Today, we will be discussing the challenges of managing antipsychotic medications in children and

adolescents. We will explore various strategies that aim to balance symptom relief with potential

side effects while also guiding towards personalized and safer treatment options.

Join us in discovering the art of precision

in pediatric mental health care.

Welcome to the Carlatte Psychiatry podcast.

This is another special episode from the Child Psychiatry team. I'm Dr. Josh Fader, the editor-in-chief of the Carlatte Child Psychiatry Report, and co-author

of the Child Medication Fact Book for Psychiatric Practice, Second Edition,

2023, and also the book Prescribing Psychotropics.

And I'm Mara Gofferman, a licensed clinical social worker in Southern California

with a private practice and an avid reader of the Carlet Psychiatry Reports. Today, we are looking

at tapering antipsychotics as influenced by Dr. Sharmy Patel Rayo's article in our Carlet Child Psychiatry Report,

October, November, December issue. So, diving in, let's set the stage for today's talk.

Dr. Fader, could you give us some context about how antipsychotic meds are being used

with kids and teens these days.

Certainly, here's the scoop.

Around 1% of kids between 7 and 12 and about 1.5% of teens aged 13 to 18 in the U.S.

are on antipsychotic medications.

Some get these medications for FDA-approved

situations like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or dealing with irritability linked to autism.

But here's the kicker. Roughly 65% of the time, these medications are used off-label, meaning they're given for reasons like

tackling aggression, agitation, or behaviors in ADHD, things that are not officially green-lit.

...