Psychological Problems Most Common Side Effect in Children Taking Prescription Drugs

According to a recent analysis of adverse event reports conducted by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), psychiatric side effects appear to be the most common risk for children taking prescription medications. In the report, researchers noted that psychological complications were a major issue in ten of the 15 drugs examined that had adverse side effects on patients under the age of 18. Among these psychological problems were side effects like aggression, suicidal behavior, hallucinations and mood change. If you believe your child has been adversely affected by a dangerous pharmaceutical drug, contact our product liability lawyers at Bandas Law Firm for legal help. With our experienced legal team on your side, you can protect your rights and pursue the financial compensation your child deserves.

side effects of childhood drug use

During the study, the ISMP examined data on serious adverse events involving children that were reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) between 2008 and 2012. According to the report, researchers identified 45,610 adverse events related to children, 29,298 of which involved a serious injury. Furthermore, they found that just 15 medications accounted for a whopping 41% of those serious injuries. Some of the most prevalent adverse effects among children were psychiatric problems like aggression and hallucinations, but the most deadly side effect for children was an increased risk of suicidal tendencies. According to the report, drug-related suicidal behavior among children resulted in 274 completed suicides, 159 suicide attempts and 100 incidents of self-injurious behavior during the course of the study.

rate of side effects may be much higher than reported

In addition to their own findings, the ISMP points out that other sources have identified about 586,000 doctor and hospital visits associated with children suffering from prescription drug side effects every year of the study. Severe injuries and drug complications also accounted for roughly 160,000 emergency room visits per year, but the FDA only received a small fraction of those cases as adverse event reports. In fact, critics of the FDA’s adverse event reporting system estimate that as few as 10% of all actual drug side effects are ever reported to the agency as adverse events, which means the number of suicides and other psychiatric problems linked to childhood use of certain medications could be as much as ten times higher than the report indicates.

contact our drug injury lawyers today

If your child has suffered a psychiatric problem or another serious side effect you believe to be related to a prescription or over-the-counter medication, consult our drug injury attorneys at Bandas Law Firm today. Our lawyers have years of experience protecting the rights of consumers harmed by dangerous drugs, and can help you seek fair and timely reimbursement for your child’s injuries and medical bills.

Source: http://www.ismp.org/QuarterWatch/pdfs/2013Q1-Kids-Special.pdf