Autistic disorder or autism is a serious childhood-onset disorder that affects all areas of development, particularly in the areas of language, communication and reciprocal social interaction. Patients with autistic disorder typically demonstrate repetitiveness and a restricted repertoire of behaviour. Additionally, they also have a number of disruptive symptoms that may be reduced by drug treatment, including severe tantrums, hyperactivity and lability. Antipsychotic drugs are the agents that are the most critically studied as treatments for reducing symptoms. Both first- and second-generation antipsychotics have shown safety and efficacy in short- and long-term studies in autism. The most studied antipsychotic drugs include haloperidol and risperidone, although studies of other antipsychotic drugs are underway. Safety concerns associated with treatment include the risk of drug-related dyskinesias, which is greater with the first-generation drugs, and the risk of weight gain and associated metabolic problems (i.e. increases in glucose and lipids), which is greater with second-generation agents. Prescription of antipsychotic drugs requires careful monitoring because of these safety risks and the likelihood of long-term use. Drug administration should be initiated at low dosages and subsequent dosage changes should be based on tolerability and clinical response.
SARS-CoV-2 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) and was met with lockdown policies to curb the spread of the disease. This meant that 890 million students in 114 countries would be affected by the closure of their educational institutes, affecting their mental health. Mental health disorders are suggested to have a well-correlated link to suicide which is the third most leading cause of death worldwide amongst children aged 15-19 years. According to WHO, 'health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease'. Hence the isolation brought about by SARS-CoV-2 is postulated to cause anxiety, fear, and depression amongst the pediatric population, due to the loss of socialization and separation from friends. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we highlight the major mental health issues in children aged 2-18 years, along with their causes, effects, and potential solutions to tackle these problems.
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