Pharmacological Management of the Agitated Pediatric Patient

Children with behavioral or psychiatric complaints are often evaluated in pediatric emergency room settings, and may present as agitated or violent at any point during the evaluation process. Emergency department-based practitioners should be aware of risk factors associated with agitation and should be able to assess the agitated patient in a timely fashion. Management may require the use of pharmacological agents that can mitigate agitation safely and effectively, thus ensuring good outcomes for patients and emergency department staff.