Physical illness or injury may play a part A child who injures their arm has to have a plaster cast on it. After the cast is removed, they may still be unable to move it or feel properly with their hand. Some children and families seem be especially sensitive to normal sensations in their stomachs. Where most of us might just feel a churning sensation, they feel a pain. When a physical explanation cannot be found, there may be an emotional or psychological one.
Psychological factors can lead to the development of unexplained physical symptoms.
For example, children with unexplained physical symptoms often have the sort of personality which puts them at risk. They tend to be particularly caring, sensitive to the needs of others, fastidious, perfectionist, and tend to be anxious and worry. Such children often set themselves standards which are too high and become discouraged when they can t achieve them. Their physical symptoms may lead to further discouragement which, in turn, may make the symptoms worse. Psychological effects Everyday life can become very uncomfortable and stressful for children with these symptoms.