Most teens prescribed SSRIs did not have recommended follow-up appointments

The University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center's Martine Lamy commented to Medscape on new research that found fewer than half of the adolescents prescribed a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) at two large Chicago pediatric primary care clinics had a follow-up visit within the recommended 6 weeks.

The findings were presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2025 Meeting by researchers from the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Northwestern University.

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry recommends physician follow-up with adolescents within 4-6 weeks of being first prescribed a new SSRI to monitor for side effects and adjust dosage if needed.

“This is an important finding for dissemination, as pediatric medical homes are critical players for proactively addressing mental health concerns, and yet pediatricians often lack sufficient experience in management of depression and anxiety in adolescents,” said Lamy, MD, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and associate chief of staff for mental health at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Lamy was not involved in the study.

“Understanding what barriers that pediatric practices face in successfully treating depression and anxiety in the medical home is critical for improving evidence-based care delivery,” Lamy continued. “These findings are not unexpected and are likely to be representative of many pediatric outpatient practices around the country facing similar challenges in effectively treating mental health conditions.”

Read the Medscape article.

Featured illustration at top of children in silhouette walking with colorful backpacks. Photo/A-Digit/iStock.