Paediatric psychopharmacology – special considerations

Psychotropic prescriptions in children and adolescents are on the increase, including in pre-school age. This article focuses on aspects of psychopharmacology that have a special relevance in children and adolescents. The minimum effective dose (MED) strategy is a useful one to follow in children and adolescents, especially in those with developmental disability. A holistic biopsychosocial formulation and management is essential and the use of psychotropics alone is best avoided in most situations. Despite paediatric pharmacovigilance and long-term studies on efficacy and side-effects being sparse, it is safe to assume that paediatric populations are at least as, or more, vulnerable to adverse effects as adults.