U.S. should follow Australia’s lead to investigate suicide in children caused by antidepressants. With 2.1 million Americans aged 0-17 prescribed the potential suicide-inducing drugs, including…
Australia – THE number of children aged six and under being prescribed anti-depressants has soared by almost 50 per cent since the federal government pledged to investigate the issue, new figures show.
Federal health department data reveals prescribing rates of the controversial drugs have risen from 852 in 2007-08 to 1264 in 2009-10.
But despite Health Minister Nicola Roxon ordering an investigation three years ago, a Freedom of Information request shows the government held just two meetings.
Australian Childhood Foundation chief executive Dr Joe Tucci said he would have expected the government to act by now. “I cannot think of a good reason why any six-year-old, or younger, should be treated with antidepressants,” he said. “I think it’s gone up because medication is being used to treat the symptoms and not the cause.”
Children as young as one are being prescribed powerful anti-psychotic drugs that have been linked to deaths overseas. The strong medication is designed to quell psychotic episodes normally experienced by adults with schizophrenia and bi-polar. There are concerns some doctors are illegitimately writing scripts for pre-schoolers and primary school children for unapproved medical reasons, such as behavioural problems or ADHD.
CHILDREN as young as two are being prescribed anti-psychotic drugs that have been linked to deaths overseas. Almost 2000 children aged under 18 were prescribed the drugs in Victoria in 2007-08.
Australia’s Daily Telegraph has obtained the adverse reaction reports from the Therapeutic Goods Administration, which showed at least 30 children have had severe psychotic episodes and wanted to kill themselves while on the controversial drugs to treat ADHD.