In this case report, we describe the clinical course of a 16 yr old asylum seeker from Afghanistan who developed paranoid schizophrenia complicated by catatonia and was successfully treated with diazepam and clozapine. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of its kind in this age group. Our patient became psychotic and presented to A&E after cutting off the tip of his nose in response to command hallucinations telling him to kill himself, his mother and his siblings. His catatonic features, which emerged after hospitalization, were those of mutism, akinesia, posturing including the psychological pillow. He did not respond to risperidone or haloperidol; showed a partial response to lorazepam and diazepam. His catatonic features and psychosis only resolved upon the introduction of clozapine. We go on to review the literature about catatonia in children and adolescents. We discuss the nosological dilemma with classification, the evolution of treatments and the role of anti-psychotic medication in the treatment of catatonia. Specifically, we advocate the usefulness of clozapine as an adjunct and as monotherapy. © 2011, NAPICU. All rights reserved.

benzodiazepines Catatonia anti-psychotics neuroleptic malignant syndrome ECT clozapine schizophrenia

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