DEVELOPMENT OF STOMACH-ACHE AND HEADACHE DURING MIDDLE CHILDHOOD - COOCCURRENCE AND PSYCHOSOCIAL RISK

Development of somatic symptoms and associations with psychosocial ris k factors were investigated in a longitudinal study of Norwegian child ren aged 4-10 years. Complaints of stomach-ache only were associated w ith emotionally well-adapted children, and mothers with low education and high emotional support. Children complaining of headache only beha ved well as preschoolers, showed a tendency towards high achievement m otivation at school and their mothers were employed outside the home. Children with the co-occurrence syndrome seemed to constitute a separa te entity. They differed from the others as the syndrome was associate d with previous behavioural and emotional problems, current emotional disturbances and mothers with less support. Family demographic stabili ty, further child health problems and school factors were not associat ed with the co-occurrence syndrome.