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CDC, 2014 Use of Medication Prescribed for Emotional or Behavioral Difficulties Among Children Aged 6–17 Years in the United States, 2011–2012


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The majority of the prescriptions are estimated to be for ADHD drugs.

 

From Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.

 

Number 148, April 2014
Use of Medication Prescribed for Emotional or Behavioral Difficulties Among Children Aged 6–17 Years in the United States, 2011–2012

 

LaJeana D. Howie, M.P.H., C.H.E.S.; Patricia N. Pastor, Ph.D.; and Susan L. Lukacs, D.O., M.S.P.H.

Article and full free PDF on this page http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db148.htm

Key findings

Data from the National Health Interview Survey, 2011-2012

  • Seven and one-half percent of children aged 6–17 years used prescribed medication during the past 6 months for emotional or behavioral difficulties.
  • A higher percentage of children insured by Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program used prescribed medication for emotional or behavioral difficulties than children with private health insurance or no health insurance.
  • A higher percentage of children in families having income below 100% of the poverty level used prescribed medication for emotional or behavioral difficulties than children in families at 100% to less than 200% of the poverty level.
  • More than one-half of children who used prescribed medication for emotional or behavioral difficulties had a parent report that this medication helped the child "a lot."

Mental health problems are common chronic conditions in children (1–3). Medication is often prescribed to treat the symptoms of these conditions (4–7). Few population-based studies have examined the use of prescription medication to treat mental health problems among younger as well as older school-aged children (8–10). This report describes the sociodemographic characteristics of children aged 6–17 years prescribed medication or taking medication during the past 6 months for emotional or behavioral difficulties, and describes parental reports of the perceived benefit of this medication.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

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News article at http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2014/04/25/75-percent-of-schoolchildren-take-prescription-psych-meds/9691398436127/

Although the study was not able ascertain info on specific diagnoses, it's estimated that a large majority of these prescriptions are meant to treat ADHD symptoms. The study may lend credence to critics who say America's children are over-diagnosed with ADHD -- and subsequently over-prescribed and over-medicated.

While the American Psychiatric Association suggests that just 5 percent of U.S. kids have ADHD, CDC studies shown that more than 11 percent of American schoolchildren are now diagnosed with the behavioral condition.

 

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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This topic saddens me as well as both scares me and angers me. I could go on and on about the over medication of kids, and diagnosis based on socio-economic status. But in the interest of not wanting to bore people to death, I won't. I will say this: I cannot understand how a doctor can prescribe a child medication to "treat" their behavior, when their behavior is a consequence of their environment. And as far as parents reporting that the medications helped "a lot"... Yes, I can see that. Sedated children can be much easier to manage.

1988-2012: Prozac @ 60mg (with a few stops and starts)

Fall 2012: Returned to 40mg after discontinuing and horrid withdrawal 

Fall 2013: 40mg Fluoxetine, added 150mg Wellbutrin to treat fatigue 

Winter 2014: Attempting to taper both (too fast)

April 2014: 9mg Fluoxetine + 37.5 Wellbutrin 

Summer 2014: 8 mg Fluoxetine + 0 Wellbutrin (way too fast a drop)

Late summer/Early Fall 2014: Debilitating Withdrawal symptoms 

Fall 2014 - Wellbutrin successfully kicked to the curb but…

Oct- Dec 2014: Panicked reinstatement of Fluoxetine ->30mg - held for 5yrs

Jan 2021: taper to 20mg Fluoxetine  then tapering by 1mg every 2-3 months

Fall 2022 - held at 10mg->December 2022: 9mg->Feb 2023: 8mg ->March 2023: brassmonkey slide begins: 7.8mg -> 7.6 -> 7.4->2 week hold (April)->7.2->7mg->6.8->2 week hold->6.6-> 1-month hold ->(June)-6.5->4-week hold-> (July)-6.4 (discontinued brassmonkey slide and slowed taper)-> (Aug)-6.2->(Sept)-6.0->(Oct)-5.9->(Nov)-5.8->(Dec)-5.7->wave!->(Jan)-5.8->(Feb)-6mg and holding.

 

My 2014 withdrawal experience: https://rxisk.org/antidepressant-withdrawal-a-prozac-story/

 

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You said it for me, too, Addax.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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This topic saddens me as well as both scares me and angers me. I could go on and on about the over medication of kids, and diagnosis based on socio-economic status. But in the interest of not wanting to bore people to death, I won't. I will say this: I cannot understand how a doctor can prescribe a child medication to "treat" their behavior, when their behavior is a consequence of their environment. And as far as parents reporting that the medications helped "a lot"... Yes, I can see that. Sedated children can be much easier to manage.

" their behavior, when their behavior is a consequence of their environment."

 

I see it over and over again.  It was bad enough years ago when I worked with kids and I know it is worse now. 

I think they could have given specific numbers here

"

  • A higher percentage of children insured by Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program used prescribed medication for emotional or behavioral difficulties than children with private health insurance or no health insurance.
  • A higher percentage of children in families having income below 100% of the poverty level used prescribed medication for emotional or behavioral difficulties than children in families at 100% to less than 200% of the poverty level."

they obviously have them... or they would not have a conclusion leaving out the numbers keeps every one guessing not that knowing the poor kids get 60 or maybe 80 % of the drugs would make a lot of difference I am not sure but it could give any person willing to take this on a decent bit of ammunition ... staying vague is helping to keep the subject in the dark... only helps it to continue. IMHO

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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The definitely have the numbers and are purposely omitting them. What happened with Tamiflu is a good example of hiding data.

 

Kids in foster care and those in the juvenile justice system are prescribe psych meds at an alarming rate. I've wondered whether kids in the juvenile justice system suffer withdrawal from the meds once released. They're incarcerated for months or years, given Zoloft, Seroquel, Buspar, or what have you, sent home with a 30 day supply... Then what? How many actually continue taking them or get refills? Or even follow-up with a doc?

1988-2012: Prozac @ 60mg (with a few stops and starts)

Fall 2012: Returned to 40mg after discontinuing and horrid withdrawal 

Fall 2013: 40mg Fluoxetine, added 150mg Wellbutrin to treat fatigue 

Winter 2014: Attempting to taper both (too fast)

April 2014: 9mg Fluoxetine + 37.5 Wellbutrin 

Summer 2014: 8 mg Fluoxetine + 0 Wellbutrin (way too fast a drop)

Late summer/Early Fall 2014: Debilitating Withdrawal symptoms 

Fall 2014 - Wellbutrin successfully kicked to the curb but…

Oct- Dec 2014: Panicked reinstatement of Fluoxetine ->30mg - held for 5yrs

Jan 2021: taper to 20mg Fluoxetine  then tapering by 1mg every 2-3 months

Fall 2022 - held at 10mg->December 2022: 9mg->Feb 2023: 8mg ->March 2023: brassmonkey slide begins: 7.8mg -> 7.6 -> 7.4->2 week hold (April)->7.2->7mg->6.8->2 week hold->6.6-> 1-month hold ->(June)-6.5->4-week hold-> (July)-6.4 (discontinued brassmonkey slide and slowed taper)-> (Aug)-6.2->(Sept)-6.0->(Oct)-5.9->(Nov)-5.8->(Dec)-5.7->wave!->(Jan)-5.8->(Feb)-6mg and holding.

 

My 2014 withdrawal experience: https://rxisk.org/antidepressant-withdrawal-a-prozac-story/

 

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I have watched this play out the withdrawal process in recent years with two kids one was on concerta only and was crying at home and wanted to die he was 8 when he started he went off the drug.. now about 10 I don't have a lot of contact but I see a huge change in him now post drugs use he has gained a ton of weight and lost his sparkle.. I do not know how his withdrawal went if he had any taper at all... I do see a huge change in him as a person. 

 

The other child was 9 put on zoloft and later resperidal that child I had a lot of contact with.  He was hard to handle at times and needed to have a lot of one on one he had his reasons.  

On Zoloft he had digestive issue they took him off no taper and put him on the antipsycotic he went off the rails on that one.. scared even me. Both were short term there is something changed in him too.. 

 

I can't put my finger on it but there is some kind of a light in a child and be it some chemical change that takes that away or the experience of experiencing psych affect from drugs pulls the rug out from under them at an early age and they never get the trust or glee back ...like they are no longer thinking the world could be a safer place as they have lost he safety within themselves. 

 

That is my opinion and I use to make a living sorting out kids... that was as they said at my jobs my gift... is it still working I don't know but that is what I see. 

 

I know for sure the second child had no taper from either drugs and his life suffered ... school had him in a private class not associated with the school board he lived in or indeed the broad the class was run in... it was all stupid as thing done in there would not be ok by the board... as I see it at least it is a travesty. 

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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Both of those kids were above average intelligence they were drugged for behavior alone at the suggestion of the school both had challenging home lives. My old job would be to work with him one on one till he came around listening to the challenges he had and walking him thru problem solving... but we have not time for any of that .. it cost too much but the cost of the pills will show up next generation.  Count on it.  

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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