Mood Issue Meds for Kids, Infants May Cause Mental Health Issues Later in Life
November 3rd, 2009 |
A GoodTherapy.org News Summary
The prevalence of anti-depressants and other psychiatric medications has experienced a great increase recently, and many concerns are rising in response to the growing dependency on such substances. While there are some medications that have proven to be helpful in improving the quality of life for pregnant mothers and young children, some in the mental health professions remain skeptical over the ultimate utility and safety of such medicines. Adding support to this camp, a study at Georgetown University Medical Center has recently suggested that medicines indicated for mood issues, pain, and epilepsy, when administered to pregnant women or to infants and young children, may cause mental health concerns at a later age.
The study focused on animal models, specifically working with rats in a laboratory setting, but suggests that the issue is likely a prominent one for humans, as well. After administering various modern treatments for mood issues, as well as those indicated for pain and for epilepsy, researchers monitored laboratory rats, finding that those animals which had been treated with the medication were more likely to exhibit signs of mental health complications as adolescents and adults.
The researchers suggest that identifying different drugs for the treatment of young children and pregnant women is vital, and the idea that psychotherapy and other non-invasive approaches may be highly preferable to treatments involving medications is certainly supported by the study. Through focusing on collaborative and therapy-based treatment models, pregnant women and young children may receive the help they want and need without risking harmful situations in the future. The study is one of several that have recently been launched exposing serious problems with the psychiatric medication model.
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3 comments so far
that support from medicines must be minimized as much as possible is well known.we must try and find better solutions than just turning to medicines for anything and everything because medicines have their own side effects and limitations.
This is pretty scary because I have been administered with anti-depression medication in my pre-teens…I have not had any side effects fortunately but am now scared!
Therapy should be encouraged in such cases and medicines should be administered only as the last resort, as the immunity levels in kids are low and any side-effects will affect them.