Child abuse is a common disease that influences the lives of many children and their families, still, only a minority of children are diagnosed in the Health Care System. While at times, a child chief complaint or reason for referral is suspected child abuse, many pediatric patients do not disclose history of child abuse, but rather, seek help for other medical conditions. Complaints such as headaches, syncope, pseudoseizures and abdominal pain are first investigated for a medical diagnosis that may explain the physical symptoms. When such a diagnosis is not found the physician can consider a diagnosis of child abuse. There is a growing need for tools for physicians that assist in the evaluation of abuse in this population.
Somatic dissociation questionnaire (SDQ-20) consists of questions about physical symptoms such as anesthesia and pain. The questionnaire was mainly used in the diagnosis of dissociation disorders in adults. In our practice we found that children that suffer from abuse, have symptoms of somatic dissociation and a need rose to find a suitable tool for pediatric patients.