Overdosed: Over 25% of Kids on Prescription Drugs
A report released by Medco Health Solutions Inc., the biggest U.S. pharmacy-benefit manager, shows that over 25% of children and teens are involved with taking prescription medications – although that number may have risen over the past couple years. Based on the company’s data from 2009, 7% of U.S. children are on a shocking two or more drugs.
Despite the alarming amount of children being fed prescription medication, many of these drugs were intended or tested for only adult use. Research on the drugs’ effects in kids is dismal, and consequences of giving these drugs to children without proper research could result in far more problems than the one meant to be treated. Although popping pills to alleviate pain or fix health issues shouldn’t be the answer for anyone, it is especially dangerous for younger bodies that are given doses which aren’t even tested for.
“We know we’re making errors in dosing and safety,” says Dr. Benjamin, who is leading a new National Institutes of Health initiative to study drugs in children.
As time goes on, it seems that more pharmaceutical pills are taken on a grand scale. Not only are adults and even pets being fed prescription drugs, but now children are also becoming reliant on such medications. Many of the prescription pills are statins, ADHD pills, antipsychotics, and sleeping pills. All of which have been shown to cause considerable harm.
- Statins – Despite being popular enough to rake in around 25 billion dollars in annual sales, statins have actually been linked to over 300 different adverse affects in peer-reviewed research, including cancer and liver damage. This ultimately led the FDA to institute new warning labels that alert consumers to the dangers of statin drugs, but only for two conditions.
- Not only shown to be ineffective, antipsychotics have been linked to suicide, diabetes, weight gain, decreased life expectancy, and triggering an array of metabolic conditions.
- Medications such as Ambien, which is prescribed for insomnia, was deemed a top drug causing memory loss related side-effects. In addition, sleeping pills have also been shown to make way for an increased risk of cancer and premature death. With about 41 percent of adults diagnosed with insomnia turning to prescription drugs, and at least 300,000 children being prescribed sleep aid, it is imperative to pass along this information.
Why are so many children increasingly taking more drugs than ever before? It could have to do with the foods put in front of them every day that are loaded with preservatives, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup and other toxins. It might also have to do with sitting inside all day playing video games, not feeling even a hint of sunlight or participating in physical activity. One thing is for sure, the incredible drug use is certainly a result of drug-pushing mainstream medical professionals, as well as many of those working for the psychiatric community.
If parents educate themselves and their children on healthy eating and exercising, then the amount of prescription drugs will drop drastically for everyone. But most importantly, kids who rightfully don’t know any better won’t be subject to taking unnecessary drugs that could ultimately harm their health for life.
Additional sources:
 | Mike is the co-founder, editor, and researcher behind Natural Society. Studying the work of top natural health activists, and writing special reports for top 10 alternative health websites, Mike has written hundreds of articles and pages on how to obtain optimum wellness through natural health. |
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The worst part is all you need for medicine is concentrated hemp oil like the kind rick simpson shows you how to make. It cures cancer and many other ailments. It can also protect you from getting sick. The governments of the world will tell you it's bad but guess what THEY use when THEY get sick!!
Must be nice to have a demon to blame. Don't get me wrong, the pharmaceutical companies are complacent to no end. But who is to blame? Let's take a good look at ourselves, the spoiled-feel good boomers here. Who was it that allowed the removal of monkey bars and swings from playgrounds? Took away recess? Padded and stuffed kids with bumpers, helmets, and any other padded barrier to real world scrapes and scratches. No time to take the kids out for catch or bike riding. Give me a break. Buy a idiotpad and not a puzzle. Send the kids to their cave so we had the freedom to be hip eh? Cut the garbage and stand up and admit how the boomers derailed off the tracks from the greatest generation. Our fault what has happened to the kids……….
You hit the nail on the head.SOCIAL ENGINEERING;IT definitely involves drug ""THERAPY""">
Totally agree!
Modern technology is a curse rather than a blessing (including prescription drugs)because it has become a master rather than a servant. The main problem with kids and most adults (hyperactivity, obesity and insomnia) is that they perform absolutely no physical work of any description. This leads to all sorts of mental and physical problems that get worse with age. One visit to Wal-Mart is all it takes to know that this nation is doomed. The American public now consist primarily of human swine who have no real purpose in life other than shop for worthless gadgets and stuff their bodies with food and drugs.
I have a son and a daughter-in-law who fit your walmart description to a T. My son was not raised that way at all, as I detest walmart and all big box type stores, so I support small local businesses as much as possible. But he has that mindset (since he got married) that he will save money at walmart, not realizing what it costs him in gas just to get there. And that's not the only reason he shouldn't be shopping there, but that's a start. I've tried to explain it to him but he's married now and knows it all without listening to mom and dad. We'll see!
As an afterthought, I was wondering WHY all those people who shop at walmart are fat? The photos I see in emails are downright alarming! But consider this – that long walk from the car to the store, all the walking around the store to shop and then the long walk back to the car. Shouldn't these folks be losing weight??
Guess not, if they're buying junky walmart food, huh? (!)
And the other 75% are DRUNKS
Many children are hyper, aggressive or depressed for other reasons besides the catch-all ADHD/ADD. Causes can be food allergies or sensitivities and many children have Lyme disease – see http://www.ILADS.org for information on psychiatric Lyme. This is a travesty – it's much easier to give a kid a pill than get to the real cause of the problem, and yes, kids are kids – they're supposed to move around!
I remember there were many hyper kids at my elementary school and were NEVER on any drugs — we had recess and ran around until we were so tired that we took naps afterward and then back to the books and studying. The hyper kids were always normal after that — what happened? Why all the meds? Really? Kids are kids. Let them be.
WHY ALL THE MEDS?C.O.N.T.R.O.L.
believing in medical advice from the doctor who is on the payroll of the medical corps? ignorant and lazy parents? what side effects we will see in 30 years when mothers are on drugs, and kids are on drugs… – mutations? total mind control… more and more people are indifferent and numb to reality…
My Aunt was told her daughter was diagnosed with ADHD for being to hyper in class and they tried to push meds on her. 7 years later she is now just a quiet lazy teenager as was I when i was growing up.
Is there even a real way to diagnose these illnesses without using harmful medications?
I'm shocked that many kids are taking anti-depressants. That's awful.