Conversion disorder presenting as gait disturbance in an adolescent

Conversion disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis in which the loss of function on presentation mimics organic disease. Although rare, it is most common in adolescents and young adults. This report describes an adolescent with conversion disorder who presented with progressive bilateral lower-extremity weakness and impaired gait. As with all patients with conversion disorder, prompt diagnosis without extensive testing was essential to initiating appropriate therapy in this patient.