Even in children of the first year of life, a pathology of the nervous system can be found, the causes of which are disorders in the period of intrauterine development of the fetus (infections, fetal hypoxia) or a severe course of childbirth. The consequences of damage to the nervous system can be a delay in the mental and physical development of the child, speech impairment, etc. The supervision of a neurologist, therefore, is shown to each child at regular intervals. In this article, we will answer possible questions from parents and eliminate their anxiety about what a neurologist looks at in children.

The defeat of the nervous system in infants is quite common. But these diseases can have a latent form, therefore, in the first year of life, babies are repeatedly examined by a neurologist: at birth, at 1 month, at 3, 6, 9 months. and upon reaching the year. Sometimes doctors prescribe more frequent monitoring of the baby on an individual schedule. Particular attention is paid to.

In some cases, in addition to the examination by a neurologist, an additional hardware examination is prescribed. Early detection and timely treatment can significantly reduce or even eliminate the consequences of neurological pathology in older children.

Neurological examinations for infants should be carried out without fail even in the absence of complaints from the parents. It is in the first year of life that the baby develops intensively, and it is easier for the doctor to identify deviations.

When examining a baby, a neurologist examines the head, determines its size, condition and size of the fontanelle. Draws attention to the symmetry of the face and eye slits, the size of the pupils, the movement of the eyeballs (identification). At each examination, reflexes, muscle tone, range of motion in the joints, sensitivity, skills and communication skills of the child are checked.

Even in the maternity hospital, the baby undergoes an ultrasound of the brain to exclude cysts, which often appear during fetal hypoxia. If cysts are found, then such an examination is carried out in dynamics. Cysts up to 3-4 mm in size should disappear without a trace.

Inspection in 1 month

The doctor pays attention to the child's posture (it still resembles intrauterine), checks the presence and symmetry of unconditioned reflexes in the baby, muscle tone (the predominance of flexor tone - arms and legs are bent, fists are compressed) - it must be symmetrical.

The baby's movements are still chaotic, there is no coordination. A one-month-old child can hold his gaze on an object for a while and follow its movement. The baby is already smiling when he hears a kind speech.

The neurologist measures the baby's head circumference and checks the size and condition of the large fontanelle. In the first half of the year, monthly head size increases by 1.5 cm (average circumference at birth is 34-35 cm), and in the second half of the year - by 1 cm.

Inspection at 3 months

The baby's pose is more relaxed, as the flexor tone has already decreased. The child can take fists into his mouth, grab objects with handles. It holds the head well. If the baby does not hold his head, this may indicate a developmental delay. The baby can already laugh, shows animation when contacting and showing a toy.

Examination at 6 months

The kid should independently turn over on his stomach and back, raise his head, leaning on the handles. In the supine position, the child can raise his feet and play with them. By the age of 6 months, the child is sitting, can not only hold the toy, but also transfer it from one pen to another. A six-month-old child recognizes those close to him, especially his mother. He can react to strangers by crying. Sometimes a baby at 6 months pronounces syllables.

Inspection at 9 months

Some children are already crawling, stand on their legs with support. The child can step over the legs, holding on to the support. The doctor also evaluates fine motor skills: the ability to take an object with two fingers and hold it. The kid imitates the movements of an adult: he knows how to wave his hand at parting, claps his hands, etc.

The baby knows the parents well, understands the meaning of many words and the word "no", finds (at the request) a familiar object from among others. If the child's fontanel remains open, then an additional examination is prescribed (ultrasound of the brain, MRI).

Inspection per year

The doctor evaluates the development of the baby, his skills and abilities. The child should be able to stand up, walk by the handle. The circumference of the head increases by 12 cm per year. The baby drinks well from a cup, must properly hold a spoon and eat from it. The kid recognizes all family members, knows the names and shows parts of the body (ear, nose, eyes, etc.), says some words.

Unscheduled visit to a neurologist

Parents should be alert and visit a doctor unscheduled with the following symptoms:

• frequent or profuse regurgitation;
• increased excitability, frequent flinching;
• or limbs (at rest or when crying);
• at elevated temperatures;
• bulging and pulsation of the fontanelle;
• gait disturbances: the baby does not stand on the foot completely, walks on his toes or squeezes them;
• developmental delay.

Inspections after a year

The schedule of examinations is as follows: a neurologist should routinely examine children at the age of 3, 6, 7, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17 years old.

During examinations, physical development, muscle tone, the presence and symmetry of reflexes, coordination of movements, color and turgor of the skin, sensitivity, speech, mental development, the presence or absence of focal neurological symptoms are assessed.

If necessary, the doctor may prescribe an additional examination: an examination by an ophthalmologist with an examination of the fundus, ultrasound of the brain, ultrasound Doppler, X-ray of the skull, MRI of the brain, electroencephalography.

Parents should consult an unscheduled neurologist with the following symptoms:

• violation of speech (, delayed speech development);
• urinary incontinence ();
• sleep disorders;
• tics (repetitive, often involuntary, movements or statements, twitching of facial muscles, grimacing, blinking, puffing, feeling things, throwing hair, repeating words or phrases, etc.);
• fainting;
• motion sickness in transport;
• increased activity, restlessness, distracted attention;
• traumatic brain injury.

Resume for parents

Depending on the course of pregnancy and childbirth, hereditary factors, the child may have neurological pathology even at a very early age. Examinations by a neurologist make it possible to identify changes in the nervous system in the early stages, which will allow timely treatment.

The very first acquaintance of a newborn with a doctor occurs immediately after birth, when examined by a neonatologist. Meetings with other specialists in white coats, in the absence of other indications, take place according to the inspection calendar. And one of the first in it is a neurologist (neuropathologist).

A pediatric neurologist (or neuropathologist) is a specialist who carefully monitors the development and maturation of the baby's nervous system. The state of the human nervous system is one of the main indicators of the state of the whole organism. And if from an early age you do not pay due attention to the nervous system and pathological manifestations on its part, this can lead to a delay in the child's psychomotor development, violations of his behavior and many other "diseases from the nerves."

Doctor examination: when, why and why?

Every child, even a perfectly healthy one, should be monitored by a neurologist. The doctor, together with the parents, will monitor the compliance of the child's psychomotor development with the age norm, celebrate his new successes and achievements, and give moms and dads individual recommendations on raising and caring for a child. The neurological status of the baby changes during the first year of life (approximately every three months), therefore, a preventive examination (planned clinical examination) is usually carried out at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year. In the second year of life, it is necessary to bring the child to a neurologist twice - at 1.5 and 2 years, and then the examination must be carried out annually. According to certain symptoms, the specialist determines during each examination whether there is a delay in the development of the child, and, if necessary, prescribes additional examinations or consultations of other specialists.

Visit to the doctor

Examination of a baby by a specialist usually consists of several stages. First of all, each mother will share her complaints with the doctor, tell about the general well-being of the child and the diseases he has suffered. Based on the complaints, the neurologist will draw up a detailed examination plan and start examining the baby.

Study of the functions of the cranial nerves
The position of the eyes at rest, the determination of the size of the pupils, the asymmetry of the face, the observation of the reaction to sound, the volume of the voice, the position of the tongue in the mouth - all this allows the specialist to assess the state of each of the pairs of cranial nerves.

Examination of the motor sphere
The presence and severity of reflexes is an important indicator of psychomotor development. The examination of the motor sphere includes an assessment of:

• muscle tone (dystonia - hypertonicity or hypotension);
• tendon reflexes;
• identification of pathological and postural (their meaning lies in the creation of a static posture, while the muscles are "trained" to hold the posture actively), as well as unconditioned reflexes.

Sensitivity study
In infants, these studies are extremely difficult to carry out. Here the doctor seeks help from the parents and their supervision of the baby. For example, periodic complaints of parents about the child's anxiety when putting on a hat, neurologists regard hyperesthesia - an increased sensitivity of the skin to irritation.

Cognitive Assessment
This is an integral part of the neurological examination. In children under 6 months of age, pathological manifestations can be communication disorders, which are determined by the ability to focus the gaze, follow the subject and highlight familiar faces. Various manifestations of the emotional sphere (a variety of expressions of facial expressions, smile, laughter, babbling) are also an indicator of the maturity and state of the child's nervous system.

Note to mothers
During a visit to a specialist, the baby should be in a state of maximum comfort. For this, all the necessary conditions have been created in the doctor's office - there are optimal lighting and air temperature and a comfortable changing table. However, mothers should also make sure that the baby is comfortable and calm. To do this, the child must be allowed to rest a couple of hours before the visit to the neurologist, and do not forget to feed him an hour before the visit to the doctor.

What our baby can do
Before you go to see a neurologist, you yourself can try to assess the psychomotor development of your child. The following tips will help you with this:

• At 1 month old, the baby retains a uterine position in a dream, but from the 3rd week, when he wakes up, he stretches. Does not hold his head in an upright position. Briefly fixes the gaze on a bright object and follows its movement in the horizontal direction. From 3.5–5 weeks, the first smile appears in response to an affectionate voice addressed to him, and throat sounds appear. Movement is unfocused, chaotic.
• At 2 months, the child can turn from back to side, repeats the smile of the mother and reacts with clumsy imitative facial expressions to the expression on her face. The first manifestations of the revitalization complex are noted.
• From 3 months, lying on his stomach, the baby rests on his forearms and raises and holds his head well. Fixes the gaze on the object brought to the face, gulps. The baby has a distinctly expressed complex of revitalization, both for an adult and for any optical stimulus. The kid plays with his hands, feels his fingers, pulls them into his mouth. Laughter appears for the first time.
• At the age of 4 months, the child confidently rolls over from his back to his stomach, when pulling up by the arms, he sits down, helping with the movements of the head and shoulders. He holds a rattle in his hand, waves it. The smile turns into a loud ringing laughter. Supports mother's breast or bottle while feeding with both hands.
• At 5 months, the child lies on his stomach for a long time, raising his head and shoulder girdle, leaning on the palms of straightened arms, crawling on his stomach sideways and back, less often forward. She smiles at her image in the mirror, recognizes her mother and reacts differently to strangers.
• At 6 months, he actively turns from abdomen to back, moves in a bell-like manner. Shifts the toy from one hand to the other. Prefers some toys to others. Babbling appears.
• From 7 months, the baby gets on all fours, tries to crawl. When strangers appear, signs of fear and crying appear. He looks for and finds with his gaze the object about which the adult asks, stretches out his hand to his reflection in the mirror.
• At 8 months, the baby sits down and lies down on his own, confidently sits without support. Crawls on all fours. Holding on with his hand, he gets up, stands, goes down. At the request of an adult, he performs learned movements ("okay", "goodbye", "give me a pen"). Knows his name.
• At 9 months, he walks with the support of the hands or holding the support with his hands. Sitting, he bends over and turns. Drinks from a cup. Looking for a toy that has been hidden or dropped to the floor.
• At 10 months, he takes steps forward, holding on to a movable support with his hands. Performs various actions with objects. Imitating an adult, repeats a variety of sounds and syllables after him. Tears paper, newspaper, monitors the movements of thrown objects.
• At 11 months, a child can stand without support for a short time. He walks holding the hand of an adult. With support, squatting and bending over, bends over the toy. Places one object on top of another, removes and puts the pyramid rings on the rod. Can put a small object in a mug. The first meaningful simplified words appear.
• By the age of 12 months, the baby independently gets up, stands and walks. Pronounces up to 10 words. Begins to help when dressed. Sometimes uses the pot for its intended purpose. Knows the meaning of the word "no". The beginnings of manipulation games appear.

During the first year of life, the neurologist examines the baby several times. And even if during the examination the doctor discovers any "flaws" in the formation of the nervous system, do not be alarmed: most of them can be corrected with early diagnosis. That is why a visit to a neurologist should never be postponed.

L.A. Kozlovskaya, neurologist, Clinic "9+"
(Group of companies "Mother and Child")

Physical and neuropsychic development is progressing at a rapid pace, which largely determines the health of the child in the future. That is why the mother and the baby will have to visit the children's clinic regularly during the first year of life, even if the baby is absolutely healthy.

The purpose of visits to a polyclinic in the first months after birth is to exclude various congenital diseases in a child, to identify early forms of diseases, to determine a predisposition to them, as well as to prevent the risk of developing pathologies in the future. In the following months, the main tasks of the clinical examination are: dynamic monitoring of the development of the baby, the timely implementation of preventive and health-improving measures.

In the first month of life, the newborn is examined by a pediatrician at least 3 times. These visits take place at home and are called.

The first visit of the mother with the baby to the clinic should take place 1 month after the birth of the baby. It is very important that in the first month the child is examined not only by a pediatrician, but also by other specialists - a neurologist, ophthalmologist, orthopedist, surgeon, ENT - to identify previously unnoticed congenital diseases.

1 month of life: pediatrician

The most important doctor for a child of the first year of life is a pediatrician. He must examine the child from birth to one year on a monthly basis.

For children 1 year of age in the clinic once a week, a special day is allocated, called "baby". On this day, all doctors of the medical institution try to accept only babies in order to protect young patients from contact with sick children. To find out when you should visit a pediatrician for the first time, you need to call the registry and clarify which day of the week in your clinic is "baby", as well as find out the hours of your local doctor's appointment.

The pediatrician conducts monthly anthropometric examination of the baby, i.e. measures his height, weight, head and chest circumference. On the basis of the data obtained, he makes a conclusion about how well the child is developing, assesses his physical development in accordance with the indicators of the age norm. During the appointment, the doctor examines the baby, assesses the functional state of all organs and systems and gives the mother recommendations on feeding and the child's daily regimen.

In the absence of contraindications, the doctor writes out a referral for routine vaccinations.

At the first appointment at the clinic, the pediatrician must explain to the mother how and when to prevent rickets, tell about hardening measures, if necessary, if the baby is artificially fed, write a prescription for the dairy kitchen.

From additional examinations, the doctor may prescribe an abdominal ultrasound to the child, which is performed to detect pathology of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, kidneys and an electrocardiogram (ECG).

An ECG is performed as an additional study in the presence of a heart murmur. In addition, the doctor may give a referral for echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart), which will help to exclude heart and vascular defects. With dysfunction of the cardiovascular system (rhythm disturbances, malformations), the child should be observed and treated by a cardiologist.

1 month of life: neurologist

During the examination, the neurologist assesses the baby's muscle tone, checks congenital reflexes, assesses the neuropsychic development and the formation of motor functions.

A visit to a neurologist at 1 month is very important for the health of the baby, since it is at this age that perinatal, i.e. arising during pregnancy and childbirth, lesions of the central nervous system, such as: syndrome of increased neuro-reflex excitability, syndrome of depression of the central nervous system. In the presence of neurological pathology in a child, it is important to start treatment in the first months of life, since during this period the nervous system matures, it has a good ability to restore impaired functions and, therefore, deviations in its work are reversible and respond well to treatment.

In addition, a neurologist gives a referral for an ultrasound scan of the brain (neurosonography).

This examination is most often carried out for children in the hospital. If a second examination is required or the child has not been examined at the maternity hospital, the study is carried out at 1 month of age.

Ultrasound of the brain allows us to recognize changes in the structure of the brain: vascular cysts, intracranial hemorrhages, malformations, expansion of the ventricles of the brain (hydrocephalic syndrome), signs of increased intracranial pressure (hypertensive syndrome).

1 month of life: orthopedist

The orthopedist examines the baby in order to identify congenital pathology, first of all - dysplasia of the hip joints (their underdevelopment or improper development). To do this, he assesses the breeding of the baby's legs in the hip joints and the symmetry of the gluteal folds. Dysplasia of the hip joints, detected at an early age, when the child's joint is not yet fully formed, as a rule, lends itself well to non-surgical correction and does not lead to malformed joints and dysfunction of the lower extremities. Also, upon examination, the orthopedist excludes such pathologies as congenital muscle torticollis, dislocations, congenital clubfoot. In addition to an orthopedic examination, all babies are prescribed an ultrasound of the hip joints to identify or confirm the diagnosis of hip dysplasia.

1 month of life: surgeon

The surgeon examines the child in order to identify surgical pathology, such as: hemangiomas (vascular tumor on the skin), umbilical or inguinal hernia (protrusion of tissues or parts of organs through the weak points of the anterior abdominal wall), cryptorchidism (undescended testicles into the scrotum) and phimosis (narrowing of the extreme flesh) in boys.

It is important to diagnose these diseases as early as possible in order to carry out surgical treatment on time and avoid complications. In the case of an inguinal or umbilical hernia, this is an infringement (compression of the hernial contents in the hernial orifice), with phimosis - inflammation of the glans penis (balanitis, balanoposthitis).

Often in polyclinics, these two specialties (orthopedist and surgeon) are combined by one doctor.

1 month of life: optometrist

The optometrist will check how the child focuses on the object, examine the fundus for early detection of retinal pathology, and check the patency of the nasolacrimal canals. Having discovered the disease in the early stages, the doctor prescribes conservative (non-surgical) treatment for the baby, which helps prevent further dysfunction of the visual organ and prevent the development of complications.

1 month of life: ENT

An ENT in the first month of life can conduct audiological screening for early detection of hearing impairment in a child. If the doctor suspects a hearing impairment in a baby, he should give a referral to a special (audiological) center, where the baby is carefully examined in order to identify hearing loss (hearing loss). The earlier a hearing loss is diagnosed, the sooner you can begin appropriate treatment and rehabilitation in order to prevent a lag in the mental and speech development of the baby.

2 months of life

At this age, the baby and his mother visit only the district pediatrician to assess the state of health, indicators of physical and neuropsychic development.

3 months of life: pediatrician

When a child is undergoing medical examination at 3 months, in addition to a pediatrician, a neurologist and an orthopedist should be re-examined.

At 3 months, the pediatrician not only examines the child, but also gives a referral for a general analysis of blood and urine. Based on their results, the doctor will assess whether the child is healthy and ready for the first routine DTP and polio vaccination. In addition, the doctor may recommend your toddler to take classes in the pool.

3 months of life: neurologist

On examination, the neurologist assesses the baby's neuropsychic development, muscle tone, and the development of motor skills. If a child has a neurological disease at 1 month old and treatment is prescribed, the doctor assesses the dynamics of the disease and the effectiveness of the therapy. The doctor can prescribe a course of massage and therapeutic exercises to correct muscle tone.

Examination by a neurologist during this period is necessary to resolve the issue of the possibility of upcoming vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio. After examining the child, the doctor must give his permission to vaccinate, if the baby has no contraindications from the central nervous system. Carrying out this vaccination for children with neurological pathology can aggravate the course of the disease in the post-vaccination period.
If there are difficulties in making a diagnosis, the neurologist may prescribe the infant a second ultrasound of the brain.

3 months of life: orthopedist

During the consultation, the orthopedic surgeon clarifies the data of the previous examination, excludes the first signs of rickets in the baby. Rickets is a disease associated with a lack of vitamin D that weakens not only the bones, but also the muscles of the child.

4 and 5 months of life

At this age, the child is examined by a pediatrician to assess the state of health, indicators of neuropsychic and physical development.

6 months of life: pediatrician

At 6 months, if the child is not registered with specialists, he needs to be examined by a pediatrician and a neurologist.

The age of 6 months is marked by the beginning of complementary foods, so the pediatrician must tell the mother what foods to start with, how much and at what time to give it.

In the absence of contraindications, the doctor will allow the baby to receive the third (last) vaccination against hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio.

6 months of life: neurologist

The neurologist evaluates the dynamics of the child's psychomotor development.

7 and 8 months of life

At this age, the child is routinely examined by a pediatrician, who assesses his physical development, the rate of weight gain. He also gives mom recommendations on the introduction of new complementary foods, adjusts the general complementary feeding schedule, taking into account the individual characteristics of the baby.

9 months of life: dentist

At 9 months old, in addition to the pediatrician, the mother and the baby must visit the pediatric dentist for the first time, even if the baby still does not have a single tooth. It is at this age that it is necessary to control the eruption and growth of milk teeth and evaluate the correctness of the laying of still unerupted teeth. The dentist will examine the baby's first teeth and tell you if the bite is formed correctly, and give the mother recommendations for caring for the baby's oral cavity.

9 months of life: surgeon

During this period, the surgeon must re-examine the child. It excludes diseases such as inguinal and umbilical hernia. In boys, the external genital organs are carefully examined with the aim of early detection of cryptorchidism (non-descent of one or both testicles into the scrotum), dropsy of the testicles (accumulation of fluid in the scrotum), hypospadias (abnormal location of the opening of the urethra). When detecting any of these diseases, it is important to carry out surgical surgical treatment as early as possible in order to prevent the development of inflammatory diseases and infertility in boys.

10 and 11 months of life

At this age, the child is examined by a pediatrician to assess the state of health, indicators of neuropsychic and physical development.

1 year old baby: pediatrician

After 1 year, the pediatrician will examine the child 1 time in 3 months. If there are indications or chronic diseases, the examination of the baby by a specialist is carried out according to an individual schedule, which is set by the doctor.
So, at 1 year old, the baby undergoes the last comprehensive examination in early childhood, which includes consultations of the following specialists: a neurologist, orthopedist, surgeon, otolaryngologist, ophthalmologist and dentist.

The pediatrician at the reception conducts anthropometric measurements of the baby, assesses his physical development, with the help of palpation (probing) and auscultation (listening with a phonendoscope) analyzes the functioning of all organs and systems and gives directions for additional examinations.

At 1 year old, the child needs to do an electrocardiography, a general blood test, a general urine test, a study of feces for eggs of worms and scraping from perianal folds for enterobiasis.

In addition, at 1 year old, the baby is given a tuberculin test or Mantoux test. From this age, the Mantoux test should be carried out annually.

1 year old baby: orthopedist

The orthopedist will check the posture, see how well the baby's skeleton is developed, how the joints work, how the child places the foot. Gives mom advice on choosing the right children's shoes.

1 year old baby: surgeon

The surgeon will re-examine the baby's tummy to exclude an inguinal and umbilical hernia. In boys, the external genital organs are necessarily examined to exclude the pathology of their development.

1 year old baby: dentist

The dentist assesses the number of erupted teeth, their condition (absence or presence of caries), the formation of a baby's bite.

One-year-old baby: ophthalmologist

The oculist examines the fundus, reveals a predisposition or deviations in visual acuity from the age norm (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism), strabismus. If a pathology is detected, the doctor prescribes treatment or eyeglass correction in order to avoid further deterioration of vision.

One-year-old baby: ENT doctor

The ENT doctor examines the throat, nasal passages and ears of the child, gives recommendations to the mother on caring for the mucous membranes of the nasal cavity and mouth in order to prevent colds and inflammatory diseases.

1 year old baby: neurologist

The neurologist evaluates the mental and motor development of the baby.

Health groups

Based on the results of the examination of the child by specialists, the pediatrician conducts a comprehensive assessment of the state of health, on the basis of which he determines the health group of the baby.

Health groups are a scale for assessing the health and development of a child, taking into account all the risk factors that influenced him during pregnancy and childbirth, affect at the moment and are predicted in the future.

There are 5 health groups:

• first - healthy children with normal physical and neuropsychic development;
• the second - healthy children with risk factors for the onset of pathology, and children with minor functional abnormalities;
• third - children with chronic diseases in remission (rare exacerbations);
• the fourth - children with significant deviations in health: chronic diseases in the stage of unstable remission with frequent exacerbations.
• the fifth - children with chronic diseases in the stage of decompensation (frequent exacerbations and severe course of the disease), disabled children.

Based on the health group, for each child, the terms of compulsory dispensary observation by specialized specialists are established, an individual health improvement plan (massage, physiotherapy exercises, hardening) and treatment of the baby is developed. Taking into account the health group and the severity of the disease, the doctor will recommend adherence to a special daily regimen and physical education methods that are focused on a particular child.

The first appointment with a pediatric neurologist makes it possible to diagnose at an early stage some disorders of the nervous system and brain. Even if the baby is not worried about anything, a visit to a neurologist should be included in the compulsory medical examination of the baby.

The first appointment with a pediatric neurologist: when?

Pregnancy and difficult childbirth can provoke the appearance of some disorders of the nervous system and brain. Especially if there were:

• frequent threat of termination of pregnancy;
• the presence of chronic infectious pathology;
• taking medications;
• violation of the normal course of pregnancy;
• violation of intrauterine development of the fetus.

Early diagnosis of a number of diseases and pathologies allows effective treatment.

But even if the pregnancy proceeded well, and the birth went without pathologies and complications, it is necessary to make sure that the baby's development is proceeding normally. The birth process is stressful for the child, and in most cases, the infant's reactions to it are useful for adapting to new conditions of life.

The first appointment with a pediatric neurologist should take place when the child is one month old. The frequency of further visits and consultations is determined by the doctor on an individual basis. But to get rid of unnecessary worries about how the baby is developing and whether everything is in order, experts recommend visiting every 3 months.

What a pediatric neurologist checks

The first appointment with a pediatric neurologist is always exciting for parents. What will he say after examining the baby? Perhaps it will reveal hidden deficiencies in development?

In order for the parents of the crumbs to be ready for a medical appointment, we will tell you what the pediatric neurologist checks.

The first visit to a neurologist includes:

• assessment of the baby's muscle tone;
• diagnostics of the presence and severity of reflexes;
• assessment of the physical development of the child;

The first appointment with a neurologist at the age of one month is very important, since it is possible to identify existing pathologies and begin timely treatment.

The first visit to a pediatric neurologist: stages

Neurological examination, when the child is one month old, consists of two main stages:

Ultrasound of the brain of a newborn

Before consulting a specialist, it is recommended to conduct an ultrasound of the newborn's brain. When the child is one month old, such a procedure can be done thanks to the not yet overgrown fontanelle, which makes it possible to identify defects in development and pathology. This type of diagnosis allows you to detect cysts and hematomas formed during childbirth. The conducted research makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of serious diseases, therefore, this procedure should not be neglected.

A good pediatric neurologist always recommends doing an ultrasound of the newborn's brain, even in the absence of obvious developmental abnormalities.

Inspection of the general condition of the child

Before the final assessment of the motor and mental development of the newborn, the doctor should receive answers to a number of important questions:

• the nature of the course of pregnancy and childbirth;
• the presence of pathologies and infections;
• whether the child has a good appetite;
• the nature of the dream: how much he sleeps, how often does he wake up - whether the sleep is restless;
• whether the baby is actively breastfeeding;
• how often he cries, under what circumstances;
• how the child is gaining weight;
• how often the baby spits up.

During a neurological examination, the doctor measures the circumference of the head, assesses the condition of the fontanelles. The pediatric neurologist conducts the primary diagnostics of nervous excitability, emotions and motor activity of the infant - the reflex system and muscle tone. In many cases, problems with the child's nervous system are directly related to the psycho-emotional state of the mother.

Symptoms to look out for before visiting a pediatric neurologist

For early detection of developmental anomalies, as well as the elimination of a number of neurological conditions, the mother should pay special attention to the presence of a number of symptoms:

• restless behavior of the newborn. The child is quickly aroused and difficult to calm down;
• ... The baby sleeps little, badly, often wakes up crying;
• impaired appetite and insufficient weight gain;
• a large fontanelle in a child;
• violation of reflex behavior: decreased sucking, swallowing and other reflexes;
• lack of age fixation up to 1 month;
• the child often spits up;
• increased or decreased muscle tone;
• decrease in general motor activity;
• convulsions;
• crying for no apparent reason (hunger, discomfort, sleep, etc.).

It is best to visit a pediatric neurologist 1-1.5 hours after feeding. Before feeding, the baby is hungry and restless; immediately after eating, the baby is likely to be lethargic and sleepy. And this can affect the adequacy of the survey.

A pediatric neurologist is a very important specialist who monitors the central and peripheral nervous system of a child from birth to 18 years of age. What does a pediatric neurologist treat and what does a pediatric neurologist do? The primary task of this specialist is to periodically observe the stages of formation and formation of the nervous system of a small patient, during which many progressive pathologies can be prevented. If it is impossible to prevent them and prevention does not help, an experienced pediatric neurologist determines the diagnosis and prescribes the appropriate complex treatment, in most cases which successfully cures the ailment.

Today, there are many different diseases of the nervous system that differ from each other, which are classified according to a certain order. Let's list the main lesions of the nervous system, and answer the question - what does a pediatric neurologist treat?

• Pathology associated with an infection formed due to exposure to harmful viruses and bacteria. A newborn child is most susceptible to such an infectious disease due to insufficiently formed immunity. That is why doctors do not recommend parents to visit crowded establishments with a small child.
• Epilepsy. It can be formed, both as a result of trauma, and congenital. Consultation and treatment of a neurologist are simply required here.
• Diseases associated with severe bruises of the head region, traumatic injuries.
• Toxic pathology. Some drugs and medicines, namely their incorrect prescription and use, can provoke a similar damage to the nervous system.
• Genetic pathology. Passed from parents or relatives due to related heredity.
• Hypoxia, which in turn was observed even in utero in the fetus.

From this video you will find out what the risk of not visiting a neurologist:

What is MMD in neurology in children

MMD is a minimal cerebral dysfunction caused by acute insufficiency of the central nervous system, mental disorders of the child, as well as a number of other dangerous symptoms.

How does MMD manifest itself in neurology in children?

• Overly active behavior, namely constant movements of both arms and legs, lack of perseverance.
• A quick distraction for any irritants.
• Inability to play alone on your own.
• Without stopping, he talks, interrupts adults, does not hear others when they ask him questions.
• Moves from one case to another without completing the first.
• Loss of things in kindergarten, school, absent-mindedness.

What is neurology in children?

Neurology in children is a complex multifaceted medical discipline that deals with diseases of the nervous system of a small patient. If a qualified doctor, a specialist, nevertheless revealed neurology in a child, this can be explained by the following most common reasons:

• Getting a birth mechanical injury;
• fetal hypoxia, as well as insufficient oxygen production due to the possible multiple entanglement in utero;
• complex process of childbirth and labor;
• acute toxicosis of pregnant women throughout the entire period;
• genetic inheritance.

What is neurology in 8-year-olds?

The child's psyche is like plasticine, it is very susceptible to stress, any circumstances, parents, in turn, are advised to make sure that it has not been damaged. In what cases does neurology occur in school-age children, namely 8 years old?

1. Too heavy loads on the child's body.
2. A feeling of constant fear caused by the behavior of the parents, as well as their pressure.
3. Adaptation period at school.

A similar neurosis is accompanied by experiences, sometimes stuttering, tics, fainting. At the slightest manifestation of these symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor.