Child and Adolescent Mental Health :: Information and Forum for Professionals, Young People and Parents

Depression is characterised by persistent low mood or sadness, and impairments of a range of other bodily functions such as sleep, appetite, concentration and memory and the ability to enjoy normally pleasurable acitities.

Safety of antidepressants in children

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Safety messages from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency:

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): Overview of regulatory status and CSM advice relating to major depressive disorder (MDD) in children and adolescents including a summary of available safety and efficacy data

Report of the CSM Expert Working Group on the safety of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor antidepressants

Other sources of information:

Depression in children and young people: NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) guideline