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Psychiatric Comorbidity in Pediatric Patients With Demyelinating Disorders

¹ Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, New York
² Department of Neurology, North Shore-LIJ Health System, New Hyde Park, New York
³ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, New York
⁴ National Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Center, Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, New York
⁵ Department of Neurology, New York University Medical Center, New York
⁶ Vedanta Associates, Inc, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
⁷ L. L. Thurstone Psychometric Laboratory, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: deborah.weisbrot{at}stonybrook.edu.

	Abstract

Little is known about psychiatric aspects of pediatric demyelinating conditions. A total of 23 youths (6-17 years) with demyelinating conditions underwent semistructured psychiatric interviews using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children—Present and Lifetime Version. Adolescents and parents completed the Child Symptom Inventory-4 and the Youth’s Inventory-4. Fears and conceptions of their neurological problems were elicited. In all, 48% (n = 11) met criteria for current psychiatric diagnoses, including 27% (n = 3) with depressive disorders and 64% (n = 7) with anxiety disorders. Fears and conceptions of the illness were severe and diverse. Depressive and anxiety disorders are common in pediatric demyelinating disease. Clinicians should therefore screen for psychiatric comorbidity symptoms as part of the routine evaluation of such patients.

First published on September 22, 2009
Journal of Child Neurology 2009, doi:10.1177/0883073809338519


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