A Tanzanian child with gratification disorder

Muzzazzi, Pius David and Pendo, Maua Halfan (2025) A Tanzanian child with gratification disorder. International Journal of Science and Research Archive, 16 (2). pp. 205-207. ISSN 2582-8185

Gratification Disorder, also known as “Benign Idiopathic Infantile Dyskinesia” or “Infantile Masturbation,” is a rare condition in young children characterized by self-stimulatory behaviors. It often presents with symptoms that can be mistaken for other medical issues, such as epilepsy, and may lead to unnecessary investigations and treatments. In this report, we present a case of a 3 year old girl from Kibaha, Tanzania, who was initially misdiagnosed with convulsions and treated with anticonvulsants, after she presented with a history of episodic rocking of the hip and scissoring of lower limbs. The diagnosis was later corrected to Gratification Disorder, and she received multidisciplinary care that resulted in significant improvements.