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Development of stomach-ache and headache during middle childhood: co-occurrence and psychosocial risk factors
1Department of Health and Society, National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Insights
This longitudinal study explored childhood somatic symptoms in Norwegian children. Stomach or headache complaints had distinct psychosocial links, while a co-occurrence syndrome indicated prior emotional issues.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Pediatric Health
- Developmental Epidemiology
Background:
- Somatic symptoms are common in children and can be linked to psychosocial factors.
- Understanding these associations is crucial for early identification and intervention.
- Previous research has explored individual symptoms, but the co-occurrence of symptoms requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the development of somatic symptoms in Norwegian children aged 4-10 years.
- To examine the associations between specific somatic symptom presentations and psychosocial risk factors.
- To identify potential distinct profiles of children experiencing somatic symptoms.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study design was employed.
- Data were collected on children's somatic complaints (stomach-ache, headache).
- Psychosocial risk factors including child behavior, emotional well-being, maternal education, employment, and family stability were assessed.
Main Results:
- Children with only stomach-ache complaints were associated with emotional well-being, low maternal education, and high maternal support.
- Children with only headache complaints showed good preschool behavior, high achievement motivation, and employed mothers.
- A co-occurrence syndrome was identified, linked to prior behavioral/emotional problems, current emotional disturbances, and less maternal support, distinct from other groups.
Conclusions:
- Childhood somatic symptoms, whether isolated or co-occurring, have specific psychosocial correlates.
- The co-occurrence of somatic symptoms may represent a distinct clinical entity associated with significant emotional and behavioral challenges.
- Targeted psychosocial support may be beneficial for children presenting with specific somatic symptom patterns.
Abstract:
Development of somatic symptoms and associations with psychosocial risk factors were investigated in a longitudinal study of Norwegian children aged 4-10 years. Complaints of stomach-ache only were associated with emotionally well-adapted children, and mothers with low education and high emotional support. Children complaining of headache only behaved well as preschoolers, showed a tendency towards high achievement motivation at school and their mothers were employed outside the home. Children with the co-occurrence syndrome seemed to constitute a separate entity. They differed from the others as the syndrome was associated with previous behavioural and emotional problems, current emotional disturbances and mothers with less support. Family demographic stability, further child health problems and school factors were not associated with the co-occurrence syndrome.