Tardive dyskinesia in an adolescent.

The frequent use of neuroleptic drugs in the treatment of disturbed children and adolescents demands that clinicians be aware of the danger of tardive dyskinesia in this age group. A case history of a 15-year-old boy who developed incapacitating tardive dyskinesia that resolved during treatment with deanol is presented. The recognition, differential diagnosis, and management of this syndrome in children are discussed. Lithium carbonate was a useful alternative to neuroleptics in managing the adolescent's disturbed behavior.