["Para-neurotic" organization in the young child]

We define the term "para-neurotic organization" as a particular form of the mental organization of the young child, intermediate between a neurotic structure and a personality disorder. The para-neurosis has little chance of spontaneous improvement, but there is good indication for psychotherapeutic treatment for these children and its results are satisfactory. Although the fantasmatic life of this type of children is often related to oedipal problems and their capacity to symbolise is rich, there are nevertheless frequent regressive mouvements leading to blocking (inhibitions of symbolisation) or to manic behaviors (flight of ideas). The persistance of this functioning could prevent the establishment of a true neurotic organization. We shall present this clinical entity on the basis of clinical examples (dynamic profiles). In order to illustrate the principal caracteristics, a standard-scale has been constructed. Psychodynamic considerations support our various findings.