EBP Exchange - UMB School of Social Work

A study in the April 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the benefits of antidepressants outweighed the risks for children and adolescents under the age of 19.  This treatment has been quite controversial since observation of a possible elevation in suicide risk for children taking SSRIs. The FDA subsequently warned of an increased risk of suicide attempts or suicide-related behavior among children and teens taking SSRIs. This study indicates that across all available studies, the benefits in terms of lives saved are greater than the harms.  This is not reason, of course, to minimize the risks that SSRIs may cause for individual children–these must be carefully monitored according to practice guidelines.

Bridges, J.A. et al  (2007). clinical response and risk for reported suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in pediatric antidepressant treatment.: A meta-analysis of randomized control trials,  JAMA, 297, 1683-1696.