title: Targeting symptom domains: a strategy for pharmacotherapy in childhood pervasive developmental disorders.
abstract: This article summarizes clinical guidelines and reviews psychopharmacologic studies involving children and adolescents with Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs). Strategies are drawn from basic principles of pediatric psychopharmacology, nonpharmacological approaches to the treatment of PDDs, and practical clinical experience in an attempt to provide the practitioner with an evidence-based approach to utilizing pharmacotherapy in children and adolescents with PDDs. Although early identification followed by intensive educational and behavioral interventions remains the essential treatment of PDDs, there is evidence to support the identification of target behaviors or symptom domains, for medication. Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is then used to guide pharmacotherapy with the overall goal of optimizing the benefits of multidisciplinary treatment interventions.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Namerow
authors.forename: Lynn M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Mangini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010348:Patient Care Team; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs