Search

The aim of this paper is to analyse some aspects of the psychiatric and medical-social discourse on the relationship between childhood and insanity in Spain at the end of nineteenth century and during the first third of the twentieth century. We study the principal theories about degenerate children (delinquent childhood and anormal childhood) based on two of the most paradigmatic works of the Spanish medical literature: Estudio medico-social del nino golfo by Jose Sanchis Banus and Los ninos mentalmente anormales by Gonzalo Rodriguez Lafora.

This paper is a revision of the present situation of child psychiatry showing its confluence with general psychiatry through the epistemological unification as a biopsycho-social model. The psychopathological limitations of this process as empiricism are taken into account as well as its identity, which did not really exist till now. At the same time this identity supposes an orientation for the clinical, teaching and research action.

There is an important jeopardizing factor for all nosological classificatory systems, in general Psychiatry as well as in child Psychiatry: the lack of a universally valid basis for defining concepts of "normal" and "pathological". Both stem from social patterns, values, culture and organization. Thus, they vary widely in different countries and communities. In order to attain the much needed general nosological criteria, the starting point is to our mind, a scientific comprehensive conception of man in the midst of a social environment. Pathological phenomena are usually located either in biological, psychological or sociological domains, but they are all-pervading and affect man in the whole. Taking into account that the same can be said about children, we discuss in this paper one classificatory system proposed by Telma Reca M. D. and modified by the author. Following the gravitation of the main aethiological factors, four categories are proposed: a. Psychogenetical diseases: regular or reactive developmental disturbances; acute anxiety; neurotic traits; fully developed neurosis, and psychosomatic disturbances of neurotic origin; speech disturbances of a pure psychological nature, etc. b. Psychical disorders derived from physical diseases: acute confusional or delusional states; mental retardation; epilepsy; minimal cerebral disfunction; learning difficulties derived from injuries or/and genetic deficiencies, etc. c. Psychical disorders derived from social problems: bad nourishment, disturbed sleep, faulty or disorderly sexual behaviour; poor or disturbed performance at school or in social groups, etc. d. Disorders caused by several factors: psychotic traits; psychosis; psychopathic behaviour; lack of maturity according to chronological age; congenital personality disorders, etc.