyperactive at home: unable to stand still
Pedro is 6 years old. His parents do not know what to do with him: "it's a real whirlwind." Not for a single moment, and even when he is sitting he moves continuously, swinging his feet, climbing on the back of the chair ...
As a baby his parents were surprised that he slept little and woke up frequently. From the year began to show his nervousness: he was always getting into danger and had to be with a thousand eyes. It was impossible for him to be playing quietly for a while with constructions or puzzles like his brothers did.
Nowadays, despite his age, he is still the same: he has to constantly change his activity and when he starts doing the small tasks that are sent to him in school he is distracted "with the flight of a fly". Sometimes it seems that he is in another world and does not attend to what his mother asks of him.
Hyperactivity in the preschool age
The hyperactivity it is one of the problems that appear most frequently in the preschool age. It usually affects around four or five percent of the population and, interestingly, its incidence is three or four times higher in children than in girls.
Under the term of hyperactivity, reference is usually made to a whole set of symptoms that do not always occur in their entirety.
Excessive activity, certain attention problems, impulsivity and lack of self-control are usually the most characteristic symptoms of childhood hyperactivity.
Hyperactivity in diverse environments
In order to talk about hyperactivity, the symptoms must be presented before the age of 7, remain for at least six months and appear in different situations and environments (home, school ...). Also, it is essential that the disorder can not be attributed to other types of problems such as a slight delay, for example.
Although all hyperactive children do not show all these symptoms in their entirety, from childhood they are considered, by their parents and later by their teachers, as problematic children and somewhat different from boys and girls of the same age.
Hyperactivity in the first years of life
During his first years of life, the hyperactive child is generally described by his parents as excessively active: "not for even a moment," "he does the brute constantly" ...
Some parents, at first, think that this is due to their age, although over time they can see for themselves that their friends and companions are becoming more obedient and self-controlled while their son continues to behave practically the same.
He often suffers from sleep problems: he sleeps little and wakes up frequently. In addition, he does the first thing that crosses his mind, without stopping to think. He is aggressive and hits his brothers and classmates frequently.
Sometimes it also shows nervous behavior such as biting the nails, peeing in bed, fears ... and, in some cases, somatic problems such as headaches, stomach, etc.
Motor activity of children with hyperactivity
With regard to motor activity, the hyperactive child is characterized by an almost permanent and uncontrolled activity that often has no specific purpose. It is what we often call "a lizard's tail": it moves continuously, it climbs on everything it has at hand, it sways without stopping ... It is often unable to sit still, even when eating.
This hyperactivity usually increases, moreover, when it is in the presence of other people with whom it does not maintain a frequent relationship: our friends, the new neighbors ... while the activity tends to decrease when it is alone.
The attention deficit associated with hyperactivity
Attention or attention deficit difficulties are usually one of the most characteristic symptoms of this disorder. To such an extent that for some specialists these children move continuously simply because of their inability to focus attention.
The child continuously changes his activity and does not finish the projects he starts. He is distracted by anything and has a special difficulty in differentiating what is and what is not important in a task.
In addition, it is often incredibly variable in his answers: one day he does everything well and the next day they have great difficulties with the same task.
An impulsive child
Are impulsive children and disobedients who do not usually comply with what their parents and teachers indicate or even do the opposite of what they were commanded.
They act without thinking, seeking to immediately satisfy any impulse, they have little tolerance for frustration and little self-control and self-control.
They rush into their answers and often answer before they finish listening to the question.
Elena López
Advice: Teresa Artola. PhD in Psychology and Master in Family Education, with extensive research and teaching in the field of Child Psychology
