title: [Drug treatment of depression in children and adolescents].
abstract: Antidepressants may increase suicidal behaviour in children and  adolescents with depression, and should be used with great care. The  article provides an overview of research that may guide the clinician  when treating depression in young people. No medication should be  given without a thorough evaluation of diagnoses and psychosocial  problems. Psychoeducation and psychotherapy should be tried before  medication is started. Fluoxetine is the first choice for depression.  If it is not effective, a switch to another SSRI may prove effective.  SSRIs are found to be more efficacious in adolescents than in children.
authors.affiliation: Institutt for klinisk medisin, Universitetet i Oslo. berit.groholt@medisin.uio.no
authors.forename: Berit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grøholt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D011613:Psychotherapy; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D005473:Fluoxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors