title: Children with pervasive refusal.
abstract: Four children are described with a potentially life threatening condition manifested by profound and pervasive refusal to eat, drink, walk, talk, or care for themselves in any way over a period of several months. The multiplicity and severity of the symptoms in these children do not fit comfortably into any existing diagnostic category. Long term and highly skilled nursing and psychiatric care is required to help these children to recover. The possible causes of this syndrome are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Hospital for Sick Children, London.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lask
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Britten
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kroll
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Magagna
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tranter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D013577:Syndrome; D016312:Treatment Refusal