Shocking Rise In Infant Prescriptions Of Anti-Depressants And ADHD –Combatant Drugs

The latest statistics reveal the disturbing trend of the soar in just two years of the number of prescriptions being recommended to kids with hyperactive behaviours, depressive tendencies and other mental ill health issues.

A stomach-churning 4,20,000 prescriptions were issued to kids below sixteen years of age with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) during 2007 that has shot up thirty-three percent from 2005.

The figures rose to fifty-one percent in younger kids in the age bracket 16-18 years, touching forty thousand during 2007.

In this span of time, NHS parameters approved at least 3 drugs for treating ADHD when other treatment options made no difference, in spite of apprehensions regarding side effects and few sceptics protesting that it medicalises disruptive deeds.

With greater than 1,13,000 anti-depression medications were issued for kids below sixteen years of age during 2007, that was a 6% rise over the span of 2 years.

Nearly, 1,08,000 medications were being issued at an unswerving pace for treating depression among kids aged between 16 to 18 years old over the time period.

In 2007, more than eighty-six thousand anti-psychotic prescriptions comprising of potent tranquiliser drugs – were issued to kids that were below eighteen years old.

The figures for those in the 16-18 years old bracket rose to 7% since 2005, while there was an eleven percent soar noticed in the below sixteen age group.

Cumulatively, the NHS has shelled out a whooping seventeen million pounds on ADHD medications, 1.5 million pounds on anti-depressant medications and 3.5 million pounds for anti-psychotic drugs issued to kids during 2007.

These statistics were acquired by the Tories from Freedom of Information requests.

Anne Milton, the Shadow Health Minister has stated that doctors must ideally be choosing the medication-free treatments instead of penning down prescriptions at a frequent pace. She stated that it is now common knowledge that the children in Europe ail from the most sapped levels of health. She further pointed out that this information reveals that recurrently health care professionals are issuing prescription medications for treating infant mental health issues, when proof indicates that speech therapies could have analogous and if not, more effectual outcome.

These drugs being prescribed to kids and youngsters with sickening regularly have major risks associated with them that make this rise quite disconcerting.

Kids having ADHD are issued medicines with product names like Ritalin, Concerta and Equasym – deemed stimulants that have a triggering action on the varied centres of the brain that are associated with concentration, attentiveness and activity that could have a calming effect on them.

Nearly one lakh kids in UK in the age band of 5-19 years having ADHD are considered to be on medicines – in spite of the doctor’s apprehensions regarding their side effects.

These comprise of heart disorders, delirium and suicidal tendencies alongside sleepiness, giddiness, stomach pain, lowered craving for food, feeling nauseous and waking up early on in the mornings.

Nearly twelve fatalities have been cites to the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency probably associated to Ritalin usage, as it became obtainable during the initial part of the 1990’s.

US studies have uncovered that Ritalin might lead to permanent variations in the brain. Side effects comprise of weight increase and cardiovascular problems have been cites in kids having autism and hyperactivity that underwent treatment with anti-psychotic medicines and there is inadequate proof of the safety of these drugs.

NHS recommendation on issuing anti-depressants to kids cautions about their major associated risks.

However, Andrea Bilbow, the chief executive from ADDISS (Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service) states that the increase in the number of prescriptions of ADHD drugs was a huge rise over the span of two years. She further added that there would an innate increase in issuing due the knowledge about their effectuality in kids that assist them in staying in mainstream schooling who would if not be barred.

But, not many kids are getting corresponding treatment like parenting programmes which be helpful in tackling social problems that ADHD kids face on a daily basis.

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