child mind-altering prescriptions skyrocketed, report says

Prescriptions of psychotropic drugs for children and adolescents are on the rise and concern “tens of thousands of children”, alert Monday, March 13 the High Council of the family, childhood and age (HCFEA). The consumption of psychotropic drugs has doubled in ten years among children, underlines the report. One in 20 children would now be affected, notes the High Council in a report entitled When the children are bad, how to help them?.

The consumption of psychotropic drugs in children and adolescents increased by +49% for antipsychotics, +63% for antidepressants and +155% for hypnotics and sedatives between 2014 and 2021, according to data collected by the HCFEA , a body reporting to the Prime Minister and responsible for advising the government. For 2021 alone, the increase is +16% for anxiolytics, +224% for hypnotics, +23% for antidepressants.

“This phenomenon of over-medication does not concern isolated cases but tens of thousands of children. These levels of increase are incommensurate (2 to 20 times higher) with those observed in the general population”is it written in the report. “Children are much more exposed than adults to mental suffering and psychological difficulties, but also to medication”comments the High Council.

Insufficient care capacities

“The pediatric, child psychiatric and medico-social offer is in decline and no longer allows children and families to be accommodated within reasonable deadlines (waiting times of six to eighteen months)”according to the High Council.

>> TESTIMONIALS. “I called all the numbers within 30 km around”: helpless in the face of the lack of child psychiatrists, parents confide

Gold “the number of children with psychic difficulties is increasing”both for lack of proper care, and due to effects like “the health crisis, the war in Ukraine, eco-anxiety”. Hence a “scissors effect”: more children in psychological distress and less capacity to treat them.

>> “It’s between six months and a year of waiting”: when the shortage of personnel in child psychiatry jeopardizes the care of children

This situation leads to a “worsening of the state of health of children”, an “increase in emergency hospitalizations, suicidal acts and suicides in children and adolescents”. And “for lack of appropriate care, recourse to the sole prescription of psychotropic drugs”.