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Unexplained physical complaints

M Elena Garralda1

  • 1Academic Unit of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Imperial College London St Mary's Campus, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK. e.garralda@imperial.ac.uk

Pediatric Clinics of North America
|August 23, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Childhood somatization involves physical symptoms without medical cause, often linked to anxiety. Family cognitive treatments show promise, with multidisciplinary care beneficial for severe cases.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Psychology
  • Child Psychiatry
  • Behavioral Medicine

Background:

  • Unexplained physical complaints are frequent in children, underpinning childhood somatization and somatoform disorders.
  • Comorbidity with emotional symptoms and anxiety disorders is common in pediatric somatization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the etiology and risk factors associated with childhood somatization.
  • To review effective treatment modalities for pediatric somatization and somatoform disorders.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on childhood somatization and somatoform disorders.
  • Analysis of risk factors including child's stress sensitivity, family history, and parental factors.
  • Evaluation of treatment efficacy, focusing on cognitive behavioral therapies and multidisciplinary approaches.

Main Results:

  • Identified risk factors include child's biological vulnerability, family history of mood/somatization disorders, parental overinvolvement, and limited psychological insight.
  • Family behavioral cognitive treatments demonstrate the strongest evidence of efficacy.
  • Multidisciplinary, coordinated care is clinically effective for severe pediatric somatization cases.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood somatization is influenced by a combination of individual, familial, and psychological factors.
  • Evidence supports family-based cognitive behavioral interventions as a primary treatment.
  • A comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach is crucial for managing severe presentations of childhood somatization.

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