Panic disorder in children and adolescents: new developments, new directions

Reviewed panic attacks and panic disorders in children and adolescents critically and highlighted new developments. It is concluded that panic attacks and panic disorder are common in adolescence and that they are responsive to cognitive-behavioral treatment regimens. It is also concluded that although panic attacks and panic disorder are less common in children, they are nonetheless present. It is important to note, however, that their expression in childhood may vary from the clinical features seen in adolescence and adulthood. Specifically, it is suggested that most panic attacks in childhood are associated with particular events and are not unexpected or "out of the blue." Moreover, noncatastrophic interpretations of the symptoms of panic prevail. A developmental model for the onset, course, and correlates of panic in children is put forth.