Conversion disorder

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U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD)

Functional neurological disorder
FND
Functional movement disorder

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Conversion disorder
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Conversion disorder is a condition in which a person has blindness, paralysis, or other nervous system symptoms that cannot be explained. Symptoms may occur because of emotional distress or psychological problems. They usually begin suddenly after a stressful experience. People are more at risk for a conversion disorder if they also have a medical illness, dissociative disorder, or personality disorder. Psychotherapy and stress management training may help reduce symptoms. The affected body part or physical function will need physical or occupational therapy until the symptoms disappear.^[1]

References

Conversion disorder. MedlinePlus. 2008 Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000954.htm. Accessed September 20, 2010.

Questions & Answers (Found 1 Question)

A list of questions from the public on rare and/or genetic diseases that have been answered by the Genetic and Rare Disease Information Center. Click on each question to find the answer.

I was diagnosed with conversion disorder 10 years ago and still walk with an aid and have trouble with my balance. How is this condition treated? What is the prognosis for individuals with this condition?

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For more information about Conversion disorder click on the boxes below:

More Detailed Information	Organizations	Services	Scientific Conferences	Clinical Trials & Research


More Detailed Information (Found 5 resources) Links where you can find more general information, comprehensive resources, selected full text journal articles, and news updates. Disclaimer General MayoClinic.com provides information about conversion disorder. Click on the link to view information about this topic. eMedicine has three articles on this topic from the perspective of Psychiatry, Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, and Emergency Medicine. You may need to register to view the information online, but registration is free. Click on the links above to view the articles from this medical reference Web site. MedlinePlus, a Web site designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, provides more information about this topic. Click on the link to view this information. The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is a federation of more than 130 nonprofit voluntary health organizations serving people with rare disorders. Click on the link to view information on this topic. PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Conversion disorder. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

More Detailed Information (Found 5 resources)
Links where you can find more general information, comprehensive resources, selected full text journal articles, and news updates. Disclaimer

General
- MayoClinic.com provides information about conversion disorder. Click on the link to view information about this topic.
- eMedicine has three articles on this topic from the perspective of Psychiatry, Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, and Emergency Medicine. You may need to register to view the information online, but registration is free. Click on the links above to view the articles from this medical reference Web site.
- MedlinePlus, a Web site designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, provides more information about this topic. Click on the link to view this information.
- The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is a federation of more than 130 nonprofit voluntary health organizations serving people with rare disorders. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
- PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Conversion disorder. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Organizations Providing General Support \| Social Networking Websites
Organizations (Found 6 resources) Groups providing a wide range of services, supportive resources, and information. Disclaimer FND Hope E-mail: http://www.fndhope.org/support/contact/ Web site: http://fndhope.org/ Organizations Providing General Support Genetic Alliance 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW Suite 404 Washington, DC 20008-2369 Telephone: 202-966-5557 Fax: 202-966-8553 E-mail: info@geneticalliance.org Web site: http://www.geneticalliance.org National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) 55 Kenosia Avenue PO Box 1968 Danbury, CT 06813-1968 Toll-free: 1-800-999-6673 (voicemail only) Telephone: 203-744-0100 TTY: 203-797-9590 Fax: 203-798-2291 E-mail: orphan@rarediseases.org Web site: http://www.rarediseases.org/ Social Networking Websites DNAandU.org is a Web site and blog that collects firsthand stories from people facing issues, making tough decisions, and using genomic (DNA) information in their own healthcare. Click on the link to learn from their experiences and/or submit your own story. Madisons Foundation P.O. Box 241956 Los Angeles, CA 90024 Telephone: 310-264-0826 Fax: 310-264-4766 E-mail: getinfo@madisonsfoundation.org Web site: http://www.madisonsfoundation.org/ RareShare is an online social hub dedicated to patients, families and healthcare professionals affected by rare medical disorders.

Organizations Providing General Support | Social Networking Websites

Organizations (Found 6 resources)
Groups providing a wide range of services, supportive resources, and information. Disclaimer

- FND Hope
  E-mail: http://www.fndhope.org/support/contact/
  Web site: http://fndhope.org/
Organizations Providing General Support
- Genetic Alliance
  4301 Connecticut Avenue NW
  Suite 404
  Washington, DC 20008-2369
  Telephone: 202-966-5557
  Fax: 202-966-8553
  E-mail: info@geneticalliance.org
  Web site: http://www.geneticalliance.org
- National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)
  55 Kenosia Avenue
  PO Box 1968
  Danbury, CT 06813-1968
  Toll-free: 1-800-999-6673 (voicemail only)
  Telephone: 203-744-0100
  TTY: 203-797-9590
  Fax: 203-798-2291
  E-mail: orphan@rarediseases.org
  Web site: http://www.rarediseases.org/
Social Networking Websites
- DNAandU.org is a Web site and blog that collects firsthand stories from people facing issues, making tough decisions, and using genomic (DNA) information in their own healthcare. Click on the link to learn from their experiences and/or submit your own story.
- Madisons Foundation
  P.O. Box 241956
  Los Angeles, CA 90024
  Telephone: 310-264-0826
  Fax: 310-264-4766
  E-mail: getinfo@madisonsfoundation.org
  Web site: http://www.madisonsfoundation.org/
- RareShare is an online social hub dedicated to patients, families and healthcare professionals affected by rare medical disorders.


Services (Found 2 resources) Links to Web sites that offer services, such as tools to locate specialists, specialty clinics, genetic services, and genetic testing laboratories. Disclaimer Many individuals want to know about healthcare professionals or researchers who have knowledge of their conditions. When a condition is rare, it can be difficult to find someone who has seen many cases. Although there is no list of experts in rare diseases, GARD's How to Find an Expert fact sheet provides several ways to identify healthcare professionals who have experience with a particular condition. Click on the link to access this resource and learn more. Parent Resources The Parent Technical Assistance Center Network provides a list of the Parent Training and Information Centers in each state. These centers are funded by the United States Department of Education to provide early intervention and special education information and training to parents of children with disabilities from birth to age 26. Click on the link to find the Parent Center in your state.

Services (Found 2 resources)
Links to Web sites that offer services, such as tools to locate specialists, specialty clinics, genetic services, and genetic testing laboratories. Disclaimer

- Many individuals want to know about healthcare professionals or researchers who have knowledge of their conditions. When a condition is rare, it can be difficult to find someone who has seen many cases. Although there is no list of experts in rare diseases, GARD's How to Find an Expert fact sheet provides several ways to identify healthcare professionals who have experience with a particular condition. Click on the link to access this resource and learn more.
Parent Resources
- The Parent Technical Assistance Center Network provides a list of the Parent Training and Information Centers in each state. These centers are funded by the United States Department of Education to provide early intervention and special education information and training to parents of children with disabilities from birth to age 26. Click on the link to find the Parent Center in your state.


Scientific Conferences (Found 2 resources) Resources where you can find information on completed and upcoming scientific conferences and programs. Disclaimer Past Conferences RDCRN 3rd Conference on Clinical Research for Rare Diseases, October 2, 2012 Location: Hilton Washington DC/Rockville Hotel & Executive Meeting Center, Rockville, MD Description: Clinical research in rare diseases presents a number of challenges and unique issues that are not usually considered in the training of clinical investigators through existing training programs. Goals of the conference include: direct instruction of trainees and new investigators in rare disease research methodology; development of a reusable curriculum/syllabus on rare disease research methodology; and stimulation of ideas regarding the unique issues facing investigators engaged in the study of rare diseases. VI International Conference on Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs (ICORD 2010): Global Approach to Accessibility in Rare Diseases, Orphan Drugs and Neglected Diseases , March 18, 2010 - March 20, 2010 Location: Palais Rouge Convention Center, Palermo, Buenos Aires Description: For the first time, the VI International Conference on Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs (ICORD 2010) was convened in the southern hemisphere in agreement with its aim of globalization of rare diseases research and orphan products development activities.

Scientific Conferences (Found 2 resources)
Resources where you can find information on completed and upcoming scientific conferences and programs. Disclaimer

Past Conferences
- RDCRN 3rd Conference on Clinical Research for Rare Diseases, October 2, 2012
  Location: Hilton Washington DC/Rockville Hotel & Executive Meeting Center, Rockville, MD
  Description: Clinical research in rare diseases presents a number of challenges and unique issues that are not usually considered in the training of clinical investigators through existing training programs. Goals of the conference include: direct instruction of trainees and new investigators in rare disease research methodology; development of a reusable curriculum/syllabus on rare disease research methodology; and stimulation of ideas regarding the unique issues facing investigators engaged in the study of rare diseases.
- VI International Conference on Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs (ICORD 2010): Global Approach to Accessibility in Rare Diseases, Orphan Drugs and Neglected Diseases , March 18, 2010 - March 20, 2010
  Location: Palais Rouge Convention Center, Palermo, Buenos Aires
  Description: For the first time, the VI International Conference on Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs (ICORD 2010) was convened in the southern hemisphere in agreement with its aim of globalization of rare diseases research and orphan products development activities.


Clinical Trials & Research (Found 3 resources) Resources where you may find research studies and clinical trials. Disclaimer ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are studying or have studied Conversion disorder. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies. NIH Clinical Trials and You is a website developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help people learn more about clinical trials, why they matter, and how to participate. Patient Registry ResearchMatch is a free national research registry designed to bring together patients, healthy volunteers and researchers. Anyone from the United States can register with ResearchMatch, and a parent, legal guardian, or caretaker may register on behalf of a volunteer. Researchers from participating institutions use the ResearchMatch database to search for patients or healthy volunteers who meet the study criteria. Many studies are looking for healthy people of all ages, while some are looking for people with specific illnesses. ResearchMatch was developed by major academic institutions across the country and is funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.

Clinical Trials & Research (Found 3 resources)
Resources where you may find research studies and clinical trials. Disclaimer

- ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are studying or have studied Conversion disorder. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.
- NIH Clinical Trials and You is a website developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help people learn more about clinical trials, why they matter, and how to participate.
Patient Registry
- ResearchMatch is a free national research registry designed to bring together patients, healthy volunteers and researchers. Anyone from the United States can register with ResearchMatch, and a parent, legal guardian, or caretaker may register on behalf of a volunteer. Researchers from participating institutions use the ResearchMatch database to search for patients or healthy volunteers who meet the study criteria. Many studies are looking for healthy people of all ages, while some are looking for people with specific illnesses. ResearchMatch was developed by major academic institutions across the country and is funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.