Clozapine-induced akathisia in children with schizophrenia

Akathisia is a relatively rare side effect with the newer atypical antipsychotic agents, particularly clozapine, and is easily misdiagnosed in children. As children are often unable to describe their symptoms verbally, their akathisia can be misdiagnosed as worsening of their psychosis, prompting an unnecessary increase in their neuroleptic dose. Two cases of childhood-onset schizophrenia associated with clozapine-induced akathisia responsive to beta-blocker treatment are described. Akathisia should be considered in all cases of apparent nonresponse to atypical antipsychotics.