For parents, care giver and anyone who works with young people
- Kate talks about her 7 year old
About this factsheet
This is one in a series of
factsheets for parents, teachers and young people entitled Mental
Health and Growing Up. The aims of these factsheets are to provide
practical, up-to-date information about mental health problems (emotional, behavioural
and psychiatric disorders) that can affect children and young people. This
factsheet looks at the reasons behind why some children are more restless and
excitable than others, gives advice about how to deal with an overactive child,
and suggests where to go to get extra help if you feel you are unable to cope
on your own.
Introduction
Young children are often
restless and excitable. Their noisy liveliness is usually just a part of being
young. Although it may be tiring, it is usually nothing to worry about.
Sometimes youngsters may be
so active and noisy that it makes life difficult for their parents and other
children. A child like this may be demanding and excitable, and chatter away
nineteen to the dozen. They may be noisy, may not do as they are told, and will
probably find it difficult to sit still. Adults may say that he's
‘hyperactive’, but the trouble with this word is that professionals use it to
describe extreme, and sometimes dangerous behaviour, such as running out into a
busy road.
What makes children overactive?
There are many things that
can make a child overactive. The following should give you some guidance as to
the reasons for your child's behaviour. Finding the reasons may help you to
come up with some solutions to deal with them.
- Being a parent
If parents are unhappy,
depressed or worried, they tend to pay less attention to their children. They
may find they can't spend the time they need to help them play constructively,
or they may find that when they do play with them, they spend a lot of time
telling them to be quiet. Children learn from this that they have to be naughty
or noisy to get any attention from their mum or dad.
- No clear rules
It is important to have
simple rules about what is allowed and what is not. If two parents are
involved, they both need to agree about the rules, and be consistent and fair
when they say ‘no’. This will help the child to know what is expected and to
learn self-control (see our Factsheets on good parenting and on behavioural and
conduct problems).
- Child’s temperament
We are all born with
different temperaments. Some children are livelier, noisier and more outgoing
than others. They may prefer going out and being with other people than quietly
reading a book or playing with toys by themselves. Quite often, children who
are active like this are also excitable and may go over the top while playing.
Although this can be a nuisance, it is nothing to worry about, but you may need
some help in finding ways to help your child calm down.
- Learning and other problems
Some children find it hard
to learn things that other children find easy. They may need special help at
school. They may seem quite young for their age and find it hard to concentrate
on work or control their behaviour as well as other children.
Some children may be
affected by attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). If this is the
case, seek help.
- Hearing problems
Glue ear (ear infections)
is a common example of a hearing problem. If a child has glue ear, they will
find it hard to hear what other people say, will tend to shout and may want the
television turned up very loudly.
- Food
Some children do seem to
react to certain foods by becoming restless and irritable. This is not as
common as some people think, but occasionally it can be a real problem.
How can I get my child to calm down?
Try to make sure you spend
time with your child on their own, so that they know you are interested in
them. This will give you the chance to plan and praise.
- Plan
Spend time with your
children doing something they enjoy. Get into a routine and plan what
they are going to be doing for the day or the weekend. It is helpful to arrange
to have friends to come and play, (encouraging their social development) and
gives you a break when they are invited back! It is also helpful to engage them
in regular activities such as football or trampoline sessions, cubs, brownies
etc. because this gives you a chance to meet other parents who can provide an
informal support network. You can also make clear times when you expect them to
play quietly on their own.
- Praise
Take every opportunity to praise your
child. Be as clear as possible. It is vital that they understand exactly what
they have done to please you. For example, “you've been playing so quietly on
your own … what a good boy you are” or “what a good footballer you are”.
Where can I get help?
Lively, excitable behaviour
is a common problem for parents. Your health visitor will be used to giving
advice about this. If there seems to be a problem with your child's hearing, or
if there seems to be a reaction to foods, your general practitioner should be
able to help and refer to a specialist if required. If they think that there
might be a learning difficulty or a hyperactivity disorder, they will refer you
to a clinical psychologist, paediatrician or Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Services (CAMHS) (see our factsheet on CAMHS).
YOG, particularly ASANAS can consume more of RESTLESS
ENERGY in a child, sports and exercise can be good aid to channelize this
energy. Using this energy in creative fields like art and craft, music,
creative writing can slow down and stabilize the pace and psyche of the
restless child. Avoiding fatty and junk food is best. Chewing 2 leaves of Ocimum Sanctum (Holy Basil leaves) twice a day
can have an Ayurvedic effect making the child adaptive to stress. (Klub
Psychology)
Source: The
Leaflet Department, The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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