Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Pediatric Psychopharmacology: Perspectives from Low Resource Countries

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

  • 1251 Accesses

Abstract

Systematic research and evidence to guide prescribing practices for children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders, have seen tremendous growth in the last two decades. Despite the lack of trained personnel and capabilities for multidisciplinary care in low resource countries, use of psychopharmacological treatments in children has seen wide dissemination. Mostly guided by data from the West, there are a few contributions in the field of pediatric psychopharmacology from India. For a rational prescriber, the most sought-after knowledge would be regarding proper diagnosis, selection of the right medicine, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, proper dosage, dose titration schedule, side effects, and drug interactions of the relevant drugs. Better characterization of childhood psychiatric disorders; advances in developmental neurobiology; cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuronal functions; and advent of newer and more specifically targeted psychotropic drugs have contributed to the advancements in pediatric psychopharmacology.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Agarwal, V., & Sitholey, P. (2006). A preliminary open trial of olanzapine in pediatric acute and transient psychotic disorders. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 48, 43–46.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Banaschewski, T., et al. (2006). Long-acting medications for the hyperkinetic disorders: A systematic review and European treatment guideline. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 15, 476–495.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Banerjee, M., Ram, D., & Das, A. (2007). An open label comparison of aripiprazole versus haloperidol for the treatment of childhood and adolescent psychotic disorders. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 49(Suppl), 3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bassa, O. M. (1961). Some early observations on the use of Trufluoperazine (Eskazine) in children. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 3, 243–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker, A. E., & Kleinman, A. (2014). In J. P. Raynaud, S. H. F. Gau, & M. Hodes (Eds.). Mental health and global agenda, from research to practice in child and adolescent mental health (pp. 3–14). New York: Rowman & Littlefield.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benedetti, S. M., & Baltes, E. L. (2003). Drug metabolism and disposition in children. Fundamental and Clinical Pharmacology, 17, 281–299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bostic, J. Q., & Rho, Y. (2006). Target symptom psychopharmacology: Between the forest and trees. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic of North America, 15, 289–302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brent, D., Emslie, G., Clarke, G., Wagner, K. D., Asarnow, J. R., Keller, M., et al. (2008). Switching to another SSRI or to venlafaxine with or without cognitive behavioral therapy for adolescents with SSRI-resistant depression. JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, 299(8), 901–913.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chatterjee, A. K., & Khandpur, S. S. (1965). Tofranil in enuresis of children. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 7, 243–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chrzanowski, D. T., Guthrie, E. B., Perkins, M. B., & Rynn, M. A. (2014). In J. L. Cutler (Ed.), Child and adolescent psychiatry (3rd ed., p. 489). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chugan, D. C., Muzik, O., Juhasz, C., et al. (2001). Postnatal maturation of human GABAA receptors measured with positron emission tomography. Annals of Neurology, 49, 618–626.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cobert, J. (2013a). Laboratory and diagnostic testing, assessment and diagnosis, tarascon pediatric psychiatrica. Burlington MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. 47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cobert, J. (2013b). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, psychiatric disorder, tarascon pediatric psychiatrica (pp. 83–98). Burlington MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cobert, J. (2013c). Childhood schizophrenia, psychiatric disorders, tarascon pediatric psychiatrica (pp. 130–152). Burlington MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cobert, J. (2013d). Tic disorders, disorder affecting somatic functions, tarascon pediatric psychiatrica (pp. 225–226). Burlington MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cobert, J. (2013e). Disorder of elimination: Enuresis and encopresis, disorder affecting somatic functions, tarascon pediatric psychiatrica (pp. 226–229). Burlington MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coghill, D., & Sinita, E. (2014). In S. Huline-Dickens (Ed.), Pharmacology for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, tourette syndrome and autism spectrum disorder, clinical topics in child and adolescent psychiatry (p. 74). Glasgow, UK: Bell & Brain Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Correll, C. U., Gerhard, T., & Olfson, M. (2013). Prescribing of psychotropic medications to children and adolescents: Quo vadis? World psychiatry, 12(2), 127–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Correll, C. U., Manu, P., Olshanskiy, V., et al. (2009). Cardiometabolic risk of second-generation antipsychotic medications during first-time use in children and adolescents. Journal of the American Medical Association, 302, 1765–1773.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • DeMaso, D. R., & Walter, H. J. (2011). In Kliegman et al. (Eds.), Psychopharmacology, Nelson textbook of pediatrics (19th ed, pp. 60–65). Philadelphia: Saunders, Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Desousa, A. (2010). An open-label trial of risperidone and fluoxetine in children with autistic disorder. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 32(1), 17–21.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Franklin, M. E., Sapyta, J., Freeman, J. B., Khanna, M., Compton, S., Almirall, D., et al. (2011). Cognitive behavior therapy augmentation of pharmacotherapy in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: The pediatric OCD treatment study II (POTS II) randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 306(11), 1224–1232.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Garg, J., Arun, P., & Chavan, B. S. (2014). Comparative short term efficacy and tolerability of methylphenidate and atomoxetine in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Indian Pediatrics, 51(7), 550–554.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Geller, D. A., Biederman, J., Stewart, S. E., Mullin, B., Martin, A., Spencer, T., & Faraone, S. V. (2003). Which SSRI? A meta-analysis of pharmacotherapy trials in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 160(11), 1919–1928.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenhill, L. L., Abikoff, H., Chuang, S., et al. (2006). Efficacy and safety of immediate-release methylphenidate treatment for preschoolers with ADHD. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 45, 1284–1293.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Haddad, P. M., & Wieck, A. (2016). Prescribing in clinical practice. In I. M. Anderson & R. H. M. Williams (Eds.), Fundamentals of clinical psychopharmacology (pp. 215–217). CRC Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammad, T. A., Laughren, T., & Racoosin, J. (2006). Suicidality in pediatric patients treated with antidepressant drugs. Archives of General Psychiatry, 63, 332–339.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hazell, P., O’Connell, D., Heathcote, D. et al. (1995). Efficacy of tricyclic drugs in treating child and adolescent depression: a meta-analysis. British Medical Journal, 310, 897–901.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hazell, P., & Mirzaie, M. (2013). Tricyclic drugs for depression in children and adolescents. The cochrane database of systematic reviews, 18, CD002317.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huline-Dickens, S. (Ed.). (2014). Clinical topics in child and adolescent psychiatry (p. XXI). Glasgow, UK: Bell & Brain Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jan, J. E., Freeman, R. D., & Fast, D. K. (1999). Melatonin treatment of sleep–wake cycle disorders in children and adolescents. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 41(7), 491–500.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, M. R., Hatzis, N. M., Dulcan, M. K., Crawford, G. C., & Cozza, S. J. (2015). In R. E. Hales, S. C. Yudofsky, L. W. Roberts (Eds.), Treatment of children and adolescent, text book of psychiatry (6th ed., p. 1192). Washington, D.C., London: American Psychiatric Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joshi, S. V. (2006). Team work: The therapeutic alliance in pediatric pharmacotherapy. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic of North America, 15, 239–262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karanges, E., & McGregor, I. (2011). Antidepressants and adolescent brain development. Future Neurology, 6, 783–808.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, R. C., Avenevoli, S., Costello, J., Green, J. G., Gruber, M. J., McLaughlin, K. A., et al. (2012). Severity of 12-month DSM-IV disorders in the national comorbidity survey replication adolescent supplement. Archives of General Psychiatry, 69(4), 381–389.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, R. C., Berglund, P., Demler, O., Jin, R., Merikangas, K. R., & Walters, E. E. (2005). Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the national comorbidity survey replication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62(6), 593–602.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • King, B. H., & Bostic, J. Q. (2006). An update on pharmacologic treatments for autism spectrum disorders. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic of North America, 161–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Konar, D. (2005). In S. Malhotra (Ed.), Mental disorders in children and adolescents needs and strategies for intervention (pp. 132–137). Delhi: CSB Publishers & Distributors.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kowatch, R. A., & DelBello, M. P. (2006). Pediatric bipolar disorder: Emerging diagnostic and treatment approaches. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic of North America, 15, 73–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leibenluft, E., & Dickstein, D. P. (2015). Bipolar disorder in childhood (Chapter 62). In A. Thapar et al. (Ed.). Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed., pp. 866–867). Wiley Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahendru, B. K., Gupta, S. C., Agarwal, A. K., & Sethi, B. B. (1970). Imipramine as an effective tool in the management of behavioural disorders in children. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 12, 238–243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malhotra, S., & Banerjee, A. (2009a). Research in child and adolescent psychiatry in India Part I: Psychaitric disorders. In V. K. Varma, A. K. Kala, N. Gupta (Eds.), Culture, personality and mental illness: A perspective of traditional societies (pp. 298–322). Jaypee Brothers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malhotra, S., & Banerjee, A. (2009b). Research in child and adolescent psychiatry in India Part II: Assessment, intervention and services. In V. K. Varma, A. K. Kala, N. Gupta (Eds.), Culture, personality and mental illness: A perspective of traditional societies (pp. 323–341). Jaypee Brothers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malhotra, S., Chakrabarti, S., Shah, R., Mehta, A., Gupta, A., & Sharma, M. (2015). A novel screening and diagnostic tool for child and adolescent psychiatric disorders for telepsychiatry. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 37(3), 288–298.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Malhotra, S., Gupta, N., & Singh, G. (2000). Clozapine in childhood-onset schizophrenia: A report of five cases. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 5, 403–410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malhotra, S., & Kate, N. (2015a). Research endeavours in child psychiatry in India-I. In Malhotra & Chakrabarti (Eds.), Developments in psychiatry in India: Clinical, research and policy perspectives (pp 215–232). India: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malhotra, S., & Kate, N. (2015b). Research endeavours in child psychiatry in India-II. In Malhotra & Chakrabarti (Eds.), Developments in psychiatry in India: Clinical, research and policy perspectives (pp. 233–254). India: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malhotra, S., & Padhy, S. K. (2015). Challenges in providing child and adolescent psychiatric services in low resource countries. Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America, 24(4), 777–797.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Malhotra, S., & Patra, B. N. (2014). Prevalence of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders in India: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 8, 22.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Malhotra, S., & Santosh, P. J. (1996). Loading dose imipramine—New approach to pharmaco-therapy of melancholic depression. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 30, 51–58.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Malhotra, S., & Santosh, P. J. (1998). An open clinical trial of buspirone in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 37(4), 364–371.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marrus, N., Bell, M., & Luby, J. L. (2014). Psychotropic medications and their effect on brain volumes in childhood psychopathology. Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology News, 19(2), 1–8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Nagaraj, R., Singhi, P., & Malhi, P. (2006). Risperidone in children with autism: Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Journal of Child Neurology, 21, 450–455.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Preston, J. D., O’Neal, J. H., & Talaga, M. C. (2015a). Issue in psychopharmacological treatment of children and adolescents. Child and adolescent clinical psychopharmacology made simple (3rd ed., p. 9). New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Preston, J. D., O’Neal, J. H., & Talaga, M. C. (2015b). Anxiety disorder. Child and adolescent clinical psychopharmacology made simple (3rd ed., pp. 59–60). New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Preston, J. D., O’Neal, J. H., & Talaga, M. C. (2015c). Miscellaneous disorders. Child and adolescent clinical psychopharmacology made simple (3rd ed., pp. 101–114). New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prince, J. B. (2006). Pharmacotherapy of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: Update on new stimulant preparations, atomoxetine and novel treatments. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic of North America, 15, 13–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rapoport, J. L. (2013). Pediatric psychopharmacology: Too much or too little? World Psychiatry, 12(2), 118–123.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Reddy, Y. C. J., Rao, N. P., & Khanna, S. (2010). An overview of Indian research in obsessive compulsive disorder. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 52(Suppl 1), S200–S209.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Rey, J. M., & Martin, A. (2006). SSRIs and suicidality in juveniles: Review of the evidence and implications for clinical practice. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic of North America, 15, 221–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rho, J. M., & Storey, T. W. (2001). Molecular ontogeny of major neurotransmitter receptor systems in the mammalian central nervous system: Norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine, and glycine. Journal of Child Neurology, 16, 271–279.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sadock, J. B., Sadock, V. A., & Ruiz, P. (2015a). Pharmacotherapy, child psychiatry, synopsis of psychiatry (Behavioral science and clinical psychiatry) (11th ed., p. 1300). USA: Wolters Kluwer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sadock, J. B., Sadock, V. A., & Ruiz, P. (2015b). Adolescent substance abuse, child psychiatry, synopsis of psychiatry (Behavioral science and clinical psychiatry) (11th ed., p. 1278). USA: Wolters Kluwer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Santosh, P. J. (2005). Pharmacotherapy of psychiatric disorder in childhood and adolescence. In S. Malhotra (Ed.), Mental disorders in children and adolescents need and strategies for intervention (pp. 138–167). Delhi: CSB Publishers & Distributors.

    Google Scholar 

  • Santosh, P. J. (2009). Medication for children and adolescents: Current issues. In M. G. Gelder, N. C. Andreasen, J. J. Lopez-Ibor Jr, & J. R. Geddes (Eds.), New oxford textbook of psychiatry (2nd ed., Vol. 2, pp. 1793–1799). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shrivastava, S. R., Shrivastava, P. S., & Ramasamy, J. (2013). Childhood and adolescence: Challenges in mental health. Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 22(2), 84–85.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sinita, E., & Coghill, D. (2014). Pharmacology for anxiety and obsessive—compulsive disorders, affective disorders and schizophrenia. In S. Huline-Dickens (Ed.), Clinical topics in child and adolescent psychiatry (pp. 94–95). Glasgow, UK: Bell & Brain Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stahl, S. M. (2014). Essential psychopharmacology, prescriber’s guide (5th ed., pp. 466–469). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stigler, K. A. (2014). Psychopharmacologic management of serious behavioral disturbance in ASD. Child and Adolescent Clinic of North America, 73–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stone, M., Laughren, T., & Jones, M. L. (2009). Risk of suicidality in clinical trials of antidepressants in adults: Analysis of proprietary data submitted to US food and drug administration. British Medical Journal, 339, b2880.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Stroeh, O., & Trivedi, H. K. (2012). Appropriate and judicious use of psychotropic medications in youth. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 21(4), 703–711.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, E. (2015). Pharmacological, medically–led and related treatments (Chapter 43). In A. Thapar et al. (Ed.), Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed., p. 564). Wiley Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, L. E., & Woods, S. W. (2006). The schizophrenia prodrome: A developmentally informed review and update for psychopharmacologic treatment. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic of North America, 15, 109–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vallance, A. K., & Fernandez, V. (2014). Anxiety disorder. In S. Huline-Dickens (Ed.), Clinical topics in child and adolescent psychiatry (p. 178). Glasgow, UK: Bell & Brain Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vitiello, B. (2006). An update on publicly funded multisite trials in pediatric psychopharmacology. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic of North America, 15, 1–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitiello, B. (2014). Principles in using psychotropic medication in children and adolescents (Chapter A.7). In M. Rey Joseph (Ed.), IACAPAP text book of child and adolescents mental health (pp. 7–8). Geneva: International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions, IACAPAP.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zito, J. M., Safer, D. J, de Jong-van den Berg, L. T., et al. (2008). A three-country comparison of psychotropic medication prevalence in youth. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2, 26.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mental Health Care Centre, Burdwan, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

    Devashish Konar

  2. Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

    Srinivas Balachander

Authors
  1. Devashish Konar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Srinivas Balachander
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Srinivas Balachander .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, Chandigarh, India

    Savita Malhotra

  2. Child and Adolescent Mental Health Serv., Centre for Interventional Paediatric(CIPPRD) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Serv., London, United Kingdom

    Paramala Santosh

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer India

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Konar, D., Balachander, S. (2016). Pediatric Psychopharmacology: Perspectives from Low Resource Countries. In: Malhotra, S., Santosh, P. (eds) Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-3619-1_17

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation