I have three children on SSRI antidepressants (Lexapro for my 14- and 12-year-olds and Prozac for my 8-year-old). difficult child 1 had manic reactions to both Prozac and Zoloft. Now that he's on mood stabilizers, he can tolerate a low dose of Lexapro. difficult child 2 had an almost psychotic reaction to Paxil, but we found out afterward that child psychiatrists do not prescribe Paxil to children any longer because it can cause very strange reactions. difficult child 2 is now stable on the mood stabilizer Lamictal with Lexapro. easy child has done very well on Prozac for anxiety with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) tendencies.
If anxiety is affecting the child's quality of life (as it was for my 3 kids), SSRIs can make a world of difference. You do have to approach SSRIs with caution. I would always advise starting at a low dose and increasing very slowly. I would also advise you to watch your child like a hawk for adverse side effects.
Can you get a second opinion on the medications from a child psychiatrist?
