Psychosomatic medicine: When the soul has a tummy ache

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Head – and stomach ache, dizziness and fainting. Physical symptoms can have psychological causes. When children suffer from psychosomatic pain, often because the pressure is too large.

When I was ten years old, were pain in the stomach so bad that I spent a week in the hospital. After numerous investigations, it was clear that Physically, I was completely healthy. So I was sitting at the end of my hospital time in front of a psychologist. My abdominal cramps were psychosomatic in nature, it said.

Psychosomatic means physical pain, such as stomach ache, headache, but also dizziness and fainting, or vomiting have not organic, but rather a psychological cause. Not only adults, but also children can be affected.

Children and adolescents who suffer from such symptoms, be included on the interdisciplinary Station of the clinic for psychiatry, psychosomatics and psychotherapy of childhood and adolescence, and the clinic for paediatric and youth medicine at the RWTH Aachen University. Your pain often derive from the fear to be the requirements of everyday life does not grown.

“We have a lot of patients here that have high expectations of themselves have a lot of desire and their own expectations of failure,” says Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann, head of the clinic. Some had been for several months in the school.

More: Whatsapp, Instagram and co.: Social media put children under pressure

First School – free time stress

In addition to the busy school life of leisure stress. After school, goes to sports, to music lessons, often on several days of the week.

According to a British study, 88 percent of the researchers, elementary school students studied four to five days in the week with a full schedule. Even if the Hobbies are fun, warn the scientists, however, the pressure and the exhaustion that such a life.

When it comes to the health of children, are asked in the first place, the parents. Want to, of course, usually only the Best for the Little ones. Your children are to have the best possible conditions for your future career. Therefore, the offspring will not be sent to high school, even if he hears there, actually. Besides, it can’t hurt if the Little ones are also well-versed sporty, musical or otherwise artistic. Or?

Children in Stuttgart will remind, on the occasion of the world premiere of the Opera “Momo”, what is often missing: time

Herpertz-Dahlmann says, it is too easy, if you only draw the parents for the pressure that the children feel responsible. “I know a lot of parents who do not put their children under pressure. But we live in a society in which it is measured mainly by what one makes, the children already feel.”

Too little time to listen

According to the current KiGGs-study, a long-term study of the Robert Koch Institute for children and youth health in Germany, suffering about 20 percent of children and adolescents suffering from various mental disorders. Since the beginning of the study in 2003 did not change this number appreciably.

Many Doctors, however, have a different impression, when it comes to psychosomatic illnesses. “The number of children, the search for a psychosomatic disorder help, is noticeably increased,” says Herpertz-Dahlmann.

The pediatrician and President of the Federal Association of child and youth doctors, Thomas Fischbach, finds that many parents are barely able to support their children. My father told me I should not put me for the good grades in school under a lot of pressure. But his words have little effect, had also because he measured himself especially on his good performance in the Job.

Often there is a lack also of support within the family, through grandma and grandpa for example. “Therefore, it is taken much more frequently than in the past.”

“We need more time for patients with psychosomatic disorders,” says Thomas Fischbach

Pediatricians are often faced with a Dilemma, especially when it comes to psychosomatic complaints. In the case of pain of any kind, it is of course first important to have an organic cause ruled out, says Fischbach.

To explore the Psyche of the young patients, however, it takes time. “The least people on babble simply, when it comes to emotional stress,” says Fischbach. Therefore, trust is important – but that requires rest and patience. A luxury that is not afforded to many children of doctors, a full waiting room sits in the neck.

Without parents it’s not

In the clinic for psychiatry, psychosomatics and psychotherapy, Aachen, there is a Station that deals exclusively with psychosomatic disorders in children and adolescents. Children’s doctors work Hand in Hand with psychotherapists.

Two things are important to help the children, says Herpertz-Dahlmann. “Let’s see what needs to be changed in the environment of the children.” Eventually, the pressure in the school must be reduced or a sports or music activities, be removed from the list, in order to give the young patients the air.

“In addition, the children learn with us, how you specifically with your pain can deal with it,” describes Herpertz-Dahlmann, the second pillar of their treatment strategy. In spite of the abdominal pain, at least, to go for two hours in the school, is already a success.

The parents of course are in particular demand. Especially when their children are sick. Herpertz-Dahlmann told that the parents are closely involved in the therapy of their children.

In special groups of parents, the adults learn not only how your sons and daughters can help. Also your Fears and excessive demands will find here hearing. “If you are a mother or father of a child, it’s been months in the school, and the pain, this is also for the parents very distressing.”

Fischbach and Herpertz-Dahlmann agree that parents can prevent psychosomatic disturbances in your kids best, if you know what’s going on in your offspring. Talk to each other, to listen, to the Worries and Fears of children seriously. Also this takes time. And maybe a Hobby in the club less.


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