‘More Prescriptions Than In Last 22 Years’: Newport Beach Pediatrician Treating Record Number Of Children For Mental Health Problems

By CBSLA Staff, CBS Los Angeles

February 3, 2021

NEWPORT BEACH (CBSLA) – An Orange County pediatrician he is writing significantly more prescriptions for children having issues because they have been out of school for almost a year during the pandemic.

Frustrated parents are reporting more and more kids are on the emotional edge. “I remember last year we were like, great we get three weeks of spring break and a year later, we’re still not back in school,” says Wesley Pederson, a local parent.

Pediatrician Dr. Steven Abelowitz is concerned with the new and growing trend of prescribing record amounts of anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications to students. He says drugs like Lexapro, Zoloft, and Prozac are being given to his patients more than he can ever recall.

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