![]() ![]() There are several types of antidepressants that have an effect on childhood anxiety. There is a lot of research backing up their safety and effectiveness for kids with anxiety, even though they are not approved by the FDA for this use. That is the case, for instance, with the use of antidepressants for childhood anxiety. But other scientists may have studied these different uses for the medications extensively, and published their research in credible, peer-reviewed journals. The drug company may choose not to seek FDA approval for the drug’s use with these additional disorders or age groups, since the process is expensive. Once the drug is approved, it can also be prescribed “off label,” for a different use and/or a different age group - say, anxiety in children. When drug companies develop a new medicine, they are required to prove to the FDA that it is safe and effective for treating a specific problem in a specific group of patients - say, depression in adults. But that doesn’t mean they are not safe and effective, or that they haven’t been thoroughly studied. Some medications widely used to treat anxiety in children are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for that use. A second medication can also be added to a fully active antidepressant if a child needs more relief. For instance, since antidepressants aren’t fully effective right away, a second medication may be added to relieve anxiety during the initial weeks of taking an antidepressant. Medications are also frequently combined to treat severe anxiety. While medication is not as effective alone as it is in combination with CBT, it is often prescribed alone if CBT is not available or not feasible for the child’s family. But for more severe anxiety, it’s recommended that kids start on medication along with therapy - or even before therapy starts, to help them get comfortable enough to participate. Medication can be added after the child starts CBT if therapy alone does not seem to be working to relieve their symptoms. Most experts recommend that kids with mild-to-moderate anxiety be treated first with CBT. Medication can help kids who are extremely anxious get comfortable enough to participate in the therapy. In CBT children are taught skills to overcome their anxiety, rather than giving in to it, and their anxiety diminishes gradually, over a period of weeks. Studies show the most effective treatment for anxiety is not medication alone but medication in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. The role of medication in treatment of anxiety Though there are many different anxiety disorders, anti-anxiety medications tend to work for the symptoms that these diagnoses have in common: worrying, nervousness, obsessing, anxiety. ![]() They have an effect on other neurotransmitters and other pathways in the body’s nervous system. Other medications work by reducing physical symptoms caused by anxiety. Some medications work by reducing the anxiety itself - antidepressants do that by boosting the level of serotonin, the chemical in the brain which most directly regulates mood and anxiety. ![]() Others are used only occasionally, when a child is facing a situation that triggers intense anxiety. Some anti-anxiety medications - including the antidepressants - are used to reduce the child’s overall symptoms, with the child taking them every day. For instance, the most effective medications for anxiety are antidepressants - called that because they were first approved for treating depression. Some of them were not originally developed to treat anxiety, so their names are misleading. Medications used to treat anxiety in children can be confusing because they include several different kinds of drugs that work in different ways. To read about each of them - who they are good for, how they should be used, and side effects that could be a problem for your child - read the full story below.
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