Functional somatic symptoms and associated impairment in 5–7-year-old children: the Copenhagen Child Cohort 2000
Abstract
Research on somatisation or functional disorders, characterised by the subjective report of physical symptoms in the absence of clear physical pathology, in young children is limited. This study investigates the distribution, types and co-occurrence of parent-reported functional somatic symptoms (FSS) and their impairment in a population-based sample of Danish 5-7-year-old children. Data were obtained from a 5-7-year follow-up of the Copenhagen Child Cohort 2000. The entire study population included 3,000 randomly sampled children from the cohort. Among these FSS measures were obtained for 1,327 children. The newly introduced parent interview, the soma assessment interview, was used to assess the child's FSS. Impairing symptoms were defined as FSS that caused substantial discomfort, impairment of everyday life, absence from day-care or school and/or help-seeking in the health care system. The 1-year prevalence of any FSS was 23.2% (N = 308) and higher in girls than boys (27.6 vs. 18.8%, P < 0.0001). Impairing FSS were found in 4.4% (N = 58). Pain complaints, i.e. limb pain, headache and abdominal pain, were the most frequently reported FSS. Among the 308 children with FSS, 66 (21.4%) presented with two or more of these functional pain complaints, while 15 (4.9%) had all three types. The findings indicate that FSS are common health complaints in 5-7-year-old children. A subgroup with impairing FSS with a likely need of clinical intervention was identified. This suggests that a…
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Young children usually present a single prominent symptom such as abdominal pain, headaches, fatigue or muscle pains rather than the varied symptom presentation often seen in adults.
“Young children usually present a single prominent symptom (Domènech-Llaberia et al., 2004; Rask et al., 2009) such as abdominal pain, headaches, fatigue or muscle pains rather than the varied symptom presentation often seen in adults.”
From Third wave treatments for functional somatic syndromes and health anxiety across the age span: A narrative review (2019) · cites this paper as Rask et al., 2009
Cites
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“In the present study, the threshold for impairing FSS was determined by the following: (1) ‘a medium amount’ of distress and/or social impairment corresponding to the threshold in the DAWBA measures [ 21 ], and/or (2) hospitalisation and/or at least three doctors’ visits and/or (3) at least 1 week absence from day-car…”
MethodPain in children and adolescents: a common experience
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Recurrent abdominal pain, headache and limb pains in children and adolescents
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“this age group are also in line with the results from other studies [22–28].”
ResultSomatization in Children and Adolescents
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The Generation R Study: design and cohort update 2010
Jaddoe, V. W. V., van Duijn, C. M., van der Heijden, A. J., Mackenbach, J. P., Moll, H. A., Steegers, E. A. P., Tiemeier, H., Uitterlinden, A. G., Verhulst, F. C., & Hofman, A. (2010) · European Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1007/s10654-010-9516-7 · Cited by 1,027 · see citing works
Epidemiology of Pediatric Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders: A Meta-Analysis
Korterink, J. J., Diederen, K., Benninga, M. A., & Tabbers, M. M. (2015) · PLOS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0126982 · Cited by 481 · see citing works
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Self-citationSomatoform and related disorders
Garralda, M. E., & Rask, C. U. (2015) · Rutter's Child and Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1002/9781118381953.ch72 · Cited by 81 · see citing works
Self-citationFunctional Somatic Symptoms and Consultation Patterns in 5- to 7-Year-Olds
Rask, C. U., Ørnbøl, E., Fink, P. K., & Skovgaard, A. M. (2013) · Pediatrics · doi:10.1542/peds.2013-0159 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Self-citationHulgaard, D. R., Rask, C. U., Risor, M. B., & Dehlholm, G. (2020) · Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/1359104519846194 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Self-citationImpact of functional somatic symptoms on 5–7-year-olds' healthcare use and costs
Græsholt-Knudsen, T., Skovgaard, A. M., Jensen, J. S., & Rask, C. U. (2017) · Archives of Disease in Childhood · doi:10.1136/archdischild-2016-311808 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Self-citationFrostholm, L., & Rask, C. U. (2019) · Clinical Psychology in Europe · doi:10.32872/cpe.v1i1.32217 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Self-citationStager, L., Mueller, C., Morriss, S., Szaflarski, J. P., & Fobian, A. D. (2023) · Epilepsy & Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109143 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
- Authors
- Rask, C. U., Olsen, E. M., Elberling, H., Christensen, M. F., Ørnbøl, E., Fink, P., Thomsen, P. H., & Skovgaard, A. M.
- Affiliations
- Aarhus University Hospital (DK)
- Glostrup Hospital (DK)
- Regionshospitalet Herning (DK)
- Corresponding author
- Rask, Charlotte Ulrikka
- ORCID
- Venue
- European Journal of Epidemiology
- Published
- 2009-07-26
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 625-634
- ISSN
- 0393-2990 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-7284
- OpenAlex
- W1999436882
- Cited by
- 82
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 3.30
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- European Journal of Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Pediatric Pain Management Techniques
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- functional somatic symptoms, somatization, young children, pediatric pain, headache, abdominal pain, limb pain, impairment, prevalence, sex differences, help-seeking, school absenteeism
- MeSH terms
- Child, Child, Preschool, Denmark, Female, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Male, Pain, Parents, Personality Assessment, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychometrics, Surveys and Questionnaires, Somatoform Disorders, Cohort Studies, Prevalence, Sex Distribution
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