Medications to Treat DMDD in Children and Adolescents

Introduced in 2013 as a new diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition (DSM-5), disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) recategorized chronic and recurrent irritability from bipolar disorders to depressive disorders. Not only did this transition affect diagnostic nomenclature, but it also changed pharmacological strategies. For decades, general and pediatric patients with bipolar disorder have been treated with mood stabilizers and antipsychotic medications. As a new diagnosis in the DSM, DMDD presents a blank slate to psychopharmacologists, as it has no FDA-approved medication treatment options. This chapter reviews the current state of psychotropic medication prescribing for the management of DMDD.