Tardive dyskinesia facts for kids
Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a health problem that affects how people move. It's a type of dyskinesia, which means it causes movements that a person cannot control. These movements happen over and over again. The word "tardive" means these movements don't start right away. Instead, they appear slowly, often after a long time.
TD usually happens when someone takes certain antipsychotic medicines. This is more common if the medicines are taken in high doses or for a long time. It often takes many months or years for TD to appear. But sometimes, it can show up after only about six weeks.
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What Causes Tardive Dyskinesia?
Tardive dyskinesia is mainly caused by certain types of medicines. The older kinds of antipsychotic medicines are most likely to cause it. These include:
- Chlorpromazine (also known as Thorazine)
- Fluphenazine (also known as Prolixin)
- Haloperidol (also known as Haldol)
- Trifluoperazine
Other medicines that are similar to these can also cause TD. These are sometimes used to help with stomach problems like feeling sick or throwing up. If someone takes them for a long time, they can also cause tardive dyskinesia. Examples include:
- Metoclopramide (Reglan)
- Prochlorperazine (Compazine)
Newer antipsychotic medicines, sometimes called "atypical antipsychotics," are less likely to cause TD. However, it's still possible for them to do so.
Who Can Get Tardive Dyskinesia?
Doctors don't fully understand why some people get TD from these medicines and others don't. But some groups of people are more likely to get it. The longer someone takes antipsychotic medicines, the higher their chance of getting TD.
Most people who get tardive dyskinesia have conditions like schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder. They usually have been taking antipsychotic medicines for a long time.
However, some people have a very high risk of getting TD. They might get it even after taking an antipsychotic medicine just once. This high-risk group includes:
- People born with fetal alcohol syndrome
- People with other developmental disabilities
- People with brain diseases or injuries
What Are the Symptoms?
The symptoms of tardive dyskinesia are movements that a person cannot control. These movements often happen in the face, lips, tongue, body, arms, and legs.
For example, people with TD might not be able to stop:
- Smacking their lips together
- Pushing their tongue out
- Swinging their jaw from side to side
- Moving their mouth as if they are chewing or sucking
- Moving their fingers, arms, or legs without meaning to
Sometimes, people with tardive dyskinesia also have something called akathisia. This means they have a constant urge to move or feel very restless all the time.
How Can We Prevent It?
Doctors try to prevent tardive dyskinesia in several ways:
- They use the smallest possible dose of antipsychotic medicine.
- They use the medicine for the shortest time needed.
- They try to use newer antipsychotic medicines instead of older ones, as the newer ones are less likely to cause TD.
- They regularly check patients for any signs of TD during appointments.
How Is It Treated?
Finding tardive dyskinesia early is very important. If the medicine causing TD is stopped soon after symptoms start, the movements might go away. This is more likely to happen if TD is diagnosed quickly.
However, sometimes the tardive dyskinesia movements never go away, even if the medicine is stopped.
If a person with TD still needs antipsychotic medicines, a medicine called clozapine (Clozaril) is often a good choice. It's a newer antipsychotic that works well for some hard-to-treat conditions. It also has a lower risk of causing or making TD worse.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved specific medicines just for treating the symptoms of tardive dyskinesia. However, some doctors use other medicines that might help:
- Benzodiazepines, especially clonazepam (Klonopin)
- Clonidine (Catapres), which is used for blood pressure and other things
- Medicines used for Parkinson's disease, like pramipexole (Mirapex) and baclofen
Some small studies have suggested that these medicines might also help with TD symptoms:
