This article says all.
Written by D.L. McCracken
Tuesday, 06 June 2006
-A 2004 study published in the 'Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine' periodical revealed that between 1996 and 2001 the proportion of Tennessee children who were being placed on antipsychotic medications increased from 6.8% in 1996 to 96% by 2001.
Tuesday, 06 June 2006
-A 2004 study published in the 'Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine' periodical revealed that between 1996 and 2001 the proportion of Tennessee children who were being placed on antipsychotic medications increased from 6.8% in 1996 to 96% by 2001.
-Last month, again in the United States it was reported that the use of atypical antipsychotics by people 19 and younger increased by a staggering 80% between 2001 and 2004.
-Another U.S.-based research survey showed that between 1995 and 2002 atypical antipsychotic prescriptions for kids ages 2 to 18 increased from just under half a million to about 2.5 million.
-Overall, 73% more children and teens are now being prescribed atypical antipsychotics, many for conditions other than schizophrenia and psychotic disorders.
The above statistics represent merely the tip of the proverbial antipsychotic iceberg. It is to say the least, disturbing to realize that the newest class of antipsychotic medications known as the 'atypicals' are not only being prescibed in children for the illness in which they were originally developed - schizophrenia - but are now being prescribed to kids who have been diagnosed with other brain disorders including but not limited to depression, conduct disorder, bipolar disorder, ADHD, aggression and even mood swings.
Some of the newer atypical antipsychotics include:
- Clozapine - brand name, Clozaril
- Olanzapine - brand name, Zyprexa
- Risperidone - brand name, Risperdal
- Ziprasidone - brand name, Geodon
- Quetiapine - brand name, Seroquel
- Olanzapine - brand name, Zyprexa
- Risperidone - brand name, Risperdal
- Ziprasidone - brand name, Geodon
- Quetiapine - brand name, Seroquel
None of the above medications are approved for use in children but physicians have the option of prescribing these medications to children and teens as "off-label" drugs. Off-label is defined as use of a prescription drug to treat a disease or condition for which the drug has not been approved. All antipsychotic medications can be prescribed by one's primary care physician which can in itself be extremely dangerous especially if a definitive diagnosis has not been determined. Arriving at a definitive diagnosis in a child for any of the major mental illnesses is arguably close to impossible simply because a child's brain is still in developmental stages.
1 comment:
A report by Dr. Cooper at Vanderbilt University states that 2.5 million children are now taking atypical antipsychotics. Over half are being given them for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Perhaps it is statistics like these that caused the FDA to finally require warnings on the labels of the ADHD drugs. The use of atypical antipsychotics for children should be banned.
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