Many patients are being admitted to general wards with mental health problems, although they present with a physical illness. Kerry Banks and Ann Bevan look at the factors that can help children’s nurses recognise such complaints

This literature review focuses on risk factors that influence somatic symptoms in children and young people aged between one and 18 years. Relevant risk factors identified were: past and current emotions, personality types and coping styles, poor environment including trauma and stress, and parental influences. It was found that most somatic complaints are caused by a combination of these and other risk factors, demonstrating the complexity of this diagnosis.