Kids' prescriptions for anti-psychotic drugs skyrocketCHICAGO Anti-psychotic drugs are becoming increasingly used to tame attention deficit disorder and other behavioral problems in children, despite the fact there's no evidence they work. Researchers at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital found the annual number of children prescribed anti-psychotic drugs has jumped fivefold between 1995 and 2002, to an estimated two-point-five million. The author of the study, Doctor William Cooper, says the findings are worrisome. Cooper says large scale studies on the drug's effects are needed on children to determine if there are serious problems like weight gain, elevated cholesterol and diabetes. Anti-psychotics are intended for use against schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses. Last modified March 17, 2006 |