Polysymptomatic conversion disorder in childhood and adolescence in Japan. Early manifestation or incomplete form of somatization disorder?

BACKGROUND: In conversion disorder in childhood and adolescence, polysymptomatic (PS) presentations are reportedly commoner than monosymptomatic (MS) ones. Somatization disorder is also associated with pseudoneurological symptoms, but is extremely rare in childhood. This occurs despite the age of onset peaking in the teens among adult somatization disorder patients.
METHOD: We reviewed the records of 44 children and adolescents with pseudoneurological symptoms. They were categorized as MS cases (19) or PS cases (25), and their psychological backgrounds and clinical courses were compared.
RESULTS: PS patients had a poorer prognosis and more past psychiatric and family problems. While none met the DSM-IV criteria for somatization disorder, 2 PS patients met all but the sexual symptoms criteria.
CONCLUSION: PS conversion disorder in childhood and adolescence may constitute a different entity from MS conversion disorder and may be an early manifestation or incomplete form of somatization disorder. Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel