A Psychodynamic Study of Psychosomatic Dwarfism: A Syndrome of Depression, Personality Disorder, and Impaired Growth

Ferholt, Julian B.; Rotnem, Diane; Genel, Myron; Leonard, Martha F.; Carey, Mary G.; Hunter, David E.

doi:10.1016/s0002-7138(09)60409-x

Cited by 20 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…One of these children grew more than 1 in. during her admission, confirming the diagnosis of psychosomatic dwarfism (Ferholt, Rotnem, Genel, Leonard, Carey, & Hunter, 1985). All children were medically stable on admission, except for one with mild dehydration easily treated with oral fluids.…”

mentioning

confidence: 68%

Atypical eating disorders in young children

Jaffe

Singer

1989

Int. J. Eat. Disord.

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Eating disorders are considered rare in young children. However, we have admitted 8 prepubertal patients with atypical eating disorders. The 6 girls and 2 boys were 5‐11 years old and had markedly abnormal eating behaviors for periods of 2 months to 10 years. Weights varied from 82% to 108% of desirable body weight. All patients refused to eat normal amounts or types of food and struggled with family and staff about eating and weight gain. Several displayed ritualistic, obsessive behaviors during meals. None had a distorted body image or fear of fatness, and none had anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. Observed symptoms ranged from phobic food aversion with little weight loss or depression to very restrictive diets with bizarre eating behaviors, low weight, and significant depressive symptoms. A wide range of critical familial psychosocial problems was identified. All patients gained weight and demonstrated some improvement in eating behaviors in hospital. However, most children had significant associated psychopathology, which required treatment after discharge. Eating disorders may be more common in children than now believed, may be associated with major family conflict, and may not manifest distorted body image or fear of fatness as cardinal symptoms.

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confidence: 68%

Atypical eating disorders in young children

Jaffe

Singer

1989

Int. J. Eat. Disord.

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“…Although children with HSS are more emotionally disturbed than the general population (20-30 % of individual children within the HSS group fell into the clinical range on the basis of independent reports from parents and\or teachers), they have comparable profiles according to parents and are significantly less disturbed than the stressed comparison group, according to teacher report. Previous studies have reported that depressive symptoms (Blizzard, 1997 ;Ferholt et al, 1985), oppositional behaviour (Blizzard & Bulatovic, 1992), and social problems (Green et al, 1984) are characteristic of children with HSS. Our data suggest that such psychosocial problems are not specifically associated with HSS.…”

Section: Identification Of the Hss-specific Featuresmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Oppositional and challenging behaviour (Blizzard & Bulatovic, 1992), poor social relationships (Green et al, 1984), temper tantrums and apathy (Green, Deutsch, & Campbell, 1987), and depression (Blizzard, 1997 ;Ferholt et al, 1985) have all been noted in children with HSS. Hyperactivity and poor attention were frequently noted in our own series of cases .…”

Section: Other Behavioural Featuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Children with HSS are often reported to have global cognitive deficits (Bowden & Hopwood, 1982 ;Ferholt et al, 1985 ;Green et al, 1984 ;Money, 1977 ;Money, Annecillo, & Kelly, 1983 ;Silver & Finkelstein, 1967 ;, although there are exceptions (Blizzard & Bulatovic, 1992).…”

Section: Cognitive Abilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Low birthweight is not associated with HSS (Mouridsen & Nielsen, 1990 ;Silver & Finkelstein, 1967). 971 CHILDREN WITH HYPERPHAGIC SHORT STATURE : A CASE-COMPARISON STUDY Failure to thrive or infantile feeding problems are relatively common (Blizzard, 1997 ;Bowden & Hopwood, 1982 ;Hopwood & Becker, 1979 ;Reinhart & Drash, 1969 ;Silver & Finkelstein, 1967), as is motor milestone delay (Ferholt et al, 1985 ;Hopwood & Becker, 1979 ;Money, 1977).…”

Section: Characteristics Of Infant Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Case‐comparison Study of the Characteristics of Children with a Short Stature Syndrome Induced by Stress (Hyperphagic Short Stature) and a Consecutive Series of Unaffected “Stressed” Children

Gilmour¹,

Skuse²

1999

Child Psychology Psychiatry

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Recently a type of growth failure (Hyperphagic Short Stature) has been described, in which there is potentially reversible severe impairment of growth hormone secretion, in association with excessively high levels of psychosocial stress. This condition is a variant of the disorder formerly known as Psychosocial Dwarfism. In the present study we compared children with Hyperphagic Short Stature (N = 25, aged 9.04 years+/-3.78, 72% male) and a closely matched sample with normal height, drawn from comparably stressful family circumstances (N = 25, aged 10.61+/-3.04, 60% male). Measures of the psychosocial environment, anthropometry, and developmental history from infancy were obtained. Many symptoms thought previously to be characteristics of psychosocial dwarfism were found to be nonspecific stress responses. Hypotonia (p < .05), enuresis/encopresis (p < .01), and sleep cycle disruption (p < .05) did differentiate the groups. Growth, appetite, and sleep are all influenced by hypothalamic nuclei, suggesting hypothalamic pathology could account for most of the clinical features of Hyperphagic Short Stature.

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A Theoretical Model for Classical Psychosocial Dwarfism (Psychosocially Determined Short Stature)

Green¹

1990

Psychoneuroendocrinology

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A Psychodynamic Study of Psychosomatic Dwarfism: A Syndrome of Depression, Personality Disorder, and Impaired Growth

Cited by 20 publications

References 35 publications

Atypical eating disorders in young children

Atypical eating disorders in young children

A Case‐comparison Study of the Characteristics of Children with a Short Stature Syndrome Induced by Stress (Hyperphagic Short Stature) and a Consecutive Series of Unaffected “Stressed” Children

A Theoretical Model for Classical Psychosocial Dwarfism (Psychosocially Determined Short Stature)

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