Antidepressant Drugs for Children

A new comprehensive analysis of antidepressant drugs for children and teenagers says the benefits of treatment outweigh the small risk of increasing some patients' chances of having suicidal thoughts and behaviors. In 2004, the Food and Drug Administration warned the public about the drugs' risks in children but they found it is lower than first thought. There was an increase in U.S. youth suicides and some mental health experts thought reluctance to try antidepressants might be to blame. Researchers analyzed data on 5310 children and teenagers from 27 studies and found that for every 100 children treated, about one additional child experienced worsening suicidal feelings above what would have happened without drug treatment. They found antidepressants work best when used to treat anxiety. They work moderately well treating obsessive-compulsive disorders.