On the phenomenon of yaktation speak with the child's inclination to perform automatic and unconscious rhythmic movements in the form of swinging back and forth, or from one side to the other, produced by the head or the whole body. At first glance, it seems that he is trying to declare his decisive "no!" To the invisible interlocutor.
And this is exactly so, for yaktatsii are affected even by children of the age in which speech is not yet available. This is a form of protest, expressed by the body language( more often silent), against the existing order that they do not like.
More precisely, a way to attract the attention of an adult, so that he produces an action that the child is pleased and whom he passionately desires. More often than not, it is a desire to be petted, taken in his arms, pressed to his chest, given. For he is separated from happiness in the form in which he understands and feels it.
It is noticed that children with severe childhood( from children's homes or families, psychologically unhappy: conflict, incomplete, large families) are at risk. These are cases when a child is not allowed to show his individuality, stopping his actions by strict prohibitions, punishment or ignoring his requests. And the child expresses his disagreement, while making inappropriate movements by the body.
It should be noted that pathology is inherent only in younger children, and by the beginning of schooling the "roots" of the phenomenon go deep into the subconscious and the behavior of the child is "averaged", becoming normal for its age category.
Who is to blame and what happens?
The causes of the phenomenon of yaktation are the same as those leading to sucking a finger - the need for more attention to one's personality.
Does the child subconsciously feel his uselessness and unlovedness while still in the womb of the mother, who can not decide the choice: to leave the child or to have an abortion?
The fear of death by abortion and resentment against the mother persists throughout life, manifesting in the adult state as features of the psyche. At the child's age, the arsenal of expressing emotions is sharply limited first by the body's capabilities, and then dependent on the parents position.
Brain metabolism, perverted by the negative sensations experienced in the fetal stage, leads to deviations from the standard for the age of behavior.
Neurological classification divides yaktation into those characterized by:
- swings;
- beats;
- by folding;
- shuttle movements.
The first category of disorders is expressed by the following classic symptoms: standing and leaning with hands on the wall of the arena( bed), the child swings the body or head back and forth or from side to side in a certain rhythm. Either does the same in a sitting posture.
At an earlier age, learning to turn over, the child swings the body, repeatedly rhythmically rolling from belly to back and vice versa, usually not to the end, but only to the position on the side.
Yaktation in the first half of life can occur in the pose of "wrestling bridge" - with the rocking of the body leaning on the head and heels, demanding differentiation from opisthotonus and other types of tonic convulsions.
Since the beginning of the crawl, the appearance of the yaktation is possible, with the torso swinging back and forth in a pose on all fours, sometimes with a theatrical-picture lead in the direction of one leg. 
Special attention should be paid to swinging movements during sleep on the back with rocking from side to side( up to 30 per minute, up to 6 hours with interruptions and with episodes up to 12 minutes).Stopped by the will of the parents of the child's movement, after a short time again resuming, continue in an even more intense rhythm.
Movement of the heartbeat, like the swing, often occurs during sleep on the abdomen. This sudden sudden rise with an emphasis on the hands with a series of head blows on the pillow face or cheek area. The series( with the number of movements from 4 to 12) can be repeated several times and terminate after being placed on the back. The resulting hematomas can easily be mistaken for beatings.
An analogue of the beats can be an intense head rotation with the frequency of the heart rhythm.
The ritual is usually performed silently, but the extremely agitated child can express himself as "an angry yaktatsiey."
The rare phenomenon of "folding" is to give the body in a dream the shape of a half-folded penknife( with a significant body deflection anteriorly) due to frequent sit-downs( taking a sitting posture), alternating with stacking. The rhythm of movements gradually increases, as does their volume.
Shuttle movement consists in the emergence of a sleepy body on all fours( from the prone position on the abdomen) with performing reciprocating movements in the forward-backward direction.
Diagnosis of
In a large percentage of cases, the diagnosis of difficulties is not presented: it is only necessary to describe the behavior of the child by his parents, to observe him or herself, differentiation from similar pathology.
An experienced neurologist( psychoneurologist) can easily establish a diagnosis in favor of which the data of obstetric anamnesis and information provided by the mother about the psychological state in the course of pregnancy are spoken.
In addition, the phenomenon is more common in boys, usually associated with the process of falling asleep and sleep( especially with a phase intermediate between a paradoxical and synchronized sleep).
Data from EEG and other methods for studying brain activity( MRI, CT) contribute to the recognition of pathology from instrumental methods.
On the need for treatment of
Since the yaktion is associated with vestibulosymmetry and the disturbance of the dynamics of excitation-inhibition in the cerebral cortex, the treatment should be done in this direction.
But usually there is no need for this, pathology is leveled by age. Difficulties arise when the ritual turns into a persistent psychopathology, therefore the observation of the child by a specialist neurologist must be carried out necessarily.
The application of various modifications of psychotherapeutic influence( including family and game therapy, hypnosuggestive method) allows to achieve the normalization of the mental state of the child through the harmonization of intra-family interpersonal relationships.
On the consequences and prevention of
In view of the fact that a person who has reached school age tries to hide a pathological habit fixed by excessive attention of others, it is possible that the ritual will grow into a psychotic phenomenon with a predominance of a catatonic symptom complex.
Preventive measures include:
- careful planning of pregnancy;
- elimination of interpersonal friction in the family and society;
- "education" of the educational style with the maximum softening of the individual approach.
Joint creative pastime and general outdoor games will also serve a good service in the prevention of pathology.
