The article deals with somatisation and somatoform disorders in childhood and adolescence. It reviews the current understanding about somatisation in this age-group in regard to the quality of family attachments and the emotional climate in families. Recent studies, which confirm the importance of the quality of family attachments for the healthy development of a child, are outlined and two short clinical čase studies are included to demonstrate the connection between somatising conditions, intra-family relationships and quality of life.

        Key words: somatisation, childhood, adolescence, psychosomatic factors, quality of life and family atta¬chments.