The number of teenagers taking prescription medications for type 2 diabetes at the end of 2005 was double the number from the beginning of 2002, according to the results of an extensive study of prescription medication use in children.  This doubling of diabetic children is particularly troubling because it is a clear indicator of a lifelong battle against chronic disease.

The overall findings of the study indicate more children than ever are taking prescription medications and these prescriptions cover a broad range of illnesses.  Express Scripts, one of the nation’s leading managers of pharmacy benefits to insured consumers, supplied the study data, involving more than 3.5 million children aged 5 to 19 covered under commercial medical insurance plans from 2002 through 2005, to researchers at the Kansas Health Institute and the Saint Louis University School of Medicine.  The report of their study is available in today’s issue of the journal, Pediatrics.

Researchers cite the increasing number of obese children as the reason pediatric prescriptions are becoming more prevalent.  They identify their work as evidence that obesity impacts a child’s immediate health as well as his or her long-term quality of life.

Some findings of the study include:

• Girls between 10 and 14 increased the use of diabetic medications by 166%.
• Use of diabetic medications in all girls between 5 and 19 grew by 147%.
• Boys’ need for diabetic medications grew by 39%.
• The use of asthma medications increased by 46.5%, affecting all children 5 to 9 the most.
• Use of ADD/ADHD medications rose by 40.4%.
• Girls’ use of ADD/ADHD meds grew by 63%.
• Boys’ use of ADD/ADHD meds grew by 33%.
• Children taking cholesterol medications grew by 15%.
• Blood pressure medication use grew by 1.8%.
• Girls between 15 and 19 used 6.8% more antidepressants than in 2002.
• The use of antidepressants in boys declined during the study period.

Growing concern over the long-term use of pediatric medications and their potential for dangerous side effects may influence pediatric prescriptions but it may also give parents more call to take their children to their doctors more often.  More frequent office visits may be generating more prescriptions.

Another factor in the rise of pediatric prescriptions is that more physicians are becoming aware of the increasing prevalence of children developing diseases traditionally associated with middle-aged adults instead.  This increased awareness is undoubtedly contributing to earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Source: Saint Louis University Medical Center