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Depression medications for the ADHD Young
Child and Adolescent.
Depression medication Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, Celexa and Effexor
are often the second line of treatment for the ADHD child and
adolescent when the stimulant ADHD medication regime fails to
produce suitable outcomes or used in conjunction with ADHD
medication when depression is present with ADHD.
This practice of prescribing adult medication to the young child
and adolescent came under fire this month (Dec. 2003) when the
British medicine and healthcare regulatory agency expressed grave
concern over the young child and adolescent using depression
medication.
The European concern is coupled with our stateside regulatory
agency, the FDA, warning this summer that prescribing depression
medication like Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, Celexa and Effexor in the
adolescent child could cause suicide behavior.
Our stance is that depression medication has its place, just as
ADHD medication has its place. Depression medication and ADHD
medication alike can positively affect some peoples' lives.
However, both are over prescribed at an alarming rate. Both have
the potential for doing more harm than good.
In early December, British drug regulators told doctors to stop
writing depression medication prescriptions for children under the
age of 18. British regulators stopped short of an outright ban,
stating that some children are already doing well on depression
medication and some cannot tolerate Prozac. The drugs included
Paxil, Zoloft, Effexor, Celexa, Lexapro, Luvox. The advisory
exempted Prozac.
This move came after British regulators reviewed 11 studies of
depression medication use among children and concluded that the
risks of using depression medication in the young child and
adolescent outweighed benefits. The risks of antidepressants, most
belonging to the class called selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors or S.S.R.I.'s, include potentially harmful side effects
including suicidal behavior and increased hostility. Regulators
stated that for adults, the benefits clearly outweighed the risks.
Put aside some particularly nasty side effects associated with
Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, Celexa and Effexor, the depression
medication route is often the preferred treatment for adult ADHD,
especially when drug or alcohol abuse issues are present.
A large number of psychiatrists agree that little is known about
how well the drugs work or how they affect the developing brain of
a young child or adolescent. Despite this, depression medication
has become an increasingly "acceptable" course of treatment for
the young child and adolescent.
There are times when depression medication is clearly needed.
After all, untreated depression also caries heavy risks. If
depression medication is used for the young child or adolescent,
parents and doctors should closely monitor the child for
restlessness, agitation, unusual behavior, thoughts of suicide and
increased depression.
The FDA is currently conducting an intensive review of the safety
and effectiveness of depression medication drugs and will hold
public hearings in early February 2004.
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