The mass marketing of pharmaceuticals/psych meds for kids is unbelievable--and when they are approved[such as Risperdal] for use in kids---and now Abilify on it's way, makes me wonder how the hell any psychiatrist was able to get away with medicating my daughter with that shit under age 18 for nearly a decade.

Abilify was trialed on her in the "famous" 11 meds in 13 weeks bullshit the inhouse psych doc at a private hosp gave to her after saying she needed NO meds.

Abilfy for the record, based on her experience caused 1 week long insomnia, severe agitation, etc. I knew something was added to his med mix due to her wildness inpatient at the time [age 17].She only had by then PDD dx. I called the nurse and asked what was up, she appears like a adverse med reaction---same day the doc called me and told me it was Abilify and "we are removing it.".

NO, the companies don't care. The psych docs appear to be idiots, and for that I have no answer except mindless doping of American kids.

I do not agree with off-label use, when a dx in a child is not clear-- I am positive that period of time fried her brain. Part of the meds in that brief period was also Seroquel.

The bottom line is, along the lines of Zyprexa and Risperdal, yes these will all be broad brush medications for use in kids and parents will never know they were/are schizophrenia medications that pack a punch.

I feel sorry for the kids, in the next 2-3 years, we will see a backlash of antipsychotic use in kids-- as with antidepressants.

Of course mania induced by Abilify will just create add-on meds -- it's when the nurse told me my daughter was defying science by being awake a week even "with Klonopin added".

All of that went on inside a behavior based, private psych hospital. What a load of shit.

Gee, I only hope Abilify works as well for kids as it does for elderly folks with dementia. *GROAN*

If they could, they would - Abilify for children in cute animal shapes and delicious candy flavors. To think of the advertisements on afternoon TV, Mom can I have another bumble gum flavored bear and my friend Jimmy wants a cherry flavored elephant. Followed by the an announcer's over-dub, And Moms, kids just love the new Children's Abilify and don't you want your children to have the very best?

CL Psych-- the word "dementia" has been applied to my daughter[19] and I fear broadly applied to many ppl who appear to have "dementia"--an old word for "losing your mind and no reason for it but old age". Because my daughter now resides in care with that age group--we must all WONDER why, these guidelines for use of Abilify or any other antipsychotic have age brackets.

The drug affects all brains the same way. The reason the "old people" syndrome is emphasized, is because they are often frail and vulnerable for other illnesses; and most importantly:

It's easier to keep a retirement home quiet with medicated [rather than agitated, bored patients].

I find the age bracket a big issue with regard to all psych meds. Ive seen the entire spectrum of antipsychotic use: on my jon in autistic kids, in elderly via my daughter's home, and in my 19 year old who has a "mystery illness" of her brain function.

Common thread in this spectrum : medicate them. And more recently medicate them with antipsychotics. ALL due to behaviors not accepted in society, or outbursts not tolerated in confined space such as school,or yeah--nursing homes.

I personally have witnessed increased agitation in autistic kids as well as my daughter-- who stops to observe the "elderly"? I am.