Abstract
Somatoform disorders are common among children and adolescents. The authors describes the clinical history of 4 out of 8 cases with somatoform or factitious disorders referred to the Hospital during a period of one year (total number of admission: 130). Abnormal psychosocial situations were found to be associated with onset and course of the disorders in all cases. The level of school absenteism in adolescents with somatoform disorder is remarkably higher than that reported in other chronic diseases. In some cases, physicians and the health care system play a significant role in reinforcing somatisation by patients. It is recommended that paediatricians include illness falsification by the child and adolescent patients in the differential diagnosis of persistent and unexplained medical condition, along with somatisation and malingering by proxy.
| Translated title of the contribution | Somatoform disorders and factitious illness: The clinical presentation of four cases |
|---|---|
| Original language | Italian |
| Pages (from-to) | 377-381 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Medico e Bambino |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 30 2004 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health