Psychiatric comorbidity in pediatric patients with demyelinating disorders.
Little is known about psychiatric aspects of pediatric demyelinating conditions. A total of 23 youths (6-17 years) with demyelinating conditions underwent semistructured psychiatric interviews using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version. Adolescents and parents completed the Child Symptom Inventory-4 and the Youth's Inventory-4. Fears and conceptions of their neurological problems were elicited. In all, 48% (n = 11) met criteria for current psychiatric diagnoses, including 27% (n = 3) with depressive disorders and 64% (n = 7) with anxiety disorders. Fears and conceptions of the illness were severe and diverse. Depressive and anxiety disorders are common in pediatric demyelinating disease. Clinicians should therefore screen for psychiatric comorbidity symptoms as part of the routine evaluation of such patients.
Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA. deborah.weisbrot@stonybrook.edu
Deborah M
DM
Weisbrot
Alan B
AB
Ettinger
Kenneth D
KD
Gadow
Anita L
AL
Belman
William S
WS
MacAllister
Maria
M
Milazzo
Michael L
ML
Reed
Daniel
D
Serrano
Lauren B
LB
Krupp
D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales