CLINICAL RESEARCH
Symptoms of psychiatric diseases in a pediatric neurology department
 
More details
Hide details
 
Submission date: 2017-03-06
 
 
Acceptance date: 2017-03-26
 
 
Publication date: 2017-04-11
 
 
Arch Med Sci Civil Dis 2017;2(1):78-84
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The present study investigated the comorbidity of psychiatric symptoms among patients with neurological diseases and the possibility of the symptoms of mental disorders being masking by the symptoms of somatic disorders.
Material and methods: Eight thousand two hundred and one epicrises of all patients hospitalized at the Department of Developmental Neurology from 1st January 2003 to 31st December 2013 were analyzed in order to select a group of patients referred for consultation with a child psychiatrist. The epicrises were analyzed in terms of diagnosis and the most common psychopathological symptoms on the basis of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised, Beck Depression Inventory, and the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children – Present and Lifetime (K-SADS-PL).
Results: As a result of the analysis a group of 345 patients with serious symptoms requiring psychiatric consultation was selected. In the selected group, patients had the diagnosis of neurological as well as psychiatric diseases. The most frequently mentioned were: epilepsy (13.3%), emotional disorders (11.3%), tension-type headaches (11.3%) and conversion disorders (8.4%). Dominating psychopathological symptoms were: anxiety (64%), symptoms of mood disorders (31.6%) and signs of inattention (19.7%). Suicidal ideation was manifested by 21 (6.08%) persons.
Conclusions: There is a need for careful observation of the mental state of each patient of a pediatric neurology department by an interdisciplinary team of doctors, psychologists and support staff.
 
REFERENCES (29)
1.
Testa A, Giannuzzi R, Daini S, Bernardini L, Petrongolo L, Gentiloni Silveri N. Psychiatric emergencies (part III): psychiatric symptoms resulting from organic diseases. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2013; 17 Suppl. 1: 86-99.
 
2.
Testa A, Giannuzzi R, Sollazzo F, Petrongolo L, Bernardini L, Daini S. Psychiatric emergencies (part I): psychiatric disorders causing organic symptoms. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2013; 17 Suppl. 1: 55-64.
 
3.
Butler C, Zeman AZ. Neurological syndromes which can be mistaken for psychiatric conditions. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2005; 76 Suppl. 1: i31-8.
 
4.
Nunes ML, Bruni O. Insomnia in childhood and adolescence: clinical aspects, diagnosis, and therapeutic approach. J Pediatr (Rio J) 2015; 91 (6 Suppl. 1): S26-35.
 
5.
Krysiak-Rogala K, Jernajczyk W. Sleep disturbances in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders – affective and anxiety disorders [Polish]. Psychiatr Pol 2013; 47: 303-12.
 
6.
Testa A, Giannuzzi R, Sollazzo F, Petrongolo L, Bernardini L, Dain S. Psychiatric emergencies (part II): psychiatric disorders coexisting with organic diseases. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2013; 17 Suppl. 1: 65-85.
 
7.
Verrotti A, Carrozzino D, Milioni M, Minna M, Fulcheri M. Epilepsy and its main psychiatric comorbidities in adults and children. J Neurol Sci 2014; 343: 23-9.
 
8.
Matzova Z, Skodacek I, Suba J, Bohmer F. Comparison of history of adolescents with substance-induced psychosis, early onset schizophrenia and substance use disorders. Bratisl Lek Listy 2014; 115: 771-5.
 
9.
Beecham J. Annual research review: child and adolescent mental health interventions: a review of progress in economic studies across different disorders. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2014; 55: 714-32.
 
10.
Cuffe SP, Visser SN, Holbrook JR, et al. ADHD and psychiatric comorbidity: functional outcomes in a school-based sample of children. J Atten Disord 2015 Epub ahead of print.
 
11.
Verlinden E, Opmeer BC, Van Meijel EP, et al. Enhanced screening for posttraumatic stress disorder and comorbid diagnoses in children and adolescents. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2015; 6: 26661.
 
12.
Masi G, Millepiedi S, Perugi G, et al. A naturalistic exploratory study of the impact of demographic, phenotypic and comorbid features in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder. Psychopathology 2010; 43: 69-78.
 
13.
Bellini B, Arruda M, Cescut A, et al. Headache and comorbidity in children and adolescents. J Headache Pain 2013; 14: 79.
 
14.
Dyb G, Stensland S, Zwart JA. Psychiatric comorbidity in childhood and adolescence headache. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2015; 19: 5.
 
15.
Buse DC, Silberstein SD, Manack AN, Papapetropoulos S, Lipton RB. Psychiatric comorbidities of episodic and chronic migraine. J Neurol 2013; 260: 1960-9.
 
16.
Pringsheim T, Hammer T. Social behavior and comorbidity in children with tics. Pediatr Neurol 2013; 49: 406-10.
 
17.
Hirschtritt ME, Lee PC, Pauls DL, et al. Lifetime prevalence, age of risk, and genetic relationships of comorbid psychiatric disorders in Tourette syndrome. JAMA Psychiatry 2015; 72: 325-33.
 
18.
Goretti B, Ghezzi A, Portaccio E, et al. Psychosocial issue in children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis. Neurol Sci 2010; 31: 467-70.
 
19.
Plioplys S, Dunn DW, Caplan R. 10-year research update review: psychiatric problems in children with epilepsy. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2007; 46: 1389-402.
 
20.
Luby JL, Navsaria N. Pediatric bipolar disorder: evidence for prodromal states and early markers. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2010; 51: 459-71.
 
21.
Luby JL. Preschool depression: the importance of identification of depression early in development. Curr Dir Psychol Sci 2010; 19: 91-5.
 
22.
Richter M, Vereecken CA, Boyce W, Maes L, Gabhainn SN, Currie CE. Parental occupation, family affluence and adolescent health behaviour in 28 countries. Int J Public Health 2009; 54: 203-12.
 
23.
Mazur J, Malkowska-Szkutnik A. Chronic diseases and perception of school demands among school children aged 11-15 years in Poland [Poland]. Med Wieku Rozwoj 2010; 14: 160-8.
 
24.
Shanahan L, Zucker N, Copeland WE, Bondy CL, Egger HL, Costello EJ. Childhood somatic complaints predict generalized anxiety and depressive disorders during young adulthood in a community sample. Psychol Med 2015; 45: 1721-30.
 
25.
Davies S, Heyman I, Goodman R. A population survey of mental health problems in children with epilepsy. Dev Med Child Neurol 2003; 45: 292-5.
 
26.
Jones JE, Siddarth P, Gurbani S, Shields WD, Caplan R. Screening for suicidal ideation in children with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 2013; 29: 521-6.
 
27.
Mukolo A, Heflinger CA, Wallston KA. The stigma of childhood mental disorders: a conceptual framework. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2010; 49: 92-103; quiz 98.
 
28.
Ellington E, McGuinness TM. Telepsychiatry for children and adolescents. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv 2011; 49: 19-22.
 
29.
Birchwood M, Connor C, Lester H, et al. Reducing duration of untreated psychosis: care pathways to early intervention in psychosis services. Br J Psychiatry 2013; 203: 58-64.
 
ISSN:2451-0637
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top