Do motor subtypes of delirium in child and adolescent have a different clinical and phenomenological profile?

Abstract

ObjectiveTo explore the frequency of different motor subtypes of delirium in children and adolescents and to study the relationship of motor subtypes with other symptoms, etiology and outcome of delirium. MethodsForty-nine consecutive patients, aged 8–19 years, diagnosed as having delirium as per DSM-IV-TR were assessed on Delirium Rating Scale-Revised 98 (DRS-R-98), amended Delirium Motor Symptom Scale (DMSS), delirium etiology checklist and risk factors for delirium. Different motoric subtypes of delirium were compared with each other for symptoms of delirium as assessed by DRS-R-98, risk factors, etiology and outcome. ResultsMore than half (53%) of patients were classified as having hyperactive delirium, this was followed by the mixed (26.5%) and the hypoactive (16%) subtype. When the different subtypes were compared with each other, the 3 motor subtypes did not differ from each other in terms of frequency and severity of other symptoms except for minor differences. Hallucinations are more common in patients with hyperactive and mixed subtype. There is no significant difference in the outcome of delirium across different subtypes. ConclusionUnlike in adults, motoric subtypes of delirium in child and adolescents do not differ from each other with respect to other symptoms, risk factors and outcome.