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Sammanfattning

Introduction: The aim of this study was to give an updated analysis of the diagnoses used in child psychiatry and an assessment of the purposes of medication. Furthermore, we wanted to describe the change in the prescription of medication over a 15-year-period. Material and methods: We evaluated records on all patients (0-14 years), who had been examined and diagnosed at the Psychiatric Hospital for Children and Adolescents in Risskov in 1998. Results: A total of 320 children were evaluated on the basis of their records. Out of the 320 children, 89 received medical treatment distributed on 117 prescriptions. The prescriptions were distributed as follows: psychostimulants 47%, antipsychotics 18%, anticonvulsants 15%, and antidepressants 13%. The majority of the medications lasted more than six months. Discussion: In general, the study reveals an increase in the number of both referrals and prescriptions over a 15-year-period. Despite an increase in prescriptions, less than 30% of the examined children were prescribed medication. Likewise, 50% of the prescriptions were made one to two years after the initial examination. This indicates that other kinds of treatment are chosen as well.

MeSH