Impact of Functional Somatic Symptoms on 5–7-year-olds’ Healthcare Use and Costs
Græsholt-Knudsen T, Skovgaard AM, Jensen JS, et al. Archives of Disease in Childhood Published Online First: 30 January 2017. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2016-311808
This large Danish study of over 1000 children with functional somatic symptoms at 5-7 years of age showed that although these symptoms might be perceived as normal and developmentally linked, they can have significant long-term implications, particularly with regard to individuals’ healthcare use. Underlying mechanisms remain to be identified.