Functional Neurological Disorder in Pediatrics: Diagnostic Considerations.

Abstract

Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a common diagnosis of varied neuropsychiatric symptoms presenting to pediatric healthcare settings, including primary, urgent and subspecialty care. A key diagnostic shift appearing in the DSM-V is that FND is no longer a diagnosis of exclusion; rather, a rule-in diagnosis based on suggestive elements of symptom presentation. This article reviews diagnostic criteria, clarifying features, risks, and prognostic factors. This is the first in a series of six articles on FND and will introduce an FND case that will be examined in each subsequent article in the context of their more specific subject matter.