Child psychiatry: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Child psychiatry

Sample item

A 9-year-old boy has had repeated sudden eye blinking, shoulder jerks and throat clearing for 2 years, and recently began uttering obscene words involuntarily. Which drug is most appropriate if treatment is needed?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Risperidone or aripiprazole

Tourette disorder consists of multiple motor tics and at least one vocal tic lasting more than a year. Low-dose antipsychotics such as aripiprazole, risperidone or haloperidol suppress tics, and alpha-2 agonists such as clonidine are alternatives. Behavioural therapy (habit reversal) is also first-line.

Option by option

  • A. Lithium

    Lithium has no role in tic disorders.

  • B. Risperidone or aripiprazole (correct)

    Correct. Dopamine-blocking agents reduce tic severity in Tourette disorder.

  • C. Fluoxetine

    Fluoxetine treats the associated obsessive-compulsive symptoms but does not suppress tics.

  • D. Methylphenidate

    Stimulants are used for ADHD, and may worsen tics in some children.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Psychiatry questions

Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is B, Risperidone or aripiprazole. Tourette disorder consists of multiple motor tics and at least one vocal tic lasting more than a year.

Why is "Lithium" not the answer?

Lithium has no role in tic disorders.

Why is "Fluoxetine" not the answer?

Fluoxetine treats the associated obsessive-compulsive symptoms but does not suppress tics.

Why is "Methylphenidate" not the answer?

Stimulants are used for ADHD, and may worsen tics in some children.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Child psychiatry in Psychiatry. Low-dose antipsychotics such as aripiprazole, risperidone or haloperidol suppress tics, and alpha-2 agonists such as clonidine are alternatives. Behavioural therapy (habit reversal) is also first-line.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Child psychiatry?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.