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Minerva Pediatrica 2006 October;58(5):423-441

Copyright © 2006 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Organ transplants in children and adolescents: social, emotional and psychopathological problema

Fabrizi A. ¹, Pecoraro A. M. ²

¹ Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences and Childhood Rehabilitation University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy 2 Division of Cardiac Surgery Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Surgery Cattolica del S. Cuore University, Rome, Italy

Organ transplantation has become the treatment of choice for a number of life-threatening childhood illnesses. Our review of the literature on the psychiatric aspects of organ transplantation in children and adolescents suggests that transplant programs routinely use psychosocial evaluations as a component of their assessment and to screen transplant recipients. This study explores 5 psychiatric issues raised by paediatric transplantation: 1) the role of family; 2) children’s and adolescents’ perception of illness; 3) pretransplant evaluation of a child’s psychological state and environment; 4) the wait; 5) long-term effects. We conclude with recommendations for further research and the development of standardized assessment designed for the pediatric population.