Somatisation in children.
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.
Garralda
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ME
Academic Unit of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, St Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, U.K.
D000293:Adolescent; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012803:Sick Role; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy