Pediatric Prescriptions

          Our children are becoming addicted to drugs--the legal kind.  Pediatric prescription rates are skyrocketing and medical doctors increasingly turn to an ever-expanding medicine chest to treat childhood conditions--many of which have little data to support prescription use in the pediatric population and/or have been treated effectively without drugs for years.  Here's the ugly truth about pediatric prescriptions and what parents can do about it.

          With an increase in available dignostics and the number of medications available to treat every possible disease increasing exponentially, it shouldn't be any surprise that the number of prescriptions being written for both adults and children has risen dramatically over the past several years.  In addition, poor lifestyle choices have led to growing childhood obesity, further complicated by type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.  More unhealthy children means more opportunity for drugs to be prescribed in response.

PILL OVERLOAD

          In December 2010, The Wall Street Journal reported the latest findings by Medico Health Solutions, Inc, which determined that roughly one in four children and 30 percent of adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 are taking medication for a chronic condition in the United States.  Nearly 7 percent of children are taking two or more such drugs, according to the company's research for 2009.

          In the WSJ article, Dr. Robert Epstein, the chief medical officer at Medco, said that these results were "shocking" to the company.  "While H1N1 caused a spike in antiviral use among children last year, the far more alaming trend since the beginning of the decade is the increasing use of medications taken by children on a regular basis and, in some cases, for conditions that we don't often associate with youth, such as type 2 diabetes."

          From statins to sleeping pills, it's clear that many of the drugs once considered necessary for adults only are being prescribed to children as well.  IMS Health, a research firm, provided The Wall Street Journal with figures that confirm this fact.

          Some believe this trend is just the result of doctors and parents becoming more aware of drugs as an option for kids, but the problem remains that many of these drugs have not been tested specifically for the pediatric population.  Danny Benjamin, a Duke University pediatrics professor, is specifically concerned about well-established drugs since the pharmaceutical companies have no incentive to test them.

          "We know we're making errors is dosage and safety," said Benjamin, quoted in The Wall Street Journal article, and has suggested parents themselves need to take time to research any new medications suggested by their pediatrician.  This can be done by reading labels, going to the FDA Web site (www.fda.gov), looking for published research at www.pubmed.gov and collecting clinical guidelines from groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics.

THE OBESITY FACTOR

          It appears that the growing childhood obesity problem in the United States could be partially to blame for these alarming statistics.  For instance, drugs used to lower cholesterol are taken by 10 - 19-year-olds at a rate of 50 percent higher than a decade ago.  The concern with this trend is that these drugs are associated with weight gain and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes; meaning that the cure for high cholesterol could actually exacerbate the problem.

          Additionally, the researchers at Medco believe the obesity epidemic could be to blame for the greater spike in prescriptions over the nine-year span considered in this report.  There was a 147 percent increase in the number of children prescibed proton-pump inhibitors, which are treatments for heartburn and gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD).

          The report noted, "The increases in prescription drug use by children for chronic conditions could fuel significantly higher health care costs as those young patients enter adulthood."  However, perhaps the bigger concern should be that many of these drugs have not been tested and no research exists to tell parents what can happen when they are taken regularly from childhood to adulthood.

GROWING CONCERN

          The Medco report also indicated that medications use for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) is on the rise, with 13.2 percent of the prescription drug benefit dollars spent in this area.  However, the greatest concern could be the spike in the use of atypical antipsychotics.  Traditionally used to treat schizophrenia, these drugs recently have been prescribed to children for a variety of pediatric disorders.

          "Atypical antipsychotics are extremely powerful drugs that are being used far too commonly--especially in children--given their safety issues and side effects," says Dr. David Musina, a specialist in mood disorders and national practice leader of the Medco Therapeutic Resource Center for Neuroscience.  He further notes that they are being prescribed for depression and anxiety, "for which there is no good evidence that they are effective treatment and yet we are exposing children to the possibility of extreme weight gain that could lead to a host of health problems, including diabetes."

          Medco alsio noted in its report that since the FDA issued a suicide warning in 2004 for certain antidepressants, there has been a 23 percent drop in children taking these pharmaceuticals.  However, the FDA has expanded to pediatric patients the indications for many new atypical antipsychotic medications, including Abilify, Zyprexa and Seroquel, which has listed side effects of "signs of diabetes" and "large or rapid weight gain."

A WORLDWIDE PROBLEM

          As with most trends in the United States, other countries like Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia tend to follow suit.  For instance, despite the guidelines set forth by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, the number of prescriptions written in the U.K. for Ritalin is up 33 percent and in Canada, the use of ADHD drugs increased almost 50 percent between 1999 and 2004, according to IMS Health Canada.  Although no current figures are available, there are very real concerns regarding the continued increase in the given number of prescription drugs being given to Canadian children.

IMPLICATING BIG PHARMA

          The National Center for Health Statistics reports that the percentage of Americans taking at least one prescription drug each month increased from 44 percent to 48 percent from 1999 to 2008.  The percentage taking two or more increased from 25 percent in 1999 to 31 percent in 2008.  In that same time period, the percentages of Americans who took five or more prescription drugs per month increased from 6 percent to 11 percent.  Is it any wonder that the United States alone, almost $ 300 billion is spent each year on pharmaceuticals?

          In researching this article, I was not able to determine what portion of the dollars spent annually on prescription drugs is spent on prescriptions for children, although a Medco study in 2002 reported that spending on prescription drugs for those under age 19 grew 28 percent in 2001.  Yet, despite not knowing exactly how much Americans are spending to drug their children, we do know that the pharmaceutical industry spent $189 million last year alone just lobbying Congress and other important law-makers to pass legislation that has allowed for more advertising and more drugs available on the market.

A SAFER PATH

          The best way to ensure that your child does not become part of the pediatric prescription craze is to ask your doctor about drug-free treatment options whenever they reach for their prescribing pad.  It's also essential to inquire about the safety record and research supporting the drug's use for children specifically.  If you don't get the answers you deserve to hear, get more information before filling that prescription.

          Dr. Huntoon's primary goal when caring for you and your children is to allow the body to heal itself naturally.  That means using conservative treatment options first, rather than turning to medications.  In many cases, particularly regarding some of the pediatric conditions treated heavily with drugs these days (diabetes, high cholesterol, sleep problems, asthma, etc.), lifestyle modifications including exercise, nutrition, weight loss and stress reduction can go a long way -- without drugs -- to improve your child's health.  Talk to Dr. Huntoon for more information.  His phone number is 845-561-2225 or you can e-mail him at  Dr. Huntoon

OUR OFFER TO YOU

If your child(ren) is currently taking medication for a condition you feel is not being properly handled but being suppressed with the medication, Dr. Huntoon will be happy to consult with you and your child as part of August Kids Back To School Check-Up.  Simply call the office and let's schedule some time to evaluate your child's health concern and let's see if we can develop a plan to keep your child(ren) off of drugs.  Talk to Dr. Huntoon for more information.  His phone number is 845-561-2225 or you can e-mail him at Dr. Huntoon

This article was written by Dr. Claudia Anrig, who practices in Fresno, California and is on the board of directors of the International Chiropractic Pediatrics Association

Dr. Huntoon has a single mission:

To support as many people as possible in their quest for health and enable them to improve and maintain their health to the highest level possible, while educating them about the benefits of Chiropractic, Natural Healthcare and Holistic Living, so they in turn can teach others to support us having a healthy community.

Your Choice

• Continue doing the same thing and nothing changes or it may get worse

OR

• Try something different and get a different result that makes you happier and healthier.