Therapeutics Review: Psychotropic Drugs in Children

Abstract

Drug therapy in emotional disorders of children must be based on the experience of the therapist as well as the response desired in each individual patient. Psychopharmacotherapy is well within the range of the pediatrician&mdash;not limited exclusively to the child psychiatrist This up-to-date survey of the psychotropic drugs includes a summary of those most useful, with suggested dosages and possible toxic effects.A HE pediatrician, usually the first physician to see the emotionally disturbed child, must be able to between normal behavior for the the occasional rebelliousness of childhood, and subtle behavioral ~.~aerrations indicative of psychiatric disease. The pediatrician is the one who has to initiate psychologic management of both parents and child in the face of medical or surgical crises. He must be prepared to make the distinction between repetitive, self-limited behavioral. storms and those which make psychiatric referral imperative. Neither. psychiatrists nor pediatriciam can on how far the. nonpsychiatrist should' attempt, to go. when cc~nfronted with <psychiatric illness. The pediatriclan's responsibility ~~ his patients, however, makes i~ ~~~~~~~~~ that&dquo; ~e have. some. basic knowledge ~~ p~~~i~,~ric ~c~u~.~~~~~ ~~õ f psychotropic drugs. Pharmacotherapy is never a substitute for guidance or psychother-