[Pharmacological treatment of children and adolescents with OCD]

This review describes the pharmacological treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in children and adolescents. Several randomised, placebo-controlled trials have shown the efficacy of SSRI drugs in the treatment of this often disabling condition. Treatment with SSRI drugs for OCD in children and adolescents can be considered safe, according to published experiences. Side effects are similar to those described in adults and about 10% of children and adolescents treated have had to stop the treatment, owing to side effects. The use of medical treatment achieves a reduction in rather than a total remission of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Therefore, medical treatment should always be combined with other strategies, of which the cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is best documented. The need for further research is stressed, especially studies combining different treatment strategies, and the efficacy of treatment in the long term.