Transitional phenomena: the typical phenomenon and its development.

Pediatrician are often questioned by school refusal which relies on a wide range of psychopathological features and necessitates specific approaches. This disabling condition remains underestimated and is still increasing. A poor prognosis associated with a prolonged school absence is the common hallmark of school refusals, regardless of its heterogeneity. Its seriousness warrants early identification and prompt intervention by childhood healthcare professionals, teachers and social workers. A specialized treatment is needed, closely linked with families and school. Promising developments come from a functional rather than symptomatic concept of school refusal. They offer tailored interventions which fit the clinical diversity of school refusals. After a brief historical summary and current definitions of school refusal, the authors review the main clinical features and comorbidity before taking up treatment modalities.

Anxiety, Separation↗

PubMed2006

Same or separate classrooms: a twin bill.

New legislation giving parents a voice in deciding their twins' school placement situation (same or separate classrooms) was passed in Minnesota in spring 2005. Since then, parents in several other states have started petitions and lobbying efforts to persuade their senators and representatives to follow suit. A review and update of these exciting developments is presented.

Anxiety, Separation↗

PubMed2005

Pathological laughter and behavioural change in childhood pontine glioma.

Children with pontine glioma usually present classically with ataxia, motor deficits and cranial nerve palsies. The pons has generally not been regarded as a structure that mediates complex affective behaviour. However, we report nine children who either at the time of presentation or progression demonstrated marked behavioural changes manifesting as either "pathological laughter" or separation anxiety in the form of school refusal. A mechanism of how pontine lesions can cause such complex affective and cognitive behaviour has been suggested to consist of the disruption of a network of cerebro-ponto-cerebellar pathways and the evidence for this mechanism is discussed.

Anxiety, Separation↗