@article{ref1,
title="Pharmacotherapy in the community-based treatment of children with bipolar I disorder",
journal="Human psychopharmacology",
year="2008",
author="Jerrell, Jeanette M.",
volume="23",
number="1",
pages="53-59",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To examine the services and medications received, and psychosocial functioning changes over time of children and adolescents with bipolar I disorder in a public mental health system. METHOD: Medical records were reviewed for 82 patients, 6-17 years of age, diagnosed with bipolar I disorder, and newly admitted to one public mental health system between 1 July 2003 and 30 June 2004. A retrospective cohort design was employed, with an 18-month follow-up period. RESULTS: One-third of the patients dropped out treatment within a few months. The psychosocial functioning ratings of patients who remained in treatment improved over time on several dimensions (total, school/work, behavior toward others). Children and adolescents prescribed both a mood stabilizer and an atypical antipsychotic medication regimen (35%) were rated as higher functioning on self-harm behavior and mood/emotions by clinical staff, but their improvement could not be attributed directly to the pharmacotherapy in this small cohort. CONCLUSION: Community-based pharmacotherapy for children and adolescents with bipolar I disorder does not differ substantially from the extant literature, given the complexity and severity of these cases, and may lead to improvement for children and adolescents who remain in treatment.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0885-6222",
doi="10.1002/hup.900",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hup.900"
}