New Directions in Pediatric Irritability and Emotion Dysregulation

Presented by Robert R. Althoff, MD, PhD – University of Vermont Health Network

Youth frequently present to child psychiatry clinics without one specific disorder but rather with profound problems with attention, mood swings, and aggression in combination. We will discuss the characterization of these children and describe factors that may influence whether these youth go on to have depression, personality disorders and substance use in adolescence and adulthood. The most fundamental questions about these children remain. How are these children different from children with bipolar disorder? What are the neuroscientific pathways associated with the development of emotional dysregulation? How can we characterize these children in a developmentally sensitive and specific way? What are potential treatments? This presentation will address some of these questions.

Learning Objectives:

Evaluate the literature on self-regulation in childhood to be able to distinguish between irritability and childhood bipolar disorder.

Assess the available genomic and neuroimaging data on children with self-regulation as it informs treatment

Describe the possible associations between childhood self-regulation and metabolic dysregulation

About the Visiting Professor Lecture Series:

The Child Mind Institute Visiting Professor Lecture Series invites leaders in the field of child and adolescent mental health to talk about the latest research and treatment protocols. All events are open to the public. This year, all lectures will be hosted virtually over GoToWebinar. In partnership with Northwell Health, continuing medical education (CME) credits for psychiatrists and continuing education (CE) credits for psychologists are available to registered course participants.