Electroconvulsive Therapy in Child and Adolescents Population [Part 4] ECT in Children

Electroconvulsive Therapy in Child and Adolescents Population [ECT in Children] Part 4
ECT use in children and adolescents is considered a highly efficient option for treating several psychiatric disorders, achieving high remission rates, and presenting few and relatively benign adverse effects. Risks can be mitigated by the correct use of the technique and are considered minimal when compared to the efficiency of ECT in treating psychopathologies.
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a form of psychiatric treatment that involves inducing seizures with the use of electrical stimulation while an individual is under general anesthesia. ECT is primarily indicated in people who require a rapid treatment response due to the severity of their condition such as violent patients or risk for suicide or catatonia.
Even after the development of psychopharmacology in the 1950s, ECT maintains its relevance for psychiatry. Nowadays, ECT is still considered a highly efficient option for treatment of several psychiatric disorders, achieving high rates of remission, with few and relatively benign adverse effects.
ECT requires multiple treatments. The treatments are divided into two series of treatments, acute and maintenance. During the acute series, ECT treatments are given three times a week for a total of 6 to 12 treatments for the majority of patients. Prior to each treatment, the patient is evaluated for improvement.
Before beginning a series of ECT treatments, a patient should receive a thorough psychiatric assessment, a medical examination and sometimes a basic blood test and an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check heart health. While the patient is under full general anesthesia, a muscle relaxant is given and electrodes are applied to the scalp. A brief electrical stimulus is delivered. The effective stimuli produce a mild seizure which changes the activity of the brain. The brain stimulation is accompanied by mild muscle contractions usually lasting less than one minute.
The electrical stimulus can be delivered in one of three ways; right unilateral, bi-frontal or bi-lateral. Most patients begin treatments with a right unilateral stimulus. If, after several treatments, the patient is not improving, the stimulus can be changed. The benefit of changing to bi-frontal or bi-lateral is a faster improvement in mood. The risk is an increased chance of memory loss. The decision to change the electrical stimulus is made by the patient and the psychiatrist.
ECT is the treatment of choice depending on diagnosis, severity of symptoms, and lack of response to psychopharmacotherapy. The majority of the studies in the scientific literature show the efficiency of ECT use in adolescents and consider this approach more efficient than psychopharmacotherapy isolated.

[@omarriffi6646]

Such an amazing work
Thank you Professor, we are facing a dilemma with ECT in a 13 years old girl, I hope this procedure will be appoved for her.

[@kuchhuschannel9261]

Sir do we follow two psychiatrist opinion before considering ECT in children in India too?

[@SureshBadaMath]

Only one psychiatrist opinion required for ECT in children
But
Permission from Mental Health Review Board and consent from parents is mandatory

[@kuchhuschannel9261]

@@SureshBadaMath thank you sir

[@TheWarsuron]

no they are pseudo science pushers , read the book the science of lies. they lie and cover up for crimes agaisnt humanity .