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FACT BRIEF

Are 40% of children taking antidepressants?

By Tom Kertscher
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NO

Less than 8% of minors in the U.S. use antidepressant prescription drugs, the latest data indicate.

Robert Kennedy Jr., campaigning in Milwaukee for former President Donald Trump, claimed that "40% of our kids are on antidepressants."

Two Kennedy organizations did not provide information to back his claim.

A 2022 federal estimate based on surveys done from 2013 to 2018 said 6.6% of individuals ages 3–17 used a psychotropic medication such as an antidepressant during the previous 30 days.

In 2022, 2 million adolescents ages 12-17 filled at least one antidepressant prescription, according to a 2024 University of Michigan-led study. That’s 7.9%.

Also in 2022, antidepressants were obtained for 2.7% of children 17 and under, according to a federal agency.

Antidepressant are often effective in treating depression and anxiety in children and teenagers, but rarely “there can be severe side effects,” including suicidal thinking, according to Mayo Clinic.

See a full discussion of this at Wisconsin Watch
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Forbes Breaking News RFK Jr. Lambasts Democratic Party At Trump's Rally In Milwaukee, Wisconsin
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Mental Health Surveillance Among Children — United States, 2013–2019
Pediatrics journal Antidepressant Dispensing to US Adolescents and Young Adults: 2016–2022
Annie E. Casey Foundation Child population by age group in United States
U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Email 11/8/24
Mayo Clinic Antidepressants for children and teens - Mayo Clinic
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Wisconsin Watch
Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.