ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes the literature on pediatric somatization. It identifies a pediatric somatization syndrome driven by environmental influences, operationalizes the process components, provides case examples, and proposes diagnostic classification criteria to identify the syndrome and differentiate it from other somatic symptom disorders. To further reduce redundancy in the chapter, children and adolescents will be referred to as children (child, childhood), and parents and caregivers will be referred to as parents. Somatization is common in childhood, with incidence rates estimated from 10% to 30%. Pediatric somatization is associated with impaired functioning in multiple domains. Somatic symptom disorders in childhood are associated with psychological variables, particularly anxiety sensitivity, as well as anxiety and depression. Little, Williams, Puzanovova, Rudzinski, and Walker (2007) found that the odds of having a positive depression screen were higher in children with gastrointestinal pain when additional common somatic symptoms, such as headaches, back pain, and fatigue, were present.
