From St. Jude’s Hospital:
There are Benefits and Risks When Using Antidepressants
Antidepressants are used to treat depression and other illnesses. Depression and other illnesses can lead to suicide. In some children and teenagers, treatment with an antidepressant increases suicidal thinking or actions. It is important to discuss all the risks of treating depression and also the risks of not treating it. You and your child should discuss all treatment choices with your healthcare provider, not just the use of antidepressants. Other side effects can occur with antidepressants.
Of all the antidepressants, only fluoxetine (Prozac™) has been FDA approved to treat pediatric depression.
For obsessive compulsive disorder in children and teenagers, FDA has approved only fluoxetine (Prozac™), sertraline (Zoloft™), fluvoxamine, and clomipramine (Anafranil™) .
*Prozac™ is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company
*Zoloft™ is a registered trademark of Pfizer Pharmaceuticals
*Anafranil™ is a registered trademark of Mallinckrodt Inc.