FDA OKs Drug for Kids Despite Justice Probe

Task force calls for adolescent testing with focus on psychotherapy instead of drugs

(NEWSER) - A federal task force recommendation that all adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 be screened for depression is causing controversy among parents and pediatricians, the Washington Post reports. Critics fear the amount of antidepressant drugs prescribed to teens will rise massively, although the Preventive Services Task Force stressed that screening only makes sense when specialized care such as therapy is available, instead of a one-size-fits-all drug approach. More»

Popular remedies don't work and aren't safe for for children under 6

(NEWSER) - Over-the-counter cold medicines are dangerous for children under 6 and should not be used, a panel of health advisers reported to the FDA today. Many popular medicines, including Dimetapp, Triaminic, and Pediacare, have never been sufficiently tested on children under 12, the committee concluded. “The data that we have now is they don’t seem to work,” said one FDA expert. More»

Unintended effect unfolded as use fell

(NEWSER) - Four years after the FDA and other agencies sparked a drop in antidepressant use by labeling the meds a suicide risk for young people, a new study shows the results were exactly the opposite of what regulators intended. From 2003 to 2004, the suicide rate among people under 19 rose 14%, an unprecedented spike, the Washington Post reports. More»

Bacteria may unleash host of neurological problems in some

(NEWSER) - Strep may be causing much more than a sore throat among children. The powerful bacteria could be triggering a host of neurological problems from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder to nervous tics, anorexia, and hyperactivity, some scientists believe. Millions of US children develop strep throat each year, and most cases are quickly cleared up with antibiotics, notes the Wall Street Journal . But some kids suffer "Pandas" (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcus). "Parents have used the word 'possessed,' " says one doctor. "Their sweet, wonderful child turns into a monster seemingly overnight." More»

Academy of pediatrics ups age guidelines for car seats

(NEWSER) - Cue the choruses of, "Oh mom, do I have to?": The American Academy of Pediatrics has cracked down its carseat guidelines, reports the Washington Post , and they're likely to cause plenty of bickering. Among them:

• All children should sit in the back seat until they are 13 years old
• Children under 13 should use booster seats until they are 4 feet, 9 inches tall, or big enough to fit seatbelts properly
• Infants should ride in rear-facing car seats until age 2, or until they reach the seat's maximum height and weight.