VALPROIC ACID AS AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR SELF-INJURIOUS BEHAVIOR IN A PATIENT WITH WOLF-HIRSCHHORN SYNDROME: A CASE REPORT

Authors : Melike Uysal, Mehmet Ceylan, Selma Tural Hesapçıoğlu

Pages : 152-156

Doi:10.47482/acmr.1605791

View : 63 | Download : 72

Publication Date : 2025-05-20

Article Type : Other Papers

Abstract :Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome (WHS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) characterized by a microdeletion, often accompanied by maladaptive behaviors. First-line medical treatment involves antipsychotics; however, when antipsychotics prove insufficient, treatment options become limited. In this case, it was aimed to demonstrate that valproic acid as monotherapy could eliminate maladaptive behaviors in a patient diagnosed with WHS accompanied by self-injurious behavior. A 10-year 4-month-old female patient with WHS exhibited intense self-injurious behaviors. When her demands were not met, she would bang her head against the wall with significant force, risking severe traumatic injury, and bite her hand. She had previously received sufficient dosage and durations of aripiprazole and risperidone treatments without benefit. Valproic acid was initiated at a dose of 400 mg/day in divided doses. After the first month of treatment, the patient ceased the behavior of banging her head. Additionally, the behavior of biting her hand significantly decreased. The Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) score, initially assessed at 51 points, decreased to 28 points after the first month of treatment. The decrease in the ABC score was particularly marked in the subscales of irritability and social withdrawal. This outcome suggests that in patients diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) where antipsychotics have failed, valproic acid as a mood stabilizer may be beneficial as monotherapy in reducing self-injurious behavior.
Keywords : Nörogelişimsel Bozukluklar, Valproik Asit, Wolf-Hirschhorn Sendromu, Kendine Zarar Verme Davranışı, 4p Delesyonu

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