Children Taking Anti-psychotics

FROM NBC: More and more young children are being given anti-psychotic prescription medications for autism and other developmental disorders.

Researchers from Columbia Psychiatry and Rutgers compared children treated in 2000 to those treated in 2007 -- and found the rate of anti-psychotic medicine use doubled among 2- to 5-year olds. Children in 2007 were more likely to receive a diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorder, which includes autism and asperger's. Risperidone was the most commonly prescribed anti psychotic -- often used to treat irritability associated with autism. While prescriptions went up, very few children received other mental health treatments, or were given a mental health assessment.

Most people I know who have children on the autism spectrum have their kids in speech, developmental and/or occupational therapy. The kids are seen by medical professionals more than most. I find it hard to believe that a parent would put their child on an anti-psychotic and not have him/her seen by a doctor on a regular basis. I feel like there must be more to this study.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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