Conversion Disorder Help

[Littlebethy]

My 9 yo daughter has epilepsy and after having "differant"symptoms than useual seen by her neurologist and Childrens hosp....they now say she has Conversion Disorder as well...
The syptoms (symptoms) I see are ...1 violent mood swings...2 lond periods of crying and sudden feelings of sadness....(says "I want my Mommy" and " No-body cares about me" over and over again , somtimes for an hour or more) And if you "baby" or "Swaddle" her ...she gets deeper into it?....Oddly ,before I knew what was going on,...once I spanked her on her behind...she ran to her room crying , then re-appeared downstairs 3 minutes later....seeming "normal" as could be ,as if nothing happend???
and 3 ....the doctors are picking up Long QT and heart arhythmia....they say if she gets too excided she could have a hearth attack ...???
4...she exhibates mild but  very notible "learning disabilites"
she "forgets" learned items from day to day....how to count...abc's ..her phone # ...ect
So  my ? is what is the best way to handle this frigile 9yo girl when she has these "CD" episodes??? and PLEASE any tips or advice on the other issues...Thanks ...Beth

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Conversion Disorder is an unusual condition for a child so young. The condition requires, among other criteria, that the child display symptoms related to either the voluntary motor functions or sensory functions (or other general medical condition), and that the symptoms cannot be fully accounted for by a medical condition. Now, sometimes the diagnosis of Conversion Disorder is presumptive - i. e., it is somewhat of a default position, an explanation for symptoms that otherwise are difficult to explain. The supposed psychological factors instrumental in the formation of the symptoms are thought to be important because the onset or worsening of the symptoms is preceded by conflicts or other stressors. It's not clear that your daughter does display Conversion Disorder. What is clear is that she displays a number of likely overlapping conditions: seizure disorder, possible mood disorder, likely learning disability or other learning problem. If she hasn't been evaluated for learning disability, such an evaluation should occur. And if she hasn't been evaluated by child psychiatry, that too should occur. Ask about the possibility of mood disorder.