Rates of mental illness in children have increased drastically, leading to the widespread use of psychotropic drugs as a conventional treatment method. However, the documentary “Kids on Pills: Happiness Out of a Bottle” by Only Human delves into whether this approach is truly beneficial or if it may be doing more harm than good in the long run.
The film compares the treatment approaches for children with mental disorders in America and Europe, shedding light on the potential long-term consequences of medicating young individuals. Specifically, it follows the stories of children diagnosed with bipolar disorder at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, highlighting the controversies surrounding early diagnoses in children as young as three years old.
The documentary also explores the concept of polypharmacy, where multiple medications are prescribed to address a single health condition. This practice is becoming increasingly common among pediatric patients, with a significant percentage experiencing polypharmacy according to recent studies.
Through the stories of children like Jaylene and Anna, who are prescribed various medications to manage their mental health conditions, the film raises important questions about the effectiveness and safety of psychotropic drugs in children. It highlights the potential side effects and risks associated with these medications, as well as the lack of evidence supporting their use in young patients.
Overall, the documentary challenges the current approach to treating mental illness in children and emphasizes the need for a more holistic and individualized approach that considers the long-term well-being of young patients. As per the featured film, doctors in the U.S. often prescribe medications as ‘individual healing attempts,’ leading to a majority of the 17 million children worldwide taking psychotropic drugs. Dr. Dominik Riccio, from the Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology, warns against giving antipsychotic medications to children, as it can disrupt the balance in the brain, affecting creativity, emotions, and humanity. The long-term effects of polypharmacy in children remain unclear, with European doctors expressing concerns about the risks associated with prescribing psychotropic drugs to young children. Non-drug approaches for conditions like ADHD are encouraged in Europe, with a focus on rehabilitation centers and traditional values to manage the condition. Parents are advised to advocate for their children’s well-being and seek alternatives to psychotropic drugs, considering factors like diet, emotions, and toxins as potential contributors to behavioral issues in children. Por ejemplo, prestar atención a la salud de tu microbioma intestinal y el de tu hijo es crucial. La investigación muestra que la composición de la flora intestinal al nacer y durante el primer año de vida de un niño juega un papel clave en el desarrollo de trastornos neurodesarrollados como el TDAH. Otros sustancias tóxicas que se han asociado con un mayor riesgo de TDAH incluyen plomo, ftalatos, BPA, pesticidas y contaminación del aire, ya que afectan al desarrollo del cerebro y los sistemas de neurotransmisores, afectando el comportamiento y la función cognitiva de tu hijo. Para más información sobre esto, recomiendo leer mi artículo “¿Por qué ahora 1 de cada 9 niños tiene un diagnóstico de TDAH?”