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Behavior problems in nephrotic syndrome
1Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi.
Insights
Children with nephrotic syndrome exhibit behavioral issues like hyperactivity and aggression. Maternal anxiety correlates with these problems, suggesting a link between maternal attitude and child behavior.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Child Psychology
- Maternal Mental Health
Background:
- Nephrotic syndrome in children can impact psychosocial well-being.
- Understanding behavioral challenges and adaptive competences is crucial for comprehensive care.
- Maternal stress may influence a child's psychological adjustment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess adaptive competences and behavioral problems in children with nephrotic syndrome.
- To investigate the presence of psychosocial stress in mothers of these children.
- To explore the relationship between child behavior and maternal anxiety.
Main Methods:
- Prospective case-control study involving 70 children with nephrotic syndrome and 46 controls (ages 4-14).
- Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) used for assessing child behavior and social competences.
- PGI Health Questionnaire N2 administered to mothers to measure anxiety levels.
Main Results:
- Children with nephrotic syndrome displayed depressed, hyperactive, or aggressive behaviors, alongside somatic complaints and social withdrawal.
- Behavioral issues did not impede treatment compliance; only 7 patients needed psychological intervention.
- Boys showed more hyperactivity and aggression than girls; CBCL scores correlated with maternal anxiety.
Conclusions:
- A significant number of children with nephrotic syndrome experience minor behavioral problems.
- The severity of these behavioral issues may be influenced by the mother's attitude towards the child's illness.
- Early identification and support for both children and mothers are recommended.
Objectives:
To evaluate the adaptive competences and behavioral problems in children with nephrotic syndrome, and whether their mothers also showed features of psychosocial stress.
Design:
Prospective case-control study.
Setting:
Pediatric Out-Patient Department.
Subjects:
Seventy consecutive patients of nephrotic syndrome, between the ages of 4 to 14 years, and their mothers constituted cases. The control group, matched for age, sex and socioeconomic status comprised of 46 children and their mothers. The mother's description of the child's behavior, on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), was obtained to assess behavioral problems and social competences. The level of anxiety in the mother was assessed using the PGI Health Questionnaire N2.
Results:
Children with nephrotic syndrome showed features of depressed, hyperactive or aggressive behavior. Somatic complaints, social withdrawal and poor school performance were also observed. These problems did not interfere with compliance to treatment and only 7 patients required psychological interventions. Boys with nephrotic syndrome had more hyperactive and aggressive behavior as compared to girls. The scores on the CBCL were well correlated with the anxiety scores of the mother.
Conclusions:
These observations suggest the presence of minor behavior problems in a significant proportion of children with nephrotic syndrome. The severity of these problems may be related to the attitude of the mother towards the child's illness.