As bipolar disorder diagnoses increase for younger children and more kids are being prescribed antipsychotic drugs, a debate has emerged on whether or not kids should be taking them at all. CBS news had a brief report on the issue as well as the growing rate of serious psychiatric disorder being diagnosed in children.

Child psychiatrist Jess Shatkin of New York University’s Child Study Center says drugs should only be used cautiously and in addition to behavioral therapy.

“Most of these medications have not been well investigated in children and have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in children,” she says. “So by and large, there isn’t a right age.”

My philosophy is that being overly-cautious to diagnose and prescribe for children is a smart route to take. Certainly there are cases that are very serious and need creative methods of treatment. But otherwise I hold some concern about the issue primarily because of the lack of research.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 18 Mar 2007
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.