“…The number of children and teens taking antipsychotic medications has skyrocketed in recent years – with psychiatrists prescribing the drugs in nearly one-in-three visits with youth, a new study found.
The drugs are not only being prescribed for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder – but also for the commonly diagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Many mental health experts say that the powerful medications come with serious potential side effects – and that their effectiveness has not been proven in treating the disorders for which they’re increasingly prescribed.
“The growth in antipsychotic treatment of children — roughly eight-fold in 17 years -
- is especially impressive,” said study author Dr. Mark Olfson – a professor of clinical psychiatry at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University.
“Practice has overstepped research,” he said.
“These rapidly rising rates of antipsychotic treatment in young people should give physicians pause.”..”
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Antipsychotics Prescribed To Treat ADHD In More Children And Teens, New Study Finds.
