The pharmacological management of childhood anxiety disorders: a review.
BACKGROUND
Pediatric anxiety is a prevalent psychiatric disorder that may have important implications for school, social, and academic function. Psychopharmacological approaches to the treatment of pediatric anxiety have expanded over the past 20 years and increasing empirical evidence helps guide current clinical practice.


OBJECTIVE
To review studies which examine the pharmacological treatment of pediatric anxiety disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder and to summarize treatment implications.


METHODS
All relevant studies were searched using MEDLINE and PsycINFO search engines, supplemented by a manual bibliographical search; studies published between 1985 and 2006 that met inclusion criteria were examined.


RESULTS
This article provides a systematic review of the psychopharmacological treatment of pediatric anxiety disorders based on available empirical evidence, with a focus on randomized controlled trials. General treatment principles and pharmacological management of specific pediatric anxiety disorders are also reviewed.


CONCLUSIONS
There is good evidence to support the efficacy of several pharmacological agents including the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors to treat pediatric anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, although there are still many unanswered questions.
Reinblatt
Shauna P
SP
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe St., CMSC 312, Baltimore, MD, USA. sreinbl1@jhmi.edu
Riddle
Mark A
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004351:Drug Resistance; D006801:Humans; D009155:Mutism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D002666:Psychology, Child; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors