Psychosomatic aspects of children's consultations in primary care

Family doctors identified psychological factors associated with the presenting complaint in 17% of children aged 7 to 12 years attending their care. When compared with other children attending within the same age group, children said by their doctors to show associated psychological factors tended to present with psychosomatic-type symptoms (bed-wetting, asthma, skin rashes, abdominal pains, blackouts and headaches) and to make more use of medical services (both hospital and primary care). Our findings suggest that the families from which these children came had relatively high surgery attendance rates and more mothers with health problems. More of these families were regarded by the doctors as being under stress, and there were indications that concern about the children and their schooling was particularly common amongst the parents. Exploration of parental concerns about their children's health and about educational expectations would appear specially indicated in these cases.