Hospitalism

Synonyms in a broader sense

• Deprivation Syndrome
• Hospitalization syndrome
• Kaspar Hauser Syndrome
• anaclitic depression

definition

Hospitalism is the totality of the psychological and physical negative consequences that a withdrawal of attention and stimuli (= Deprivation) can take on a patient.

These typically occur in children who are still in an important phase of their physical, mental and linguistic development. The name "Hospitalism" received this condition for the reason that it was first described in children who had stayed in homes and hospitals for a long period of time. However, this disorder can also occur in older people who have been in isolation for a long time, e.g. by Solitary confinement, occur. In addition to the mostly used synonymously mental hospitalism, there is the so-called infectious hospitalismi.e. Illnesses caused by neglect of nursing and medical practitioners.

causes

In hospitals and homes in particular, patients and carers often do not get the attention they need (hospitalism). The staff is sometimes overloaded and cannot and does not want to take much time for the individual. In the past, people were not sufficiently aware that it was not enough to cover basic needs, and even today it is sometimes still necessary to remember that, especially with children, care must be part of the care. The development of children contains so-called sensitive phases in which certain basic things have to be achieved, such as the bond with a fixed reference person. If this does not happen, attachment disorders develop that can accompany the patient throughout his life. The same applies to the development of language and social skills. The absence of stimuli can also lead to hospitalism, as happens when staying in dark and soundproof rooms for a long time. A lack of exercise (e.g. plaster cast) can also be problematic.

Symptoms

Here are the Symptoms of mental and physical hospitalism shown. Since the physical hospitalism When it comes to the increased occurrence of certain infectious diseases in hospitals, the symptoms correspond to those of the respective diseases. The symptoms of the mental hospitalism are definitely more uniform. Basically, one can differentiate between physical and mental impairments. Both are based on delayed or incorrect development. Physical symptoms include emaciation (mostly caused by a lack of appetite), Infectious diseases caused by a weakened immune system, compulsively executed repetitive movements (so-called stereotypes) or a slowed growth. Mentally it comes to various language disorders, depression, apathy (so indifference) and to an intellectual degradation. Sometimes this goes so far that the patients develop regressively, i.e. behave like much younger children, just as if they had forgotten everything. Dealing with such children is of course particularly demanding. They feel the frustration of the environment as a rejection and withdraw even further. A vicious circle arises. Social skills are also damaged. Children are reluctant to trust strangers, and relationships with relatives, especially parents, can also deteriorate. The symptoms can partially regress or continue and even worsen. Personality disorders can develop, such as a Borderline disorder.

A famous example of mental hospitalismthat had to serve as a synonym is that Foundling Kaspar Hauser. This was found in Nuremberg at the beginning of the 19th century. He exhibited all of the above symptoms to the highest levels, likely due to the fact that he spent the first 16 years of his life locked in a dark dungeon. The development of a borderline disorder in his case is also not excluded. So he kept showing injuries that were supposedly inflicted on him by masked strangers. However, these were never found. There were no witnesses either.

diagnosis

The Diagnosis of mental hospitalism is usually collected by a psychiatrist. The disruption is to be distinguished from, for example, autismwhich overlaps with this over a large area. One criterion for this is that autism, in contrast to hospitalism, is not reversible and mostly not on trauma is due. It is therefore helpful to inquire under what circumstances the symptoms were first noticed. In addition, hospitalism shows similarities to depression. This also shows a different course and is not necessarily associated with permanent mental and physical deficits.

therapy

Basically, the first thing to do is to leave the harmful environment. The patient (Hospitalism) should be placed in an environment that is as caring as possible and rich in incentives, which enables deficits, especially in children, to be prevented and the first symptoms to disappear.
If this is not done for a long time, it will happen permanent damagewho require psychotherapeutic treatment. So it is important to recognize the disease as early as possible and take countermeasures. In addition, in certain cases the treatment of individual secondary acquired diseases, such as Infections, necessary (hospitalism).