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If your teen is struggling with depression, you might be wondering if medication might help. Antidepressant medications, while generally safe, can have unpleasant side effects, and recent warnings about teens and antidepressant use are worrisome. On the flip side, they can also dramatically improve your mood. Parents of teens, you are not alone in worrying about whether an antidepressant is the right choice for your child. Your doctor is likewise worried about how to best guide you on this issue. If your teen is prescribed an antidepressant such as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (ssri), its normal to have questions about how it works and whether its safe. Its important for you and your family to be educated about an antidepressant so you can help your teen understand the benefits and potential adverse effects (and how to manage them). At the time of this writing only two antidepressant medications have been approved by the fda, the food and drug administration, for treating depression in adolescents 1. Fluoxetine (prozac) has been approved for the use in children 8 and older and escitalopram (lexapro) has been approved for use in children 12 or older (reference 1). Of 14 regularly prescribed antidepressants, only one prozac proved effective enough to justify giving to children and teens in a new study. Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome occurs in approximately 20 of patients after abruptly stopping your antidepressant. Escitalopram (brand name lexapro) escitalopram (brand name lexapro). Recent research from england reports that depressed children and teens taking antidepressants thought about or attempted suicide more often than those not taking these drugs. In response to this report, the fda reviewed the results of 24 research studies of children and teens. The patients in these studies were depressed or had other illnesses. Over time, these side effects may lessen as the body adjusts to the new drug. Currently, fluoxetine (prozac) is the only recommended antidepressant for people under the age of 18. Again, it is of highly importance that teens are closely monitored by a trained physician when taking antidepressants. Sometimes it can take some time to find the right antidepressant and the right dosage for the best outcome. Although some teens feel they begin to see a positive change almost right after starting their dosage, usually the meds need about eight weeks of consistent usage for a real difference to be seen.
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