We're turning children psychotic with ADHD medication

We're turning children psychotic with ADHD medication

October 13, 2009 07:36am
CHILDREN as young as five have attempted suicide or are severely depressed
while on the controversial drugs to treat ADHD.

The Daily Telegraph has obtained the adverse reaction reports from the
Therapeutic Goods Administration, which showed at least 30 children have had
severe psychotic episodes and wanted to kill themselves.

One seven-year-old boy last year became so depressed while on Ritalin he
tried to commit suicide.

The number of serious reactions to ADHD drugs has doubled in three years,
now up to 827.

But the true extent of the side effects is unknown, with many doctors and
parents under-reporting the impact, experts said.

The use of heavy stimulants has been questioned by child experts who
believe the drugs, including the failed adult anti-depressant Strattera,
could be masking true psychological problems of children.

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It is also difficult to know whether the drugs are causing a child to
become suicidal or if the tendencies already existed, Dr Jon Juriedini, head
of the Department of Psychological Medicine at Adelaide's Women's and
Children's Hospital, said.

"It is difficult to say whether a drug is good or bad based on the adverse
reactions," he said.

"However when a drug such as Ritalin or Strattera is not proving to be
beneficial . . . you need to weigh up the side effects and ensure you don't
get adverse reactions. There's very poor evidence that they are effective in
anybody."

There are about 400,000 scripts for ADHD drugs, including Ritalin,
Strattera, Dexamphetamine and Concerta issued each year.

A warning was recently placed on Strattera packaging advising consumers it
causes suicidal tendencies.

"There's clear evidence that stimulant drugs tend to cause or precipitate
psychotic episodes in children," Dr Juriedini said.

The majority of the cases involving children are boys aged between nine and
12 years old. This year, one eight-year-old hallucinated every day for three
months that spiders were crawling on his skin.

"Whether its one or 31, I think parents and the community will be very
concerned that children that young are thinking of suicide," Childhood
Foundation CEO Dr Joe Tucci said.

"I think the medication has some side effects that increase suicide. If the
underlying cause for a child's behaviour is something else like trauma or
depression then (ADHD) masks the fact that kids need some other form of
support."

A TGA spokeswoman said ADHD drugs were important for some children.
"Therefore warnings need to be placed and doctors need to inform patients of
every possible side effect," she said.

Read more at The Daily Telegraph[Australia]
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/stor...005370,00.html