More kids getting Anti-Psychotic drugs

While the numbers of children receiving ADHD medications fell by 5% in the last year, the number of American children prescribed anti-psychotic drugs jumped fivefold between 1995-2002, to an estimated 2.5 million. What is more disturbing is that more than half of the prescriptions were off-label, for issues such as attention-deficit and other non-psychotic conditions. There are no studies on children using these drugs for off-label issues.

Anti-psychotics are intended for use against schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses. Side effects such as weight gain, elevated cholesterol and diabetes are prevalent. Researchers say this is a major concern.

Source - journal Ambulatory Pediatrics

Steve - ugh!!!!!! So the ADHD meds use goes down, but the anti-psychotics go up?! The study goes on to say that heavy marketing by drug companies probably contributed to the increased use of anti-psychotics in children. Suprised?