[The occurrence of less common psychogenic disorders in children]

The development of child neuroses must have certain rerequisites, in particular disposition (temperamental characteristic), an adverse situation in early childhood and a provoking conflict proper or a traumatic situation. To hysterical neuroses apply similar findings as to these disorders in adults; a hysterical neuroses is not always evidence of a hysterical nature. Psychogenic disorders in children may differ, the character of these complaints is not always typical. The complexity of the diagnostic process is demonstrated on two case--histories from which it is apparent that long--term treatment and examinations in somatic departments do not rule out the detection of the psychogenic aetiology of the somatic disorder. The first case--history is that of a twelve-year-old girl treated from the age of two years with antiepileptic drugs, in recent years the condition is compensated without treatment. After a conflict with a girl friend she developed pain in the hip joint which eventually resulted in the inability of spontaneous movement. After several months hospitalization at the orthopaedic department she was transferred to the psychiatric department where after hypnotherapy the conversion syndrome receded but the patient developed another psychopathological syndrome, impaired sexual identification. The second case--history is that of a twelve-year-old boy a re-trained left-handed with manifestations of balbuties. On account of sudden manifestations of torticollis leading to prolonged absence at school he repeated the class, for another three years he was treated by neurologists without effect. After admission to the psychiatric department he was treated by psychotherapy and placebo with a marked effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)