Europe UK (Commonwealth Union) – New research conducted by the University of Manchester, Centre for Women’s Mental Health has indicated that the portion of children and adolescents prescribed antipsychotics in general practice doubled from 0.06% to 0.11% between 2000 and 2019 in England.
Drugs, that usually tranquillize, are regularly taken by adults for major mental conditions, such as schizophrenia. But they are linked to problematic side-effects like sexual dysfunction, infertility, as well as weight gain that can result in diabetes.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence gave the go ahead for the application of certain antipsychotics in those below 18 years old with psychosis or with severely aggressive behavior associated with conduct disorder
However, the study indicated that they are prescribed for more of a broad range of reasons, where autism is the most common condition.
Researchers evaluated primary care records of 7.2 million children and adolescents, from 3 to 18 years old, registered at selected English General Practices spanning a period from 2000 to 2019.
The general percentage that was prescribed antipsychotics was relatively minor, which was 0.06% in 2000 and 0.11% in 2019.
Boys and older children who were between 15 to 18 years old had an increased chance of being prescribed antipsychotics than girls as well as younger children; however, the elevated trends were seen in all groups.
The older class of antipsychotics, that can be linked with side effects involving involuntary movements that are uncontrollable like movement disorders, had an increased likelihood to be prescribed in more deprived areas.
“This study demonstrates a concerning trend in antipsychotic prescribing in children and adolescents. We do not think the changes in prescribing necessarily relate to changes in clinical need; rather, it may be more likely to reflect changes in prescribing practice by clinicians,” explained Dr Matthias Pierce, a senior research fellow from the University of Manchester’s Centre for Women’s Mental Health who jointly led the study.
