The Use of Prozac Among Children

The number of children taking Prozac and other antidepressants has increased by 80% since 1986. Although the drug has not been fully tested on children, they can be legally prescribed Prozac because the FDA has approved it for adults. As recently as 15 years ago, doctors assumed that only grown-ups got the blues, but depression is now recognized as a major childhood scourge. In any given year, it affects an estimated 5 percent of young children 5 to 12 years old, and 10 percent of adolescents (Crowley 1997).

The children that take Prozac and other antidepressants such as Zoloft and Paxil may be reaping huge benefits, but hard evidence is still in short supply. In one such study, researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center gave Prozac or a placebo to 96 depressed children and adolescents. After only eight weeks, mood ratings had improved in 56 percent of the Prozac-treated kids, versus a third of those on placebo (Boschert 2001). Those numbers are positive for the drug's effectiveness. However, this study also turned up a potential side effect not seen in adults: three of the children became manic. The drug may not have been to blame, but many experts have reason to worry that long-term use could disrupt children's brain development.

Even with the best care, questions still remain regarding the use of Prozac among children. How long should children stay on antidepressants? What's the right dosage? Will the treatments help reduce the rate of teen-suicide? These questions are all very important in figuring out how effective Prozac and other antidepressants can truly be for children.