Kids’ Prescriptions Fall, but ADHD Drugs Up

Prescriptions written for children have dropped 7% in the last decade, a new study finds. But prescriptions rose for some drugs, including those for attention disorders. Researchers looked at prescription numbers for children through age 17. The study covered the years 2002 through 2010. The types of prescriptions that fell included antibiotics. Experts have pressed for less use of antibiotics to reduce the growth of bacteria that resist these drugs. Cold and cough medicines also were prescribed less. U.S. drug regulators warned in 2008 that these drugs should not be used in young children. Prescriptions for allergy medicines also fell. Many of these medicines now can be bought over the counter. Prescriptions for drugs used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) jumped 46% during the study period.