Effects of antipsychotic drugs on kids raise concerns

A panel of pediatric experts has called on government regulators to further study the impact of antipsychotic drugs on children and improve labeling of the medications, which are often prescribed to children with developmental disabilities.

In a 16 to 1 vote this past September, a pediatric advisory committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urged the agency to continue to study the safety of antipsychotic drugs such as Risperdal, Seroquel and Abilify.

The committee also recommended that the FDA enhance drug labeling to emphasize concerns about weight gain, diabetes and other risks that children face when taking the psychiatric medications.

According to a report by Reuters, the recommendations come as more and more children — including many with developmental disabilities — are prescribed antipsychotics, though little is known about the impact of the drugs on young people.

For more on this story, see Advisers urge FDA to address antipsychotics in kids on the Reuters website.

You can also find some basic information on the types of medications used to treat mental disorders, the side effects of medications, directions for taking them, and FDA warnings on the National Institute of Mental Health website.