The FDA recommends that caregivers monitor children, adolescents, and young adults being treated with antidepressants for sudden behavioral changes, and immediately notify their doctor if such changes occur. These behavioral signs include:

• Agitation
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Panic attacks
• Insomnia
• Aggressiveness
• Impulsivity
• Hyperactivity in actions and speech
• Worsening of depression
• Increased thoughts of suicide

The FDA’s guidelines for medication usage also recommend that all patients see their doctors regularly after initiating drug treatment. The recommended schedule is:

• Once per week for 4 weeks (1st month)
• Every 2 weeks for the next month (2nd month)
• At the end of week 12 following the start of drug treatment (3rd month)
• More frequently if changes in mood or behavior occur
• Patients should also be closely monitored if their drug dosage is changed.

Patients should immediately contact their doctor if depression symptoms worsen or if suicidal thoughts or behavior increase.

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Review Date: 01/27/2011
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)