Children Should Not Be Treated with Antidepressants

Although we tend to think that drugs are here to comfort and heal people, we must also take into account that behind every drug, we have a drug company that is making millions of dollars off of consumers who by their products. Behind every consumer, we have a doctor that is recommending and prescribing the medication. In “The Medicated Child,” we learn that the researchers who advocate the use of psychiatric medications, receive enormous support from drug companies. Firsthand doctors inform us that theses drug industry funded studies influence their decisions on what drugs to “push” or prescribe. This is a major conflict of interest because the decisions and results of the studies are

Special attention should be giving to understanding informed consent and any challenges that may be presented and prescribing ethically medications to special populations such as children. According to the Gerald Tietz of the Washington law review (1986), indicates that it is well within a practitioner’s scope of duty to inform the patient of significant effects were injuries that may be related to the prescribing of any particular pharmacological treatment. This informed consent should be expanded to include the harms were dangerous presented also with non-use of additional treatment interventions such as therapy or CBT. Additional trends identified in ambulance pediatrics (Cooper, Arbogast & Ding, 2006), or the trends and the prescription of antipsychotic medications for children in the United States of America. The information taken from the national ambulatory medical care survey in regards to the US population indicated that between 1995 and 2002 there were nearly 6,000,000 visits to health providers by children in the US that had been subscribed or prescribed antipsychotic medications. Nearly 1/3 of the prescriptions for lease populations were provided by non-mental health service professionals. The study of the department of pediatrics at Vanderbilt University in Nashville also indicated that over half of the prescriptions for these children were given based on behavioral indications or affective disorders which find a way

As controversial as medicating children with behavioral disorders may be, over half of all diagnosed cases in children between the ages of four and seventeen were being medicated with central nervous system stimulants, sixty-six point three percent to be exact (CDC). Many see prescription drugs as an easy fix to behavioral disorders, but not as many realize these medications can

To fully understand the effects of antidepressants on children and adolescents, proper experimentation must be conducted, which could prove challenging as to the span of years and test subjects involved in these cases. Meanwhile, some mental health professionals assert that the use of antidepressants in children may well avert the brain from developing patterns of depression as an adult, and points to studies presenting the advantages which can offset the hazards in implementing such drugs. Depression is ominous and foreboding for those who suffer with this malady; professionals contend that the vast “impact of depression is greater than the impact of the

There are many medications that affect children’s health in today’s society. Doctors prescribe lots of medication which can be avoided, when children are properly diagnosed with certain health problems. Attention - deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has impacted many people with the danger of certain medications which is overprescribed to all ages each year. The hidden dangers of the medications these doctors are prescribing, is that our children are being misdiagnosed with ADHD at a very early age, and this is causing many different side effects. Long term use of these medications can cause severe side effects. The most commonly prescribed drugs, are Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta, which cause children to have nervousness, appetite suppression, insomnia and increased blood pressure and heart problems. Also pharmaceutical companies are well aware of the danger to children and adults that these drugs may cause.

Psychotropic medications, also referred to as psychiatric or psychotherapeutic medications, are used to treat psychiatric disorders, such as: depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They have been used for many years and oftentimes come with dangerous side effects. The side effects that often occur in children taking these medications can include: fainting, blurred vision, vomiting, extreme weight gain, and even death ("Seroquel information,” n.d.). The use of psychotropic medication to treat mental disorders in children and adolescents is highly controversial because of ethical viewpoints (i.e. parents “drugging” their children to calm them down) and potentially

Kids ages 5-7 are taking pills all over the world that could lead to more damage. About 57% of kids with A.D.H.D have one other psychiatric disorder. Boys are four times more likely to have A.D.H.D than girls. My brother has A.D.H.D and he is like a robot, or a person with no humor or no thoughts when he is on medication. So I think that kids should not be medicated because they have A.D.H.D.

The controversy over the use of antidepressants in the treatment of children has received a large amount of attention in the past years. Everyone has his or her own opinion of antidepressants and how they work, but no one takes time to research the claims of the treatments. Antidepressants are medications to treat depression in children, teens, and adults. The dosage given should vary on the level of depression and the age of the patient. The side effects also vary depending on the patient. One source states that, “teenagers on antidepressants should be monitored for any sign that the depression is getting worse” (HelpGuide.Org). Many teens are depressed from causes of neglect. Some may feel that their parents are not around as much as they should be. Depressed teens should be watched closely and if the parent or parents are not available to keep a close look the outcome of the teen may be in danger. If a parent pays more attention to their child, then they could intervene before the depression worsens. There is a possibility of prevention of the

One in every 25 adolescents is prescribed antidepressants to help manage depression. Depression is a serious mental illness that affects how people feel, think and behave. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. People may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes they feel as if life isn't worth living. Doctors and physicians prescribe antidepressants as a treatment to patients who show signs of depression or have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). Antidepressant

Antipsychotics are a medication that relax individuals who have aggressive outbursts. These medications block neurotransmitters causing the brain to not receive these chemical messages. Antipsychotics being prescribed to children is a controversial issue because the drug(s) can affect the growth of the child physically and mentally. Children should not be taking antipsychotic drugs because the effects can cause fatal injuries, psychiatrists prescribe antipsychotics without proper diagnosis, and there is a lack of research on the drugs.

“These powerful psychotropic, mind-altering drugs in no way, shape or form begin to address the underlying cause of the mental conditions they are designed to treat” This powerful statement by doctor Mercola is one of the few reasons why many people are debating if psychotropic drugs do more harm than they good. Psychotropic drugs and their effects have been known to adults for the longest time but recently the number of Children using these drugs has skyrocketed and many wonder if children should be taking these drugs. The number of prescriptions for psychotropic drugs for US children more than doubled between 1995 and 2000, but a new investigation by the Denver Post Revealed that foster children are

The children in America are being increasingly medicated at younger and younger ages. Throught the years we have documented these growing numbers and determined that either children with disorders are soon to become a social norm or we are jumping to the use of medications to solve problems that could be solved without medications.

Fluoxetine (prozac) is used as a first line of treatment for moderate to severe depression in children and adolescents. For example the Cochrane review conducted three randomized

ADHD medication should not be prescribed to children under the age of 13. The developing brain of a child is delegate. Between 1990 and 2000 182 children died from ADHD medications. ADHD medications side effects are more intense for a child then it is for a adult. Stephanie Hall, a 11 year old child was diagnosed with ADHD. She was prescribed Ritalin for her ADHD. Her dose of ritalin was increased due to increased depression and falling grades. The day her dosage was increased she passed away in her sleep of cardiac arrest. There are many ways a child can be treated for ADHD instead of putting them on medication. With children I believe they should see a therapist rather than being put on medication. There are many articles and interviews

As noted in the referenced FDA article, “drugs that are prescribed for children have not been tested in children.” In necessary cases doctors will prescribe medications for children off label (the drugs have not shown safety or efficacy in clinical trials in children). Part of the reason for the lack of clinical trials done in children is the inability to give proper consent. In an informed consent it states the subject and /or patient must fully understand the study (risks, benefits, potential side effects). A child 7 years of age or older has the ability or assent or dissent to be involved. However, it is the parents that signs off on the study for the child. A parent may want a child in a study and be prepared to sign, however a child of 7 can arguably say they do not want to be in the study.