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The administration of psychotropic and anticonvulsant drugs to children with profound intellectual disability and multiple impairments *
Author(s) -
HOGG J.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of intellectual disability research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.941
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1365-2788
pISSN - 0964-2633
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2788.1992.tb00567.x
Subject(s) - sedative , medical prescription , sedative/hypnotic , medicine , anticonvulsant , epilepsy , psychiatry , benzodiazepine , receipt , pediatrics , pharmacology , receptor , world wide web , computer science
ABSTRACT A national (England and Wales) postal survey of families with a son or daughter with profound intellectual disability and multiple physical and sensory impairments who lived at home was undertaken. A section ofthe questionnaire dealt widi prescription of major tranquillizers, drugs with a sedative function, anticonvulsants and stimulants, while among other variables information was also collected on sex, age, behaviour problems, sleep difficulties and epilepsy. Of children and adults: 5.3 and 7.9%, respectively, were receiving major tranquillizers; 28.5 and 24.5%, respectively, were prescribed drugs with a sedative function; and 53.4 and 52.7% were in receipt of anticonvulsants, with no individuals in receipt of stimulants. Only 1–5% ofthe total sample received major tranquillizers, drugs with a sedative function and anticonvulsants, though 18.9% were prescribed drugs from two classes, notably drugs with a sedative function and anticonvulsants. In all, 66.3% ofthe combined child and adult samples received at least one drug from the classes investigated. No sex bias in prescribing was found. Receipt of major tranquillizers bore some relation to reported behaviour problems, while administration of sedatives and anticonvulsants were related respectively to reports of sleep problems and occurrence of epilepsy.