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Somatisation in children
1Academic Unit of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, St Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, U.K.
Insights
Childhood somatisation involves physical symptoms with potential links to family factors and psychiatric disorders. Effective treatments include cognitive-behavioural and family therapies, alongside pediatrician guidance.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Child Psychology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Somatisation in childhood is a complex phenomenon.
- It often presents with minor physiological dysfunction and co-occurring psychiatric disorders.
- Family dynamics and parental psychological distress are recognized as significant factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent research on childhood somatisation.
- To identify contributing factors and associated conditions.
- To explore effective treatment strategies.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent studies on childhood somatisation.
- Analysis of family factors, psychiatric comorbidities, and social relationship anomalies.
- Evaluation of treatment outcomes for various interventions.
Main Results:
- Minor physiological dysfunction can be present in somatisation cases.
- Associated psychiatric disorders are common but not universal.
- Family factors like parental distress, illness behavior modeling, and social relationship issues are linked to somatisation.
- Emotional closeness and togetherness around health matters within families show suggestive links.
Conclusions:
- Childhood somatisation is influenced by a combination of physiological, psychological, and familial factors.
- Cognitive-behavioural and family therapies show promise in treatment.
- Sensitive advice from pediatricians is also beneficial.
Abstract:
This review summarises recent work on somatisation in childhood. Minor physiological dysfunction may play a part in a number of cases and associated psychiatric disorders are commonly though not universally found. Contributory family factors include high rates of health problems and of parental psychological distress and there is some evidence for the role of family modelling and reinforcement of illness behaviour. There is suggestive evidence linking somatisation to emotional closeness in families, to family togetherness around health matters and to anomalies in children's social relationships. Somatisation in children can respond to treatments involving cognitive-behavioural and family techniques as well as to sensitive, psychologically sound advice from paediatricians.