Pediatric psychopharmacology for the major psychiatric disorders found in the residential treatment setting.

Intensive measures of rehabilitation are effective for treating the chronic course of the major pediatric psychiatric diagnoses. The treatment of these dis-orders in a residential treatment setting involves a coordinated team approach with components individually tailored to meet patient needs. Whereas milieu,group, and individual psychotherapy are important aspects of treatment, along with educational programming and behavior management, psychopharmacology currently plays an integral role in the treatment of children and adolescents with chronic mental illness in the residential treatment setting. Pharmacologic interventions in chronic psychiatric illnesses have decreased suffering and improved the quality of life for countless children and adolescents. In many cases, we still do not know what kind of pharmacologic treatment is best for each individual patient. Despite the progress of the past decade, further clinical research is needed with well-designed clinical trials for chronic psychiatric illnesses in children and adolescents.