Anxiety disorders in children and adolescents can be considered a silent ep
idemic. Their prevalence in this population has been reported to range betw
een 6% and 18%. The pharmacologic treatment of these disorders is reviewed
in this article. Studies regarding the use of tricyclic antidepressants, be
nzodiazepines, buspirone, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI
s) and clinical considerations for the use of these medications are discuss
ed. SSRIs seem to be the most efficacious and safe agents for the pharmacol
ogic treatment of pediatric anxiety disorders. This article emphasizes the
need for additional studies.