[Psychogenic paralysis in childhood and adolescence].
OBJECTIVE
This article presents the characteristics of psychogenic paralysis in children and adolescents. The overview covers the changes in its diagnostic classification from ICD-6 to ICD-10.


METHODS
Characteristics of this diagnostic entity are presented and epidemiological data discussed on the basis of clinical studies from the literature. Among the dissociative disorders in children and adolescents, psychogenic paralysis shows a characteristic distribution according to sex and age. Furthermore the literature indicates a better prognosis for patients with this symptomatology than for children and adolescents with pseudoseizures and psychogenic vision disorders.


RESULTS
Iatrogenic invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, somatic injuries, infections and a model for the symptoms play an important role in the pathogenesis of gait disorders.
Nowak
M
M
Abteilung für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie der Psychiatrischen Klinik mit Poliklinik, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003291:Conversion Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008297:Male; D010243:Paralysis / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D010348:Patient Care Team