Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) for Depression in Children and Teens

All medicines have side effects. But many people don't feel the side effects, or they are able to deal with them. Ask your pharmacist about the side effects of each medicine your child takes. Side effects are also listed in the information that comes with the medicine.

Here are some important things to think about:

• Usually the benefits of the medicine are more important than any minor side effects.
• Side effects may go away after your child takes the medicine for a while.
• If side effects still bother your child and you wonder if he or she should keep taking the medicine, call your doctor. Your doctor may be able to lower your child's dose or change the medicine. Your child should not suddenly quit taking the medicine.

Call 911 or other emergency services right away if your child has:

• Trouble breathing.
• Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor if your child has:

• Hives.
• Thoughts of suicide.
• Agitation and restlessness.
• Seizures.
• Fast heartbeat.
• Nausea and vomiting.

Common side effects of this medicine include:

• Nausea, loss of appetite, or diarrhea.
• Irritability.
• Trouble sleeping or drowsiness.
• Headache.
• Changes in appetite.

SSRIs can trigger a Reference manic episode if the child actually has Reference bipolar disorder Opens New Window and not major depression.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

FDA advisories. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued:

• An Reference advisory on antidepressant medicines and the risk of suicide. The FDA does not recommend that people stop using these medicines. Instead, a person taking antidepressants should be watched for Reference warning signs of suicide. This is especially important at the beginning of treatment or when doses are changed.
• A warning about taking triptans, used for headaches, with SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) or SNRIs (selective serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors). Taking these medicines together can cause a very rare but serious condition called serotonin syndrome.

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