It refers to the habitual action of rubbing the vulva in children and is a type of childhood neurosis. It can be seen in infants and children at the age of weeks, and is most common in girls aged 1-3 years.
The clinical manifestations of habitual crossed leg rubbing action are.
1, the double lower limbs crossed inward or each other tight post, up and down friction is rubbing leg action; Jinan Children’s Hospital Children’s Health Care Institute Li Ling
2, sometimes bath towel, sheet sandwiched between the legs, both hands hold the bath towel, sheet end, both lower limbs do stretching and flexing rubbing action, perineal muscles contraction, perineal secretions.
3, the child’s face flushed, eyes gazing, breathing rough, there is a sense of masturbation, mostly self-secretly, refusing adult intervention, this rubbing is sometimes very stubborn. It usually lasts for several minutes or longer before it stops. After the seizure stops, there seems to be a feeling of fatigue, and the head and forehead and the whole body can sweat.
4. Larger girls may have seizures with their legs riding across the back of a chair, the edge of a chair, or other objects, with repeated rubbing movements. Even in class or at home can be in the prominent corners of the furniture such as the back of the bicycle seat, the corner of the chair, sofa armrests on their own friction, for pleasure, and even to the extent that “can not extricate themselves”.
5, adolescent boys and girls entering puberty also have a similar situation. As parents and children do not know much about this “disease”, it often makes adolescents have a strong inferiority complex, this psychological barrier, affecting the healthy development of adolescent children.
6. During the seizure, the child is always in a clear state of mind, reacts normally to the surroundings, and can be controlled by his will. The seizure can be terminated when the child is picked up from bed or changed position or distracted by other means. Seizures usually occur under the same conditions, such as rubbing one’s vulva before going to sleep or shortly after waking up or while sitting, and sometimes they can occur in the mother’s arms.
7. The EEG is completely normal at the time of the seizure or during the interictal period. The child has no signs and symptoms of organic damage to the nervous system. The prognosis is generally good and the intelligence is normal. Sometimes the diagnosis is usually made on the basis of the above clinical manifestations, without the need for EEG examination.
Diagnostic criteria.
The diagnostic criteria for habitual leg rubbing action in children are.
(1) At the onset of the attack, the legs are crossed or pressed against each other, the legs make flexion and extension movements, and the hands make fists or grasp things vigorously;
(2) Red cheeks, eye gaze, and slight sweating on the forehead during the attack;
(3) Congestion of the vulva, increased secretions and/or increased labial pigmentation;
(4) Seizures may be terminated by external stimuli;
(4) Normal intelligence and no epileptic waves issued from the brain grid.
In toddlers and children, this bad habit is mainly induced by distracting them to make them relieve. Some children are triggered by itching due to local irritation and must be given active treatment to correct this bad habit. Washing the vulva every night before bedtime, good personal hygiene and giving psychological comfort to the child makes him/her fall asleep happily.
It can initially be caused by local diseases such as pinworms, eczema of the pubic area or too tight pants, but later it becomes a habit. In a few children, the onset may be related to excessive rinsing (stimulation) of the vulva, so care should also be taken to avoid excessive rinsing (stimulation) of the vulva.
When a child has this habit, he or she should not be scolded, but should be induced, diverted, wear loose pants, do not go to bed too early at night, and treat local diseases early. If there are pinworms, they should be treated promptly.
For adolescents, they should give patient persuasion and education, strengthen physical exercise, do not look at unhealthy images and books, parents should maintain their children’s self-esteem, and keep secrets for him or her. They should not talk about it in front of people, not to mention ridicule, which affects the physical and mental health of the child.