Ethical and Clinical Considerations During the Coronavirus Era.

The practice of child and adolescent psychiatry is evolving during an unprecedented global health catastrophe, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As child and adolescent psychiatrists grapple with COVID-19's enormous medical, educational, social, and economic toll, a mental health crisis is co-occurring. Pre-existing disparities are recognized as contributors to the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on racial and ethnic minorities.1 The magnitude of COVID-19's effects on child and family mental health has yet to be fully revealed. child and adolescent psychiatrists are in a unique position to address this mental health crisis. Child and adolescent psychiatrists must stay up-to-date regarding federal, state, local, and institutional mandates, regulations, and policies informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention2 and other public health institutions, while also navigating the ethical dilemmas unique to child and adolescent psychiatry during the coronavirus era.

Cuestiones bioéticas en la psiquiatría evolutiva / Bioethical issues in evolutionary psychiatry / Qüestions bioètiques en la psiquiatria evolutiva

En este artículo, se esbozan y discuten algunos temas rela­cionados con la bioética del cuidado en la Neuropsiquiatría de la Infancia y la Adolescencia (NPIA). Se pone de relieve el concepto de hacerse cargo del niño en edad de desarrollo y las raíces históricas de la bioética infantil. Se abordan las cuestiones relacionadas con la privacidad, el respeto de la confidencialidad y la protección de los menores, así como el concepto de estigma relacionado con la enfermedad y el cuidado de la mente. Se describe la cuestión ética del uso de fármacos psicoactivos en edad de desarrollo. Se destaca el problema del consenti­miento informado y de la elección del método de tratamiento para las enfermedades en las que el conocimiento es incompleto y los resultados no están garantizados. Se aborda la cuestión de la comunicación del diagnóstico, de la necesidad de una intervención oportuna, de métodos apropiados y de la elección del camino en los casos de patología grave y diagnóstico temprano. Por último, se habla de la cuestión ética de las psicoterapias en el servicio público y en centros privados reconocidos por el Sistema Nacional de Salud

In this article, some issues related to the bioethics of care in Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry (NPIA) are outlined and discussed. We highlight the concept of looking after a child in his/her developmental age and the historical roots of child bioethics. Issues of privacy, respect for confidentiality and protection of minors are addressed, as well as the concept of stigma related to illness and care. The ethical issue of the use of psychoactive drugs at a developmental age is described. The problem of informed consent and choice of treatment method for diseases where knowledge is incomplete and results are not guaranteed is highlighted. The issue of communication of diagnosis, the need for timely intervention, appropriate methods and choice of path in cases of severe pathology and early diagnosis is addressed. Finally, the ethical issue of psychotherapies in the public service and in private centres recognised by the National Health System is discussed

En aquest article, s'esbossen I discuteixen alguns temes rela­cionats amb la bioètica de la cura en la Neuropsiquiatria de la Infància I l'Adolescència (NPIA). Es posa en relleu el concepte de fer-se càrrec de l'infant en edat de desenvolupament I les arrels històriques de la bioètica infantil. S'aborden les qüestions relacionades amb la privacitat, el respecte de la confidencialitat I la protecció dels me­nors, així com el concepte d'estigma relacionat amb la malaltia I la cura de la ment. Es descriu la qüestió ètica de l'ús de fàrmacs psicoactius en edat de desenvolupament. Es destaca el problema del consentiment informat I de l'elecció del mètode de tractament per a les malalties en les quals el coneixement és incomplet I els resultats no estan garantits. S'aborda la qüestió de la comunicació de la diagnosi, de la necessitat d'una intervenció oportuna, de mètodes apropiats I de l'elecció del camí en els casos de patologia greu I diagnòstic precoç. Finalment, es par­la de la qüestió ètica de les psicoteràpies en el servei públic I en centres privats reconeguts pel Sistema Nacional de Salut

[Appreciating COVID-19 as a child and adolescent psychiatrist on the move]. / Appréhender le COVID-19 au fil de l'eau en tant que psychiatre d'enfant et d'adolescent.

COVID-19 is a multi-organ disease due to an infection with the SARS-CoV2 virus. It has become a pandemic in early 2020. The disease appears less devastating in children and adolescents. However, stress, quarantine and eventually mourning have major impacts on development. It is difficult to describe what this pandemic implies for a child psychiatrist, other than by giving a first-hand account. I propose to go through the main ethical questions that have arisen; to describe how my hospital team has reorganized itself to meet the new demands and questions, in particular by opening a unit dedicated to people with autism and challenging behaviors affected by COVID-19; and to address, in a context of national discussion, how the discipline has sought to understand the conditions of a certain well-being during quarantine. Finally, I will try to conclude with more speculative reflections on re-opening.

[Aesthetic/Plastic Surgery in Children as Seen from the Perspective of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy]. / Ästhetisch-plastische Operationen bei Kindern-Sicht der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und -psychotherapie.

Physical deformities may cause psychological stress and lead to psychological disorders in children and adolescents. On the other hand, the correction of non-pathological conditions is a legal issue in patients unable to consent, a group that is partly made up of minors. This article provides an overview on available evidence on the psychological consequences of physical deformities, psychiatric contraindications for plastic surgery due to psychological disorders, and on the issue of minors' ability to consent.

Epigenetics and Child Psychiatry: Ethical and Legal Issues.

Epigenetics has the potential to revolutionize diagnosis and treatment in psychiatry, especially child psychiatry, as it may offer the opportunity for early detection and prevention, as well as development of new treatments. As with the previous introduction of genetic research in psychiatry, there is also the problem of unrealistic expectations and new legal and ethical problems. This article reviews the potential contributions and problems of epigenetic research in child psychiatry. Previous legal and ethical issues in genetic research serve as a guide to those in epigenetic research. Recommendations for safeguards and guidelines on the use of epigenetics with children and adolescents are outlined based on the identified issues.

Child and adolescent depression: psychotherapeutic, ethical, and related nonpharmacologic considerations for general psychiatrists and others who prescribe.

Depression is a common, recurring disorder affecting millions of youth at some point before they reach mature adulthood. Given the shortage of and uneven distribution of psychiatrists who have completed specialized fellowships in child and adolescent psychiatry, a significant number of depressed youth will receive their pharmacotherapy from general psychiatrists and other prescribers with varying degrees of interest, training, and even willingness to treat children and adolescents. For general psychiatrists who will prescribe antidepressants for minors, knowledge of the training and expertise of nonphysician mental health professionals, the psychotherapies they may employ, and familiarity with school services are essential. Physicians who typically work only with adults will also need familiarity with differing ethical, legal, and regulatory issues and standards applicable to pediatric psychopharmacology. General psychiatrists, pediatricians, family physicians, nurse practitioners, and others contribute greatly to the care of depressed children, adolescents, and their families, and many find this work to be a very rewarding part of their professional practices.

[Biology and psychiatry: ethical aspects of the prevention of antisocial behaviour in children]. / Biologie en psychiatrie: ethische aspecten van de preventie van antisociaal gedrag bij kinderen.

BACKGROUND: Genetic and neurobiological research into the causes of antisocial behaviour is playing an increasingly important role in forensic psychiatry. AIM: To contribute some ethical and societal reflections on the possible consequences of this kind of research for the prevention of antisocial behaviour. METHOD: In this ethical analysis, which gives attention to the concepts of 'informed consent' and 'best interests', we investigate which persons and which interests need to be taken into account when new preventive measures are implemented. RESULTS: It is important to differentiate between distinct target groups. From an ethical point of view it makes a difference whether measures are related to the early identification of a-symptomatic high-risk children and appropriate preventive interventions, or whether they are directed towards the (sub)typing and preventive treatment of children who already have behavioural problems or whether they are concerned with the treatment of children with conduct disorders whose parents have asked the child psychiatrist for assistance. CONCLUSION: From an ethical point of view it is not really important whether prevention measures are based on genetic and neurobiological research or on societal and psychological research. What is more important is that these measures target particular groups of children and that prevention is implemented in an appropriate manner.

[Prevention and child mental health: the ethical issues raised by targeted approaches]. / Prévention et santé mentale de l'enfant : les questions éthiques soulevées par des approches ciblées.

The details of the implementation of early prevention in child mental health in France have been at the heart of a debate between the defenders of a universal approach and the proponents of an approach targeting specific populations. The universal approach draws on various aspects of mother and child care and early childhood care offering considerate and expressive prevention based on a relationship of trust developed over time between professionals, parents and children. The targeted approach is based on the development of programs aimed at identifying vulnerable or at-risk populations. The ethical issues raised by targeted strategies are presented and discussed. The study highlights the difficulty of distinguishing between the social, educational, medical and psychological issues raised by early prevention.

Time-lag bias in trials of pediatric antidepressants: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is evidence of a time-lag bias in the publication of pediatric antidepressant trials. METHOD: We conducted a meta-analysis of published and unpublished randomized placebo-controlled trials of serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) in subjects less than 18 years of age with major depressive disorder. Our main outcomes were (1) time to publication of positive versus negative trials, and (2) proportion of treatment responders in trials with standard (<3 years after study completion) versus delayed publication. RESULTS: We identified 15 randomized, placebo-controlled trials of SRIs for pediatric depression. Trials with negative findings had a significantly longer time to publication (median years ± standard deviation = 4.2 ± 1.9) than trials with positive findings (2.2 ± 0.9; log-rank χ(2) = 4.35, p = .037). The estimated efficacy in trials with standard publication time (number needed to treat = 7, 95% CI = 5-11) was significantly greater than those with delayed publication (17, 95% CI = 9-∞; χ(2) = 4.98, p = .025). The inflation-adjusted impact factor of journals for published trials with positive (15.33 ± 11.01) and negative results (7.54 ± 7.90) did not statistically differ (t = 1.4, df = 10, p = .17). CONCLUSIONS: Despite a small number of trials of SRIs for pediatric antidepressants, we found a significant evidence of time-lag bias in the publication of findings. This time-lag bias altered the perceived efficacy of pediatric antidepressants in the medical literature. Time-lag bias is not unique to child psychiatry and reflects a larger problem in scientific publishing.

[Autonomy, care and justice: ethical aspects of the psychiatric treatment of adolescents]. / Autonomie, Fürsorge und Gerechtigkeit1.

What is the right and good action in dealing with young patients in child and adolescent psychiatry? To answer this question, we have to consider professional standards, legal rules, and ethical reflections. With reference to the latter, four bioethical principles were proposed by Beauchamp and Childress to identify and to deal with ethical problems and conflicts. On the basis of this scheme we reflect on the legal aspects and discuss the following topics: (1) self-determination of adolescents concerning their own psychiatric treatment, (2) conflicts between autonomy and care, which occur relatively often, whenever restrictions to personal liberty are indicated, and (3) admission of adolescents in adult psychiatric wards. The bioethical principles facilitate a reliable decision-making process in individual cases. The standards of right and good action have to be implemented in the field of distributive justice. We find evidence that prioritization decisions for inpatient admission are already established in German child and adolescent psychiatry.