Science Links Japan | Mental Symptoms Induced by A Massive Outbreak of Infectious Disease (Enterhemorragic Escherichia Coli O157) in Elementary School Children: III Cases in which Suppression and Denial were the Main Symptoms

Mental Symptoms Induced by A Massive Outbreak of Infectious Disease (Enterhemorragic Escherichia Coli O157) in Elementary School Children: III Cases in which Suppression and Denial were the Main Symptoms

Accession number;04A0359684

Title;Mental Symptoms Induced by A Massive Outbreak of Infectious Disease (Enterhemorragic Escherichia Coli O157) in Elementary School Children: III Cases in which Suppression and Denial were the Main Symptoms

Author; NAGAO K (Sakakibara National Hospital) OKUNO M (Mikuni Hill Hospital, Osaka, Jpn) SHINDOU E (Mikuni Hill Hospital, Osaka, Jpn)

Journal Title;Japanese Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Journal Code:Z0387B

ISSN:0289-0968

VOL.44;NO.Supplement;PAGE.58-68(2003)

Figure&Table&Reference;TBL.1, REF.14

Pub. Country;Japan

Language;English

Abstract;Clinical cases of the unawareness of anxiety caused by the infection were studied. Of 38 consultations cases after a mass O157 infection, in which the children themselves did not feel that their anxieties were caused by the incident, there were 10 in which symptoms were similar to the PTSD and PTSD incomplete type (reported in Part I) which could not be clearly linked to being caused by the outbreak. Three children had mild symptoms, and their worried parents requested consultations. The features of the other seven children's cases also are discussed. The symptomatic traits were, 1. During the acute period there were no intrusive recollections through re-experiences. 2. The main symptoms were inactiveness, embarrassment, decreased concentration, physiologic reactivity, and food avoidance. 3. Consultations were held 6 to 13 months after the event, but the symptoms exhibited rarely had changed during that short period. 4. Three children were suspected of having a developmental disorder of communicative and social skills. Their treatments were characterized by, 1. their not being very responsive to debriefing-based PTSD acute case treatment; 2. the method effective for stabilizing the situation relied on the parents' or other adults' attitudes to accept the entire environment to which the children had been exposed; 3. symptoms consequently became milder, but these children could not be made conscious of nor re-integrate the events. A different type of treatment therefore is needed rather than acute PTSD case treatment for those who relate poorly to a disaster. (author abst.)

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