Psychological aspects of peptic ulcer disease in childhood.

The purpose of this paper is to review the psychological aspects of primary peptic ulcer disease in childhood and to illustrate their integration in the evaluation, treatment and follow-up of 2 cases. The data suggest that certain psychological stresses may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer in genetically predisposed children. They also highlight the importance of a psychiatric intervention in these cases as well as the need for controlled outcome studies.