Case study: Ganser syndrome in children and adolescents

Abstract

Six cases of the Ganser syndrome have been previously described in the literature and are reviewed here. They are imperfect representations of the originally described syndrome. This article describes a case of the Ganser syndrome in a 12-year-old boy who, after a mild head injury, presented with three of four of the core symptoms. The nature of the Ganser syndrome remains unclear, but this case study highlights dissociation and abnormal illness behavior as being important in the production of the symptoms. Classically the course is short-lived, although this report raises the possibilities of a much more chronic course.