Submission for: Oral paper ANCIPS 2022: To Compare The Somatic Symptoms Associated With Depression In Children And Adolescent With Adults

BACKGROUND: Medically unexplained physical symptoms are frequently reported in depression and are often as distressing as changes in mood. These somatic presentations often present differently depending on the developmental age of the patient. AIM: To compare the prevalence of somatic symptoms associated with depression in children and adolescent with adults. METHOD: Patients from age group 6 to 60 years of either gender presenting to inpatient and outpatient Psychiatry clinic of a tertiary health-care centre, fulfilling the criteria of major depressive episode were recruited for the study after obtaining an informed consent. The study population was divided into 2 groups (i.e., children & adolescents and adults) that were compared for the somatic symptoms using Bradford Somatic Inventory (44-items scale). RESULTS: In the present study, symptoms of heaviness in head, body feeling heavy, difficulty breathing, burning urination, trembling, needles sensation in hands and feet’s were found to be significantly more among the children & adolescent group. CONCLUSION: Children & Adolescents often present with atypical depressive features among which somatic symptoms are often a common presentation. Compared to adult patients with depression, children & adolescents have higher prevalence of certain somatic symptoms.