Emotional disorders specific to childhood: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Emotional disorders specific to childhood - exaggeration of normal tendencies in the child's development process, manifested by expressed anxiety or fear only in certain situations, are characteristic of infant, preschool and primary school age and disappear when growing up.
Epidemiology
Emotional disorders with a beginning, specific for childhood, is one of the most common forms of pathology. There is no exact data on their prevalence, because not all children fall under the supervision of psychiatrists.
ICD-10 code
- F93.0 Anxiety disorder due to separation in childhood.
- F93.1 Phobic anxiety disorder of childhood.
- F93.2 Social anxiety disorder.
- F93.3 Breakdown of sibling rivalry.
- F93.8 Other emotional disorders of childhood.
- F93.9 Emotional childhood disorder, unspecified.
Causes and pathogenesis
In children's psychiatry traditionally differentiate between emotional disorders specific to childhood, and the type of neurotic disorders of adulthood (F40-F49 for ICD-10). They suggest that the mechanism of their development is different, although the reliability of this difference is not defined. Predisposing factors are the characteristics of the child's character, manifested in excessive sensitivity to everyday stressors.
Symptoms
The clinical picture depends mainly on the nature of the stressor and the characteristics of the child. Significant role in the design of the clinical picture of the disorder is played by factors of social and family environment.
Diagnostics
Compliance with the stages of child development is the main diagnostic feature for determining the difference between emotional disorders, usually beginning in childhood and adolescence, and neurotic disorders.
Treatment and prognosis
The forecast is favorable. Light manifestations can pass with time without treatment. With the severity of emotional disorders, the tendency to long-term flow, it becomes necessary to carry out psychotherapeutic measures and drug therapy. These cases require additional consultation of a psychiatrist and a medical psychologist.
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