[Interest of propranolol in the treatment of school refusal anxiety: about three clinical observations].
School refusal anxiety is a pathopsychological disorder which touches the young child, between 8 and 13 years. Even if the school refusal is studied for a long time, there is not still consensus as for the specific definition of this disorder or on the best way of treating it. Nevertheless, accountable of long-lasting difficulties in school integration, its short and medium term consequences are serious and well known: school desertion, mood disorder and behavioral problems. Speed and quality of the medico-psychological and educational interventions represent a important factor for evolution and prognosis. Although, psychological interventions remain essential, sometimes the interest of an associated psychotropic medication should be discussed. This one can indeed either improve their results or supporting their installations. Despite more than twenty controlled trials in the pediatric population, no definitive psychopharmacological treatment data exist for anxiety disorder in childhood and especially for school refusal disorder. The majority of the studies stress as well the interest of benzodiazepines as tricyclic antidepressants but without being able to specify the possible superiority of a chemical on the other. On the other hand, the side effects of each one are well-documented, in particular for the benzodiazepines (potential abuse, sedation, potential desinhibition, mnemonic disorder), limiting thus their uses in child. In this work, we would like to emphasize the interest of propranolol in the treatment of somatic symptoms usually met in school refusal anxiety. Although beta-blockers have been used in the treatment of neurovegetative symptoms associated with situational anxiety disorders, there is no controlled data and only some open data to guide pediatric use for anxiety disorders in children. Nevertheless, prescribed with low posology and in substitution of benzodiazepine, this medication enabled us in three severe clinical cases to shorter notably the time of school rehabilitation. Well tolerated on the clinical level, with a greater efficiency on the somatic signs related to anxiety than benzodiazepines and with not having their side effects, this therapeutic can constitute a significant support in the psychological treatment of these children. However, these present results require to be confirm by other observations, which will be lead perhaps to a controlled study.
Fourneret
P
P
Institut des Sciences Cognitives, UMR 5015, CNRS, 67, boulevard Pinel, 69675 Bron. p.fourneret@isc.cnrs.fr
Desombre
H
H
de Villard
R
R
Revol
O
O
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011433:Propranolol / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D011433:Propranolol