Delirium in children can significantly impact their mental status, which encompasses consciousness, emotion, and cognition. Effective recognition of this serious neurocognitive disorder is enhanced by monitoring 50% of predisposing risks and using validated screening tools regularly. Clinicians must approach pediatric assessments with an understanding of cognitive and psychosocial development, ensuring alterations are clearly described. Management focuses on treating the underlying cause, preventing factors that could worsen the condition, and ensuring patient safety to mitigate the effects of delirium.
This article reviews the history, pharmacodynamics, and neurotoxicity of psychostimulants and hallucinogens. Psychostimulants such as cocaine, methamphetamine/amphetamines, and cathinones produce a euphoric high and are associated with seizures, strokes, rhabdomyolysis, and movement disorders. Hallucinogens cause hallucinations, altered perception, and cognitive dysfunction, which can be unpredictable and dysphoric, leading to anxiety and panic. Recognizing these neurotoxicities and managing them appropriately is critical. Many of these drugs are not detectable by standard laboratory tests, complicating diagnosis.