Psychotropic prescription practices in child psychiatric inpatients 9 years old and younger.

Objective: We set out to examine psychotropic prescribing patterns among inner city children on public assistance admitted to a university-based inpatient service.

Methods: A chart review of children 9 years old and younger admitted between 1998 and 2001 recorded demographic variables, diagnoses, and admission and discharge medications.

Results: The sample (N = 301) was 78% male, 66% African American, and averaged 7.