Nazish Imran, Muhammad Riaz Bhatti, Zahra Azeem, Khwaja Amjad.
Somatisation in children: a profile of 100 cases, clinical presentations, precipitating factors and psychopathology.
Pak Paed J Jan ;35(2):86-9.

Objective: The present study was conducted in order to determine the clinical and psychosocial profile of children presenting with somatic symptoms in a tertiary care hospital setting. Materials and Methods: Hundred consecutively seen children presenting with psychosomatic symptoms in Child & Family psychiatry department were included in the study. Data regarding socio-demographic information, mode of referral, presenting symptoms, precipitating factors and psychiatric co morbidity was collected. Results: The mean age was 11.98 years (80 girls, 20 boys). Majority of referrals were from Family Physicians and self referrals. Headaches/Body aches including abdominal pain and fainting spells were the most common presenting symptoms (59% & 29% respectively). School difficulties led to onset of symptoms in more than half of the participants (52%) of the study. Conversion disorder (24%), undifferentiated somatoform disorders (17%) and emotional problems (depression 14%, generalised anxiety 13%) were some of the psychiatric comorbidites observed in these children. Conclusion: Somatic presentations in children are common in our setup. There is a need for underlying factors, and comorbid diagnosis in children presenting with somatic symptoms to be correctly recognised, properly referred and appropriately treated in a timely manner.

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