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Panic Disorder

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Pediatric Anxiety Disorders

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Psychiatry ((CCPSY))

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Abstract

Panic disorder with or without agoraphobia is characterized by recurrent panic attacks, some of which occur without apparent warning or trigger, and ongoing worry about future attacks. While panic disorder is very rare in school-age children, incidence rates increase dramatically among adolescents. When panic disorder includes related symptoms, such as agoraphobia, diagnostic decision-making can be complicated; however, a differential diagnosis may be determined by considering the nature of the feared consequence. In the chapter that follows, the current literature regarding the course and etiology of child and adolescent panic disorder will be reviewed, with a focus on genetic studies, anxiety sensitivity, carbon dioxide sensitivity, and the link between panic disorder and childhood separation anxiety disorder (SAD). Assessment and treatment of panic disorder in youth will be discussed with a review of the empirical evidence for the use of traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy, an intensive treatment protocol, and pharmacological treatments. Research on panic disorder in children and adolescents is still in its infancy; suggestions for future research include additional prospective studies of the purported link between early SAD and panic and investigation into other risk factors for the development of panic disorder. As described in the chapter, there is also a relative lack of research on the treatment of pediatric panic disorder; additional studies are necessary to establish a gold standard of treatment in this age group and to elucidate factors which may influence treatment response.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. NYU Langone Medical Center, One Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10016, USA

    Aleta G. Angelosante

  2. Kean University, North Avenue, Hillside, NJ, 07205, USA

    Magdalena A. Ostrowski

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  1. Aleta G. Angelosante
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  2. Magdalena A. Ostrowski
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Correspondence to Aleta G. Angelosante .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Education and Training, Kennedy Krieger Institute, 3901 Greenspring Avenue, Baltimore, 21211, Maryland, USA

    Roma A. Vasa

  2. Fordham University, East Fordham Road 441, Bronx, 10458, New York, USA

    Amy Krain Roy

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Angelosante, A.G., Ostrowski, M.A. (2013). Panic Disorder. In: Vasa, R., Roy, A. (eds) Pediatric Anxiety Disorders. Current Clinical Psychiatry. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6599-7_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6599-7_8

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