This study examined 68 children and adolescents who were admitted to a tertiary pediatric center for their first presentation of psychotic symptoms. The team performed a comprehensive medical workup that included physical exams, laboratory tests, toxicology screens, neuroimaging, and lumbar punctures when indicated. Their goal was to determine if the psychosis was caused by a substance or a medical condition rather than a primary psychiatric disorder.
The results showed that 16 out of the 68 patients, which is 23.5%, received a diagnosis of substance-medication-induced or medically-associated psychosis. The study did not report any safety concerns, adverse events, or issues with tolerability during the evaluation process. Because the study focused on a specific group of patients with early-onset psychosis, the findings may not apply to all children or adolescents with similar symptoms.
Readers should understand that this is a small, retrospective study with limited data. The authors note limitations such as the younger age of the participants and the very early onset of their psychosis. While the workup identified specific causes in a quarter of the cases, this evidence is too early to suggest that all patients need such extensive testing. More research is needed to confirm these findings before they can guide standard medical care.
