Clinical Practice Guideline for the Assessment and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Major and Persistent Depressive Disorders.

Objective: To enhance the quality of care and clinical outcomes for children and adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) and persistent depressive disorder (PDD). The aims are as follows: (1) to summarize empirically based guidance about the psychosocial and psychopharmacologic treatment of MDD and PDD in children and adolescents; and (2) to summarize expert-based guidance about the assessment of these disorders as an integral part of treatment, and the implementation of empirically based treatments for these disorders in clinical practice.

Method: Statements about the treatment of MDD and PDD are based upon empirical evidence derived from a critical systematic review of the scientific literature conducted by the Research Triangle Institute International-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (RTI-UNC) Evidence-based Practice Center under contract with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Editorial: Safer Use of Antipsychotics in Youth (SUAY): Should Treatment Be Guided by Symptoms?

Child and adolescent psychiatrists have company as they wrestle with clinical decision making regarding when it is appropriate to prescribe an antipsychotic. Pediatricians face a similar challenge in trying to determine under what circumstances to prescribe an antibiotic. Both classes of medications are powerful and can be lifesaving, but they are not without the risk of associated adverse events and cumulative exposure.

Clinical Practice Guideline for the Assessment and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Anxiety Disorders.

Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. As reviewed in this guideline, both cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medication have considerable empirical support as safe and effective short-term treatments for anxiety in children and adolescents. Serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) medication has some empirical support as an additional treatment option.