62nd Annual Meeting

October 26 - 31, 2015

Clinical Case Conference 2 (open)

Differentiating Antipsychotic Withdrawal Syndrome From Underlying Psychopathology in Children

Antipsychotic withdrawal syndrome (AWS) is a medication-induced reaction, typically occurring when an antipsychotic medication is discontinued after the patient has been on the medication for an extended period of time. In children, this can present as increased hyperactivity, irritability, and worsening of temper tantrums, and may be overlooked when medication changes are made. These behaviors can be mistaken for underlying psychopathology, resulting in possible overtreatment with medication. Topics covered include the mechanism of withdrawal syndrome in children, precipitants and symptoms of withdrawal syndrome in child, and approaches to limit withdrawal syndrome.