Introduction: Paediatric psychopharmacology involves the application of psychotropic agents to the treatment of children and
adolescents with mental disorders and gathered knowledge from child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP), neurology, paediatrics and
pharmacology. Defining elements of this discipline are: the metabolism of drugs is different in children than in adults
(pharmacokinetics), the developing brain reacts specifically to the drug (pharmaco dynamics), and psychopathology itself is not
differentiated yet. To make and overview of specifics in psychopharmacological use in CAP and emphasize some experiences from
Bosnia and Herzegovina in that field.
Methods: Through insight in current literature, we presented comprehensive findings and compare it with situation in Bosnia
and Herzegovina.
Results: The most common conditions in which psycho pharmaceuticals are used in CAP were attention deficit hyperactivity
disorders (ADHD), depressive and bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and the treatment of early psychosis. Psycho
pharmaceuticals were also used to treat agitated conditions in various causes. We made an overview of psycho pharmaceuticals use
in Bosnia and Herzegovina CAP and emphasized the fact that psycho stimulants are not approved for the use yet, although they are
mostly prescribed medicament in CAP over the world. That limits us in the effectiveness of the treatment in ADHD and put us in the
situations to use other medicaments instead (anxiolytics, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers) which are not approved for that condition.
Conclusion: The use of psycho pharmacotherapy in CAP is justified in cases where it is necessary to reduce the suffering of
children and to improve their functionality at the time when cognitive, social and emotional advancement is most pronounced.
Further research and clinical monitoring of efficacy and safety in the use of psycho pharmaceuticals in youngsters are necessary
