Implementing a randomized clinical trial on a pediatric psychiatric inpatient unit at a children's hospital: the case of clonidine for post-traumatic stress.

Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of psychotropic medications are uncommon among child and adolescent populations, and even rarer on pediatric, psychiatric inpatient units. We mention some of these studies, and then discuss the advantages and challenges of conducting a RCT among youngsters on an inpatient psychiatric unit in a pediatric hospital, using as an example our ongoing study of clonidine for intrusive symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Our purpose is to alert potential investigators to the obstacles they may encounter while implementing a RCT, while also pointing the way to potential resources.