Pediatric somatic symptom disorder includes emotional distress that causes a child to fixate on physical symptoms (i.e., headaches, stomachaches, tiredness), therefore enabling them to think that they have a serious illness.

University of Illinois at Chicago

In the DSM-5, the diagnosis of hypochondriasis (i.e., health anxiety) was replaced by two new diagnostic entities. Both diagnoses share high health anxiety as a common criterion. 
- Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD)
- Illness Anxiety Disorder (IAD) 

DSM-5-TR replaces hypochondriasis

Bailer, J., Kerstner, T., Witthöft, M., Diener, C., Mier, D., & Rist, F. (2016). Health anxiety and hypochondriasis in the light of DSM-5. Anxiety, stress, and coping, 29(2), 219–239. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2015.1036243

Health anxiety and hypochondriasis in the light of DSM-5

Pediatric Somatic Symptom Disorder 

Pediatric illness anxiety disorder is characterized by children who worry a lot about being sick, even though they have no symptoms. This fixation causes them to become severely stressed and anxious that it can hinder them from normal activities (i.e., school). Additionally, children will engage in care-seeking, in which they will spend a lot of time in a healthcare setting, or are care-avoidant, in which they don't trust doctors or healthcare providers. 

Learn Before

Related