Hospital Admission for Severe Pediatric Dissociative Disorder

Abstract

Although children with dissociative disorders (DD) are referred to mental health inpatient units, no research exists to endorse this. We studied the outcomes of patients with DD over a 5-year period on a national inpatient unit for children up to 12 years of age. Demographic, clinical, and satisfaction data were collected and compared with the data of other inpatients not having DD. Eight patients were identified, of whom six were female. All had several comorbidities. Mean Children's Global Assessment Scale scores improved from admission to discharge (from 31 to 61, respectively). Admissions in DD were longer by 53 days (p = 0.059), and parents were statistically less satisfied about professionals' ability to listen to worries they may have about their child (p = 0.049). Referrers should expect children with DD to respond as well to inpatient interventions as those with other diagnoses but potentially with marginally longer admissions and lower parental satisfaction.

Recurrent Dissociative Fugue Episodes in a Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…In a case series of 8 children admitted with dissociative disorders, one was reported to also have ASD, though none of the patients reported had dissociative fugue. 10 The prevalence of hallucinations in individuals with ASD has been reported to be 6%, which is comparable with the general population. 11 Dissociative disorders are usually reported in the setting of exposure to childhood trauma, either physical or emotional, though such history is lacking in pediatric patients with dissociative disorders.…”

“…11 Dissociative disorders are usually reported in the setting of exposure to childhood trauma, either physical or emotional, though such history is lacking in pediatric patients with dissociative disorders. 10 Our patient denied history of abuse. Patients frequently have multiple psychiatric comorbidities, as did our patient who presented with symptoms of depression.…”

Changing the culture of care for children and adolescents with functional neurological disorder

“… Resources pertaining to costs of FND for use in education and lobbying of administrators, government bodies, and insurance companies FND as a common disorder (approximately 16% of neurology outpatient visits and up to 23% of patients in epilepsy clinics) [43] , [44] . FND and other presentations with functional somatic symptoms are both common and costly [45] , [46] , [47] . Investment in recently developed treatment interventions (including those for functional seizures) is worthwhile because the interventions have good outcomes [48] , [49] , [50] .…”