title: Use of antipsychotics in children and adolescents.
abstract: The comparable efficacy and improved safety of the atypical antipsychotics compared with the traditional antipsychotic agents in the treatment of schizophrenia and other disorders in adults have prompted the use of these agents in children and adolescents. The atypical antipsychotics are increasingly being used in children and adolescents with a variety of different psychiatric diagnoses, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism/pervasive developmental disorders, conduct disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, tic disorders, delirium, and eating disorders. Unfortunately, clinical use of these agents in pediatric patients has far exceeded the limited evidence from randomized controlled trials. This article reviews the available evidence from the published literature on the use of the atypical antipsychotics in children and adolescents with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and maladaptive aggression associated with autism/pervasive developmental disorders and conduct disorder/disruptive behavior disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-5080, USA. robert.findling@uhhs.com
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Findling
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: Elizabeth B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Weller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001480:Basal Ganglia Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D006966:Hyperprolactinemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents