The benefits of antidepressant use in children greatly outweigh the risks, according to a new study.
Published in the April 18 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, the study found that only one out of 100 children had worsening suicidal feelings after using antidepressants. They were most effective for children with anxiety disorders, followed by children with obsessive-compulsive disorders, and least effective for children with major depressive disorders. The report contradicts a U.S. Food and Drug Administration study, released in 2004, that found increased suicidal behavior in children using antidepressants.
An abstract of “Clinical Response and Risk for Reported Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts in Pediatric Antidepressant Treatment” is available from the Journal of the American Medical Association.
