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When do you start pharmacotherapy for PTSD in children?

What clinical features or degrees of functional impairment prompt you to consider starting medication in a child with PTSD, and which agents have you found most effective?
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What medications do you consider for treatment of PTSD in children?

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2 Answers
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Psychiatry · Childrens Hospital Colorado
Answered on

The only medications to be used are to address sleep disturbance and nightmares. Poor sleep has been shown to increase PTSS. So prazosin and, on occasion, clonidine should be used. And they should be used as early as possible. SSRIs are generally not that effective and should only be considered if t...

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Mednet Member
Mednet Member
Psychiatry · Carrie Tingley Hospital Outpatient Services
Answered on

Fixed rules about prescribing for children with PTSD are sometimes useful as guidelines, but not always accurate in any given case. Every child should be examined carefully as a unique situation. That includes histories of prior trauma, particular types of trauma (i.e., intrafamilial and interperson...

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