The syndromes of neuropathy and mental infantilism in the structure of mental disorders in childhood

Neuropathy and mental infantilism in modern child psychiatry are presented as predominant syndromes of neuropsychic disorders, occurring in childhood in a relatively independent way. Currently the term "mental infantilism" refers to the mental immaturity of the personality, mainly with delay in emotional-volitional sphere development and maintaining children's personal qualities. But at an early age signs of emotional immaturity and lower levels of behavioral motivations are hardly detected, therefore, we can talk about mental infantilism only since a school age. Speaking about the syndrome of neuropathy, we can suppose that a complex of factors plays a significant role in its formation and their interaction is complex and multifaceted. Clinical experience of many studies has confirmed the existing opinion that the common pattern of neuropathy dynamics are phases largely coinciding with age periods. The dynamics of the neuropathic symptoms in the prognosis has both favorable and unfavorable courses. It is believed that neuropathy is specific only to infancy and early childhood (up to the age of three), and its prognosis is quite favorable. In most cases at child development its symptoms gradually smooth out or completely disappear. However, there are no specific data on the timing of such dynamics. Some authors indicate that neuropathic symptoms may occur until puberty. At the same time, it has been suggested that the ontogenetic process of improving the mental functions of the symptoms of neuropathy are replaced by other psychopatho-logical manifestations, depending on the level of psychological response. The presence of a certain age sequence of the occurrence of such syndromes of mental disorders in childhood and adolescence is a clinical expression of periodization of age development associated with the levels of pathological response. Primary mental pathology syndrome of childhood that emerges early is a syndrome of neuropathy, which corresponds to somato-vegetative level of response. Adjacent to it is a syndrome of psychic infantilism. It should be admitted that the problem of neurosis and mental infantilism continues to be quite relevant for child psychiatry and clinical psychology. Any research in this area has not only theoretical but also practical importance, primarily because proper recognition and timely treatment of disorders of psychological development in childhood is a necessary condition for the prevention of mental disorders in the further ontogenetic development.

Keywords

Authors

References