-Caveat Lector- <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/"> </A> -Cui Bono?- Wednesday February 23 1:12 AM ET Study Says More U.S. Kids Given Psychotropic Drugs CHICAGO (Reuters) - The number of preschoolers in the United States being prescribed antidepressants and stimulants rose in the mid-1990s despite limited knowledge about the effects of such drugs on young children, according to a study published on Tuesday. ``Unresolved questions involve the long-term safety of psychotropic medications, particularly in light of earlier ages of initiation and longer durations of treatment,'' said the report published in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association. ``While it is reassuring that anecdotal reports have rarely documented these problems, the possibility of adverse effects on the developing brain cannot be ruled out,'' it added. The University of Maryland study looked at 200,000 patients in three areas of the country. It found that use of stimulants and antidepressants rose in all the areas between 1991 and 1995. The reasons for prescribing such medications in young children include pain relief, anxiety associated with medical, pre-surgery and dental procedures, bed wetting and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in aged 3 years and older. Julie Zito, principal author of the study, said in an interview that some of the uses for the drugs are not included in warning materials on drug packages. While this is not uncommon with some drugs for adults -- such as using aspirin to help prevent heart problems -- there may not be enough information on how the psychotropic drugs work for children, she said. ``The data that supports the use is essentially anecdotal, or not rigorously studied,'' Zito said. In an editorial in the same issue commenting on the study, Joseph Coyle of Harvard Medical School said, ``Given that there is no empirical evidence to support psychotropic drug treatment in very young children and that there are valid concerns that such treatment could have deleterious effects on the developing brain, the reasons for these troubling changes in practice need to be identified.'' He said the study does not identify the diagnoses of the children involved or the medical specialties of those who prescribed the medicines. ``One possible contributing factor is the way mental health services are provided to children,'' he said. ``For example many state Medicaid programs now provide quite limited reimbursement for the evaluation of behavioral disorders in children and preclude more than one type of clinical evaluator per day. ``Thus, the multidisciplinary clinics of the past that brought together pediatric, psychiatric, behavioral and family dynamic expertise for difficult cases have largely ceased to exist. As a consequence it appears that behaviorally disturbed children are now increasingly subjected to quick and inexpensive pharmacologic fixes ...'' he said. ``These disturbing prescription practices suggest a growing crisis in mental health,'' he said. ----------------- RECOMMENDED BOOKS http://www.bmvs.com/sites/anomalous/books/recommend.asp RECOMMENDED VIDEOS http://www.bmvs.com/sites/anomalous/videos/recommend.asp ANOMALOUS IMAGES WEBSITE http://www.anomalous-images.com <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soap-boxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
