According to a recent study from Quebec, Canada, researchers have found that there are some alarming health risks that are associated with giving children antipsychotic medications.

These are medications that are allegedly being given out at an increasing rate to children in the country.

One well-known psychiatrist has even gone far enough to suggest that they are being given out as a means of social control.

In Canada, between 2005 to 2009, it's alleged that there was an increase of about 114 percent for recommendations related to antipsychotic medications for children. Sometimes they are given out to children who are as young as 2 years old.The researchers suggest that by taking these medications that it might contribute to very worrisome effects in the area of weight-gain.

The study in question had followed 147 children for several years, from 2005 to 2013, and it investigated the effects of the medication on the child. These drugs are frequently said to be given out to children for issues like ADHD and other aggression and behavior related issues.

The researchers analyzed blood, weight, and height samples for the children in the study and they found that on average the weight for the child would increase by at least 28 lbs in just 24 months. And researchers warn that these obesity issues might pose threats later-on such as blood pressure issues, increased risk of heart disease, fatty liver disease, and more.

The researchers admit that they are not clear as to why the children gained the weight.

It's also been alleged that some parents said that their child switched from wanting to drink water to then wanting to drink lots of soda instead; following the introduction of the new habit in taking the medication. Consequently, it's been suggested that the drugs might impact hunger etc, by affecting those brain chemicals.One professor from Duke University, Dr. Allen Frances, has said that the study is alarming and has suggested that these medications are being recklessly overused.

Most of the time, he suggests, they are being given out by primary care doctors who have little expertise or are under pressure and influence from drug companies and their allegedly heavy marketing tactics.

Frances says that the antipsychotic medications are mostly prescribed to children in foster care and to those who are from poor homes, because of this he suggests it's a form of social control.

Another study also just recently came out from Australia and it suggested the same thing, that these antipsychotic medications are being overprescribed there as well.

These sorts of medications should be considered as a last resort and never carelessly turned to as a first knee-jerk response to a problem, he suggests.

It has been repeatedly suggested that these medications are being turned to as a first line of treatment instead of a last resort; contributing to an issue for children that could pose some very serious and harmful side effects in their life.

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The information that is posted above is not intended or implied to ever be used as any substitute for professional medical advice, or diagnosis or treatment. The above is posted for informational purposes only.

Sources:

http://nationalpost.com/news/canada/kids-on-sga-adhd-drugs-often-become-obese-terrifying-study-finds/wcm/d67a8759-d686-4557-913e-4648d0dfbfb7

http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0706743717718166?journalCode=cpab

http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/over-16000-australian-children-prescribed-antipsychotics-pbs-data-shows-20170630-gx2blu.html

http://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/adhd/a-true-adhd-epidemic-or-an-epidemic-of-overdiagnosis/article/429034/