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Effectiveness established in patients 7-17 years of age for OCD Effectiveness established in patients 8-17 years of age for MDD FDA required boxed warning for all antidepressants: Suicidality in Children and Adolescents - Antidepressants increased the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in short-term studies in children and adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders. Anyone considering the use of Prozac or any other antidepressant in a child or adolescent must balance this risk with the clinical need. Patients who are started on therapy should be observed closely for clinical worsening, suicidality, or unusual changes in behavior. Families and caregivers should be advised of the need for close observation and communication with the prescriber. Prozac is approved for use in pediatric patients with MDD and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). (See Warnings and Precautions: Pediatric Use) Pooled analyses of short-term (4 to 16 weeks) placebo-controlled trials of 9 antidepressant drugs (SSRIs and others) in children and adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), or other psychiatric disorders (a total of 24 trials involving over 4400 patients) have revealed a greater risk of adverse events representing suicidal thinking or behavior (suicidality) during the first few months of treatment in those receiving antidepressants. The average risk of such events in patients receiving antidepressants was 4%, twice the placebo risk of 2%. No suicides occurred in these trials Decreased weight gain has been observed in association with the use of fluoxetine, as with other SSRIs. In one 19-week clinical trial pediatric subjects treated with fluoxetine gained an average of 1.1cm less in height (p=0.004) and 1.1 kg less in weight (p=0.008) than those treated with placebo. Therefore, height and weight should be monitored periodically in pediatric patients treated with fluoxetine Mania/hypomania led to discontinuation of 1.8% of fluoxetine treated patients vs. 0% of placebo controlled patients in the three placebo-controlled trials combined. Regular monitoring for the occurrence of mania/hypomania is recommended Higher average steady state fluoxetine and norfluoxetine concentrations were observed in children than in adolescents. These differences were almost entirely explained by differences in weight Separate dosing recommendations in lower weight children
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