The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
2009 , Vol 51 , Num 3
Long-lasting conversion disorder and hospitalization in a young girl: importance of early recognition and intervention
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey1,
Psychosomatic symptoms are frequently observed in children in response to
psychosocial stressors and may be a reason for referral. However, it may
be difficult to identify psychosomatic symptoms in a non-psychiatric clinical
setting, and it is not unusual in pediatric practice for patients to be admitted
and/or investigated for psychosomatic symptoms. Here, we present a case of a
10-year-old girl who was admitted and investigated for a suddenly developing
motor loss in her legs for more than three months. However, no medical
causes were detected to explain her clinical picture and she was eventually
diagnosed with conversion disorder. We discuss herein the importance of
early recognition and intervention and clues to the diagnosis of conversion
disorder in children in a non-psychiatric clinical setting.
Keywords :
children, psychosomatic symptoms, conversion disorder.