title: Review of electroconvulsive therapy practice from a tertiary Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Centre.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in children and adolescents is a controversial issue. This study was done to examine the pattern and practice as well as the outcome of electroconvulsive therapy administered to children and adolescents admitted to a tertiary care centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 10 year retrospective chart review of all children and adolescents (up to 16 years of age) admitted in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Centre, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) who had received at least 1 session of ECT was done. Information regarding diagnosis, reasons for prescribing electroconvulsive therapy, details regarding the procedure and outcome variables was collected from the records. Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) scale rating of the severity of illness and improvement seen were done by 2 trained psychiatrists independently.
  
  
  RESULTS
  22 children and adolescents received electroconvulsive therapy over 10 years. There were an equal number of boys and girls. All received modified ECT. Most patients who received electroconvulsive therapy were severely ill. Catatonic symptoms 54.5% (12) were the most common reason for prescribing electroconvulsive therapy. It was efficacious in 77.3% (17) of the patients. Electroconvulsive therapy was relatively safe, and most experienced no acute side effects. 68.2% (15) who were on follow up and did not experience any long term side effects due to the electroconvulsive therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electroconvulsive therapy has a place in the acute management of severe childhood psychiatric disorders. Further long term prospective studies are required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), India. Electronic address: preetijacob@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Preeti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Alluri Sitaramaraju Academy of Medical Sciences, India.
authors.forename: Prabhu Kiran Vishwanath
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Gogi
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), India.
authors.forename: Shoba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Srinath
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), India.
authors.forename: Jagadisha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thirthalli
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), India.
authors.forename: Satish
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Girimaji
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), India.
authors.forename: Shekhar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seshadri
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), India.
authors.forename: John Vijay
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Sagar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000296:Adolescent Psychiatry; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002389:Catatonia / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002665:Child Psychiatry; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents
keywords: Adolescents; Children; Electroconvulsive therapy