Adhd medications list for kids3/15/2024 Lack of FDA approval for use in kids doesn’t mean that a medication hasn’t been thoroughly tested in clinical trials with kids. This is called “off-label” use of the medication. But if that isn’t successful, they may try other SSRIs that have FDA approval in adults, though not children. All of these are also used for depression.ĭoctors usually start by prescribing an SSRI that has been FDA approved for some use (if not depression) in children and teenagers. Duloxetine (Cymbalta), which is an SNRI, has FDA approval for anxiety in children and adolescents. Sertraline (Zoloft) and Fluvoxamine (Luvox) are FDA approved for children with OCD (sertraline 6 and older, and fluvoxamine 8 and older). Other antidepressants have been approved for use in children but not specifically for depression. Fluoxetine is approved for kids 8 and up, and escitalopram for those 12 and up.įluoxetine is the most studied of the SSRIs - its effectiveness in kids has been confirmed by major studies - and it is the SSRI most often prescribed for teenagers and children with depression. Only two, fluoxetine (Prozac) and escitalopram (Lexapro), have FDA approval for treatment of depression in children or teens. There are several different SSRI medications a doctor might recommend as their first choice for a depressed child. So the doctor should start with a low dose and work up gradually. The best dose - the most reduction of symptoms without problematic side effects - varies from child to child. SSRIs and SNRIs usually take four to six weeks to have an effect on depression symptoms, and their effectiveness continues to grow for several more weeks after that. “It needs to be treated effectively and robustly.” “Depression is serious and it can take one’s life,” notes Sarper Taskiran, MD, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Child Mind Institute. For kids with severe symptoms, starting with combined therapy and medication is recommended. If there’s no response with the therapy over a period of 12 weeks - or these therapies are not available - then SSRI medications should be considered.įor kids with moderate to severe depression, an SSRI is usually recommended, either alone or in combination with therapy. There are several kinds of therapy, including cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT), that have been shown to be effective for kids with depression. For children and teenagers whose depression symptoms are mild, therapy is the recommended first choice. And if the first SSRI a child is prescribed is not successful in combatting depression, they recommend trying another one, since individual kids respond differently to different SSRIs.īut before we say more about antidepressants, it’s important to keep in mind that not all kids who are depressed need to be treated with medication. If they stop the medication and the depression symptoms recur, a longer course of treatment is advised.įor kids with depression, experts agree that the first choice in medication treatment is the group of anti-depressant medications called SSRIs - selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Once a child’s depression is in remission, they should continue to take the medication for nine months to a year, to make sure they are stabilized. If an SSRI has not substantially reduced depression symptoms by six weeks, your doctor should try switching to a different SSRI or another antidepressant called an SNRI (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor). Side effects of SSRIs (see the full story below) tend to get better after the first few weeks, but if a child has problematic side effects that don’t fade, another SSRI should be considered. But the others have been thoroughly researched and found to be safe and effective. There are a number of SSRIs your doctor may prescribe (see the full story below), though only fluoxetine (Prozac) has been approved by the FDA for use in children and teenagers. So a doctor treating the depression should consider whether there are other challenges that need attention too, to make sure the treatment is successful. They may develop depression because the anxiety or ADHD has had a negative impact on their lives or their self-esteem. And the most effective treatment for depression is medication combined with cognitive behavior therapy.Īnother thing it’s useful to keep in mind is that many kids who develop depression have been struggling with an earlier challenge, like anxiety or ADHD. Individual kids respond differently to different medications. But it’s important to know that if the first SSRI your child tries is not successful in treating their depression, a different SSRI or another antidepressant medication may be successful. For children and teenagers with depression, the first choice in medication treatment is a group of antidepressants called SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors).
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