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Objective: We aimed to investigate the prevalence and mode of risperidone use in preschool aged children admitted with a chief complaint of aggressive and destructive behavioral symptoms. Methods: In this retrospective chart review study, medical records of the patients were reviewed for age, gender, primary and comorbid diagnoses, dosage and duration of risperidone treatment. Dosage and duration of risperidone treatment were compared among primary diagnoses. Results: In 2790 children prevalence of risperidone use was 18.5% (n=516). Mean age was 4.86±1.12 years. Of these patients, %74.4 had primary diagnosis of a disruptive behavior disorder (DBD). Mean starting dosage of risperidone was 0.35 mg/day and mean maintenance dosage was 0.52 mg/day. The mean length of treatment was 4.9 months. Starting and maintenance doses were significantly higher and treatment duration was longer in patients with mental retardation (MR) than in those with DBDs. Conclusion: In preschoolers, risperidone is frequently used to control aggressive and destructive behavioral symptoms which may improve with higher doses and longer treatment in those with MR. The development of evidence-based treatment modalities for children with aggressive and destructive behaviors necessitates controlled studies and confirmation of their pertinence to clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asperger's disorder (AD) is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by social impairment, restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. It is seldom that individuals with AD are referred to a psychiatry clinic only for their social and communication deficits. Quite often, the main reason for referral is the presence of other disabling symptoms, such as physical aggression and depression. Although diagnosed mainly in children, AD is increasingly being diagnosed for the first time in adulthood. Here, we present a 24-year-old patient with recurrent depression who was diagnosed as having AD for the first time in adulthood. This case is important to show the difficulty of diagnosing AD for the first time in adulthood and to show how a proper and effective treatment may be delayed if the underlying diagnosis of AD is missed for years. We wanted to emphasize the importance of developmental history and the usefulness of liaison with child and adolescent psychiatry in similar cases when the diagnosis is not clear. (Archives of Neuropsychiatry 2013; 50: 78-81) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common significant motor impairment in childhood. Studies on the quality of life (QOL) of children with CP are limited. The aim of this study was to describe parent-reported QOL of children with CP and to investigate the factors that inşuence it. QOL was measured using the Turkish version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). Methods: The study sample consisted of children who applied to the outpatient Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department of The Sami Ulus Child Hospital between June 2008 and December 2008 and were diagnosed as having CP. Medical and developmental history of children was obtained from their parents. The physical evaluation of CP patients was made by the second author. The primary caregivers were asked to fill out the PedsQL parent proxy report, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Data were analyzed by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 11.5. Results: A total of 37 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 5.3±3.3years and of the primary caregivers (parents) was 29.5±4.9. When the factors that inşuence the PedsQL scores were analyzed, a statistically significant inverse correlation of BDI and BAI scores was found only with Physical Health Total Score, Psychosocial Health Total Score and Total Scale Score. Conclusion: The results of our study indicate that QOL of children with CP was inşuenced only by the mental status of the primary caregivers (parents); no statistically significant correlation was found between the other variables and the PedsQL scores. Furthermore, larger study samples of children with CP from different social and economic levels are needed in order to generalize the results of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]