Apathy In Children

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The last of the emotional symptoms that will be covered is apathy. Apathy is the lack of interest or motivation. Many times the child does not even notice the changes, but rather the caregiver notices the major change in the child’s attitude. These changes may include starting many projects and never finishing them, not wanting to do school work, or losing interest in things that the child once loved. Researchers believe that these changes may be caused from a lack of dopamine due to the child’s injury. Dopamine is a chemical in the brain that causes motivation. In order to help the child cope with this, it is strongly advised that they go with the child to find hobbies or things that the child may enjoy. These could include going to painting …show more content…
A child that is suffering from this behavioral change may find him/herself acting out in an aggressive manner. This may be an act of hitting, kicking, biting, or yelling. The child reacts in this way due to the brain injury. It is something that the child has no control over, yet with the help of cognitive behavior therapy or CBT, the child can try to reduce their aggression by talking to someone about their frustrations. When caring for a child with aggressive behaviors, it is best to keep calm. Even though it may be hard at times due to the child’s aggressive behaviors towards the caregivers or their other loved ones, it is important not to respond with anger. Responding to a child’s aggressiveness with anger only worsens the situation. As a teacher, it is important to be consistent with a child that may be a bit aggressive. The child needs to know their limits and it is important for the teacher to create boundaries for the child. When the child is calm, the teacher may want to talk to him/her about the consequences he/she will receive if they act out with aggression. It is also a good idea to start keeping track of the child’s behavior using a behavior chart. When the child acts in a responsible manner, reward them. If the child is acting out and it is clear that the rewards are not working, switch things up. Continuation of research may be needed in order for the teacher to find something that …show more content…
Impulsivity is usually caused in the frontal lobe. It can cause the child to act out, or say things that the child did not mean to do or say. After a traumatic brain injury, a child may end up with a changed personality due to the injury itself. This may result in who used to be a very happy child, turning into an angry or sad child. The child may start acting out towards people or things without thinking of the consequence of their actions or the ways that they will make other feel by doing the things that they are doing. If the child continues to act out, it is best to seek medical and/or professional attention. The professionals can work towards finding something that will help the child with his/her impulsivity before the child becomes a danger to him/herself or others. There are also medications that the child can take that will help with impulsivity. They focus on the frontal lobe and help regulate dopamine and glutamine, two neurochemicals within the brain. If a child needs help regulating or coping with their impulsivity it is best that he/she come up with a way to regulate their behaviors. By doing so, they are able to think through their actions before acting upon them. Another way to cope would be to begin with breathing techniques. The deep breathing should help to naturally calm the child down. As a teacher, the best thing to do would be to create rules and to make sure that the child is aware of them. When