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K A Lynch

Publications and source records attributed to K A Lynch.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Behavioral therapy in children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder: a pilot study.

Despite advances in pharmacotherapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), medication treatments are not always effective. This pilot project examined the feasibility of a structured behavioral therapy program in the treatment of children and adolescents with OCD. Ten subjects with a primary diagnosis of OCD were invited to participate in the treatment program. Seven youngsters, 5 boys and 2 girls (age range 10.8-15.8, mean 13.0 years), participated and were treated for a mean of 14 sessions. These 7 subjects showed a broad range of OCD severity, as measured by the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CYBOCS score range 12-29). Five subjects were also receiving antiobsessional medication (dose was not changed during the trial), and 2 subjects were treated without medication. All 7 youngsters showed a clinically significant reduction in the CYBOCS score at treatment endpoint (mean change 61%, range 30%-90%, effect size 2.04, p < 0.05), and the therapeutic gains were stable for at least 3 months after treatment. One of 5 children who had been receiving concurrent antiobsessional medication was able to tolerate a dose reduction following behavioral treatment. Two to three booster sessions within 6 months posttreatment were effective in preventing relapse in 4 of 6 subjects. The 3 children who declined behavioral treatment showed no improvement at 3-month and 6-month follow-up. Behavioral treatment appeared to be a useful adjunct to medication in children and adolescents with OCD. Further research could evaluate whether behavioral treatment would lower the dose requirements for children receiving antiobsessional medications. Randomized clinical trials are also needed to confirm the effectiveness of behavioral therapy alone or in combination with medication.

1-Naphthylamine↗
PubMed1995

Guanfacine treatment of comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and Tourette's syndrome: preliminary clinical experience.

OBJECTIVE: Many children with Tourette's syndrome (TS) are handicapped more by difficulties with inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity than by their tics. However, stimulant medications used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can exacerbate tics. Guanfacine is an alpha 2-adrenergic agonist that may have beneficial effects on attention, without the hypotensive or sedative effects of clonidine, which is often used as an alternative to stimulants. METHOD: An open-label study of guanfacine was performed in 10 children with TS+ADHD, aged 8 to 16 years. The duration of follow-up was 4 to 20 weeks, and the majority of subjects were treated with 1.5 mg/day. Ratings of tic severity and ADHD symptoms were obtained using the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS), the Tic Symptom Self Report (TSSR), and the Conners Parent Rating Scale. In addition, blind Continuous Performance Tests (CPTs) were performed at baseline and at two follow-up intervals in eight subjects. RESULTS: Guanfacine was associated with significant decreases in both commission errors (p < .02) and omission errors (p < .01) on the CPT. In addition, guanfacine caused a significant decrease in severity of motor (p < .02) and phonic (p < .02) tics as measured by the TSSR and the YGTSS, respectively. The most common side effects were transient sedation and headaches. CONCLUSION: Guanfacine may provide a safe alternative therapy for children with ADHD in the presence of tics. Future double-blind, controlled trials should be undertaken.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Risperidone treatment of children and adolescents with chronic tic disorders: a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this trial was to investigate the short-term safety and efficacy of risperidone in the treatment of chronic tic disorders in children and adolescents. METHOD: This was an 11-week open-label trial and included seven subjects (five boys and two girls) with a mean age of 12.9 +/- 1.9 years. The sample included five patients with Tourette's syndrome and two with chronic motor tic disorder. The children were seen at baseline and for two follow-up visits. Three children had a comorbid diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). RESULTS: Clinical response, as measured by the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale and the Children's version of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, revealed a statistically significant reduction in tic scores ranging from 26% [corrected] to 66%. One of three children with comorbid OCD showed substantial improvement; the other two subjects showed no change. The most frequent side effect was weight gain, which ranged from 8 to 14 lb. CONCLUSIONS: Risperidone, a neuroleptic with both serotonin- and dopamine-blocking properties, appears to be effective in reducing tic frequency and intensity in children and adolescents with chronic tic disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Tourette syndrome: update and review.

Tourette Syndrome is a movement disorder of childhood onset, characterized by multiple motor and phonic tics. In addition to tics, some children exhibit repetitive habits and recurring thoughts, and others may manifest problems of inattention, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity. Over the past two decades there has been increased interest in Tourette Syndrome, because it provides a useful model for examining the interaction of genes and environment, as well as neurobiology and behavior. This article provides school nurses and nurses working in school-based clinics with a general review of Tourette Syndrome and associated disorders.

Child↗
PubMed1981

[Not Available].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Demography↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clomipramine and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Clomipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant that was the first effective agent in the treatment of OCD. Its capacity to block serotonin reuptake appears to be essential to reducing the primary symptoms of OCD. Like other tricyclic agents, CMI has an array of possible side effects including gastrointestinal, autonomic, hepatic, and cardiac problems that need to be considered in the clinical management of children and adolescents treated with CMI. Evaluation of clinical response begins with the identification of target symptoms and monitoring the change in these target symptoms over time. This effort can be aided by the use of clinical rating instruments such as the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scales and, to a limited degree, drug plasma levels. Although many OCD patients manifest a positive response to CMI, some patients do not. This variation suggests that other neurochemical systems may be implicated in OCD.

Adolescent↗