Originally published September 23 2005
Depression in children is mistreated, study says
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
An estimated 1 to 2 percent of children age six to 12 and 2 to 5 percent of adolescents age 13 to 18 may suffer from depression, but because doctors and researchers know so little about depression in children, it is often improperly treated, a study suggests.
"The chronicity, morbidity and mortality associated with depression in youths makes the current state of knowledge a cause for great concern.
"The clinician faced with a depressed child or adolescent cannot, in good faith, merely suggest waiting for the healing effects of time," he said.
Dr Ryan, from the University of Pittsburg Medical Centre in the US, said levels of depression were estimated at 1-2% in children aged six to 12 and 2-5% in adolescents aged 13 to 18.
Between 14 and 25% of youths are believed to have experienced at least one bout of major depression before turning into adults.
Dr Ryan looked at the effects of both psychotherapeutic and pharmacological treatments on young people.
The various psychotherapy studies, including wait-list control - where patients are not given any treatment, but promised treatment at the end - were found to provide "less than definitive evidence for specific efficacy".
While antidepressants are shown to benefit adults, Dr Ryan said: "There is simply no evidence of efficacy of tricyclic antidepressants for children and very little evidence of efficacy when considered overall in adolescents."
Dr Ryan added that antidepressants as a whole were thought to increase, rather than decrease, suicidal thoughts and suicidal behaviour among children.
"Close monitoring of youths on antidepressant treatment, although not proven, could help decrease potential suicide risk," he said.
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