Gk. Fritz et al., SOMATOFORM DISORDERS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS - A REVIEW OF THE PAST 10 YEARS, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 36(10), 1997, pp. 1329-1338
Objective: To review the literature on somatoform disorders in childre
n and adolescents relevant to recertification by the American Board of
Psychiatry and Neurology. Method: The psychiatric, pediatric, and psy
chological literatures were searched for clinical or research articles
in the past 10 years dealing with somatization and somatoform disorde
rs. Results: Somatizing presentations are organized conceptually; soma
tization disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, hypochondriasis, conversi
on disorder, vocal cord dysfunction, pain disorder, and recurrent abdo
minal pain are described in children and adolescents; empirical eviden
ce for treatment efficacy is scant, but clinically reasonable approach
es are applied. Conclusion: More developmentally appropriate diagnosti
c schemas and better outcome studies are needed in all the somatoform
disorders for children and adolescents.