The Pill Paradox

Many psychiatrists believe that even if antidepressants do trigger suicide attempts in a few teenagers, the drugs save many more kids overall. The statistics seem to back up that thinking. Between 1992 and 2001, as the number of depressed kids taking antidepressants rose sharply, suicides among children aged 10 to 19 in the United States dropped by about 25 percent, reports the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. "We really need further large-scale clinical studies, where we are asking these questions up front," says David Fassler, a psychiatrist in Burlington, Vermont, and a member of the board of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. But until that happens, it's tempting to conclude that the antidepressants are indeed saving young lives.

After a lot of soul-searching, I've urged my daughter to continue taking her medication, and most psychiatrists say that's the right course. She still refuses to see a therapist, but I'm hoping that will change. Along with millions of other parents, I'm making decisions about my child's care on the basis of conflicting reports. For now, we have no other choice.