Stress barometer at diagnoses in children with school non-attendance

Authors: KANO, KENICHI; ARISAKA, OSAMU

Source: Pediatrics International, Volume 48, Number 3, June 2006 , pp. 265-267(3)

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Abstract:

Background:

School non-attendance is a major social problem in Japan. Many children stop attending school for a variety of reasons. The authors previously reported stress barometer values for healthy Japanese children. In this study, the authors examined the stress barometer values of children with school non-attendance. Methods:

The authors measured stress barometer values, that is, urinary 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (17-OHCS) and 17-ketosteroid sulfates (17-KS-S) in 65 children (40 girls and 25 boys; 7–15 years of age) with school non-attendance, except for pervasive developmental disorder and mental retardation, who attended the outpatient department of Dokkyo University School of Medicine Hospital, Tochigi, Japan, during the past 4 years. Results:

A total of 24 (36.9%) of the 65 children had urinary 17-OHCS values above 2SD, and 14 (21.5%) had urinary 17-OHCS below 2SD. In total, 10 (15.4%) children had urinary 17-KS-S values above 2SD, and four (6.2%) had urinary 17-KS-S below 2SD. Five (7.7%) children had urinary 17-KS-S/17-OHCS values above 2SD, and 10 (15.4%) had urinary 17-KS-S/17-OHCS below 2SD. Conclusion:

The stress barometer values appear to be clinically useful for evaluating objectively whether children with school non-attendance have emotional stress.

Keywords: being bullied; depressive disorders; orthostatic dysregulation; school non-attendance; stress barometer

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-200X.2006.02201.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Pediatrics, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan

Publication date: 2006-06-01