Pediatricians' opinions about the problems between the departments of pediatrics and child psychiatry and possible solutions.

The necessity of collaboration between the Departments of Pediatrics and Child Psychiatry is an accepted idea. However, relevant literature reveals that collaboration between the two departments is not satisfactory. Rearrangement of relations between the two departments in Hacettepe University Ihsan Dogramaci Children's Hospital has been designated a goal. An education program will be planned accordingly. A questionnaire was designed to determine 65 pediatricians' knowledge, thoughts, expectations and needs about collaboration between the two departments; all were working in Hacettepe University Children's Hospital, in inpatient services, outpatient clinics or emergency services. An education program for consultation-liaison activities has been constituted to achieve the desired results. Efficacy of the program was discussed considering the features and tendencies of the two departments.

An open trial and discontinuation study of fluoxetine in children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy and safety of fluoxetine for short-term and long-term treatment in children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Twenty-three children and adolescents (mean age 12.0, SD = 2.3) treated with fluoxetine for OCD with or without Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome were the subjects of this study. The design was an open-label trial for 20 weeks of fixed-dose fluoxetine (20 mg/day). OCD symptom severity was measured with the Maudsley OCD scale and with Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI). All of the patients were followed-up after discontinuation of the drug for 24 months. Patients with OCD showed a significant decrease in the severity of their OCD symptoms according to Maudsley OCD scores (p < 0.001) and CGI scores (p < 0.001). Fluoxetine was generally well tolerated, and side effects were relatively mild. Ten patients (43.5%) with OCD who responded to fluoxetine relapsed in the follow-up period, but responded well to fluoxetine. These results indicate that fluoxetine is effective and safe for short-term and long-term treatment of OCD in children and adolescents.

Neurological soft signs and EEG findings in children and adolescents with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome.

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is a childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorder, characterized by multiple motor and vocal tics. The presence of EEG abnormalities and neurological soft signs are reported in patients with GTS. In this study, conducted on 40 children and adolescents, non-specific EEG abnormalities and neurological soft signs were detected in 12 and 57.5 percent of cases, respectively. These findings are analyzed in comparison with other neuropsychological test results. A statistically significant association between EEG abnormalities, neurological soft signs and low-performance IQ results was detected.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a practical scale for pediatricians.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common disturbance causing school failure and social problems. Early diagnosis and intervention allow ADHD children to adjust and succeed at school and in daily life. To identify these patients, we designed a practical questionnaire for parents. When tested on children with ADHD (n = 100), children with psychiatric problems (n = 35), and on age- and sex-mached control children (n = 100), this scale was found to be highly useful in distinguishing these three groups from each other, especially after the identification and elimination of items with lower specificity. The use of the Hacettepe ADHD scale is recommended for pediatricians, general practitioners and teachers to allow earlier diagnosis of this condition.