Children’s Prescriptions on the Rise
A report by Medco Health Solutions, Inc. found that prescription drug use by children increased more than adult drug use last year. The report cited a 5 percent increase among kids in comparison to an overall rise of 1.3 percent.
The highest jump was in anti-viral drugs use attributed to cases of the swine flu. Anti-viral drug use rose by 46 percent. Also increasing are drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes in kids as well as respiratory drugs used to treat breathing conditions such as asthma.
Doctors note that the increases are clearly a result of the rise in rates of diseases related to overall health. Childhood obesity accounts for a number of the health concerns, and as the instances of such diseases increase so will the use of medications. Doctors mention that the rise is also tied to the increased push to diagnose conditions in children, such as depression, that can be treated with drug therapy.