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conferenceseries
.com
Volume 5, Issue 5(Suppl)
J Child Adolesc Behav, an open access journal
ISSN: 2375-4494
Child Psychology 2017
September 28-29, 2017
September 28-29, 2017 Berlin, Germany
23
rd
International Conference on
Adolescent Medicine &
Child Psychology
Challenging the international trend to increase prescribing rates for psychotropic drugs for school aged children
– An issue of safeguarding their wellbeing
Dave Traxson
British Psychological Society, UK
I
will open my talk with the concept of ‘ Psycho-Economic Imperialism’ (Traxson 2013) –which I define as the biochemical
colonisation of young developing minds for huge commercial profit and social control. I coined this term to help stimulate debate
on the growing trend internato Increasingtionally to medicate more and more young children for behaviour problems that may be
associated with their immaturity or their distressing life experiences. It has been well received even in America which has the highest
rates for medicating children with such potentially toxic drugs. I will outline some key issues in this crucial area of professional
practice and give illustrations from three main psychotropic drug categories stimulants, anti-depressants and anti-psychotics. I will
use these to promote discussion and encourage colleagues to follow the principle of being ‘ Ethically Mindful,’ i.e. working in a way that
better Safeguards Children from the the potential risk of toxic harm. I will share some examples of challenging such diagnostic and
prescribing practices and share a Reflective Checklist, which I have developed in consultation with a range of professionals who are
involved in this field and which was inspired by the work of Dr Atul Gawandne in his seminal book, ‘The Checklist Manifesto.’(2009).
traxsondave@gmail.comJ Child Adolesc Behav 2017, 5:5(Suppl)
DOI: 10.4172/2375-4494-C1-003