Comparative Effectiveness Review Number 39: First & Second Generation Antipsychotics For Children & Young Adults

Use of antipsychotics for children and adolescents has increased during the past 20 years. Prescribing antipsychotics to the pediatric population is controversial because there are few high quality and longitudinal studies on which to base clinical practice recommendations. For the majority of antipsychotic drugs, approved indications in the United States are restricted to the treatment of childhood schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved risperidone and aripiprazole for the treatment of irritability associated with autism. Off-label prescriptions are given to younger children for behavioral symptoms (e.g., aggression) that are related . . .