Assignment: Off-Label Drug Use in Pediatrics The unapproved use of approved drugs, also called off-label use, with children is quite common. This is because pediatric dosage guidelines are typically unavailable, since very few drugs have been specifically researched and tested with children. When treating children, prescribers often adjust dosages approved for adults to accommodate a child’s weight. However, children are not just “smaller” adults. Adults and children process and respond to drugs differently in their absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.
Off-Label Drug Use in Pediatrics Assignment
Pediatrics
Prescription of medication to children is an area that should be approached systematically due to the diverse factors affecting this demographic. The aim of off label drug use for children is to attain maximum benefit for the patient in the challenges that he or she is facing. This is a decision based on professional judgment, and decision-making should be guided by the presentation of the patient and evidence supporting the use and efficacy of the drugs in helping this particular individual (Pratico et al., 2017). One way that the use of off-label drugs can be made safer includes considering the risk and benefit ratio of medication, and disclosing such information. For instance, in the case there is an option to begin the use of Zoloft, an SSRI, in a child that is suffering from depression. In a trial that evaluated the efficacy of Zoloft in comparison to a placebo, the findings showed that after 12 weeks 55 percent of children in the study group improved in comparison to 24 percent that received the placebo (Cardy et al., 2017). Furthermore, side effects have been associated with the drug that include drowsiness, fatigue, insomnia, nausea, and dizziness. Children have also been reported to experience changes in their mental state.
Therefore, in the case presentation the first approach will be to attempt a non-pharmaceutical intervention such as cognitive behavioral therapy, which has been found to be effective in children that have depression (Yang et al., 2017). The judgment and insight of the patient are appropriate and there is no suicide ideation. Hence, CBT will help identify the source of the problem and aid in the introduction of the appropriate behavioral interventions for positive outcomes in the child.
References
Cardy, R., Dhaliwal, S., & Reddy, P. S. (2017). Antidepressant drug treatment in Child and
adolescent Psychiatry. Madridge J Intern Emerg Med, 1(1), 31-39.