The consumption of psychotropic drugs has doubled in ten years among children. One in 20 children would now be affected, notes the High Council in a report entitled “When children are bad, how to help them?”, revealed in Le Parisien on Monday.
The consumption of psychotropic drugs in children and adolescents has increased by +49% for antipsychotics, +63% for antidepressants and +155% for hypnotics and sedatives between 2014 and 2021, according to data collected by the HCFEA, a body placed under the Prime Minister and responsible for advising the government.
“Tens of thousands of children”
For the year 2021 alonethe increase is +16% for anxiolytics, +224% for hypnotics, +23% for antidepressants.
“This phenomenon of over-medication does not concern isolated cases but tens of thousands of children. These levels of increase are disproportionate (2 to 20 times higher) with those observed in the general population.says the report.
“The numbers are worrying”commented to AFP, Secretary of State for Children Charlotte Caubel.
“Children are much more exposed than adults to mental suffering and psychological difficulties, but also to medication”underlines the High Council.
“The pediatric, child psychiatric and medico-social offer is in decline and no longer allows children and families to be accommodated within reasonable deadlines (waiting times of 6 to 18 months)”according to the High Council.
Or “the number of children with psychic difficulties is increasing”both for lack of proper care, and due to effects like “the health crisis, the war in Ukraine, eco-anxiety”.
Hence a “chisel effect”: more children in psychological suffering and less capacity to care for them.
Prescriptions without authorization
This situation leads to a “worsening of the health of children”a “increase in emergency hospitalizations, suicidal acts and suicides in children and adolescents”. Et “for lack of appropriate care, recourse to the sole prescription of psychotropic drugs”.
However, the report stresses that a large part of these prescriptions are made without marketing authorizationthese drugs are not intended for children.
“The recommendations of the health authorities in France are to offer first-line psychotherapeutic practices, psychological, educational and social support”explains to AFP the vice president of the HCFEA Sylviane Giampino. “The drugs only arrive as a last resort and as a complement. However, it turns out that children can take psychotropic drugs and not have access to these additional aids.”
“Everyone tells us we don’t know where to send the children because everything is saturated. During this time the child is growing up, less well, the symptoms are settling in, getting worse”adds this child psychologist.