Psychosocial and psychiatric aspects of children suffered from chronic physical illness

The link between a physical illness and a psychological disorder in children and adolescents is well explored. Chronic somatic illness encompasses a broad spectrum of disorders including more common problems such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, asthma, epilepsy, eczema, and less prevalent conditions such as cystic fibrosis, hematological disorders or cancer. Many children more or less successfully adapt to live with chronic physical conditions. However, others suffer from various types of distress. Chronic illness doubles the risk for behavioral and emotional problems. If the medical condition is associated with a visible physical deformity, the risk is triple. The prevalence of social-emotional difficulties in children with chronic illnesses is higher when compared to healthy children. Liaison child psychiatrists commonly encounter adjustment disorders, acute stress reactions, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, and depression in child pediatric hospitals. These psychiatric disorders may occur both during the treatment of a somatic disorder, or they may have onset later in the life (during adolescence or adulthood).