Pharmacotherapy for obsessive-compulsive and related disorders among children and adolescents.

Abstract

obsessive-compulsive disorder (ocD) is a common neuropsychiatric illness; its onset is often in childhood (Busatto et al., 2001). This disorder has been listed among the 10 most disabling illnesses by the World health organization (murray & lopez, 1997) and as the most frequently serious anxiety disorder (Kessler, chiu, Demler, merikangas, & Walters, 2005). Yet many children and adolescents with ocD wait years before an appropriate diagnosis is made. lifetime prevalence rates in youth range between 1% and 3%, and the gross majority of those identified from community studies report being previously undiagnosed and untreated. obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders (ocSDs) in the differential diagnosis of ocD include tic disorders, trichotillomania (TTm), hypochondriasis, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), and body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFrB). The failure of prompt identification for these disorders may be attributable to insufficient specialized ocD-related training among clinicians. This is unfortunate because a more chronic and debilitating course is characteristic of cases that are left untreated PharmacoTheraPY For oBSeSSIve-comPulSIve anD relaTeD DISorDerS among chIlDren anD aDoleScenTS S. evelYn STeWarT anD anDrea c. STachon