Reducing Psychological Harm from Traumatic Events Among Children and Adolescents: Pharmacologic Therapy
Task Force Finding*
The intent of pharmacologic therapy is to focus on disabling the symptoms that follow trauma, so that a traumatized child is able to pursue a normal developmental pattern and to increase tolerance to emotionally distressing material and work through such distress.
The Task Force finds insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of pharmacological therapy in reducing psychological harm in children and adolescents because there were too few studies and the effects assessed were short-lived.
*From the following publication:
Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Recommendations to reduce psychological harm from traumatic events among children and adolescents. 
[PDF - 58KB] Am J Prev Med 2008;35(3):314-6.
Review completed: June 2006
- Page last reviewed: February 7, 2011
- Page last updated: October 18, 2010
- Content source: The Guide to Community Preventive Services
