Mental diseases that cannot be explained by organic causes, are thought to be related to psychosocial or emotional causes, and progress with somatic complaints are called somatoform diseases. conversion disorder; It is one of the somatoform disorders. The literal meaning of conversion is ‘rotation’.
Conversion Disorder;
Motor
Sensory
Non-epileptic seizures
Mixed type
It is divided into 4 subtypes. Paralysis, paresis, plegia among motor findings, anesthesia, paresthesia, blindness among neurologic findings, fainting among non-epileptic seizures can be given as examples.
In conversion disorder; The presence of psychological stressors such as family conflicts, loss or trauma, which have a temporal relationship with the emergence of one or more somatic signs and symptoms, are important components. Symptoms usually appear immediately after the psychological stressor or hours, days, or weeks later.
What can be the causes of conversion disorder?
Data on genetic transmission are limited in studies.
Familial factors are emphasized more. Children and adolescents with this disorder often have poor familial functioning.
3 types of family structures attract more attention:
1. Anxious families: They are families who are overly concerned with the disease.
2.Chaotic families: The way of attracting attention in such families is usually bodily complaints.
3. Balancing families: The sick child in the family is involved in the expression and reflection of family problems, that is, the child gives the signal that there is a problem in the family with conversion symptoms.
What is the psychogenic effect of conversion disorder in children and adolescents?
1. The child and/or adolescent gets rid of the subconscious conflict.
2. The responsibility and expectation on it is removed, that is, it provides secondary gain.
Prevalence
Conversion disorder is more common in eastern cultures. In general, its prevalence in children and adolescents is 2-3%. 10-15% of these conversions, the most common, are non-epileptic pseudo fainting spells.
The most important thing to know in conversion disorder; that the findings were not made consciously and in a planned manner. However, secondary gains at the end of the findings and/or wrong attitudes of the family may increase its persistence or severity.
The prognosis of conversion disorder in children and adolescents is generally good. Studies show that 80-85% of them recover after 4 years.
