SOMATOFORM DISORDERS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS - A REVIEW OF THE PAST 10 YEARS

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.