Propranolol treatment for childhood posttraumatic stress disorder, acute type. A pilot study.

We report 11 cases of posttraumatic stress disorder. Each child had been physically abused or sexually abused or both and presented in an agitated, hyperaroused state. Using a B-A-B (off-on-off) medication design in a clinical setting, the children were treated with the beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol. Scores on an inventory of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder indicated that patients exhibited significantly fewer symptoms while receiving medication than either before or after they received medication.