The children, the new target of psychiatrists.

The children, the new target of psychiatrists.



Data French and international press review:

-"In France, it is estimated that 3.5 to 5% of children suffer from hyperactivity" Science and the future, August 2004

-"Children on antidepressants have 1.89 times more likely to become suicidal" study of the FDA announced in 20' the 25.08.04

-"France only 5000 children would be treated for hyperactivity" section of
Parisien May 26, 2004

-"In France, it would count 40 000 people, including a very large majority of children, followed by for this disorder and remains subject to caution among specialists." 29.03.04, Gilbert Charles article Express

-"Ritalin consumption, medication to reduce agitation and deficits in attention, dual now almost every two years in France".

"Some 10,000 boxes of Ritalin and were issued in 1995." In 1998, 35 755 boxes have been sold; in 2000: 62 214; in 2002 118 324. The figures for 2003 are not yet available. "But in the unanimous opinion of health care professionals, they can only translate a new rise." Le Figaro of the 19.02.04

-"According to INSERM, one in eight children suffers from a mental disorder, but it is often overlooked." The general practitioner of the 9.01.04

-Report Cléry Melin Kovess made public in October 2003: "The Mission recommends furthermore substantially increase capacity of hospitalization in child psychiatry." "It calls for vigilance on the mental health of children in recommending that the screening of psychiatric disorders included in all the reviews that they receive." The world of the 7.10.03

-12% of children 6 years already received psychotropic treatment.

-"At the age of 3 months, 7 infants on 100 have already received sleeping pills or sedation." "In the 9th month, 16% use regularly" Magazine MOM March 2003, according to the book "Raising baby" by Marcel Rufo and Christine Schilte

-14% of 16-year-old girls take psychotropic drugs. This figure is 10 per cent for boys. (February 27, 2003)

-A collective expertise of INSERM made public on 6 February 2003 estimates that approximately 12.5% of adolescents and children in France (or one of 8) have at least a mental disorder.
Anxiety disorders are more common with a prevalence of 5% (fear of an object or fear of contact with others), followed by the mood (major depressive) disorder. The hyperactive (agitation relentless, attention deficit) are 2%, 1% bulimia and autistic 0.27%.

"It is the detection of these disorders is done more efficiently in France, because often it detects too late." However, even if effective medicines do not often exist, good support helps mitigate the mental suffering of the child and his parents. "We recommend strengthening the medical examination on the book of health in the second year, to better detect mental disorders", explains Daniel Bailly. The Parisian February 7, 2003
More than 4% of boys and 3.5 per cent of girls of less than 9 years had already taken of psychotropic drugs in the year 2000. In 2000, more than 6000 children and adolescents were under depression medications. Source: survey of health insurance in 2003

In France, 17% of students in the 6th to the Terminal took psychotropic drugs in the past year, according to a study by the CNAM in 1993