Abstract
M.Cur. (Psychiatric Nursing Science)
Life is all about relationships. Interdependence results in interaction, both in a positive and a negative
way. Somatic disorders are groups of disorders that include physical symptoms, such as pain, nausea,
and dizziness for which an adequate medical explanation cannot be found. The somatic symptoms
and complaints are serious enough to cause the patient significant emotional distress or impairment in
the patient’s ability to function in social and occupational roles. Pain disorder is viewed as one of the
somatic disorders. Unexplained physical complaints are common in children and form the basis for
childhood somatisation and somatoform disorders. Emotional symptoms and anxiety disorders are
often comorbid with both unexplained physical symptoms and somatoform disorders. Risk factors
included stress sensibility and probably biologic vulnerability in the child, mood, and somatisation
disorders in the family, parental over involvement, and possibly limited psychological (mindedness) in
relation to physical symptoms. The researcher’s interest was triggered while working in a public
psychiatric hospital in a children’s unit as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. The patients presented with
stress related challenges that could eventually result in psychiatric disorders. Some of the children
experienced somatic symptoms which could result in the experience of a somatoform disorder, a pain
disorder. The purpose of the researcher’s study was to explore and describe the experiences of a child
suffering from a somatic disorder, such as a pain disorder, and to establish guidelines to assist the
child to cope with its challenges. A qualitative, explorative, and contextual research design was
implemented, using a single case study approach. The research took place in two phases. In the first
phase, the researcher dealt with focusing on the experience of the child suffering from a pain disorder.
One child who suffers from a pain disorder was purposefully sampled. The child’s mother, school
principal, psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse, occupational therapist, and four psychologists were included
in the study. In-depth, phenomenological interviews were conducted with the child, her psychiatric
nurse therapist, and the child’s mother. Five interviews were completed. A retrospective record review
was conducted. Case records were explored and relevant information was obtained from the records
of significant professionals from the multidisciplinary team working with the child in the psychiatric
children’s unit.