Electroconvulsive therapy in childhood and adolescence

Abstract

The authors evaluate the efficacy, indications and benefits of the treatment of adolescents with ECT, reviewing the medical records of patients treated at Stony Brook University Hospital between 1983 and 1993. Of the 13 patients aged between 16 and 1993 At 18 years of age and treated with ECT, following the adult protocol, 10 showed a satisfactory response and 3 unsatisfactory. The patients who most benefited from the treatment were those diagnosed with affective disorder, unspecified psychotic disorder, and catatonia; they also noted some improvement in individuals with schizophrenia. Three years later, they were able to contact eight patients (62%) by telephone, five of whom remained asymptomatic and three had a relapse within twelve months after ECT treatment, despite maintenance drug therapy. In summary, despite the limited number of records and partial follow-up, ECT appears to be an effective and useful procedure in the treatment of adolescents with severe psychiatric disorders.