Naturally-occurring chemicals in your child's brain, called neurotransmitters, dictate every aspect of his ability to learn and his behavior, according to Billie J. Sahley, Ph.D. When something alters the balance of these chemicals, your child might suddenly seem like a stranger to you, or his behavior might consistently deteriorate over an extended period of time. His teacher might indicate there's been a change in his performance at school. Treatments are controversial, but all begin with identifying the problem in the first place.
Process
When either the serotonin, dopamine or norepinephrine levels in your child's brain become too low or too high, her nerve cells cannot adequately transmit messages from one receptor to another, according to Sahley. As a result, her brain's normal flow of communication regulating her mood and concentration becomes disrupted, and her disposition will change.
Causes
Sahley indicates stress, grief and chronic pain can all affect your child's neurotransmitter levels over time. In some cases, chemical imbalances might be hereditary, but Joseph M. Carver, Ph.D., also indicates on the website Mental Health Matters that a child's efforts to cope with stressful events can alter brain chemical levels, particularly dopamine.
Signs and Symptoms
Dopamine controls focus and attention, according to Carver. If your child suffers from low dopamine levels, she might find it difficult to stay with one task or activity for long without bouncing to another. Low serotonin can also affect your child's concentration, appetite and might even leave her feeling unusually sleepy or fatigued. Norepinephrine is similar to adrenaline. Low levels can result in poor memory, while too-high levels might exhibit as panic attacks. Gamma-aminobutyric acid, commonly called GABA, is the chemical that regulates interaction between the other three. Too little GABA and your child might appear overstimulated, frequently talking too much or too fast.
Resulting Conditions
Behavioral and mood disorders linked with chemical imbalances in children include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), anxiety and depression, according to Aurora Health Center. Serotonin has specifically been targeted as a contributing factor in OCD and low levels of dopamine are associated with ADHD. Low levels of GABA can contribute to bipolar disorder.
Treatment
As of 2002, no lab tests were available to accurately measure neurotransmitter levels, according to Sahley. Sahley believes some drug treatments prescribed for assumed chemical imbalances can actually worsen your child's behavior by artificially disrupting levels even more. In effect, they are Band-Aids, Sahley says, redistributing and altering neurotransmitters to affect behavior without addressing the underlying cause of the imbalance. The website HealthGuide agrees, and notes the USDA requires all depression medications carry a warning that they can actually increase the risk of suicide in children and adolescents by artificially tinkering with brain chemical levels. Amphetamines can "slow down" children with ADHD by raising their dopamine levels into a more normal range, according to Carver. All drug options should be used as part of other therapy.
References
- Aurora Health Center: Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Illnesses
- Pain and Stress Publications: Understanding Chemical Imbalances; Billie J. Sahley, Ph.D.; 2002
- HelpGuide: Antidepressants -- What You Need to Know About Depression Medication
- Mental Health Matters: The "Chemical Imbalance" in Mental Health Issues; Joseph M. Carver, Ph.D., Sep. 26, 2010
