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Pediatric Somatic Symptom Disorders

  • Complex Medical-Psychiatric Issues (MB Riba, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) is a common disorder encountered in pediatric medicine. It involves the presentation of physical symptoms that are either disproportionate or inconsistent with history, physical examination, laboratory, and other investigative findings. SSDs result in significant impairment with considerable increase in healthcare utilization, school absenteeism, and the potential for unnecessary diagnostic evaluation and treatment intervention. Patients and families often feel dismissed and may worry that a serious condition has been missed. Primary care providers are frequently frustrated due to a lack of a successful approach to patients and families impacted by SSD. The result is often a cycle of disability, frustration and missed opportunities for collaboration towards enhanced patient functionality. This review summarizes the current evidence-based understanding, as well as insights from clinician experience, on the evaluation and management of pediatric SSD.

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Acknowledgements

The editors would like to thank Dr. Tami D. Benton for taking the time to review this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, L5023, SPC 5277, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Nasuh Malas

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, USA

    Roberto Ortiz-Aguayo

  3. Department of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, USA

    Lisa Giles

  4. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Primary Children’s Hospital, Salt Lake City, USA

    Lisa Giles

  5. Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA

    Patricia Ibeziako

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  1. Nasuh Malas
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  2. Roberto Ortiz-Aguayo
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  4. Patricia Ibeziako
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Correspondence to Nasuh Malas.

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Nasuh Malas, Roberto Ortiz-Aguayo, Lisa Giles, and Patricia Ibeziako declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Complex Medical-Psychiatric Issues

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Malas, N., Ortiz-Aguayo, R., Giles, L. et al. Pediatric Somatic Symptom Disorders. Curr Psychiatry Rep 19, 11 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-017-0760-3

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