Treatment Approaches for Functional Neurological Disorders in Children

AbstractPurpose of ReviewFunctional neurological disorder (FND) is a multi-network brain disorder that encompasses a broad range of neurological symptoms. FND is common in pediatric practice. It places substantial strains on children, families, and health care systems. Treatment begins at assessment, which requires the following: themedical task of making the diagnosis, theinterpersonal task of engaging the child and family so that they feel heard and respected, thecommunication task of communicating and explaining the diagnosis, and thelogistical task of organizing treatment.Recent FindingsOver the past decade, three treatment approaches —Retraining and Control Therapy (ReACT), other cognitive-behavioral therapies, and multidisciplinary rehabilitation—have been evaluated in the USA, Canada, and Australia. Of children treated in such programs, 63 − 95% showed full resolution of FND symptoms. The common thread across the pro grams is their biopsychosocial approach—consideration of biological, psychological, relational, and school-related factors that contribute to the child’s clinical presentation.SummaryCurrent research strongly supports a biopsychosocial approach to pediatric FND and provides a foundation for a stepped approach to treatment. Stepped care is initially tailored to the needs of the individual child (and family) based on the pattern and severity of FND presentation. The level of care and type of intervention may then be adjusted to consider the chi...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Neurology - Category: Neurology Source Type: research