title: Atypical antipsychotics in the treatment of children and adolescents: clinical applications.
abstract: Atypical antipsychotics offer superior safety and similar efficacy compared with conventional agents in adults with psychotic disorders. Consequently, atypical antipsychotics have been increasingly used in children and adolescents. Because most information now available on pediatric use comes from case reports and small open-label studies rather than large controlled trials, treatment in pediatric patients is often guided by experience with adults or based on limited evidence in youths. Although the literature contains reports on the use of each agent in this class in children, risperidone has been the focus of the greatest number of reports. However, the atypical antipsychotics are not interchangeable; each has a unique pharmacologic profile and may differ considerably in terms of adverse effects. Evidence on the use of atypical antipsychotics in children and adolescents is summarized in this review.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-5080, USA. robert.findling@uhhs.com
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Findling
authors.forename: Nora K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: McNamara
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000188:drug therapy; D003024:Clozapine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D018967:Risperidone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013981:Tic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines; D010879:Piperazines; D013844:Thiazoles; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; C092292:ziprasidone; D003024:Clozapine; D018967:Risperidone; D000077152:Olanzapine