Skip to content
WebMD: Better Information. Better Health.
Other search tools:Symptoms|Doctors|Videos

Depression Health Center

Font Size
A
A
A

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for depression in children and teens

Examples

Generic Name Brand Name
citalopram Celexa
escitalopram oxalate Lexapro
fluoxetine Prozac
fluvoxamine Luvox
sertraline Zoloft

How It Works

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can restore the balance of certain brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that regulate mood. When these brain chemicals are in proper balance, the symptoms of depression may be relieved.

Why It Is Used

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are used to treat depression and anxiety.

How Well It Works

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved fluoxetine to treat childhood and adolescent depression. Recent studies indicate that fluoxetine is well-tolerated and effective for childhood depression.1 Although other SSRIs are not approved for the treatment of children, they may also be used.

Side Effects

Side effects of SSRIs include:

  • Nausea, loss of appetite, or diarrhea.
  • Anxiety or irritability.
  • Agitation or overactivity.
  • Problems sleeping or drowsiness.
  • Loss of sexual desire or ability.
  • Headaches or dizziness.

These side effects often become less severe or go away altogether after several weeks.

SSRIs can trigger a manic episode if the child actually has bipolar disorder and not major depression.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

FDA Advisories. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued:

  • An advisory on antidepressant medicines and the risk of suicide. The FDA does not recommend that people stop using these medicines. Instead, a person taking antidepressants should be watched for warning signs of suicide. This is especially important at the beginning of treatment or when doses are changed.
  • A warning about the antidepressants Paxil and Paxil CR and birth defects. Taking these medicines in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy may increase your chance of having a baby with a birth defect.
  • A warning about taking triptans, used for headaches, with SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) or SNRIs (selective serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors). Taking these medicines together can cause a very rare but serious condition called serotonin syndrome.

What To Think About

Although fluoxetine is the only selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) approved for the treatment of symptoms of depression in children, doctors also prescribe others. People respond to medicines differently. For some children or teens, another SSRI for treatment of symptoms of depression may be more effective than fluoxetine.

If fluoxetine or another SSRI is not effective, sometimes doctors may use another type of antidepressant to treat depression in children and teens.

Your child may start to feel better within 1 to 3 weeks of taking an SSRI. But it can take as many as 6 to 8 weeks to see more improvement. If you have questions or concerns about the medicine, or if you do not notice any improvement by 3 weeks, talk to your child's doctor.

Do not suddenly stop taking antidepressants. The use of antidepressants should be tapered off slowly and only under the supervision of a doctor. Abruptly stopping antidepressant medicines can cause negative side effects or a relapse into another depression episode.

Complete the new medication information form (PDF)(What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.

Citations

  1. Emslie GJ, et al. (2002). Fluoxetine for acute treatment of depression in children and adolescents: A placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 41(10): 1205-1215.

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: April 16, 2009
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.
© 1995-2008 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.

One Pill a Day: Up to 24 Hours of Heartburn Relief in Many Adults with ARD
One Pill a Day: Up to 24 Hours of Heartburn Relief in Many Adults with ARD

Important Safety Information

  • KAPIDEX may not be right for everyone. You should not take KAPIDEX if you are allergic to KAPIDEX or any of its ingredients. Severe allergic reactions have been reported.
  • Symptom relief does not rule out other serious stomach conditions.
  • The most common side effects of KAPIDEX were diarrhea (4.8%), stomach pain (4.0%), nausea (2.9%), common cold (1.9%), vomiting (1.6%), and gas (1.6%). KAPIDEX and certain other medicines can affect each other. Before taking KAPIDEX, tell your doctor if you are taking ampicillin, atazanavir, digoxin, iron, ketoconazole, or tacrolimus. If you are taking KAPIDEX with warfarin, you may need to be monitored because serious risks could occur.

Uses of KAPIDEX

  • Persistent heartburn two or more days a week, despite treatment and diet changes, could be acid reflux disease (ARD). Prescription KAPIDEX capsules are used in adults to treat heartburn related to ARD, to heal acid-related damage to the lining of the esophagus (called erosive esophagitis or EE), and to stop EE from coming back. Individual results may vary. Most damage (erosions) heals in 4–8 weeks.

Talk to your doctor or healthcare professional. Please see full Prescribing Information for KAPIDEX.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

KAPIDEX™ is a trademark of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc., and is used under license by Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.

LPD-00767

Full Prescribing Information