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Researchers have reported a 600% increase over a 10-year period in prescriptions of antipsychotics to pediatric outpatients in the U.S. (JW Psychiatry Jun 21 2006). These authors examined pediatric antipsychotic prescriptions in the U.K.; the national general-practice database includes more than 789,000 patients aged 19 or younger. The investigators examined antipsychotic prescriptions, drug types, and diagnoses for three age groups (0–6, 7–12, and 13–19 years) from 1992 through 2005.
Prevalence of these prescriptions increased significantly, from 0.29 to 0.77 prescriptions per 1000 patient-years. The 7–12 age group had the greatest increase, followed by the 13–19 age group. Atypical-antipsychotic use also increased significantly. In the two…