Minimal Brain Dysfunction in Children

Minimal brain dysfunction is a disorder of the central nervous system characterized by a number of mild neurological symptoms. This disorder is diagnosed in approximately 25% of all preschoolers and can show up as disturbances of various kinds:

• behavioral;
• cognitive;
• psychological;
• physical.

Minimal brain dysfunction in children is often confused with developmental delay (DD), but these disorders have different natures.

Causes

The development of minimal brain dysfunction in children is linked to adverse factors that affected the child's brain during prenatal development.

In infants the condition may arise from unfavorable living conditions or neglect of the child by the parents. In MBD, the brain areas responsible for the development of speech, memory, attention, and perception are affected first. Intelligence is not affected, but some developmental processes proceed somewhat more slowly.

Suspect MBD in your child? Book a consultation with a pediatric neurologist or a neurocorrection session at CSM Clinic in Kyiv.

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Symptoms

Children diagnosed with MBD do not lag behind their peers in intelligence, but they have difficulties with learning and social adaptation, which show up as follows:

• impaired writing skills: dysgraphia;
• difficulty reading: dyslexia;
• difficulty with mental arithmetic: dyscalculia;
• attention deficit: ADHD;
• rapid fatigue;
• behavior problems, aggression.

A child may lag behind in physical development and have low body weight and height. These children show disturbances of tactile, auditory, and visual perception and inadequate reactions to stimuli. In the thinking process there are illogical "turns," slow or abruptly loud speech, and stuttering.

There is no need to wait until the child starts school to determine that something is wrong. Parents' attention may be drawn by increased activity and an inability to stop and focus on a task.

The first visible signs of minimal brain dysfunction in children can be noticed in the first months of life:

• a high palate;
• changes in the shape of the skull;
• abnormal structure of the ear shells;
• deviations from the norm in the pattern of tooth growth.

The clinical picture of brain dysfunction in children shows up in the following symptoms:

• sweating;
• poor facial expressions;
• excessive activity;
• frequent mood changes;
• gastrointestinal disturbances: constipation, diarrhea;
• underdeveloped fine motor skills;
• difficulty with actions such as buttoning clothes and drawing;
• coordination problems: the child cannot catch a ball or walk along a curb.

Because of increased activity, children diagnosed with MBD tire quickly and cannot concentrate on one task. They often have delayed speech development.

How Parents Can Tell There Is a Problem

At home, pay attention to the following signs:

• cannot wait;
• does not finish tasks;
• chatters constantly, interrupts the person they are talking to;
• does not sense danger, may run off in the street;
• the child does not sit in one place for long and is constantly moving;
• does not keep track of their belongings and is constantly losing things;
• sometimes it seems that the child does not hear being addressed, does not respond to being called, and seems deaf;
• gets distracted by sounds and other stimuli and cannot keep up a conversation even with an adult.

If a child shows most of the signs listed, it is worth booking a consultation at CSM.

Correction of MBD

Timely correction of MBD plays an important role in a child's treatment and social adaptation. A comprehensive approach that combines the following is generally considered the most effective:

• psychological and pedagogical measures;
• drug therapy.

Work with the young patient is carried out in several directions at the same time:

• a teacher or psychologist aims to minimize signs of social neglect and explains to the parents how to communicate with the child properly and encourage the child's successes;
• it is important to limit television viewing and give preference to calm games that engage attention;
• physiotherapy procedures help improve the functioning of the central nervous system; massage and therapeutic exercise (physical therapy) are used.

Currently, nootropic drugs and central nervous system stimulants are used to treat MBD in children. Specialists give a favorable prognosis for MBD: approximately half of the children "outgrow" the condition, while the others need help.

Diagnostic Methods

Modern methods used to diagnose minimal brain dysfunction in children include the Wechsler test, administered by a child psychologist. Instrumental diagnostic methods include CT, MRI, Doppler ultrasound of the head vessels, and X-ray. At CSM in Kyiv, the Wechsler test is administered by a child psychologist. To study brain function we perform electroencephalography. EEG is an informative instrumental method indicated for speech development delays, emotional disturbances, injuries, and various brain diseases.

Where to Get Help

At our center, minimal brain dysfunction syndrome is managed and treated by experienced neurologists, speech therapists, and psychologists. Our specialists can diagnose the first signs of MBD in children in a timely manner and prescribe therapy. In addition to treatment, children attend therapeutic exercise classes and developmental sessions. How stable a child's psychological state will be at school depends on timely correction of brain dysfunction. The ability to continue education at higher education institutions depends on mastering the school curriculum in the proper scope.

Sources

• Ukrainian Wikipedia
• World Health Organization