Physical Symptoms In Children Research Articles

Effect of frequent smartphone use on children’s cognitive function: An observational study

Background – Children and teenagers use smartphones more actively than adults, they are more prone to get addicted to smartphones. Furthermore, studies show that excessive use of smartphones can lead to psychosocial and physical symptoms in children between age group of 5-15 years. Psychosocial symptoms include decline in cognitive function and Physical symptoms includes faulty habitual posture and temporomandibular disorders. Purpose of the study – To find the effects of frequent smartphone use on children’s cognitive function. Methodology– A self-constructed e-questionnaire based on “Digital Addiction Scale for Children” and “Cognitive Flexibility Scale” was sent randomly to various social groups through various social media platforms. A total of 50 parents responded to the survey and were included in the analysis. Results – From the responses we found out that 23% children use smartphones for more than 4 hours a day and out of them cognitive function was affected in 66.7% of children and faulty cervical posture is seen in 72.2% children. Conclusion – The study concluded that prolong smartphone usage affects cognitive function in children below 15 years of age.

Long-term physical, mental and social health effects of COVID-19 in the pediatric population: a scoping review

BackgroundThe majority of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptom presentations in adults and children appear to run their course within a couple of weeks. However, a subgroup of adults has started to emerge with effects lasting several months or more after initial infection, which raises questions about the long-term physical, mental and social health effects of COVID-19 in the pediatric population. The purpose of this review was to determine these impacts well into the second year of the pandemic.MethodsA search was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Cochrane between 11/1/2019 and 9/1/2021. Search inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) COVID-19 illness and symptoms in children; (2) severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in children; (3) English language; and (4) human studies only.ResultsThe few studies that have documented long-term physical symptoms in children show that fatigue, difficulty in concentrating (brain fog), sleep disturbances, and sensory problems are the most reported outcomes. Most studies examining the impact of COVID-19 in pediatric populations have focused on initial clinical presentation, and symptoms, which are similar to those in adult populations. In addition, COVID-19 has had a moderate impact on children and adolescents’ social environment, which may exacerbate current and future physiological, psychological, behavioral, and academic outcomes.ConclusionsThere are limited studies reporting long physical symptoms of COVID-19 in the pediatric population. However, pediatric COVID-19 cases are underreported due to low rates of testing and symptomatic infection, which calls for more longitudinal studies. Children who have experienced COVID-19 illness should be monitored for long physiological, psychological, behavioral, and academic outcomes.

Repeated primary care consultations for non-specific physical symptoms in children in UK: a cohort study.

BackgroundNon-specific physical symptoms (NSPS), such as headache and abdominal pain, are common reasons for children to consult primary care. NSPS represent a significant burden not only on society, but also on health care services, through frequent physician consultations and referrals to secondary care. Research evidence suggests a positive relationship between health and consulting behavior of parents and their children, but research on whether repeated physician consultations for NSPS in children is influenced by parental consultations for NSPS is lacking. The aim was to measure the frequency of repeated physician consultations for NSPS in children, and investigate whether this is influenced by maternal consultations for NSPS.MethodsA cohort study of children registered with primary care practices contributing to the Consultation in Primary Care Archive database. Participants were child-mother pairs registered between January 2007 and December 2010. The cohort comprised all children (n = 1437) aged 2 to 16 years who consulted a physician for NSPS in 2009. Mothers’ consultations for NSPS were measured between 2007 and 2008. Main outcome measures were repetition and frequency of consultations for NSPS in children (consultations for NSPS in both 2009 and 2010).ResultsOverall, 27% of children had repeated consultations for NSPS. The three most common repeated consultations were for back pain, constipation and abdominal pain. Exposure to maternal consultation for NSPS was associated with 21% increase in consultation frequency for NSPS (adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.21; 95% CI 1.12, 1.31). After adjusting for child age and maternal age, maternal consultation for NSPS was associated with an increased risk of repeated consultations for NSPS in children (relative risk 1.41; 95% CI 1.16, 1.73). This association was also significant for specific NSPS groups including painful, gastrointestinal, and neurologic symptoms.ConclusionsRepeated consultation for NSPS is common among children. It is important for primary care physicians and secondary care clinicians, managing children referred from primary care for NSPS, to be aware that consultation for NSPS in mothers is a risk factor for repeated consultations for NSPS among children. More research is needed to uncover exactly how parental health influences health and consulting behavior of children.

The association between GP consultations for non-specific physical symptoms in children and parents: a case-control study.

BackgroundNon-specific physical symptoms (NSPS) such as abdominal pain, headache and musculoskeletal pain are widespread in the community, and are common reasons for visiting a general practitioner (GP). Causes of NSPS are multifactorial, but may include parental influences.ObjectiveTo investigate associations between GP consultations for NSPS in parents and their children.MethodsMatched case-control study using GP consultation data from 12 GP practices in the United Kingdom. Participants were 1328 children who consulted a GP for NSPS in 2009 (cases), 3980 controls who consulted a GP in 2009 but not for NSPS, plus parents of cases and controls (n = 8354). Primary outcome measure: child consultation status for NSPS.ResultsMaternal consultation for NSPS was associated with significantly increased odds of their child consulting for NSPS (odds ratio (OR) 1.51, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.33, 1.73); there was no significant association with paternal consultations (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.71, 1.08). Each additional maternal consultation for NSPS was associated with an increase in the rate ratio for number of consultations for NSPS in the child by 1.03 (95% CI 1.01, 1.05). This overall association was clearest in maternal-child consultations for painful NSPS and for specific bodily systems including gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal and neurologic symptoms.ConclusionsMaternal GP consultation for NSPS is associated with increased odds of GP consultations for NSPS in children. This study included a large sample of children and parents and used medical records data which is not subject to recall bias. However, analysis was based on medical records, thus the presence of NSPS not leading to consultations is unknown. Medical practitioners managing children with NSPS need to be aware of this association.

Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms in Children: Exploring Hospital Staff Perceptions

Many children present at GP surgeries with debilitating symptoms with no obvious physical cause and are then referred to acute settings for investigation. Research with GPs suggests caring for this group of patients presents a significant challenge, however, the impact upon the range of hospital staff with whom they have contact has been little studied. This study aimed to explore perceptions and experiences of caring for children with medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) and their families among the paediatric staff at one large UK hospital Trust. Data demonstrated staff awareness that children affected by MUPS have complex needs and the perception that those needs resulted in extra demands and anxieties, especially regarding time management, care protocols and communication. There was a clear desire by general paediatric staff for more information and training from psychiatric services to help them care for this group. Results also revealed staff perceptions of the quality of current MUPS care and suggestions as to how this could be improved.

Medically unexplained physical symptoms in children in a non-specialist paediatric setting

The Journal is the primary organ of Continuing Paediatric Medical Education in Sri Lanka. The journal also has a website. Free full text access is available for all readers.The Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health is now indexed in SciVerse Scopus (Source Record ID 19900193609), Index Medicus for South-East Asia Region (IMSEAR), CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International Global Health Database), DOAJ and is available in Google, as well as Google Scholar.The policies of the journal are modelled on the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Guidelines on Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing. Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health is recognised by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) as a publication following the ICMJE Recommendations.

Headache in schoolchildren: Association with other pain, family history and psychosocial factors

Limited information exist about associations between different headache types and other pains, family history of pain, and psychosocial factors among children from the general population suffering from less severe headache. We interviewed 130 schoolchildren together with a parent to find out whether such factors differ between children with mainly infrequent and moderate migraine or tension-type headache as compared to those without primary headache. Children with headache, especially those with migraine reported other pains and physical symptoms more frequently than children without primary headache. Coherently, parents of children suffering from migraine reported their children to have significantly more somatic symptoms than parents of children without primary headache. In addition, first-degree relatives of children with headache suffered from more migraine, other pains, and physical symptoms compared with first-degree relatives of children without primary headache. Children with migraine visited the school nurse, used medication and were absent from school because of headache more often than those with tension-type headache. Few other differences in psychosocial factors were found between the three groups. Migraine among first-degree relatives and the total sum of physical symptoms in children were the strongest predictors of headache in logistic regression analysis. It is concluded that in schoolchildren with mainly infrequent and moderate headache, pain and physical symptoms cluster within individuals as well as their families, however, psychological and social problems are uncommon.

Somatic Complaints in Children and Community Violence Exposure

Somatic complaints of children in primary care settings often go unexplained despite attempts to determine a cause. Recent research has linked violence exposure to stress symptomatology and associated somatic problems. Unknown, however, is whether specific physical symptom complaints can be attributed, at least in part, to violence exposure. Urban African-American 6- and 7-year-old children (N = 268), residing with their biological mothers, recruited before birth, and without prenatal exposure to hard illicit drugs participated. Children and mothers were evaluated in our hospital-based research laboratory, with teacher data collected by mail. Community violence exposure (Things I Have Seen and Heard), stress symptomatology (Levonn), and somatic complaints (teacher-and self-report items) were assessed. Additional data collected included prenatal alcohol exposure, socioeconomic status, domestic violence, maternal age, stress, somatic complaints and psychopathology, and child depression, abuse, and gender. Community violence witnessing and victimization were associated with stress symptoms (r = .26 and .25, respectively, p < .001); violence victimization was related to decreased appetite (r = .16, p < .01), difficulty sleeping (r = .21, p < .001), and stomachache complaints (r = .13, p < .05); witnessed violence was associated with difficulty sleeping (r = .13, p < .05) and headaches (r = .12, p < .05). All associations remained significant after control for confounding. Community violence exposure accounted for 10% of the variance in child stress symptoms, and children who had experienced community violence victimization had a 28% increased risk of appetite problems, a 94% increased risk of sleeping problems, a 57% increased risk of headaches, and a 174% increased risk of stomachaches. Results provide yet another possibility for clinicians to explore when treating these physical symptoms in children.

Measuring Physical Symptoms in Children and Adolescents With Cancer

The purpose of this review of the literature was to evaluate measures of physical symptoms in children and adolescents with cancer or those having completed treatment for cancer. Objectives included identification of instruments measuring physical symptoms, a description of how symptoms were conceptualized, description of reliability and validity measures, and assessment of developmental appropriateness for the intended age groups. The electronic databases Medline, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and PsychLit were searched. Reports of cancer symptoms published in the English language between January 1988 and October 2003 were selected. Inclusion criteria were study samples consisting of children or adolescents with cancer and use of a tool developed for use in children or adolescents with cancer in which physical symptoms comprised a portion of the total measure. Nineteen studies met criteria for review and 23 instruments were identified. Five studies reported measures of the single symptoms of nausea and vomiting and fatigue; 9 studies reported measures of multiple symptoms. An additional 5 studies reported physical symptoms as a component of quality of life measures. Initial psychometric evaluation of these instruments demonstrates acceptable reliability and validity. Areas for future research include application of these measures in specific populations, intervention-based studies, and outcome-focused studies.

Physical Symptoms in Children and Adolescents

This chapter summarizes and critiques research on physical symptoms in children and adolescents from a developmental science perspective. Studies conducted by researchers from various disciplines, primarily after 1990, were identified through searches of MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Psyc INFO. This review focuses on two areas: the prevalence of common physical symptoms--headache, abdominal pain or discomfort, musculoskeletal pain and fatigue--in pediatric populations and the developmental issues associated with these symptom experiences. Developmental factors were organized into two overarching categories, individual and environmental factors. Findings indicate that demographic factors, including age, pubertal development, gender, and race or ethnicity; psychological factors, particularly self-esteem, depression, and anxiety; and behavioral factors have varying relationships to the report of physical symptoms in children and youth. In addition, family and parents, peers, and the broader school and community ecology of children have an influence on physical symptom complaints. There is a need for further studies that are strengthened by the use of developmentally sensitive theoretical frameworks and methodologies that address complicated developmental issues.

Empirically supported treatments of disease-related symptoms in pediatric psychology: asthma, diabetes, and cancer.

To review empirical studies of psychological treatments for (1) reducing physical symptoms in children and adolescents with asthma, (2) improving glycemic control in children and adolescents with diabetes, and (3) reducing chemotherapy side effects in children and adolescents with cancer. We identified peer-reviewed studies of effects of psychological treatments for asthma symptoms, diabetes symptoms, and side effects of cancer chemotherapy through computerized databases (i.e., PSYCHLIT and MEDLINE). Treatment approaches are evaluated with respect to meeting criteria for being "promising," "probably efficacious," or "well-established" based on the Chambless criteria (Chambless et al., 1996). Two well-established treatments (EMG biofeedback for children with emotionally triggered asthma and imagery with suggestion for children undergoing chemotherapy) and two probably efficacious treatments (relaxation for children with emotionally triggered asthma and distraction with relaxation for children undergoing chemotherapy) were identified. Additional research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of treatments for diabetes-related symptoms. Future research would be enhanced by identifying characteristics of children who are likely to respond to psychological treatment as an adjunctive strategy for symptom management and by clearly elucidating mechanisms of effect of various interventions.

Psychopathology in boys with Tourette syndrome: Effects of age on the relationship between psychological and physical symptoms

AbstractTourette syndrome (TS), a neuropsychiatric disorder that presents in childhood and is characterized by recurrent tics, is often associated with a variety of psychological problems. Most studies of concomitant problems have focused on psychiatric comorbidity, with less attention paid to nonsyndrome-specific or subsyndromal emotional and behavioral difficulties. Moreover, little is known about the factors that influence the specificity or severity of psychological problems. We hypothesized that level and type of psychological problem would be influenced by both severity of illness and developmental period. Children with severe tics were predicted to show increased levels of externalizing (undercontrolled) behavior, whereas adolescents with severe tics were predicted to show increased levels of internalizing (overcontrolled) behavior. Forty-one boys with TS were rated by their parents for tic severity (simple and complex motor tics) and psychological symptoms (Connors Parent Symptom Questionnaire and the Child Behavior Checklist). Results partially confirmed the hypothesis, indicating that greater illness severity was associated with greater psychological disturbance, but only in the younger subjects. Among the adolescents, even those with mild tics demonstrated relatively high levels of psychological symptoms. However, there was no indication that developmental period was related to the specific type of problem manifested. Regardless of age, patients with severe tics domonstrated high levels of externalizing behavior, and relatively high levels of internalizing behavior were also seen. Results are discussed in terms of the developmental factors that might influence the relationship between psychological and physical symptoms in children with TS.

PHASES AS TYPES OF FAMILY ADAPTATION TO PROLONGED PHYSICAL ILLNESS IN CHILDREN

A study of thirty families with a child suffering from a chronic physical illness has revealed a seven-phase sequence in the adaptation to the stress. 1st phase—Early recognition of possibility of illness (up to the first symptoms) may help prepare the family for post-impact behaviour. This early recognition may help forestall the beginning of illness and so prevent its severity. The non-recognition of possibility of illness may magnify the intensity of the family post-impact reaction and this early but over-anxious recognition may help the children to become hypochondriac and disturb their attitude towards illness. 2nd phase—Warning (from first vague symptoms to discovery of illness). In the presence of physical symptoms in children, usually one of the parents is anxious whereas the other is reassuring, so that this interaction leads to a ‘perceptive equilibrium’ equivalent to a rational reality-testing. The parental ‘perceptive equilibrium’ may be disrupted by the sudden absence of one of the parents and also by a too wide divergence of perceptions between the two; a situation which often occurs during an interparental conflicting crisis. The family behaviour during the warning period gives a good indication of its post-impact behaviour. 3rd phase—Impact (discovery of illness). Under the impact of discovery of illness family behaviour usually is rational and calm and panic exceptionally appears under conditions of complete helplessness. Having responsibility for someone else is an almost sure preventative of panic flight; a family who reacts with denial at the warning period will experience a shock at the discovery of illness, whereas a family who was over-anxious at the warning period will experience a sense of relief at the diagnostical statement. 4th phase—Fragmentation of family organization (first part of hospitalization). During the acute phase of a child's illness, there is a predominance of the ‘expressive’ grandmother-mother axis over the ‘instrumental’ grandfather-father axis. Stress being more tolerable when its duration is known, an acute illness is always stressful because medical prognosis can never be certain; because during a child's acute illness the physician's role and the parent's role to some extent overlap, the situation is all the more conflictual because the parents, and especially the father, not infrequently respond to the intrusion of the physician as if it were an infringement on their authority. To avoid contradictory information about the illness, communication should be centralized to one responsible person, the physician or one representative introduced by him. A variety of means for meeting the psychological threat of illness are more effective in reducing anxiety in the family than one kind of therapy which is supposed to be highly successful. Stress, over which the parents may have some influence through help to the child, can be borne with less evidence of anxious reaction and with a larger measure of co-operation. 5th phase—Recovery of the family interaction (last part of hospitalization). The parents' first attempts at adaptation to the chronic illness consist in the understanding of its pathogenesis and therapy. The second step in the adaptation lies in the child's and parents' learning of the new social roles implied by the permanent existence of the illness. 6th phase—Short-term adjustment (first six months after hospitalization) are usually characterized by a ‘Utopian’ atmosphere of warmth and sympathy in the family. Since most often the blame for the illness is put outside of the family, the stress has the effect of solidifying the family and increasing the role complement of its members. Discussion groups for parents of handicapped children give them some relief, complete their information and make them lose their feelings of uniqueness in acting as a ‘community of sufferers’. The chronic illness of a child being a primary loss for the family, grieving must be suffered by each member of the family, usually one at a time. 7th phase—Long-term adjustment (four following years). The passage from the ‘Utopian’ phase to the permanent adjustment period is usually gradual and more rapid in well-adapted families. The permanent readjustment means a ‘role modification’, i.e. an over-all change of roles on a mutually accepted new basis. Three types of family attitude towards a sick child are possible; the family can focus its attention on the sick child, or it can seem unaware of him, or it can regard him as a contributing but a special member of the unit. A family can learn from the illness experience if this experience has been successful and if its threshold of tolerance to anxiety has been raised. The impact of a chronic illness on the parents' expectation of other children depends on the deep meaning given to the illness and to the births considered.