Highlights from 2023 NEI Congress: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Academy
Wednesday, November 8, 2023

This year’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Academy included a series of fascinating presentations that delved into various psychiatric conditions that afflict children and adolescents. The complications that arise when psychiatric comorbidities are present is a running thread across these lectures.

Dr. Jeffrey Strawn kicked off the Academy with a riveting discussion of how anxiety affects treatment response and selection in children with comorbid psychiatric conditions in a lecture entitled, “Along for the Ride: Treatment Considerations for Childhood Psychiatric Disorders With Co-Occurring Anxiety.” A focus of the presentation was identifying appropriate interventions for youth with depression, bipolar disorder, Tourette’s disorder, eating disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), substance use disorder, and post-concussive syndrome/traumatic brain injury in the face of comorbid anxiety (Table 1). Dr. Strawn provided guidance to help clinicians deal with potentially complicated treatment strategies.

The next talk welcomed a new NEI faculty member, Dr. Robyn Thom, presenting “The Full Picture: Managing Autism Spectrum Disorder and Its Frequent Psychiatric Comorbidities.” In this lecture, Dr. Thom first reviewed the treatments available for core and associated symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), followed by treatment strategies when dealing with the most common comorbidities of ASD: ADHD, sleep disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and catatonia. This important presentation provided practical tips for managing complex combinations of symptoms in pediatric patients with ASD. An overview of the recommended treatments for target symptoms is displayed in Table 1.

Next to the stage was Dr. Manpreet Singh presenting “An Unwelcome Guest: Managing Comorbid Insomnia in Pediatric Mood Disorders.” This lecture reviewed strategies for managing mood disorders in the presence of one of the most common comorbidities – insomnia – during childhood and adolescence, a time when sleep needs are continually evolving. Dr. Singh described how insufficient or poor quality sleep can negatively affect mental health, including elevating the risk of suicide. Pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions to improve insomnia in youth with mood disorders, particularly bipolar disorder, were also discussed at length in this compelling talk.

Finally, Dr. Timothy Wilens closed out this year’s program with an often requested topic: “Double Trouble: Diagnosis and Pharmacotherapy of ADHD and Juvenile Bipolar Disorder.” This important lecture reviewed the evidence that juvenile bipolar disorder is commonly comorbid with ADHD (at least 60%), and that symptoms of ADHD are not just a manifestation of bipolar disorder. Dr. Wilens concluded that treatment of both the underlying bipolar disorder and ADHD is often necessary, typically in that order, and stimulants can be used in stabilized youth with bipolar disorder.

Source:
Jeffrey R. Strawn, MD. Along for the Ride: Treatment Considerations for Childhood Psychiatric Disorders With Co-Occurring Anxiety. Presented November 8 at Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Academy, 2023 NEI Congress, Colorado Springs, CO.

Robyn P. Thom, MD. The Full Picture: Managing Autism Spectrum Disorder and Its Frequent Psychiatric Comorbidities. Presented November 8 at Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Academy, 2023 NEI Congress, Colorado Springs, CO.

Manpreet K. Singh, MD, MS. An Unwelcome Guest: Managing Comorbid Insomnia in Pediatric Mood Disorders. Presented November 8 at Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Academy, 2023 NEI Congress, Colorado Springs, CO.

Timothy E. Wilens, MD. Double Trouble: Diagnosis and Pharmacotherapy of ADHD and Juvenile Bipolar Disorder. Presented November 8 at Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Academy, 2023 NEI Congress, Colorado Springs, CO.

To Learn More: The recording of these presentations, as well as all of the other presentations from the 2023 NEI Congress, will be available as Encore Presentations for NEI Members.