Are Our Children
Over-Medicated?
From "Don't Be Frightened of Medicine That Helps", The
Washington Post National Weekly Edition, September 25, 2000
Patricia Dalton, PhD, a clinical psychologist in Washington D.C., writes in this
commentary that we shouldn't be overly fearful of trying medications to treat a
mental illness in our child. Her article was written in response to a
report by the Journal of the American Medical Association that revealed there
has been a dramatic increase in the use of psychotropic medications for children
between ages 2 and 4 years. Indeed, use of stimulants such as Ritalin and
antidepressants such as Prozac for this age group has more than doubled between
1991 and 1995.
Should we be worried? Dr. Dalton points out that
psychotropic medications for children have been both
over- and under-prescribed, depending upon the children in
question. Yes, some doctors and some parents have been overly zealous in
giving children medications. But a larger number of children in need are
receiving no medications.
The office of the Surgeon General reports that of the 70
million children and adolescents in the U.S., between 6 and 9 million have a
serious emotional disturbance. Yet because of lack of appropriate
attention or lack of access to healthcare, only one in five of these emotionally
disturbed children are getting the help they need! Some 3 to 5 percent of
children are affected by Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), yet
only 1.2 of these children are getting treatment. And while some 2.5
percent of children suffer clinical depression, only .3 percent are receiving
treatment! The proportion suffering depression rises to 8 percent for
adolescents.
Dr. Dalton explains that we do indeed need to be careful in
medicating our children. There have been very few controlled studies of
the use of psychotropic medications with children. We don't yet know the
long term consequences of medicating a child through the developmental
years. Yet, the consequences of not treating a child in need are
well documented. The prisons are full learning disabled young men who had
ADHD that became uncontrolled Oppositional Defiant Disorder. And the
suicide rate among children and adolescents is now reaching epidemic
levels. A diagnosable mental disorder is thought to exist in 90 percent of
all suicides. Dr. Dalton explains, "We can make a difference with the
judicious use of drugs. There are children who are counting on it - and
severe consequences for failing to treat children adequately."
A Concluding Note from
David Peters - There is indeed a problem of recklessly prescribing
psychotropic medications to children. This usually occurs when a concerned
parent takes a troubled child to the pediatrician, who then prescribes
medication without recommending family counseling or therapy. This puts a
child at risk, as the parents are not educated on how to help their child with
the problem, and the source of the disturbance may never be addressed. As
the problem persists, more medications are given; but with no therapy, the
result is another treatment failure. Overwhelming research indicates
that the best treatment approach is to try therapy first, and to add medication
as is necessary to save a child from the destructive downward spiral of
illness. And most psychotropic medications should be prescribed by a Board
Certified psychiatrist, rather than your pediatrician. Psychiatry is a
specialty area with required ongoing study to keep up with the latest
research. If we're treating your child, why not get the best?
Quality family counseling with psychotropic medications if needed. Let's
not neglect our children's needs.