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More children of military officials prescribed psychiatric drugs

By Staff Writer

Many soldiers who engage in combat suffer trauma, but new research suggests that their children may be enduring the negative effects that come with having a parent serving abroad as well.

More than 300,000 psychiatric drugs were administered to kids under Tricare in 2009, the United States Department of Defense Military Health System, according to the Army Times. Compared to 2005, this is an 18 percent increase, noting a defined problem among children who have parents serving the country.

A study conducted by Rand Corporation compared soldiers' records with children's academic achievement records. Researchers found lower scores among military children whose parents had been deployed for at least 19 months since 2001.

Psychiatric drugs prescribed for anxiety and depressive conditions also raise the risk of suicide in children. Without intensive therapy, many kids are at risk of suffering from a major depressive disorder over time.

Approximately 12 percent of children under age 18 take a prescription drug on a regular basis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many medications can cause addiction in families, which may require the help of professionals to detoxify over time. 

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