{"id":11422,"date":"2020-05-19T09:00:06","date_gmt":"2020-05-19T13:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=11422"},"modified":"2026-03-25T16:35:05","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T20:35:05","slug":"antidepressants-for-children-and-elderly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/antidepressants-for-children-and-elderly\/","title":{"rendered":"How young is too young for antidepressants? How old is too old?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Antidepressants are medications used to treat <\/span>depression<\/span><\/a>, a condition that often has different symptoms in different age groups. In general, it causes prolonged feelings of sadness and loss of interest in once pleasurable activities. Many people with depression become withdrawn, hopeless, angry, lethargic, and even experience physical symptoms like weight changes or sleep problems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Antidepressants are some of the most common prescriptions in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that <\/span>15.4% of Americans aged 40-59<\/span><\/a> took an antidepressant in the last 30 days.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But middle-aged adults aren\u2019t the only ones with depression. It occurs in the very young and very old, too. The <\/span>CDC<\/span><\/a> notes that approximately 2.7 million children between ages 3 and 17 have depression, often in combination with other mental health disorders such as anxiety and behavior problems. Rates of depression in older adults are estimated in the <\/span>1% to 5% range<\/span><\/a>, but can be 10 times higher for those who require home health care or hospitalization, according to the CDC.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How old do you have to be to take antidepressants?<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cThe sooner you catch depression, the better,\u201d says <\/span>Beth Salcedo, MD<\/span><\/a>, past president of the <\/span>Anxiety and Depression Association of America<\/span><\/a> and medical director of the Ross Center. \u201cIt needs to be diagnosed and treated early. Typically, we try to treat it with psychotherapy, behavior therapy, and family interventions because these methods empower people and give them tools to last a lifetime. But, certainly, medication is an appropriate option. And there\u2019s not an age where I would say this person is too young or too old for antidepressants. There are so many factors that play into whether you give someone an antidepressant.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What does depression look like in kids?<\/span><\/h2>\n

While they can share similar symptoms, kids typically experience depression differently than adults. \u201cChildren are more likely [than adults] to present with sudden mood changes, temper tantrums, and irritability rather than a depressed mood,\u201d says <\/span>Natasha Nambiar, MD<\/span><\/a>, a medical advisor for eMediHealth. \u201cDifficulty with sleep, weight loss, and anxiety appear more common in younger children, whereas increased eating, weight gain, and slowness in motor activity seem to increase in adolescents.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Can kids be prescribed antidepressants?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The FDA has approved antidepressants for children, with use that increases with age. One <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> from 2018 <\/span>found that kids in the youngest group of the study (3-5 years old) got just 0.8% of prescriptions for psychiatric drugs (including antidepressants), whereas adolescents accounted for 7.7%. The American Psychological Association (APA) reports that <\/span>3.4%<\/span><\/a> of kids ages 12-19 have taken antidepressants in the last month.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the best antidepressants for children?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The <\/span>Food and Drug Administration (FDA)<\/span> has only approved <\/span>two drugs to treat depression in children<\/span><\/a>. <\/span>Prozac<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>fluoxetine)<\/span>, a <\/span>selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)<\/span><\/a>\u2014a drug that helps boost levels of serotonin, one of those \u201cfeel good\u201d chemicals, in the brain\u2014is approved for kids as young as 8. <\/span>Lexapro<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>escitalopram)<\/span>, another SSRI, is approved for kids 12 and older.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say a doctor won\u2019t prescribe another antidepressant for a child. Providers can use their clinical judgment to prescribe a different antidepressant to a child, even if it\u2019s not approved by the FDA for that purpose. This is called <\/span>off-label use<\/span><\/a>. Some doctors prescribe certain SSRI antidepressants\u2014such as <\/span>Celexa<\/span><\/a> (citalopram) and <\/span>Zoloft<\/span><\/a> (sertraline)\u2014for off-label use in children with depression.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMost of the SSRIs are considered safe for all age groups, and most of the drugs in this class can be widely used,\u201d says Dr. Salcedo. An older class of drugs, called <\/span>tricyclic antidepressants<\/span><\/a>, are not often prescribed\u2014for the young or old\u2014primarily because they have more <\/span>side effects<\/span><\/a> and are more dangerous if overdosed than newer antidepressants.<\/span><\/p>\n

Regardless of what antidepressant is prescribed, experts say the drugs work best for moderate-to-severe depression (degrees of depression are based on things such as the number of symptoms, symptom duration, and how much symptoms interfere with life). Antidepressants can also work better when used in tandem with therapy, especially talk therapy or cognitive behavior therapy, which helps people change the way they think about certain situations and experiences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What does depression look like in seniors?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Depression in seniors can masquerade as the normal aging process, and as such, often goes undiagnosed and untreated. \u201cSometimes depression in the elderly can mimic dementia,\u201d says Dr. Salcedo. \u201cSo you might see short-term memory loss, word-finding-difficulty, trouble with names. It\u2019s really important to rule out depression when you see cognitive impairment in the elderly.\u201d Additionally, older people are more likely than younger people to experience certain medical conditions, such as chronic pain and heart disease, that can contribute to depression.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the <\/span>National Institute on Aging<\/span><\/a>, other symptoms of depression in older people include:<\/span><\/p>\n