Combined infant regulatory problems and early maternal psychiatric illness predict risk of functional somatic symptoms in later childhood

Commentary on Rask CU, Ørnbøl E, Olsen EM, et al.. Infant behaviors are predictive of functional somatic symptoms at ages 5–7 years: results from the Copenhagen Child Cohort CCC2000. J Pediatr 2013;162:335–42. Implications for practice and research Counselling mothers to help settle babies with high levels of feeding/sleeping/tactile reactivity may help prevent the development of functional somatic symptoms (FSS) in children. Further research is required to identify additional risk factors for FSS and the evaluation of preventative interventions. Context FSS in children are physical symptoms that cannot be ascribed to a medical disease. FSS affect approximately 10% of children and adolescents: when frequent and causing impairment they can lead to unproductive and costly medical assessments.1 FSS are often associated with anxiety disorders, and can predict adult physical and psychiatric morbidity.2 FSS manifest in preschool children3; understanding...
Source: Evidence-Based Nursing - Category: Nursing Authors: Tags: Child health, Headache (including migraine), Pain (neurology), Stroke, Child and adolescent psychiatry (paedatrics), Anxiety disorders (including OCD and PTSD), Child and adolescent psychiatry, Screening (public health) Source Type: research