Show 66: Children & Pharmaceuticals

More and more kids are being prescribed medications. From psychotropic prescriptions to pills for obesity-related diseases, the rate of meds given to kids is increasing at a higher rate than any other age group. What's going on? And for those kids currently on medication, we'll discuss management, side effects and dosages.

IN-STUDIO GUEST: Joining host Shana Sheehy in the studio to explore all things pharmaceutical as they relate to children is:

- Dr. Shubu Ghosh. Brought up in northern California, he is a graduate of the adult and child psychiatric program from University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas; he also studied and worked in India with Mother Teresa before her passing. Dr. Ghosh is in private practice at Ghosh Psychiatric Services in Anchorage; he is currently participating in the field trials for the revision of DSM V. He is also a field instructor with the University of Alaska Anchorage and regularly leads informational clinics for caregivers.

RESOURCES FROM THIS PROGRAM:

• Drug Research & Children (FDA)
• Drugs & Lactaction (Nat'l Library of Medicine)
• Antidepressant Meds for Children: A Parent's Guide (NIMH)
• What You Need to Know About Stimulant Medication (Amer. Acad. of Ped.)
• Financial Ties Between DSM-IV & Pharmaceutical Industry (PubMed)
• The Effect of Pharmaceutical Marketing on Physicians (Santa Clara Univ.)
• Doctors Often Receive Payments from Drug Companies (NPR)
• Physician Payment Sunshine Act Guide (Pew Prescription Project)
• List of mental health meds & ages they are approved for (NIMH)
• Drug Trend Report 2011 (Medco)
• Childhood Under Siege: How Big Business Targets Children (JoelBakan.com)
• Suffer the Children: The Case Against Labeling and Medicating and an Effective Alternative (MarilynWedgePhD.com)

FEATURED STORIES:

- The Rising Rates of Pediatric Prescriptions - Nationwide, more kids are taking prescription medications to treat everything from anxiety to high blood pressure. KTD! contributor Jessica Cochran took a look at some of the national statistics.

- An Alternative to Medication - Although prescriptions written for children may be on the rise, there are many behavioral health providers who advocate for treatments that do not include medication. Family therapist Dr. Marilyn Wedge numbers among them. KTD! producer Sarah Gonzales spoke with her about her new book, Suffer the Children: The Case Against Labeling and Medicating and an Effective Alternative.

- Dr. KTD: A Spoonful of Sugar? - Michelle Laufer, M.D., is back to offer tips to caregivers for getting little ones to take their medicine.