Kids receiving more psychotropic drugs than ever before

According to background information in the article, increased use of psychotropic medication (drugs normally used to treat psychiatric disorders, such as depression and other mood disorders, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) for treating behavioral and emotional problems in children and adolescents has received widespread attention in the past decade. But rather than reversing the trend, the medical profession is increasing the number of children and teens being subjected to these drugs.

Julie Magno Zito, Ph.D., of the University of Maryland , Baltimore , and colleagues analyzed data from nearly 900,000 youths younger than 20 years enrolled in two U.S. health care systems from 1987 to 1996.

The researchers found that the total use of psychotropic medications by youths increased two-to- three-fold and included most classes of medication. By 1996, the 10-to-14 year-old age group replaced the 5-to-9 year-olds as the largest group using psychotropic medication in the Medicaid populations studied. In the HMO population, 15-to-19 year-olds were the most prominent age group using psychotropics.

The study found that six percent of youths under 20 years of age are now receiving psychotropic drugs of some kind.

In an accompanying editorial, Michael S. Jellinek, M.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , wrote, "We need to ask ... this question: Are we prescribing the right psychotropic medications to the right children using the right treatment plan?"

SOURCES:  "Psychotropic Practice Patterns for Youth, A 10-Year Perspective," by Julie Magno Zito, Ph.D. et al., Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine,  Jan. 2003, Vol. 157, No. 1.

"Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Are We Prescribing the Right Psychotropic Medications to the Right Children Using the Right Treatment Plan?" by Michael S. Jellinek, Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine,  Jan. 2003, Vol. 157, No. 1.